Stories of our journey: Biblical narrative and personal story-telling as a tool for reconciliation in multicultural congregations

Abstract

This project tests if telling the stories of personal faith journeys through the lens of Biblical stories can be an effective tool to nurture understanding and reconciliation in multicultural congregations. After first exploring the nature of stories as a ground for theological reflection, second, addressing the challenge before American churches situated amidst increasingly multicultural communities, and third, establishing the scriptural imperative for the ministry of reconciliation, I offer and test a tool for story-telling through the lens of Biblical narrative.

By means of mutually-affirming conversation, personal discovery and insight through journal writing, this story-telling tool will hopefully assist to break down barriers of separation, pointing instead to a commonly experienced call from God which finds expression in unique and often culturally-diverse ways. The experience of the story-telling will hopefully assist in bridging the separation between persons of different cultures to meet on a new common ground.

The results found that story telling reflecting on both biblical narrative and personal story provided opportunity for participants to gain new appreciation and understanding between persons of different cultural, ethnic and racial background. The study tool would be helpful in settings where the goal is to connect diverse peoples in community bonding in a mutually satisfying and Christian environment.