Spiritual Disciplines Class Outline

Cross-Shaped Spiritual Formation A course in the spiritual disciplines Doug Floyd Objectives Drawing from the Bible and church history this class explores the lived reality of Christian faith as commanded in Mark 12:29-31.

Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. 30 And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:29-31 Requirements Participants are expected to attend classes, participate in class exercises, and keep a journal. For those taking the course for credit, a paper examining a particular aspect of spiritual formation will be required (see me for details). Suggested Text The Celebration of the Disciplines by Richard Foster will provide a grounding text for the

course. Additionally, we’ll discuss a variety of textstothat aspects of spiritual formation including articles that will be circulated eachexplore personvarious and various optional books. Class Outline In six classes, we’ll explore the implications of loving God (heart, soul, mind and strength) and loving our neighbor as ourselves. 1. The Call of God 2. Waiting on God 3. Responding to God 4. Listening to the People of God 5. Offering a Living Sacrifice 6. Long Obedience Class Descriptions

While following a basic structure, each class will be adapted to the needs of participants. A summary of class notes will be provided at the beginning of each class. 1. The Call of God “Those whom He called, He also justified; and those whom He justified, He also glorified.” Calling and conversion are one and the same work of the Holy Spirit, transforming a sinner into a lover. Spiritual discipline is simply the obedience to follow this Caller wherever He leads. The call of God might be understood as a call to live in four directions: Forward Backward

Cross Shaped Spiritual Formation, Doug Floyd

Inward Outward The Holy Spirit is integrating our whole person in these four directions through the love of God in Christ. 2. Waiting on God (Forward) “Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God.” God calls us into the future through the inspiration of His Holy Spirit. How do we make room to listen and wait before the Lord? The disciplines of listening include: Silence/Breathing Solitude Fasting Meditation (God’s Word, Creation) Worship Retreat Sabbath 3. Responding to God (Inward) “Seek Him while He may be found.” As God reveals Himself, we humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God in prayer. Some of the disciplines include various forms of prayer as modeled in the Psalms: Repentance Lamentation Adoration Contemplation Imprecation Intercession Breath prayers 4. Listening to the People of God (Backward) “Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together.” God calls us out into a body of believers. This gives rise to disciplines within the context of other human relationships. These disciplines train our memory to reflect on the story of God working in the midst of His people. Disciplines include: Fellowship/Assembling with other believers Cultivating soul friends Confession Baptism and Communion Learning and remembering the history of God’s people 5. Offering a Living Sacrifice (Outward) “Present yourself as a living sacrifice unto the Lord.”


Our faith takes outward expression in service to God and God’s people (Romans 12). Disciplines include: Serving Giving Sharing (burdens) Proclaiming 6. Long Obedience “They shall still bear fruit in old age.” Eugene Peterson speaks of our faith as a long obedience in the same direction. From the pilgrim Psalms to the peregrini, we see the model of faith as an extended pilgrimage. The challenge of the disciplines is not to grow weary in well doing (like those fallen in the wilderness). In the final class, we will discuss what a lifelong dedication to the spiritual discipline looks like.


