Adult Education and Faith Formation:
Foster Learning. Nurture Faith. Build Community. Broaden Perspectives.

Pastoral and educational leaders are increasingly discovering the power of travel to places of great historical and religious significance. Congregations that host group travel events find that travel to places where important change in history has occurred inspires growth in individuals and communities. Participants return home with new enthusiasm and curiosity about their faith heritage. There is renewed interest interest in preserving and passing on that heritage to the next generation, and new levels of engagement in local activities as they feel more connected with fellow sojourners.

Illume collaborates with pastoral and educational leaders to design and coordinate travel programs that bring people to places where visionary men and women of faith made history and continue to inspire as people walk in their footsteps. Offering a series of events (annual/biennial) complements comprehensive adult education and faith formation programs. It creates momentum and sustained support for ongoing learning and spiritual growth in the congregation.

Program Concepts

Footsteps of Paul/The Bible in Context/Early Christianity

Paul, the great apostle of early Christianity, was a citizen of the world. As he travels the world, he begins to notice the inclusive and creative love of God at work and offers a new theology and vision that transformed the world. In the same way that Paul was changed by his travels, those who embark on journeys to other lands are transformed, gaining new perspectives on their own heritage and inspired to lead compassionate and respectful ways of life. The series of “Footsteps of Paul” programs include: Israel, Turkey & Greece, and Sicily/Malta/Rome. Explore the context of biblical texts and explore the world of early Christianity.

The Holy Land: Educational and Spiritual Perspectives
Footsteps of Paul in Turkey and Greece
Early Christian Rome

Interfaith

Illume collaborates with religious leaders to foster dialogue by bringing people to places where past convivencia among the three Abrahamic traditions – Judaism, Christianity and Islam –can foster respect and compassion for our time. Explore the rich spiritual heritage of each tradition and consider examples of respectful as well as harmful relations. Meet with local groups engaged in dialogue and include opportunities for prayer and discussion, providing experiential learning and fostering collaborative relationships that remain with participants as they return home. The series of interfaith events include: Southern Spain, Turkey, and Israel.

Religious Art and Architecture

Some of the earliest known examples of art are expressions of spirituality and faith - of the human search for meaning, purpose and place in the universe. Over the centuries, Christians have given expression to their faith in pigment, stone and glass, moving the human soul to prayer and celebration. Illume creates programs that allow for the exploration of the development of sacred space in architecture, the evolution of liturgy, and the rich expression of faith in artistic form over the centuries. The series of Religious Art and Architecture Programs include: Italy (Venice, Florence, Assisi, Rome and other locations), Spain (particularly southern – exploring Jewish, Islamic and Christian religious art), and France.

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