Well now that question, asked of me recently, is an excellent one and I do not have an answer that is an acceptable one for all, but is my own definition. I chose that word, “folk” because it describes a simpler, home oriented way of life with older traditions rarely practiced or acknowledged today. It speaks to a way that anyone can access and is in tune with the needs of our bodies and communities. Some might describe it as Mysticism or even Esoteric Christianity. But I think the word folk just fits it better.

Author R. Daniel Shaw, of “Folk Christianity” describes folk religion as “the religion of the “folk” — real people struggling with the realities of life. Folk Christianity emphasizes the experiences of Christian folk as they seek to connect their religious experience, as expressed in the Bible and the church, to the reality of their lives.”
This is my daily life, not just my job or calling. And yet, I feel called to helping folks live into a practice that is not separated by a day of the week, a building, or even a congregation, but is woven into our daily breath and activity. Shaw also notes that “Folk Christianity should reflect beliefs and values expressed in actual behavior.” In other words, our lives should reflect our values in every way. They are not separated from our work, our love, our sex, our food, our fun, or even our politics.

There is a great Wikipedia article on Folk Religion that notes Don Yoder’s 5 forms of folk religion. In short though, the summary says it best: “the totality of all those views and practices of religion that exist among the people apart from and alongside the strictly theological and liturgical forms of the official religion”

Why does that matter so much? Because colonization has stolen the sacred and stunningly intelligent practices and language for the Divine which transcend religious structures and dogma. In decolonizing my own faith and walk, I find that leaving behind the need for Euro-centric expression of Christianity to be a valuable tool for expanding my understanding of God in, with, and beside me.

Differing from Philipino Folk Christianity, I do not believe in animism (a belief of spirits in every thing to be prayed to or made sacrifices to or for). However, I do believe in string theory that proves all of creation is bound by minuscule strings of attachment and the impact on one thing impacts those around it. This science informs my intense belief that the care of the world is not limited to humans, but to the creation we are made a part of. (see Genesis 1 and 2- that is the whole point of them.)

Search for Oxfords definition of “folk” regards to music and art to explore more, but below with large chunks of my personal application interspersed is their definition:

…folk music has many different forms, including songs and ballads (= songs that tell a story). Many folk songs relate to the lives of ordinary people in past centuries; others tell of famous love stories or celebrate nature.

The way in which I practice my faith and following of The Way of Christ is much like folk music, it is the living out and telling of a story that relates to our very ordinary every day lives. It celebrates the love of Christ that was so controversial it led to his murder. It also celebrates creation (Nature) because we are created as part of creation, we are not separate from it and we are intrinsically bound to one another through it. More importantly, that is God’s intention from the beginning and includes being bound with God, or the Divine as I like to reference them (the Trinity).

The verses may be sung by one voice alone, with the choruses sung by everyone present.

In my studies on the history of the church at large, I find that the congregation is a complicated support tool, but not a necessity. One can commune and worship God alone in the forest, and at times more appropriately than we do with structured, time bound, rule bound church services. In those moments alone, we can experience the “nous” as the Gospel of Mary explains, the sweet spot between spirit and soul where God resides. But that can also be experienced in community.

What cannot be found alone is encouragement, hope, support, camaraderie, and education. We require others for this to be done well and not in a vacuum. And yet, often congregations become vacuums. For example, the sheer numbers of ELCA congregations with generous funds to send many to seminary holding them so tightly that they will only pay for one of their own members to do so… but also having no one young enough or called, let alone raised up to this ministry. It is a vacuum of control, rather than a joint effort and realization that no pastor belongs to any one congregation but to the whole church. The blessing of being able to pay for a pastor to be educated, whether they will ever serve a day in that congregations presence, is missed out on.

Some folk songs are learned at school and are familiar to everyone

There are elements of faith that we pick up in our daily lives and do not even know it- the moments of sweet family memories as we stir the chili we make to sustain our bodies is a prayer. But we often do not think of that as a praise and thanks moment. In my practice of Folk Christianity, I help people connect these moments, even as I learn to find them myself.

American folk music was created by the combination of many folk styles brought to America by immigrants. Music helped keep alive the traditions and memories of people’s former homes. From the late 19th century many songs and tunes that had been passed down orally were collected together and written down.
The stories of the church, the saints, and our ancestors all matter so much. They teach and lead us in so many ways. And the table (communion and dinner) surrounded by many different cultures enriches the church, not taking from it, but adding more! We cannot be afraid to bring these songs of life and change together into our midst. Christ was unafraid of change, he agitated and died for it! We too, are given new life in the embrace of new thought and practices even as we celebrate the past and what got us here.

By the 1960s, folk music was being used to encourage social change and it became the music of hippies and the civil rights movement…They attacked the prejudices of society and the violence of war.

Christ did not die because he was nice and kind. He died because he spoke the truth to a system of power that destroyed life. Both roman and jewish, they ostracized the marginalized to literal death and then blamed the people for not having more allegiance or faith. He died because he loved his faith and his people enough to call out the ignorance and insanity. That was simply too dangerous for the ones in power- they might not keep that power. He was murdered because he encouraged social change.
This informs my action in the world, speaking up against harm and advocating/fighting for the sacredness of all humans and creation.

As you can see, it is an ethereal definition, one I struggle to narrow down even to this, but it gives an idea of what it looks like, how it is lived out, and what it means to walk in this way.
It does not deny the structure of the church, but puts it in its appropriate place and time, recognizing that Christianity as we know it has always been changing and always will. We are on the cusp of a very big change and this is one way in which I can live with one foot in both the old ways and the new.