I. The Call of God ( Forward) Think of a call/conversion encounter in your own life. It may be the initial contact with the gospel or it may be a later time when the Spirit touched you and called you into a new walk. As you consider this encounter, look for four characteristics that should appear somewhere in your story: 1. Hearing the Call/Conviction of the Holy Spirit 2. Responding to the call in prayer or walking to the altar or submitting to God in some way. 3. Seeking guidance and support in the fellowship of other believers. This may include joining a church, baptism, joining a small group or bible study, talking and/or seeking counsel from a friend (fellow believer), confessing your faults to others. 4. Sharing your story, serving other believers, and/or proclaiming the gospel. (This is some tangible expression of your new found faith). Two contrasting examples might be the woman at the well and the conversion of St. Paul. Women at the well 1. Jesus addresses the woman. 2. They interact back and fort h. Gradually her responses change and become mo re submissive. 3. Jesus and her allude to Je wish/Samaritan history 4. She tells the village about Jesus. The Conversion of St. Paul 1. He is addressed on the desert plains. 2. He obeys the voice and goes to a certain house. 3. Ananias prays for Paul and baptizes him. Paul stays with local believers several days. 4. Paul immediately begins to preach. Exercise: Can you share your story, using these four elements? Write in your journal. Discussion. These four elements represent four directions: 1. Calling is the Future direction because I am called to change. 2. Responding in an Inward direction because I respond within through prayer and reflection. 3. Joining with others is Past direction because I am strengthened in a community of 4. memory. Sharing or serving is Outward direction because I am acting in the outside world. I live in four directions: future, inward, past, and outward. The Holy Spirit is integrating my whole person in these four directions through the love of God in Christ. Each of the spiritual disciplines might correspond to the four directions. While the Word of God, Prayer and Worship are fundamental in all directions, they take different forms based on the direction. Future (Inspiration)


This is about calling from God, so it has to do with listening and waiting upon him. So the disciplines involve focusing my heart to listen. I wait upon the Lord in a receptive position praying for ears to hear and eyes to see that I might not miss the hour of His appearing (in my own life). Inward (Resonation) This is about responding to God. His Spirit re sounds in me through prayer. Past (Remembrance) As I respond to the call, the Spirit takes me beyond myself to teach me that I am grafted into the people of God. The Lord’s community of memory shapes me and my imagination by integrating my story into the story of the saints from the Patriarchs through the two Witnesses. Outward (Incarnation) The call of God must be expressed or translated through my life. Like Paul, I am compelled to reconcile all things to God. Discussion. Exercise for class 2: Apply the four directions to characters in the Bible, the psalms, and other stories in church history. From now on, each week we will practice the disciplines introduced in class and keep a journal about experience, including questions and frustrations. Each week we will discuss the exercises from the previous week.


II. Responding to God (Inward) “Seek Him while He may be found.” As God reveals Himself, we humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God in prayer. Some of the disciplines include various forms of prayer as modeled in the Psalms: Repentance Lamentation Adoration Contemplation Imprecation Intercession Breath prayers

1. Praying the Psalms Martin Luther on Psalms Luther in his preface to the German Psalter (1528) commented: “[Each saint], whatever his circumstances may be, finds in it psalms and words which are appropriate to the circumstances in which he finds himself and meet his needs as adequately as if they were composed exclusively for his sake.”

John Calvin on the Psalms: “I have been accustomed to call this book, I think not inappropriately, “An Anatomy of all the Parts of the Soul;” for there is not an emotion of which any one can be conscious that is not here represented as in a mirror. Or rather, the fears, doubts, hopes, cares, perplexities, in short, all the distracting emotions with which the minds of men are wont to be agitated. The other parts of Scripture contain the commandments which God enjoined his servants to announce to us. But here the prophets themselves, seeing they are exhibited to us as speaking to God, and laying open all their inmost thoughts and affections, call, or rather draw, each of us to the examination of himself in particular, in order that none of the many infirmities to which we are subject, and of the many vices with which we abound, may remain concealed.”

The Name of the book

cepher (say'-fer) tephillah (tef-il-law') – Books of Prayers

The word psalm is Mizmowr (miz-more’) – A poem set to notes. Melody.

Psalms are songs for the lyre, and therefore lyric poems in the strictest sense. (from Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament: New Updated Edition, Electronic


Database. Copyright (c) 1996 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.)

Also known “songs of praise.”

The book of Psalms is a Liturgical Book of prayers sung by the community of faith.

Historical use of Psalms - Types of Psalms – Structure of Psalm book

Who wrote the psalms? Many different people over a long range of time.

Poetry plays a role in the birth and ongoing sage of the nation. It becomes a way of rallying all the people behind a common theme and vision.

