By 
0
0
Observations on American spiritual life from our German gap year student, Theresa
Some of my earliest memories involve learning about God and faith. I‘d always known that faith is deeply personal and that everyone believes differently, but coming to Lydia’s House made me realize how different faith is in America as compared to Germany.
Growing up, I was taught that faith is my personal relationship with God—something private, shared only between God and me. I understood that faith can be lived out in community, but I also learned that prayer is usually quiet and done alone. In Germany, you don’t casually ask people about their faith, and you don’t openly talk about your own. Many people consider that kind of behavior intrusive or overly missionary. Having a conversation with a German about their faith requires a great deal of trust. In fact, I consider the conversation I had with my mom about our faith to be one of the deepest conversations we’ve ever had.
My experience with church services in Germany has been that they are very structured and sometimes almost political. Services often focus on global issues, and the songs are mostly old and traditional.
Coming to America made me realize that this upbringing—my upbringing—is very different from the way many Americans grow up with faith.
Even before I arrived, I was asked to write a paper about my faith and my relationship with God. At first, it felt uncomfortable to write something so personal and send it to people I had never met. It was also difficult because I had never reflected on my faith in this way before. I’d never had to put it into words.
After being here for almost four months, I’ve realized that faith in the US is present all the time. People pray out loud together for others in their lives. It’s normal to talk openly about your faith, and there are so many different churches. People you meet on the street say things like “God bless you,” not just as a saying, but because they truly mean it.
Going to church isn’t just a one-hour service on Sundays; many people attend more than once a week. Events like worship nights are much more common than they are in Germany. The few worship nights I attended in Germany were no longer than an hour and mostly consisted of singing, maybe followed by a short prayer. My first worship night in America was a completely different experience. It lasted much longer than I expected—we stayed for almost three hours—and included moments of silence, prayer, and preaching. It was also much more interactive, with people standing, sitting, kneeling, or even dancing.
A major part of life and faith in America is community. Your community is something you can truly rely on—they help you when you’re sick or in need. The children of the community become friends, and the community gathers for picnics in the park. In my experience a church community meets for Sunday mass or service and for a community summer party.
Since coming to Lydia’s House, I‘ve been focusing much more on my faith. I’ve had countless conversations about faith with my roommate, even though we had only just met in September. I’ve also become more aware of the people around me and more intentional about including them in my prayers.
Lydia’s House has helped me not only get to know many new people, but also get to know myself and my faith on a deeper level. I’m hoping that this helps me find my way back in Germany. That I get into a routine where faith is a bigger part of my life and that I can take this routine back with me. Making more time for my faith in my daily life definitely helped to slow my day down and raised awareness for time for myself and for reflection.
