Faith and Unfaith: Faith Maturity in Canada's At-Risk and Street-Involved Youth

Abstract

What is faith? And who has it? Traditional arguments suggest that "faith" means: "faith in God" or "faith in gods" and therefore that faith is an idea reserved only for religious communities. The unfortunate implication is that those who do not "have faith" in God have "no faith" at all. It is the author's thesis that "faith" can be seen in a broader context and that the implications of this broader perspective hold important implications for ministry with at risk and street-involved youth. Relying heavily on the foundational work of James Fowler, the project describes faith as a process of "meaning-making" and applies this understanding to the author's work with street-involved youth in downtown Toronto. Through a survey of current research, developmental theory, theological frameworks, biblical themes and surveys with street-involved youth the study draws important conclusions for ministry with street involved youth and other marginalized groups not traditionally associated with the church. The author argues that street-involved youth share many of the core values traditionally associated with "faithful" living and that these shared values provide significant opportunities for street-youth and church communities to grow in faith.