Date of Award

2024

Document Type

Project Portfolio

Degree Name

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Department

Seminary

First Advisor

Dominic Abaria, DMin

Second Advisor

Holley Clough, DMin

Third Advisor

Kenneth Van Vliet, DMin

Abstract

The NPO for this project is as follows: American Millennials (adults aged 25-45) experience a lack of safety and welcome in their communities of faith during a season of spiritual doubt, causing them to disengage from their communities of faith and falling into risk of negative outcomes.

Throughout history, from Galileo to the American Colonies to present day, the church has not handled those who experience doubt in their faith with care, leaving the doubter feeling unsafe or unwelcome in their community of faith. However, a close reading of Scripture reveals that God is not intimidated or deterred by doubt; rather, God continually promises God’s presence to those who doubt. Meanwhile, psychological and sociological studies agree: there are both potentially positive and negative outcomes to a season of spiritual doubt, ranging from struggles in adult identity formation to psychological and physiological health markers. The deciding difference between the two is a sense of kind, curious community in which doubt can be held without removing presence and belonging. This project aims to address this need and problem by creating a seven-week online cohort community, in which participants will experience such community through engaging a journal resource and weekly group spiritual direction. It is designed to be used within the context of a spiritual direction ministry, facilitated by a trained spiritual director. I will begin within my own spiritual direction ministry in the Pacific Northwest, The Abode.

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