Spiritual Formation

There are three terms in current use that describe how Christians go about the growth and development of the spiritual life. These are discipleship training, character development and spiritual formation. While they address the same general issue, each puts the emphasis at a different place in terms of the understanding and practice of Christian spirituality. By analyzing these three perspectives, we can identify the unique character of spiritual formation.

Discipleship training involves the transmission of the essential data of the Christian life from an older, experienced Christian to a younger (in spiritual years), newer Christian. This is a teaching relationship in which the discipler shows the disciple how to pray, study the Bible and share his or her faith with others. The aim of discipleship training is to produce a mature disciple, capable of engaging in ministry, knowledgeable about basic doctrine and committed to regular devotional practices (mainly Bible study and prayer, often called a daily quiet time). The Navigators, a parachurch organization that seeks to make disciples for Jesus Christ, has done much to popularize this method of spiritual growth (The 2:7 Series; Wilson). An updated version of discipleship training can be found in the writings of J. Robert Clinton and Paul Stanley, who describe a variety of mentoring-type relationships that have spiritual growth as their aim.

Character development is a term that describes the process whereby Christian men and women are exposed to regular, theologically nuanced teaching that, over time, produces a Christian lifestyle. Such a lifestyle is characterized by the Christian virtues (though these are sometimes defined more by what one abstains from—taboos—than by what one engages in) and by good works. In this case, the pastor is the teacher, and the prime vehicle of instruction is the weekly sermon. The assumption is that when a person believes correct doctrine, a wholesome lifestyle follows. Within this perspective, psychology is sometimes greeted with suspicion, inner reflection and experience are suspect, and there is skepticism about the validity of other Christian communities not holding these views. This is a perspective that is found in some of the more conservative groups of the Reformed tradition.

Spiritual formation is the term with the longest history (dating back to early monastic practices). It is the process whereby men and women who love and trust Jesus seek to take on the character of Christ guided by various spiritual practices. The central figure in spiritual formation is a spiritual director whose task is to help the directee discern the will of God for his or her life. The focus in their relationship is not so much teaching as it is prayer. The process of spiritual direction involves gentle encouragement, “holy listening” (Guenther), thoughtful questions and guidance in the practice of various spiritual disciplines. Until recently, this perspective was found mainly in Roman Catholic and Episcopalian circles.

Clearly, each tradition touches upon issues of importance. It is important to master basic Christian ideas and to develop Christian habits. It is important to become people of integrity, committed to strong and positive values. It is important to discern the unfolding direction God has for our lives and to do so in a context of prayer that keeps us in touch with the presence of God. However, it is also necessary to see the limitations of each approach. Christian discipleship can develop into an unhealthy dependence on a strong authority figure who makes decisions for us. Character development can lead to a harmful neglect of the interior life and to a superior attitude toward others whose doctrine and practice differ from our own. Spiritual formation can make the spiritual life into a matter of works, not grace, in which one’s efforts and experience are what count, not the saving and sanctifying activity of the triune God.

The Biblical Foundation of Spiritual Formation

Three statements by Paul provide the biblical foundation for spiritual formation. The central word in each passage is transformed or formed, which is derived from the Greek root morphē (which is related to the English word metamorphosis). This is the word used in the Gospels to describe the change that took place in Jesus at his transfiguration (a complete change came over him; his body became translucent and so on; Mark 9:2). To be transformed is to undergo a deep-seated, all-encompassing change of character and conduct.

In Romans 12:2 Paul states: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will.” The nature of the transformation is from the pattern or standards of the world into the image of Christ: “Here then are the stages of Christian moral transformation: first our mind is renewed by the Word and Spirit of God; then we are able to discern and desire the will of God; and then we are increasingly transformed by it” (Stott, p. 324). The process of spiritual formation makes great use of imaginative reflection on Scripture (for example, Ignatian contemplation) with the aim of discerning God’s will so as to bring about genuine transformation (see Guidance).

In 2 Corinthians Paul asserts that “all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Cor. 3:18 NRSV). There are three important insights from this passage. First, it is our experience of God’s glory that brings about transformation. We are changed by beholding the divine. Second, the goal of this transformation is that we be made into the image of the Lord that we see, albeit dimly (as in a first-century polished metal mirror). Third, this process is gradual and progressive, moving from stage to stage. In this passage the goal and process of spiritual formation are defined.

The goal of this transformation is made even more explicit in Galatians: “My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you” (Galatians 4:19). We are to be reshaped, molded, altered, changed from one form to another, until we reflect the image of Christ. In other passages Paul reminds us that we are in Christ and that Christ is in us (Romans 8:10; 1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 5:17; Col. 1:27). The process of spiritual formation is the realization of this reality in everyday life.

