Sacred Companions: The Transformational Journey, Chapter 1
Posted by tom | Aug 28, 2011
I began sharing material from Sacred Companions: The Gift of Spiritual Friendship & Direction (David G. Benner. IVP. 2002), which I'm reading for SF723: Christian Spiritual Direction, with the post Sacred Companions off the shelf and in the reader's hand (8/25/2011). Below I pick up with Chapter 1.* Note: if you're interested in discussing the below material with me (possibly even reading Sacred Companions alongside me), please drop me a message.
Chapter 1: The Transformational Journey dives into framing spiritual friendship in terms of a biblically based understanding of accompaniment on a journey. The follower of Christ engages in "a journey of following and trusting God as he leads us on the adventure he has planned for us" (26). Who/what comes to mind in Scripture?
How about Abraham, the children of Israel in the wilderness, Jonah (added by Tom), the call of disciples to follow Jesus (Mark 1:14-19, 2:13-17; Luke 5:1-11, 27-32; John 1:35-51), Paul (added by Tom), John in the book of Revelation (added by Tom)?
"The essence of Christian spirituality is following Christ on a journey of personal transformation. The distant land to which we are called is not heaven. . . . The distant land is the new creaure into which Christ wishes to fashion us -- the whole and holy person that finds his or his uniqueness, identity and calling in Christ [inside-out (27)]. Spiritual friends accompany each other on that journey. . . . The inner self counts and in fact is the primary focus of the personal transformation that Jesus calls conversion" (26 - 27).
As I asked in Sacred Companions off the shelf and in the reader's hand (8/25/2011), with whom do you share your soul? Is your spiritual life centered upon the Spirit of God, in union with God through Christ (16-17)?
What insights have you received from those who have gone before us in the journey? Benner shares a number of frameworks for spiritual transformation as we consider the journey and destination. Have you tasted the writings of some/all of the below followers of Christ? Who has been a blessing as you prayerfully consider alongside the Word of God (possibly even in small group or with a mentor/spiritual director)? From who do you desire to learn more, journey alongside?
- John Calvin: Institutes of the Christian Religion. Note: conversion (initiation of our new life in Christ), sanctification (growth in holiness), and glorification (completion of the process when we receive a new resurrection body)
- Teresa of Avila (1515-1582): Interior Castle
- Evelyn Underhill (1875-1941): Practical Mysticism
- St. John of the Cross
- Thomas Merton: New Seeds of Contemplation
- St. Francis of Sales
- John Wesley
- Brother Lawrence: The Practice of the Presence of God
- R.C. Sproul: The Holiness of God
- Basil Pennington: True Self/False Self
What do you think about Christian mysticism's journey of
- purgation/purification: purificantion of one's character through confession of sin and adoption of an attitude of detachment form worldly possessions and values
- illumination: growing personal experience of God's love and peace and an increasing willingnes to surrender one's will to God
- union: overall harmony between one's being and God himself, focused particularly onsurrender to his will as his Spirit becomes ours.
And a destination of becoming
(1) a great lover
(2) whole and holy
(3) our true self-in-Christ (32)/
As I turn back to reading, I must confess I've resisted the journey theme in my walk with God as part of the Body of Christ. I much prefer loving God, self, neighbor, creation in the context of the biblical story. Yes, I have a sense of purpose, direction, and community. In addition, I enjoy the term "walk," J.R.R. Tolkien's Hobbit/The Lord of the Rings, C.S. Lewis's Ranson Trilogy/Chronicles of Narnia, John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, and the alphabet approach to witness/evangelism offfered by Randy Newman's Questioning Evangelism.
Hmm. I wonder if I've just found the typical journey images a little too quaint or cliche. For more of my spiritual stirrings, read One More Day. Maybe I should journal some before more reading. Much of my journaling has transferred to blogging, but they're not the same.
*The material is largely taken from Chapter 1. As such I haven't filled in details left out of the chapter, e.g., dates/writings of various authors. I don't have the time at present.
