Send a Christian to camp

Christian Century, July 14, 1999 by Ellen Charry, Dana Charry

Christian embeddedness in and responsibility for the dominant culture is a consequence of the doctrine of creation. "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein" (Ps. 24:1). As God's stewards we are responsible for the earth and its inhabitants, including its social arrangements.

The task of such a camp is nothing less than leading children to God through the texts, music, art, practices and saints of the tradition. The ultimate goal is to give youth the experience of being nurtured and sustained in the body of Christ and to become more embedded in their baptismal identity than in popular culture. If this theological identity is strong enough, it should sustain Christian living whether in the private sector, the public sector, the not-for-profit sector or the home.

The round-the-clock nature of a residential program reflects a broad understanding of Christian formation. Christian summer camps would attend to the moral, social, intellectual, psychological and spiritual aspects of growth. The cultivation of social and interpersonal skills builds character and is essential for the formation of community. The intimate context of camp provides regular opportunities to help apply Paul's community ethic laid down in 1 Corinthians 8: each person is to exercise self-restraint to prevent others from stumbling.

THE NEED FOR cultivating basic social skills should not be underestimated at a time when computers and video games isolate youngsters socially from one another and from adults. Camp can be a means of instilling values of fairness, compassion, honesty and social responsibility. Away from telephones, computers and the Internet, children may consider the message of the cross that "God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength" (1 Cor. 1:25).

Intellectual and social development are not separable from spiritual development. Liturgy, hymns, prayer and Bible study give one a language for interpreting life in theological and spiritual terms, as Ephesians 5:19-20 recognizes. In such activities as learning to prepare worship for the community, youngsters can learn to see to the needs of the community as a whole.

Athletics have a place in such a camp--but not the place they occupy in the win-at-any-cost sports culture. In playing sports in a Christian setting, youth can learn about excellence, cooperation, how to handle failure gracefully, and the responsibility to develop and care for one's body.

Handling money is another area in which youngsters today may receive inadequate guidance. Businesses target young consumers, whether they have money or not. Learning to temper the desire for money and power is not easy at any age. Camp provides an environment in which to consider and see beyond the hold that global capitalism has on us all.

The intimacy of summer camp inevitably gives rise to intense romances. Many youngsters in our culture receive little guidance or support in learning how to love another person and deal with sexual feelings. Consequently they have little appreciation for the emotional and physical risks of sexual behavior. An alarming and growing number of children never experience a loving family of origin that provides the foundation for creating a healthy family of their own. Camp provides an opportunity to articulate Christian respect for the power of sex, the responsibility of protecting another person's body, mind and spirit, and the joy of Christian marriage.