Introducing The Spiritual Feminine and The Spiritual Masculine – Previously Mothers of the Church and Fathers of the Church
Based on feedback from focus groups and previous course participants, Backpack Productions has decided after careful consideration to change two of the course titles. Mothers of the Church will now be entitled The Spiritual Feminine, and Fathers of the Church will now be The Spiritual Masculine.
- “I wish I could get my daughter to take this course, but she will think it’s irrelevant to her because she’s not a mother.”
- “My cousin would absolutely love everything in [MOC], but she’s not in her faith so the title would put her off.”
- “I know my friend would love this course but I feel insensitive recommending it to her because she’s struggling with infertility.”
- “Would you ever consider making this course suitable for men? I just know our marriage would benefit so much if my husband understood all of this.”
- “I’ve been so surprised by how relevant all of this information is for me in my vocation as a teacher, I thought you had to be a biological mother or a nun to take this programme.”
- “I tried to convince my niece to sign up for this course, I know it would answer so many questions and concerns she has about the role of women in the Church, but she just says it sounds too religious for her.”
These sentiments expressed by participants and advisors sum up the rationale behind the name change, so for the short version of this article, you could really stop reading now.
To potentially belabour the point, these and similar are sentiments we have heard from participants of Mothers of the Church since the very first pilot run of the course. Although we have strived to emphasise from the beginning that you don’t have to be a biological mother to benefit from the Mothers of the Church content, time has continued to prove that the title is an initial barrier for many people who would otherwise enjoy the material.
Similar opinions were echoed from the pilot run of Fathers of the Church. Several of the men who participated in the pilot were not biological fathers, and expressed that despite initially feeling they might not be suitable candidates for the pilot, they finished the course with the conviction that the material is extremely important for all men, regardless of vocation or level of faith. Many of them also expressed the concern that while friends and family would be blown away by the course *if they could be convinced to take it*, it would be a hard sell to persuade most men to take a course called “Fathers of the Church” if they were not a) biological fathers or b) highly convicted in their religious identities already.
To that end, the team agreed that if the titles are serving as obstacles in understanding the nature of the courses and who they are suitable for, the right thing to do is to re-title them in order to ensure the names are very much indicative of the subject matter, as well as to ensure that the courses feel accessible and relevant to prospective participants.
After meaningful discussions, prayer, and consideration of the essence and intention of the courses, the course creators landed on the titles The Spiritual Feminine: Integrating Human Formation and Faith and The Spiritual Masculine: Integrating Human Formation and Faith.
Why The Spiritual Feminine/The Spiritual Masculine?
As explained above, there seemed to be a discrepancy between the titles of the courses and what people were experiencing or taking away from them. We knew from feedback that the words “mother” and “father” were immediate signals to people that the course was “irrelevant” to them. Reflection revealed everyone to be in agreement that the true essence of these two courses is to do with feminine and masculine differences, similarities, influences, and the role of our feminine or masculine beings on our relationships, our vocations, and our personal experiences and expressions of spirituality.
God gave men and women each complementary strengths, challenges, and missions. These courses are an exploration of the individuality of the feminine and masculine spirit, respectively, and how these pertain to the manifestation of our faith.
Why the subheading “Integrating Human Formation and Faith”?
As with all our courses, the combination of spirituality and psychology is what sets us apart. The course creators want to make it clear to people from the very get-go that the material is grounded in both the science of human psychology and the theology of Christian teaching and belief. Our aim as healthy Christians is to ensure these aspects of our beings – body, mind, and spirit – are integrated and whole.
Who is The Spiritual Feminine suitable for?
Mothers of the Church/The Spiritual Feminine is suitable for women from every walk of life who are interested in how their spirituality and femininity influence each other. It is suitable for biological mothers, daughters of mothers, married women, aunts, nuns, single women living out their vocations through their careers, women who play maternal roles in their communities, Catholics, Christians, women of any or no religious affiliation who are curious about the psychology of womanhood, etc. Women working in education, healthcare, law enforcement, male-dominated workplaces, and other social settings have all reported that Mothers of the Church helped them immensely in the context of their careers, as well as in their family lives.
We are working on an adapted version of The Spiritual Feminine for men.
Who is The Spiritual Masculine suitable for?
Fathers of the Church/The Spiritual Masculine is suitable for men from every walk of life who are interested in how their spirituality and masculinity influence each other. It is suitable for biological fathers, sons of fathers, married men, uncles, priests, single men living out their vocations through their careers, men who play paternal roles in their communities, Catholics, Christians, men of any or no religious affiliation who are curious about the psychology of manhood, etc. Men working in education, healthcare, law enforcement, or any other social setting are all eligible participants for The Spiritual Masculine.
We are working on an adapted version of The Spiritual Masculine for women.
Has anything changed about the course content or material?
Nothing about the programs has changed in terms of content or delivery. The same topics will be covered in the same order. The titles are really the only factors that are different.
Is maternity/paternity still a theme in the courses?
Of course! What we gathered from feedback is that the course titles were being taken in a very literal sense, as opposed to the spiritual sense of maternity and paternity, which seemed to be causing some confusion. Every woman expresses her “maternity” in the care and support she gives to her community, whether that be at home, at work, or in wider society; every man expresses his “paternity” in the care and support he gives to his community, whether that be at home, at work, or in wider society. Spiritual maternity/paternity is the expression of our unique gifts and contributions to those around us, and is not limited to a parent-child dynamic.
All of that is not to undermine the distinct and unspeakable value of what biological mothers and fathers are offering their families and the world at large in the formation of their children, and this is still a strong theme woven through both courses (again, nothing in the courses has been altered, so you are still getting everything that people have loved about both original courses).
Is this a step away from the religious component of the courses, or a watering down of the Catholicism of the courses?
Absolutely not. Backpack Productions is reverent about the Catholic ethos and teachings that informed these courses and will continue to inform all of our educational products. We seek to be more inclusive, not exclusive, and hope that everyone will understand the intentions behind the decision to change the titles to engage more of our brothers and sisters who so greatly need the human formation on offer.
What is the long-term vision for Mothers of the Church/Fathers of the Church?
Ultimately, Mothers of the Church and Fathers of the Church will be formed in the parishes and dioceses of those who take the course and believe in the mission to spread both healthy maternity and paternity in a complex world.
How can I sign up for The Spiritual Feminine or The Spiritual Masculine?
For more information on course run times and how you can sign up, please click here or visit https://thebackpack.life.
