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Dear
Friends,
My
concern in this letter is for us to think together
about a matter of genuine personal and ecclesiastical
significance: how we might help to bring the modern
spiritual formation movement into a growing maturity.
Some of us have been at this spiritual formation
work for a while now, long enough to see quite
a mixture of helpful and decidedly unhelpful things
set forth. It is time to assess where we have
come and to think together about the way forward.
MATURING
THE MODERN SPIRITUAL FORMATION MOVEMENT
The
task of maturing the modern spiritual formation
movement is complicated and will challenge our
finest thinking and most creative energies. There
are two reasons, at least, for the complication.
To begin with, the continuing popularity of spiritual
formation today has meant that all kinds of writing
and speaking has now gone forth on the subject.
Frankly—and I hate to say it in such a blunt
matter—much that has gone out under the name
of spiritual formation has been done by people
who simply have not thought substantively on the
subject, and (dare I mention it) we have to wonder
if they themselves have been spiritually formed
to any substantial degree. Hence, a great deal
of "Holy Baloney" is out there now,
and the average person is quickly going to despair
at attempting to distinguish the good from the
bad.
Then,
secondly, people in general and Americans in particular
are a fickle lot, and they tire quickly. Many,
in fact, are already going on to the next fad.
And let's be honest: how many of us can truly
wrap our minds around the notion of a forty-year
journey into the subterranean chambers of the
soul? That was Moses's experience of character
formation in the Egyptian desert, you recall.
Forty years! Are we not tempted to opt instead
for a short-cut or two? Impatience is a primary
spiritual problem in our day.
These
things need not discourage us, however. The human
need—and longing—for substantive formation
of heart and soul and mind and body into Christlikeness
is always before us. It is not going to go away.
No doubt our work will now be more difficult with
those who feel they have tried spiritual formation,
and it failed them, when all they really tried
was some little "five steps to blessedness."
Remember, we are not presenting people with any
"program," but with a life. We simply
and powerfully introduce them into an ongoing,
interactive relationship with Jesus, their ever-living
Savior, Teacher, Lord, and Friend. Apprenticed
to Jesus they will be able to go forward from
faith to faith and from strength to strength.
Here
now are a few things to keep in mind as we continue
our efforts at maturing the modern spiritual formation
movement.
1.
We take the long view . . . always. We think
in terms of lifetimes and centuries. The soul
lives forever. It is precious beyond imagining.
Investing deeply in even a few folk will count
for all eternity. Sure, many in today's religious
climate will go on to other "more interesting"
topics. We bless these folk and pray for their
well-being and growth in grace. But, there are
plenty (vast numbers, in fact) who are committed
to the long haul. They really want to be like
Jesus with all their heart and soul and mind and
strength. These are the ones we invest in. And,
believe me, investing in these precious lives
will take all the energy and all the time and
all the prayer and all the weeping and laughing
and singing and hoping we can possibly muster.
2.
We refuse to think of spiritual formation in terms
of various practices . . . ever. In another
era those practices were things like "a quiet
time" and Bible study of one sort or another.
Today it is Lectio Divina and "journaling."
May I say as clearly as possible: Christian spiritual
formation has nothing essentially to do with such
practices. Many practices can be genuinely helpful
in their place, but they are not "it."
What is "it" is LIFE—life with
Jesus, interactive relationship with the great
God of the universe, inner transformation into
Christlikeness. Now, this reality can happen with
Lectio and with "journaling,"
and it can happen without them. It can, and it
does! The tendency today, unfortunately widespread,
is to think of spiritual formation exclusively
in terms of practices of one kind or another.
Please, dear friend, do not fall into this trap.
It will only produce legalism and bondage, and
it utterly defeats spiritual formation. Many of
the familiar practices are useful, to be sure,
and some more than others. But none is essential.
We all are to walk with the living Christ and
then "in humility regard others as better
than yourselves" (Phil. 2:3).
3.
We engage in spiritual formation for the sake
of the Church universal . . . always. Sectarian
reform movements that cement an eternal split
only become ends in themselves. We work instead
for the transformation of the whole Church. We
love the Church, the people of God, in all her
multi-faceted expressions. Traditional. Contemporary.
