School of Ministry
JB404 Spiritual Transformation
Ps Andrew Staggs
Task 3: Research and Critical Reflection
Due 12 June 2020
Word Count (3,067)
Identify and critically examine: one role of the Holy Spirit; two personal factors; and one corporate factor in spiritual transformation and comment on their personal significance to your own life.
Further, critically reflect on one hindrance to your transformation and how this may be overcome.
INTRODUCTION – Definitions of Spiritual Transformation
What is Christian Spiritual Transformation?
Howard (2018, p.13) distinguishes between spiritual formation in different religious and spiritual disciplines, and Christian spiritual formation. This essay considers only Christian spiritual transformation.
Whitney (2014, p.4) says: ‘Spiritual Disciplines are those practices found in Scripture that promote spiritual growth among believers…’ The earliest references are in the scriptures. The life story of Abraham and of Jacob serve as object lessons as they grow in spiritual maturity through trial. In Deuteronomy 30, Moses sets out the blessings and curses of the covenant at Mt Sinai. Later Isaiah speaks of spiritual renewal when he says: ‘Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them return to the Lord…’ (Isaiah 55: 7). Ezekiel promises national spiritual transformation when he says: ‘I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh’ (Ezekiel 11:19 and 36:26).
Picking up this theme in the New Testament the apostle Paul describes the outcome of spiritual transformation thus: ‘You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone [as at Sinai] but on human hearts’ (2 Corinthians 3:3). In the New Testament we find the process described using themes of childbirth (Galatians 4:19) and growing from babyhood (1 Peter 2:1-3) to fullness (Ephesians 4:13), to describe the process. In that context Whitney (2014, p.5) notes that Jesus practiced spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting and solitude, and corporate teaching.
All scriptural references state or imply a turning away from an old way of living/set of values, and experiencing an inner change as right relationship with God is restored. Howard (2018, pp.16-18) picks up on this sense of movement, or process of change and transformation, where he defines Christian spiritual formation as …’a Spirit- and human-led process by which individuals and communities mature in relationship with the Christian God (Father, Son, sand Holy Spirit) and are changed into ever-greater likeness to the life and gospel of this God.’ This recalls Jesus’ own Trinitarian statement on the essential role of the Holy Spirit: …’the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things’ (John 14:26) and ‘..when he, the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all truth…’ (John 16:13).
Perhaps the most comprehensive of the definitions Howard canvasses is by Jeffrey P Greenman: ‘Spiritual formation is the continuing response to the reality of God’s grace shaping us into the likeness of Jesus Christ, through the work of the Holy Spirit, in the community of faith, for the sake of the world’ Howard (2018, p.16).
This definition builds on other definitions (Willard, D, Demerest, B, & Hull, B 2010 pp. 20-27)which have the following common elements:
· a process of transformation from one condition to another that is
· led/made possible by the Holy Spirit
· in the context of community
· facilitated by the spiritual disciplines
· for the purpose not only of self-development and pleasing God, but directed towards fulfilling the great commission
The above therefore is my personal definition of spiritual transformation. However I would like to unpack it further.
ONE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT - personal significance to your own life.
One role of this Holy Spirit in my life has been to make real a connection with a Trinitarian God, that concept of God as a singular three in one community working together in mutual submission and cooperation (Citipointe Ministry College, 2020, p. 79). As truthful as that statement is, for me ‘God the Father’ is something of an abstraction since he dwells ‘in heaven’ and if he ever visited earth he seems not to have done so since Solomon’s dedication of the temple (1 Kings 8:10-11) . ‘God the son’ was the agent of creation (John 1: 1-3) but that was long ago. As the incarnate Christ he occupied a limited point in physical space and time 2000 years ago then returned to the Father. That is a matter of history but not of personal experience. It is only through ‘God the Holy Spirit’ that we have a personal and experiential connection to the Godhead. Without that connection I would not be a Christian today because I would not lay down my life on the basis of unprovable events (e.g. immaculate conception, divine ascension) alleged to have taken place 2000 years ago and prior.
