It’s that time of year for many of going back to or starting school, college, university, or other learning and training. And there are an abundance of continuing education/lifelong learning programs beginning as well. It’s a season for learning. There are also opportunities for spiritual learning. Have you thought about a course or class or group to learn more about a spiritual or religious tradition or practise and the possible benefit to you and others?
There are courses at the University of Victoria and Camosun College in Religious Studies; lectures through the UVic Centre for Studies in Religion and Society, and the UVic Multifaith Services offers various studies, discussions and opportunities to learn spiritual practises like meditation, mindfulness and different forms of worship and prayer.
Many spiritual and religious communities in the city also provide opportunities for learning. The local mosque or synagogue, many churches and temples, offer classes and groups in beliefs, sacred texts, history, current issues in spirituality/religion and society. Most I would expect are open to anyone who is interested. Many would welcome a variety of perspectives and backgrounds. In some cases people may be a little surprised by someone not connected to a community joining in. But I would guess most would be delighted to welcome anyone with a genuine interest in learning more.
And despite whatever fears may exist, I wouldn’t be afraid of getting brainwashed or sucked in or mindlessly converted. In my experience that is the goal of only a very few fringe groups that should be avoided at all costs.
Within my own community I have been impressed by people’s desire for continued learning. For more than five years, one of the education opportunities is a DVD based university level lecture course and discussion of Biblical texts or religious history. Between twenty and thirty people have committed to 24 weekly lectures and discussions together, and most have returned each year.
The annual Epiphany Explorations offered in January through First Metropolitan United Church gathers hundreds of people from across Canada and beyond for lectures and presentations to explore contemporary spirituality and current issues and concerns of our world. There is interest and great opportunities for spiritual learning and growing together.
I am often struck that an understanding of religion and spirituality can be based on very limited experience, or more concerning, exposure to only the extremes of religion that catch public attention. It is a reality that fewer people are connected to religious and spiritual communities and therefore have limited knowledge. But my hope and encouragement is that people would take the opportunities available to learn more, to understand more, to discuss more.
If I made choices about my diet and health, my interests and vocation, my relationships or even leisure activities - like what music I like to listen to, based solely on the experience I had as a child, or from little of no exploration or knowledge throughout my life, I would think I haven’t given myself much of a chance. I think it is commendable that people, especially those with little or no background, are choosing to explore spirituality or religion. Not typically because they are suddenly converted, but because it is a part of ourselves and world that’s worth exploring and learning more. And we are poorer if we do not and I hope richer, more open and tolerant and accepting, if we do. What continued spiritual learning will you explore this fall?
Rev. Lyle McKenzie is pastor of Lutheran Church of the Cross of Victoria and part-time chaplain in Multifaith Services at the University of Victoria.
You can read more articles from our interfaith blog, Spiritually Speaking, HERE
* This article was published in the print edition of the Times Colonist on Saturday, Spetmeber 3 2016
