Editor

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July, 1999 - Vol. XXVIII No. 1
Rites of Passage: Recognition of Growth and Change

Cursorily ... From the Editor's Screen
by The Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori

We usually think of life in the church as being much-marked by passages. Indeed, for some families, major life passages are the only time when church attendance seems obligatory. Even though we are moving in other directions, our roots in an established church (Church of England) have often meant that we baptize, marry, and bury folks who are not regular members of our congregations. Yet many of us wrestle with the reality that most other life passages are largely ignored in our life together. We lack a significant rite of passage to adulthood, we lack one for the passage to middle age, and we say little about the passages of retirement.

The articles in this issue offer sample ways to observe the small passages in a child’s growth and maturation (Kristine Goodrich, Sharon Mater), as well as the big ones, like getting a driver’s license (Trudy Ardizzone). Pam Deardorff and Barbara Ross give us some theoretical tools to better understand the rapid developmental stages in young children. Mary Olszewski offers some insights into why rituals are important in helping adolescents successfully transit the multi-leveled passage to adulthood. Some cultures have long had very clear passages to adulthood; the Mexican quinceañera is a good example, though it has traditionally been available only to girls reaching the age of 15. Stephanie Wight shares reviews of a couple of good resources, particularly related to celebrating passages in the church.

Discussion of rites of passage has often seemed to be limited to children until they reach adulthood, whether we understand that as age 18 or a bit older. Alice Scannell opens up for us the world of transitions in later adulthood. After reading her article, you will probably be able to think of a number of passages in earlier adulthood.

Nor are transitions and passages always age-related. Healing rituals can also be important doorways in life. Maron Van offers an example of one such passage, for women who have been alienated from a patriarchal church.

The recovery of a baptismal understanding of faith and ministry has meant that we are beginning to learn (and remember) that all sorts and conditions of people have an important witness to give the world about the love of God in Jesus Christ. The ability to do that grows and changes throughout life. A baby has one sort of ministry; a teenager usually has another; and an octogenarian yet another. Without some community recognition of growth and change, we tend to forget that Ashley, Zachary, and William all have different ministries than they did ten years ago. The ability to grow and change is a gift to be recognized and blessed within the faith community. We hope this issue will stimulate your thinking and perhaps energize some change in your worshipping community. As John Henry Newman said, "to live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often." May we bless those changes as we seek to "be perfect, as God is perfect." (To be perfect here means to be complete, to be whole, to be fully who God intended at our creation.)

KJS