A Conversation on Reimagining Faith
“We all carry a kind of mental map of our spiritual journey, even if you might not be aware that you are operating one. Like most maps, yours probably depicts familiar landmarks by which you navigate and measure progress on your Christian faith pilgrimage. Symbolising the fundamentals of faith such as orthodox beliefs and doctrines, regular personal and communal times of worship, prayer, and sacraments, acts of evangelism, mission, or social action, we consider our landmarks or milestones as being there to keep us on the ‘right path’, ever pointing towards God.
But what happens when your experience of faith begins to change so dramatically, that you feel you’re getting to the edge of your known map? Or worse, you begin to lose ‘faith’ in some of your formerly dependable landmarks? I don’t mean the basic tenets of the Christian faith here, but those beliefs and practices that for example create the familiar rhythms of how we live out our Christian life.
This is known as ‘faith-disorientation’.”
Join us for an enlightening conversation with Mary and Charles Hippsley as they discuss their new book, Reimagining the Landscape of Faith: Essential Pathways for Spiritual Growth. As experienced spiritual directors, Mary and Charles offer deep insights into navigating the often bewildering journey of faith—especially when the spiritual maps we've inherited no longer lead us where we hoped, or when the map no longer matches the landscape we find ourselves in.
How do we find our way when familiar paths disappear? How do we navigate seasons of doubt, change, or growth?
Through the powerful metaphor of maps, the Hipsleys invite us to explore and expand our understanding of spiritual transformation. Whether you're a spiritual director, a seeker, or someone feeling spiritually disoriented, this episode is filled with wisdom and inspiration to help guide your next steps.
Tune in to explore essential pathways for spiritual growth—and begin to reimagine your faith journey.
Questions for reflections
Have you ever written or drawn your own faith map? What would it look like? Mountains of certainty? Valleys of doubt? Winding paths of transformation?
What has shaped your map—tradition, culture, personal experience, or your unique identity?
And what moments or realisations brought you to the edges of that map—those places where the terrain feels unfamiliar, unsettling, or full of possibility?
Are the familiar landmarks I’ve embraced—those so clearly defined by me or my church tradition—the only ones?
Is it possible that my map is limited, shaped more by habit or inheritance than by the full breadth of what is?
What might I discover if I turned to the next page of my map? Could there be landmarks I’ve simply never noticed before?
And what if I gave myself permission to reimagine some of the old landmarks—allowing them to shift in meaning as my experiences and understanding evolve with time?
Further Resources
Read Charles & Mary’s blog on waiting and the use of lament in our faith struggles.
Find out more about Mary and Charles at www.reimaginefaithlandscape.com
You can order “Reimagining the Landscape of Faith” now.
You can order “Reimagining the Landscape of Faith” now.
Charles Hippsley
Charles is also a Spiritual Director and is Lead Tutor for the second year of LCSD’s Encounter course.
Mary Hippsley
Mary is a Spiritual Director and trains mature Christians to accompany others in a local church context.