For that reason the role of the Holy Spirit in my life is intrinsically connected to the role of the Holy Spirit in the trinity thus:
The world is created through Jesus/Word/Logos. The Father sends Jesus on His redemptive mission. Jesus fulfils that mission by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus reveals the Father. Jesus returns to the Father to intercede to the Father for us. Jesus sends the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit points to Jesus. The Holy Spirit is now the operative force in our spiritual lives and the Divine person that unites us mystically with Christ and with the Father per chapter 17 of John’s gospel.
That is my summation of a great deal of theology. See for example (Willard, D, Demerest, B, & Hull, B 2010 pp.227-253). McKnight (2018, p. 78) puts it this way:
‘The absolute oneness of God (the Father) unleashes the Son, and the Father and the Son unleash the Spirit, and then the Spirit is unleashed into all Christians for the purpose of glorifying Jesus to the glory of the Father.’
In other words, without the Holy Spirit we have only a dry abstract theology and a set of principles and practices which, while excellent in themselves, make us not so different to Islam or any other faith ‘having a form of godliness but without the power’ (2 Timothy 3:5). In contra distinction, by the Holy Spirit we become ‘living stones’ build into a ‘spiritual house’ (1 Peter 2:5).
The Holy Spirit has made real a connection with a Trinitarian God in the following specific ways:
· conviction of sin
· change in my affections away from sin towards righteousness
· renewed compassion for others including those who have offended me
· intercessory prayer based on revelation
· speaking in tongues
· sense of connection in worship
· ‘uniquely Christian’ emotions (such as worship and conviction)
· clear direction in life circumstances (largely recorded through journaling)
· reminding of the good things of God and of life
· helping integrate fractured part of my personality
TWO PERSONAL FACTORS - personal significance to your own life.
Spiritual Disciplines
Whitney (2014 p.14) states that: ‘Holiness is not an option for those who claim to be children of the Holy One (1 Peter 1:15-16), so neither are the means of holiness – that is, the Spiritual Disciplines – an option.’ Throughout my Christian walk I have stumbled across the various spiritual disciplines in an ad-hoc way with little guidance. The various disciplines are discussed below, with specific focus on two.
Different Disciplines
Willard defines spiritual disciplines as ‘exercises unto Godliness’ undertaken to bring us into more effective cooperation with Christ and His Kingdom (Willard, 2010 p. 156). Without attempting further definition, spiritual practice is implied in all of the definitions of spiritual transformation discussed above. Howard (2018 p.101) lists a number of well understood practices which he categorises in a somewhat jumbled way under headings of inward, outward, and corporate disciplines, abstinence, engagement, and soul feast.
Willard (1991, pp. 157-159 and 176) acknowledges the breadth of spiritual practices including lesser known and less practiced ones such as peregrination, but outlines key practices that are foundation for all believers which he divides simply into disciples of abstinence and disciples of engagement as follows:
‘Disciplines of Abstinence’
· Solitude
· Silence
· Fasting
· Chastity
· Secrecy
· Sacrifice
‘Disciplines of Engagement’
· Study
· Worship
· Celebration
· Service
· Prayer
· Fellowship
· Confession
· submission
Abstinence is summarised as ‘giving up anything that comes between us and God’ such that abstinence makes way for engagement. In this way …’the disciplines of abstinence counteract tendencies to sins of commission, and disciplines of engagement counteract tendencies to sins of omission.’
The Holy Spirit in Spiritual Discipline
The picture that emerges from this collage is more clearly visible at a distance where a picture of a devout, fruitful and partly hidden life comes into focus.
