Patterns of Return (Leaving Cert Religious Education): Revision Notes

Patterns of return

Introduction

Throughout Christian history, believers have regularly looked back to their origins to better understand their present and guide their future. By studying the past, Christians can learn more about themselves as individuals, community members, and people of faith. This process of returning to foundational principles has created recognisable patterns across different centuries and contexts.

The founding vision of Christianity

The founding vision that draws Christians back is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This central story provides the foundation that reform movements consistently return to when seeking renewal.

When Christian communities engage with this founding vision through study and prayer, they often discover new perspectives on scripture and feel called to challenge existing church practices. This process can lead to significant changes in how Christian communities live and worship.

These communities typically emphasise:

• Living as a close-knit 'cell' of believers
• Sharing all aspects of life together
• Embodying the vision of God's people
• Pursuing justice and right relationships with God
• Prioritising God's kingdom and harmony rooted in justice

The impact of these communities extends beyond their own members, as they often challenge wider society and inspire broader changes in Christian practice.

Historical patterns of return

The Ceili De (8th century)

In mid-8th century Ireland, a reform movement emerged whose leaders called themselves Ceili De, meaning servants of God. This movement sought to renew monastic life in Ireland during a period when monasteries had become too comfortable and distant from their founding principles.

The Ceili De represented people who felt a strong calling to prioritise God in their lives and become authentic servants of God. Their approach was distinctive because they emphasised choosing God as their 'All' - making God the complete centre of their existence.

Reform approach: Rather than creating entirely new structures, the Ceili De worked to reform the monastic movement from within. They brought fresh spiritual energy whilst maintaining existing frameworks. They placed great importance on the Word of God, with Gospels being read during meal times.

Lasting impact: The Ceili De emphasised the importance of spiritual guidance through one's Anam Chara or soul friend. This concept of soul friendship led to the development of private confession, which first took root in the Irish church before spreading throughout Western Christianity.

The Mendicant Orders and St. Francis of Assisi

The Mendicant Orders developed an urban form of monastic life that closely mirrored Jesus's lifestyle as revealed in the Gospels. These orders shared three common characteristics:

• Members held no personal possessions and had the right to beg
• All members were united regardless of their geographical location
• Pastoral care formed the focus of their training

St. Francis of Assisi exemplified this return to Gospel living. Coming from a wealthy family in Assisi, Francis experienced a series of events that prepared him for his religious calling:

• He was injured in battle between rival cities
• He encountered a leper and gave him all his money
• He made a pilgrimage to Rome
• He exchanged his fine clothes for those of a beggar

The turning point came when Francis heard a voice saying "go Francis and repair my house, which as you can see is falling into ruin." After hearing Gospel words at mass about going without possessions to announce God's kingdom, Francis began living out his vocation seriously.

This represented a smaller-scale reform movement that still helped initiate broader church renewal.

Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation

Martin Luther, a German Augustinian priest, became aware of the significant gap between early church life and the practices of church leaders in his time. After a near-death experience, Luther underwent a period of spiritual struggle concerning his own salvation, asking the fundamental question: "How can I find a merciful God?"

Luther's spiritual breakthrough came from his understanding of Paul's letter to the Romans. He realised that instead of earning God's favour through good works, humans naturally tend to act for selfish motives even when doing good. Luther discovered that God doesn't reject people at their lowest point but rather reaches down in mercy and recreates them.

Three principles: Luther's theology became associated with three key principles:

• Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone)
• Sola Fide (Faith alone)
• Sola Gratia (Grace alone)

Reform efforts: In 1517, Luther nailed 95 theses against indulgences and pilgrimages to the door of Wittenberg Castle Church. His intention wasn't to rebel against the Church but to open theological debate and reform the church.

The Evangelical Movement (19th century)

The Evangelical Movement of the early 19th century displayed key characteristics that reflected a return to founding Christian principles:

• Scripture serves as the ultimate guide for spirituality and ethics
• Strong emphasis on Jesus Christ's saving death on the cross
• Personal conversion is essential
• Sharing the Christian faith is extremely important

John Wesley and Methodism: John Wesley founded the Methodist Church with his brother Charles. Wesley became convinced of the need to develop a 'living faith' and emphasised the role of personal experience in Christian life.

Methodist communities made specific commitments including regular private devotions, daily scripture reading, and prayer. The movement's emphasis on experiential Christianity and personal conversion made Methodism part of a religious revival in 18th century England.

The Second Vatican Council (20th century)

Two major 20th century events influenced radical reform within the Roman Catholic Church:

• The Second Vatican Council (1962-65)
• The Council of Latin American bishops in Medellin (1968)

Pope John XXIII called Vatican II in 1962 during the decade that saw the birth of the worldwide civil rights movement. The Council produced 16 documents, with Lumen Gentium being particularly important as it encouraged the Catholic Church to understand itself more as a community of believers than a hierarchically ordered institution.

Liberation Theology and Oscar Romero

Liberation Theology emerged from the Second Vatican Council's emphasis on social justice. In the document Gaudium Et Spes, Christians were challenged to examine the world around them and work to correct situations of injustice.

Liberation Theology was formally launched in 1968 at a Congress of Latin American Bishops in Medellin, Colombia. The movement declared that the Church would stand with the poor and work to transform society so all people could live in dignity and freedom. They called this a 'preferential option for the poor'.

Oscar Romero exemplified this movement. Born in 1918, Romero was ordained as a Catholic priest in 1942 and worked for 20 years in San Miguel. He later became Archbishop of San Salvador in 1977.

Initially, Marxist priests feared Romero's conservative reputation would negatively affect liberation theology's commitment to the poor. However, Romero's spiritual journey included love for the Church of Rome, examination of conscience, sincere pity, and spiritual direction.

His work exemplifies how someone who grasps Christianity's founding vision can profoundly affect people's faith and implement movements like Liberation Theology.

Common patterns across movements

Several consistent patterns emerge across these different return movements. Understanding these patterns helps us recognise how reform movements develop and why they continue to emerge throughout Christian history.

• Scripture-centred approach: All movements emphasised returning to biblical foundations
• Community focus: Most created or renewed community living arrangements
• Social justice emphasis: Many connected spiritual renewal with concern for the poor and marginalised
• Reform from within: Most initially sought to reform existing structures rather than create entirely new ones
• Personal transformation: All emphasised the importance of individual spiritual renewal
• Challenge to authority: Each movement questioned established religious practices and hierarchies

These patterns demonstrate that the desire to return to Christianity's founding vision creates recognisable responses across different historical periods and cultural contexts.