The blog as a public spiritual journal

Three things triggered the creation of this blog.

1. At our Methodist London District Synod last Saturday, a speaker made the point that the younger generation have different ways of communicating with each other than the older generation. Churches tend to rely on notice boards, pulpit announcements, weekly news sheets and monthly magazines. Are such methods reaching those who communicate by text, email and internet chat?

2. At the same synod we were told of a new process for those wishing to offer for the ordained ministry. This process includes keeping a journal which records their ongoing development as a Christian disciple. For years, on and off, I have attempted to keep a private journal. Looking back I find that many of the entries are bemoaning my inability to keep on top of administration. I seem incapable of focusing on the important spiritual issues in my life.

I wondered what a journal would look like if I knew it would one day be scrutinised by a panel reviewing my ‘progress’ as a Christian. I would certainly be more circumspect in what I wrote. I would also be forced to think more about what I was doing and learning day by day. Not that I would want to make stuff up just to impress others, but I would (hopefully) avoid simply recording the mundane details of my life. Over lunch I mentioned my thoughts to a colleague whose immediate response was “So you’re going to take up blogging are you?”

3. The Independent newspaper has this week produced a series of booklets under the general heading “How to Master your PC in Seven Days”. Today, the subject is Blogging.

I have therefore decided to make public my spiritual journey...

...or at least the parts of it that are not too intimate or sensitive. I don’t necessarily expect anyone to read my on-line journal, but the very fact that it is publicly accessible ought to make me treat it with greater care than a private diary. I admit this is by way of an experiment. Can blogging be a useful way of aiding the blogger’s personal spiritual development? Time will tell.