Surprisingly I have not found an author who attempts to link spiritual disciplines to specific aspects of spiritual transformation. That may be because of significant overlap, and too much categorisation risks becoming artificial. However, using my definition above, we could tentatively suggest the following associations:
A process of transformation from one condition to another that is:
Led by the Holy Spirit
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In Community
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In Relation to God
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Directed Outwards
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Study
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Study
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Solitude
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Service
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Prayer
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Prayer
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Sacrifice
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Sacrifice
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Worship
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Worship
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Chastity
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Evangelism
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Confession
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Secrecy
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Fellowship
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Fasting
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Submission
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Silence
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Celebration
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Of course, all of these practices can and should be led by the Holy Spirit. However, the Spirit is particularly operative in study (revelation), prayer (intercession) and worship. Note that ‘celebration’ in this context includes the Eucharist. I have added ‘evangelism’ to Willard’s list since this arguably is also a spiritual practice (Citipointe Ministry College, 2020, pp.475 – 480 and 299).
Somewhat absent in the literature is a discussion of how focus on those disciplines change over life’s seasons. This can lead to individuals being held (or holding themselves) to an impossible standard. For example, a mother of a new born, or a person with chronic health issues, or someone in certain professions such as a trauma surgeon or ER nurse cannot be expected to invest in certain practices in the way that a monk or a single person or a priest might be expected to. For example, a new mother cannot responsibly fast. It is therefore particularly important to be sensitive to the Spirit’s leading in life’s different seasons and to know which practices to focus on at different times.
Two personal factors in spiritual transformation of particular significance to me have been study and silence.
The Discipline of Study
Growing up outside the church I read the Bible with fewer pre-conceptions than most, but as Ezra turned his heart to study the law of the Lord (Ezra 7:10) so did I, having now both read and studied it since I discovered concordances when I was 12. Having an acute awareness of issues in public life, partly as a consequence of growing up during the Cold War, I have been intentional about developing a Biblical world view with application to both private and public life. I pursued integration between ‘this world’ problems and theological concepts throughout university which led to me a career in environmental activism among other things (Peacock E, 2012). The need to integrate systematic theology with public policy with civic action across a range of issues has never been more urgent. To move forward in this I now need to be credentialed and undertake systematic theology - hence this course.
The Discipline of Silence
I have long practiced silence including spending time in the (literal) wilderness of South West Tasmania. When I practice silence I am positioned to receive a rhema word or other prompting. The practical application of the received word has built both practical life success and faith in God’s care and character. Over time a picture of life mission has emerged. This is important because just as ‘without vision the people perish’ (Proverbs 29:18), so without a vision, faith is wont to atrophy.
ONE CORPORATE FACTOR - personal significance to your own life.
My corporate experience has been mixed, including spiritual neglect, authentic spiritual community, spiritual mentoring, and some less than positive experiences. Howard (2018, p. 198) notes that: ‘Christian spiritual formation is something many people do all the time often without knowing it….’ and asks who we are receiving spiritual formation ministry from and who are we offering it to. For me the most significant corporate factor in spiritual formation was living in authentic Christian community in share-houses for several years and attending daily prayer. It turns out that ‘iron sharpens iron’ (Proverbs 27:17) and God uses friends and conflict in our formation (Whitney, 2014 p. 10). In my experience spiritual issues of acceptance, forgiveness, assertiveness, compassion, and accountability were often worked out through conflict. Community living was formative not only in interpersonal relationships but also as it involved me discipling others, and involved the household providing accommodation and support to (at different times) two recovering schizophrenics (one recovered and one didn’t), a young man with addiction (who left), a reformed dealer who drifted in and out of his Christian walk, and an alcoholic who refused to reform and was eventually thrown out. These challenges proved less difficult than agreeing on housework, but all taught the necessity of group prayer for successful community living. It was in the end the Spirit of God that kept us together and when a commitment to corporate prayer petered out we lost the interdependence and mutual submission of the triune nature and the household petered out. Willard, Demerest, & Hull are correct in quoting Augustin:
“The body of Christ can live from nothing else but the Spirit of Christ.”[1]
ONE HINDRENCE AND HOW IT MAY BE COVERCOME
The False Self
Mulholland (2006, pp. 30-38) writes of the true self as found in unity with God, creation, and others, and the false self as set alone as against God, creation and others.
