Childhood Memories: Faith Development

Note: This series of 10 blogs on Childhood Memories are intended primarily for my grandchildren; others may or may not find them to be of interest.)

Seven days after my birth my parents rustled me off to Zion Lutheran Church, Walburg, Texas where I was baptized into the Christian church. My mother duly noted in my Baby Boo that I “behaved well” when Pr. John Sieck performed the ritual and that I was dressed in the same white and pink dress in which my sister Leona had been baptized just two years earlier.

My parents took seriously their responsibility of nurturing the faith development of me as an infant and young child. I was immediately immersed in the daily rituals of morning and evening prayers, table grace, Bible reading and hymns.  Every morning and evening we had the ritual of Dad reading a section from the Bible, a reflection upon that text, a prepared prayer, and the pronouncement of the Aaronitic blessing.

My life was always in the context of the local congregation at which my Father served as school principal, organist, choir director, youth minister, etc. etc. Every Sunday found us at church where I was well monitored by Mother. In those days we “went to church” a lot. Every Sunday, midweek Lenten services for 6 weeks, church festivals that did not fall on a Sunday such as Christmas, the Holy Week Events, Ascension and Reformation Day. Mixed in were funerals, weddings, anniversaries, mission festivals and concerts. It was pretty much total immersion. If my memory is correct this was all fine with me and I enjoyed the rituals, was proud to get dressed up but very much resented having to wear shoes as that interfered with my nearly year round seven days a week of going barefooted. 

At age six I enrolled at the two-room Zion Lutheran School. Of course we started the day with religion class. It was classic Lutheran indoctrination with heavy focus on doctrine and dogma, always quoting Luther and Scripture (often even in that sequence). There were four (4) basic elements to this instruction: 1) Bible Stories (we all remember the blue covered book with the title  “100 Bible Stories”); 2) Martin Luther’s catechism and Dr. Schwan’s Explanation of the same; 3. Memory work. We memorized hundreds of Bible verses and Martin Luther’s Small Catechism; and 4 . Hymn singing as we sang every day usually in German and often in three-part harmony. 

I recall that instruction with appreciation. I learned the fundamentals of the Christian faith. I was taught very clearly that God is a God of Grace, that God is for me, not against me. I learned the virtues and rewards of leading a pious life. I learned that in God’s eyes I was special and that God had a dream that I would lead a productive, ethical life, sharing my faith, values and gifts with the world.

In retrospect I also see some things in my religious training that I now reject. The Bible was presented as needing to be interpreted very literally. I was taught that only my branch of the Lutheran Church had “the Word of God in all its truth and purity”. I learned little about anyone not of my very specific faith and denominational tradition. It was a very narrow view of the work of God and my role in the larger parts of God’s scheme for all of creation. I also was not introduced to some of the worship practices which I now wish I had developed, specifically meditation, contemplation or silence.

When I reflect deeply on my early religious training I must do so with very deep feelings of gratitude and appreciation. The seeds that were sewn went deep. I trust that they continue to bear fruit that endures into eternity.