The ‘long and winding road’ of faith: learning about the Christian life and discipleship from two Methodist congregations

Abstract

ABSTRACT The popular understanding and practice of discipleship has often assumed a particular shape of the life of faith, one which is more ‘heroic’ and active. This paper explores how the understanding and experience of learning and growing as Christians in two Methodist congregations challenges and nuances this understanding of discipleship. Focusing on the themes of non-heroic faith and participative faith which arose in the data, it compares the understanding of the Christian life within these congregations with the discipleship material in the book Holy Habits, by Andrew Roberts. Through engaging with Vygotskii’s Zone of Proximal Development an alternative pedagogy from that presented in the discipleship material is suggested of the dual practice of deep conversation and risk-taking. Far from retreating from a participative faith, the paper shows how it can provide a theological basis for such faith to grow and mature.