‘The placing of ourself in radical separation from God, others and creation – which is the essence of the false self – becomes a pervasive reality that poisons our life with God with our self, with others and in the world.’
Mulholland lists consequences of the false self as being:
· False self is a fearful self – hence also prone to anger
· False self is a protective self
· False self is a possessive self
· False self is a self-promoting self
That largely describes me; so by this teaching the hindrance is my false self. That said, I have a caution regarding this kind of teaching, namely that duality is a foundational Christian concept without which we risk drifting into Eastern mysticism. We define ourselves with reference to others but relationship by definition requires duality and separateness. Authentic relationships also require choice. ‘I, thee’ relationships may create a synergy that is greater than the sum but they nevertheless require two individuals. There is no such thing as self-giving love without the self. However, the trusting of the self to God, and the uniting of the self with God, is the whole point. For me, that means addressing the points of pain that keep me from trusting or uniting with God.
The Four Levels of Desire
Fr Spitzer (2008, pp.159 – 166) addresses the self and its ‘affections’ in describing four stages of spiritual development (or ‘desire’ in his terminology) thus:
1. the desire for externally stimulated or physical pleasures or possessions
2. ego-gratification arising out of the displacement of the outer world toward the inner world, e.g. status, control, power, social standing, comparative advantage
3. investment of the inner world in the outer world to make a positive difference to it e.g. community involvement, family, causes, and civic action
4. the desire for the ultimate, unconditional or perfect in truth, love, goodness, beauty and being found only and ultimately in communion with God.
The objective of spiritual formation therefore is to be fully energised by the fourth level of desire and subordinate all other levels to it. Significantly this does not suggest the abolishment of the ego (per Eastern spirituality and some Christian teaching), but the re-orienting of its energies and affections to the ultimate. This is set out in the following diagram from page 160:
I oscillate between all levels to varying degrees but in my experience suppression of desire and ego has had very negative consequences. However, when I connect with God those things do not disappear but the significance and attraction of them falls away. I have been fortunate in my life to have fallen in love. It is an overwhelming obsessive experience that simply makes most other pursuits irrelevant. The pursuit of oneness with another person is a foretaste and type of oneness with God. As Teresa of Avila put it: ‘One can say no more - insofar as can be understood – than that the soul, I mean the spirit, is made one with God’(quoted in Mulholland 2006, p. 19).
Bibliography
Citipointe Ministry College, School of Ministries of Christian Heritage College, 2020, ‘Spiritual Transformation Study Guide’ Lect
Fr. Spitzer, R, 2008, Five Pillars of the Spiritual Life – A Practical Guide to Prayer for Active People, Ignatius Press, San Francisco
Howard, EB, 2018, A Guide to Christian Spiritual Formation – How Scripture, Spirit, Community, and Mission Shape Our Souls, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids Michigan
McKnight, S, 2018, Open to the Spirit: God in us, God with us, God transforming us, Waterbrook
Mulheran, B, 2017, Jesus Author and Finisher – Timeless Principles of Christianity, Synergy Publishers, Gainesville Florida
Mulholland, R, 2006, The Deeper Journey, the Spirituality of Discovering your True Self, IVP Books
Peacock, E, 2012, Finding Home – An autobiographical account of a child migrant growing up on the edge of the Tasmanian Wilderness, AuthorHouse
Strong, J., Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody, Massachusetts
The Holy Bible: New International Version 1998, New American Library, New York, NY
Whitney, D, 2014, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, Tyndale House Publishers
Willard, D 1991, The Spirit of the Disciplines, understanding how God changes lives,HarperSanFrancisco
Willard, D, Demerest, B, & Hull, B 2010, The Kingdom Life – A Practical Theology of Discipleship and Spiritual Formation,NavPress
[1]Unfortunately the page number did not photocopy but this quote comes under the heading ‘Caught Up into the Trinitarian Life’ per Willard, D, Demerest, B, & Hull, B 2010, The Kingdom Life – A Practical Theology of Discipleship and Spiritual Formation,NavPress