What motivates us to pursue spiritual formation is one thing: the love of God. It is because we were grasped by God’s love that we began this journey in the first place, it is because we experience God’s love in our daily lives that we press on, and it is because we have a burning desire to love God that we give ourselves to these tasks.

Spiritual Disciplines and Practices

The spiritual disciplines lie at the heart of spiritual formation. They are the vehicles through which growth takes place. Certain disciplines are central to spiritual formation.

Spiritual direction. Christian spiritual direction is the

help given by one Christian to another which enables that person to pay attention to God’s personal communication to him or her, to respond to this personally communicating God, to grow in intimacy with God and to live out the consequences of the relationship. The focus . . . is on experience, not ideas, and specifically on religious experience, i.e., any experience of the mysterious Other whom we call God. (Barry and Connolly, p. 8)

Prayer is at the heart of spiritual direction. The director assists the directee to learn how to pray in such a way that there is genuine dialogue with God, not just a monologue of requests on the part of the directee. While this may involve some instruction in ways of prayer, it more often manifests itself in helping the directee to discern what God is saying to him or her.

Thus, discernment is an important aspect of spiritual direction. Discernment is the spiritual evaluation of specific experiences related to one’s spiritual journey. Discernment is used in two (related) senses: discernment of God’s will and desire in one’s life and discernment between good and evil tendencies (or spirits). Discernment in the first sense involves developing a heightened sensitivity to the spiritual. It is learning to notice God in one’s daily life. It is the development of a conversational relationship with the Lord. Discernment in the second sense alerts one to the various “voices” that assail a person: the voice of culture, the voice of family and friends, the voice of convention, the voice of appetite, the voice of addiction and so on. It enables a person to distinguish the voice of the Holy Spirit in the midst of this inner cacophony. In both cases the question we ask of the choice we are making, of the feeling we are gripped by or of the voice we are hearing is whether such inner intuitions lead us godward or not. If they point us to God, in all likelihood they are from God. Experiences are evaluated by their fruits. Of course, it is not always easy (or possible) for a person to make such a judgment in the midst of the experience, which is where a spiritual director comes in.

There has been a revival of interest in spiritual direction in recent years. This is motivated, in part, by the deep interest in spirituality on the part of the baby-boom generation. Such interest can be very healthy, or it may be just a passing fad. (If “having a spiritual director” is made a sign of piety, the movement is in trouble.) One author suggests that if this current interest in spiritual direction follows the pattern of other recent movements in the church, it is apt to fade out in ten years’ time. On the other hand, this renewed interest is leading to new approaches, new understandings and new depth to the ancient practice of spiritual direction. For example, as Protestants add their own distinct theological and practical insights (for example, insight into group spiritual direction drawing on traditions of spirituality in such groups as the Quakers) to the rich lore of understanding and practice from the liturgical churches, the movement will become healthier. A good example is the growth of discernment groups to help members resolve some personal, relational or vocational dilemma.

Lectio divina (or sacred reading). This is an approach to Scripture that seeks to read it with the heart as well as with the head. In lectio divina the focus is on Scripture as a way of hearing a word from God rather than on the study of Scripture with understanding as the aim (which is a crucial but different spiritual discipline). In fact, lectio divina is really a form of prayer because while it starts with the text, it ends in response to God.

The process is simple enough. We pick a text of Scripture. At first this will probably be a Gospel account or one of the psalms—material that has the power to move us in a deep way. The passage should be short—no more than ten verses or so. Then the passage is read slowly, repetitively, often aloud. We read until we are moved by a word or a phrase. Something causes us to pause. The reason does not matter, only that somehow our attention is captured by that word or phrase. We repeat it over and over again and let it sink and make connections with our life (this is an act of meditation). Then we offer the word or phrase to God in prayer. We open ourselves to what God is saying to us by it. We ponder this message to us. We own it. We let it move us. We respond to it. We respond to God. When we find our mind wandering from that word or phrase, it is time to go back to the text and read further. Once again we listen for words that light up for us.

A spiritual director will often encourage a directee to approach Scripture in this manner, especially if that directee tends to come at faith via the mind only (or mainly). By discussing with the directee the outcome of lectio divina, the director helps that person get in touch with the dialogue God wishes to engage in with the directee.

Spiritual reading. While Scripture will always remain the central focus of meditation, it is also true that regular reading of devotional classics is also deeply nurturing. By devotional classics I mean those writings forged out of deep spiritual quests. Books like The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis (which is certainly one of the greatest pieces of spiritual writing), The Way of the Pilgrim by an anonymous Russian pilgrim, The Confessions of Saint Augustine, The Life of Saint Teresa of Ávila by Herself, The Revelations of Divine Love by Julian of Norwich and The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence have great power to instruct us, as do the books of certain contemporary authors such as C. S. Lewis, Thomas Merton and Henri Nouwen (see Muto).