Liturgical. Charismatic. Emergent. Catholic and
Orthodox and Protestant. Big church and little
church, house church and crystal cathedral. We
attempt no end run around the Church. God is with
his people in all their waywardness and silliness,
and so are we.
4.
We do not center on curriculum based solutions
. . . ever. Curricula of all sorts are important
but they come way down the line in formation work.
Curriculum must always be subservient to ideas
and ideas must always be subservient to relationship.
In The Divine Conspiracy Dallas Willard
(rightly in my estimation) has a chapter entitled,
"A Curriculum for Christlikeness." However,
this is chapter nine and comes only after both
a careful delineation of the unique qualities
of the interactive relationship between Jesus
and his apprentices and a careful explication
of the central ideas related to this life in the
kingdom of God. Far too many people rush to the
curriculum program of chapter nine without establishing
into their lives the foundations set forth so
carefully in all that comes before. We must not
leave out the curriculum work, but it never comes
first and it must never be central. Nor can it
ever be a "cookie-cutter" curriculum.
Unique, individualized people require unique,
individualized curricula. Frankly, "cookie-cutter"
curricula are very much like cookies—all
sweetness with precious little nutrition.
5.
We draw wisdom and insight from the ancient sources
. . . always. We reject the heresy of the
contemporary. The people of God throughout history
instruct us in the way eternal. Bible sources
and post-Bible sources. We learn from Moses. We
learn from Luther. We learn from Joseph of Arimathea.
We learn from Catherine of Genoa. These are our
teachers, our models, our inspiration.
6.
We do not aim at outward action . . . ever.
It is the renovation of the heart we are after.
This inward work is much harder than mere outward
conformity . . . and easier. Harder because we
cannot see it, test it, control it. We cannot
program the heart of another human being. We cannot
program our own heart. But this is what makes
it easier. God is the One who sees the heart.
God is the One who tenderly programs the heart
. . . always allowing time and space for our will
to turn and respond to divine Love. We are working
in conjunction with a greater Plan, a greater
Planner. We are part of God's great Renovation
project for human beings. And so we can work resting.
We can labor under God's abiding grace.
7.
We are keenly aware that true inward transformation
will incline our hearts toward suffering humanity
. . . always. Deep suffering is found everywhere;
among the down and out and the up and in.
As our hearts are increasingly renovated, they
will become increasingly tender toward the bruised
and the broken, the helpless and the hopeless.
We then will find ways to move outside our insulated
bubbles of security. Trevor Hudson, a South African
pastor and writer, during the darkest period in
his country's history of apartheid developed an
eight-day experiential program designed to help
young South Africans reflect upon the meaning
of their faith and discipleship within the harsh
and oppressive sociopolitical realities of their
nation. Trevor calls this experience "The
Pilgrimage of Pain and Hope." Oh, may we
find ways to come alongside suffering human beings
and together walk the pilgrimage of pain and hope!
Friends, right now spiritual formation is popular
and much sought after. This time will pass,
and when it does we will continue on. Frankly,
whether we are in the limelight or in obscurity
is of no consequence whatever. Such matters are
wood, hay, and stubble. We seek everlasting results:
gold, silver, and precious stones (1 Cor. 3:12).
So, dear friends, live faithfully to the end.
Be constant in season and out. Proclaim the good
news of the kingdom. Walk cheerfully over the
earth.
Peace
and joy,
Richard J. Foster
An
Update on the Presidential Search
Several years ago the RENOVARÉ
Board, led by the Clearness Committee, began to
work on leadership transition. This past July
we invited all who were interested to send a recommendation
or to submit an application for the position of
President.
We have talked with and met with many people—men
and women, pastors, priests and lay people. They
all have in common: a faithful devotion to Jesus
Christ and a willingness to serve as he leads.
What an encouragement and joy for us to spend
time with these people.
We now have several strong candidates, but have
not yet come to clearness concerning whom to ask
to serve as President. What we are clear about
is our need to ask God for guidance. We are learning
to wait on God and to work cooperatively with
him—one step at a time. This is part of our
training in prayer and it is a wonderful adventure.
Would you join us in praying for guidance?
If so, please download the RENOVARÉ
Prayer Guide
from the website or call Courtney to request a
hard copy. Thank you.
Margaret Campbell
Clearness Committee Chair
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