Towards a Theology of Conversion

Question 1

Common Meanings of Conversion

Answer 1

• becoming Catholic or Christian
• changing beliefs about God
• Resolution of inner crisis (William James)
• Change of heart (behaving differently)
• Religious event with Moral implications
• EP see conversion as discrete singular experience

Question 2

Initial Definition of Conversion

Answer 2

Conversion is the process of change, not simply at the level of outward behaviour, but at the integrating and organizing level of one’s identity which in turn shapes the thoughts and behaviou of every aspect of one’s life.

Question 3

Conversion in the RCIA

Answer 3

• Implicit theology that needs teading out
• designed for those responding to the Mystery of Christ by embarking on the “way of faith and conversion”
• Is a process
• work of Triune God (not just Jesus)
• Human and Divine Agency
• Transformative of whole person
• “initial conversion” in pre-catechumenate as response to initial proclaimation
• Signs: beginnings of spiritual life, fundamentals taken root, signs of repentance, sense of church, experience of faith community
• Initial conversion is to mature over the catechumenate: conversion of mind and action, acquaintance of Christian teaching, spirit of faith and charity, intent to be baptised.
• Continues into the life of discipleship

Question 4

Donald Gelpi (sj)
Theology of Conversion

Answer 4

• An affective, intellectual, moral, socio-political and religious process that is transformative of the whole person over time
• The assumption of responsibility in a particular realm or dimension of human experience
• occurs outside explicitly religious contexts

Question 5

Affective Conversion

Answer 5

The assumption of responsibility for one’s emotional, imaginitive and aesthetic development.

Question 6

Intellectual Conversion

Answer 6

The assumption of responsibility for one’s personal beliefs and understanding and the concomitant repudiation of an uncritical stance of untested assumptions

Question 7

Moral Conversion

Answer 7

The turning from irresponsibile selfishness to the adoption of personal responsibility for one’s decisions against a personally chosen set of ethical norms.

Question 8

Sociopolitical conversion

Answer 8

A commitment to address economic, societal or political injustice. Someone who has been socio-politically converted seeks the common good and pursues justice in societal systems and global structures.

Question 9

Gelpi on Religious/Christian Conversion

Answer 9

Religious Conversion: the decision to turn from either ignorance of or opposition to God to acceptance in faith of some historical revalatory self-communication of God and its consequences.

Christian Conversion: the decision to move from ignorance and opposition to God to a decision for faith in God revealed in Jesus Christ and through the Spirit.

Question 10

Connections

Answer 10

• Affective conversion ANIMATES others
• Intellectual conversion INFORMS
• Moral conversion ORIENTS
• Sociopolitical conversion AUTHENTICATES by deprivatizing
• Affective, intellectual, moral and religious conversion AUTHENTICATES sociopolitical conversion by supplying personal norms that help measure institutional responsibility
• Christian conversion MEDIATES between affective and moral conversion
• Christian conversion TRANSVALUES others

Question 11

Implications of Gelpi’s Theology

Answer 11

• Conversion is integral to human development in all dimensions
• religious conversion can happen outside religious context
• Can help to understand why different dimensions of conversion may be present or absent in someone’s life