Meditative prayer. This term is used to cover a variety of prayer practices in which the focus is on listening to God as well as speaking to God. This would include such activities as centering prayer, the prayer of examen, contemplative prayer, prayer of the heart and prayer of adoration (Foster).

Meditation is a form of reflection. It is a type of thinking. It is a way of mulling over an incident to discern its meaning; it is puzzling out the meaning of a text; it is trying to process what God might be saying. This becomes prayer when the meditation is done in the presence of God and is offered to God. Contemplation is a related, though separate, term. Contemplation is a type of awareness. It is moving the focus from oneself (one’s thoughts, concerns, needs) and giving attention instead to another (or to nothing in particular except a kind of open awareness that is attuned to God). As Ignatius of Loyola describes contemplation in his Spiritual Exercises, it involves focusing on Jesus as he appears in one of the Gospel stories, becoming absorbed in Jesus and then letting our experience with Jesus, in contemplation, unfold as it will. Properly speaking, meditation is not prayer but preparation for prayer; contemplation is prayer in that one connects with God.

It is not uncommon that one of the first tasks for the spiritual director or a formational group is to help teach the skills of meditation and contemplation. The director seeks to help the directee to “pay attention to God as he reveals himself” and to help the directee “recognize his reactions and decide on his responses to God” (Barry and Connolly, p. 46).

Retreats. We must also mention the use of retreats in the process of spiritual formation. These generally involve long periods of silence, liturgical services in which a meditation may be given to help direct the prayers of the retreatants, conversation with a spiritual director (but no one else) and a theme around which to focus prayer. Such a retreat contrasts sharply with the typical Protestant retreat, which features lots of activity and lots of input.

Spiritual journaling. In this form of reflection, one seeks to make sense of life as it unfolds on a daily basis and in terms of the overall patterns of one’s life. This is a tool of great flexibility that allows us to engage life rather than just let it pass by and that gives us a perspective on how God has worked in our lives in the past (Peace 1995a).

Spiritual autobiography. This is the art of putting together the story of God’s activity in one’s life and presenting it to a small group of others similarly engaged in the same task. In this way we come to see the patterns of God’s activity in our life over time, we learn to notice the presence of God in the ordinary and everyday, and we develop a sense of the trajectory that our life in God has been taking and so are better enabled to make choices about further directions (Peace 1995b).

Spiritual formation is, therefore, a healthy and holistic way of approaching spiritual growth. Its focus is more on experience than on information; it depends more on prayer than on study; it requires the help of a director or group rather than the guidance of an authority figure; it necessitates an inner desire to know God and not just an obligation to act and think like a Christian; it involves the cultivation of the inner life rather than the ordering of the outer life. As such, spiritual formation is more the activity of the mature believer who has mastered basic doctrine and who has allowed this knowledge and commitment to express itself in the everyday choices of life than the activity of a new believer who is engaged in the task of translating a newfound worldview into a consistent Christian lifestyle.

» See also: Church Membership

» See also: Discipleship

» See also: Spiritual Disciplines

» See also: Spiritual Growth

References and Resources

W. A. Barry and W. J. Connolly, The Practice of Spiritual Direction (San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, n.d.); J. R. Clinton and P. D. Stanley, Connecting: The Mentoring Relationships You Need to Succeed in Life (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 1992); R. Foster, Prayer (San Francisco: Harper SanFrancisco, 1992); K. O. Gangel and J. C. Wilhoit, The Christian Educator’s Handbook on Spiritual Formation (Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1994); M. Guenther, Holy Listening: The Art of Spiritual Direction (Boston: Cowley Publications, 1992); G. May, Care of Mind/Care of Spirit: A Psychiatrist Explores Spiritual Direction (San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1982, 1992); S. Muto, A Practical Guide to Spiritual Reading (Petersham, Mass.: St. Bede’s Publications, 1994); R. Peace, Spiritual Journaling: Recording Your Journey Toward God, Spiritual Disciplines Series (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 1995a); R. Peace, Spiritual Storytelling: Discovering and Sharing Your Spiritual Biography, Spiritual Disciplines Series (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 1995b); R. Peace, Contemplative Bible Reading: Experiencing God Through Scripture, Spiritual Disciplines Series (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 1996); J. Stott, Romans (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1994); The 2:7 Series–Navigator Discipleship Training for Laymen Courses 1-3 (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 1974); C. Wilson, With Christ in the School of Disciple Building (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1976).

—Richard V. Peace