Some Psalms in OT Moses (Ex. 15; Deut 32) Deborah (Judges 5) Hannah (1 Samuel 2) David (represents the golden age—poet king) – David suggests the poetic gift is from God (2 Sam 23:2 - "The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me, and His word was on my tongue.” Isaiah (Book of Isaiah) Hezekiah (Is. 38:9-20) Habbakuk (Hab 3:2-19) Jonah (Jonah 2:1-9) Job (Throughout book of Job) Jeremiah (Book of Jeremiah and Lamentations)

Psalmody is central to David’s life and rule. We see him writing songs long before his road to kingship as a shepherd and then later to soothe King Saul, and even on the run from Saul.

In one sense, it may have been part of the glue which brought the twelve tribes together as one


nation under one king.

See 1 Chronicles 15 – 16:4, 23:5 Psalmody flourishes under David and continues (at a lesser level) under future kings. Hezekiah revives the psalmist function.

Psalmody is revived during and after exile. Many believe that after the exile, possibly during the time of Ezra, various books of Psalms were collected and edited into the books we have now. There are five books of Psalms.

Five different books. These books are marked off by doxologies consisting of priestly benedictions, “Praise be to the LORD,” and the congregation's responses, “Amen,” at the end of Ps 41, 72, 89, 106.

Practical or Spiritual Theology of the Psalms

In the Psalms, our history becomes intertwined with the history of the Covenant people of God. I begin to identify with their story. Their story becomes my story. In a sense, the Psalms tell the spiritual history of Israel or the spiritual history of the Soul in the covenant community. The psalms are man’s response to the initiative of God. It is God who draws the psalms forth from his people. The psalms are songs for the journey, the pilgrimage of faith. The psalms represent theology at work in real life and enable later readers to use them more appropriately in corresponding specific situations

The psalms were crafted for use by the community. So even when David or another psalmist is reflecting on a very personal experience, they write giving voice for the whole community.

While influenced by the poetry of surrounding culture, the psalms are distinct because they are grounded in historical reality.

The psalm is often a vehicle for the community to remember the action of God in history on behalf of the covenant people. There is a sense in remembering that the people of God reenter into the reality and dramatic energy of the event remembered. (Think of communion.)


Christianity is at heart a narrative religion. We have a story to tell. In the story, we come to realize the faithfulness of God. We come to see our story as intertwined in with the story of God’s action in history. And ultimately, we see all of history unfolded in light of God’s purposes. All history derives meaning from God’s action. Thus GK Chesterton can say that there is only one story.

As we focus on God’s action, we realize that ritual is not a magical way to change our world but a form of remembering the action of God.

Types of Psalms

1 Chron 16:4 “Then he appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the LORD, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel.”

(1) Petition, Complaint, (2) Thanksgiving is focused upon a specific action of God to help his people. (3) Praise poems focus on God’s greatness over all things.

Through our whole lives we move through these forms of prayer.

Methods for meditating on Psalms

A. The Father speaks to us through the Son in the power of the Holy Spirit. A triune approach recognizes that all our meditating and study of the Psalms is always dependent

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upon the of ways God. and Plusthrough every person has“methods.” a unique relationship with is God and will guided inaction specific specific The Holy Spirit working in be the Psalms to draw us to Jesus. So pay attention to Jesus. Augustine and other Church Fathers read all the Psalms as revealing Jesus. Studying the Psalms is de votional. While knowledge play s a role, it is about develo ping companionship with God and thus is always bathed in prayer, flowing out from prayer and back to prayer. Let the Bible reveal the Bible. Study how Psalms are quoted and understood by other Biblical authors. Listen for key words or ideas. Meditate upon those words. (Lecta Divina) Read in the company of the Saints, Church Fathers, Reformers, Mystics.


F. Study the Hebrew words. Dictionaries, word studies, concordances and commentaries can all help open the world and language of the psalm. G. Related to the last one, pay attent ion to the rhythm s within the psal ms. Often the rhythm can give us clues to the meaning. (Once again commentaries may help with this process). H. Look for underlying doctrines within the Psalms. I. Talk about what you’re reflecting on with other people. Conversation can often help clarify our thoughts as well as teach us to listen. J. Read the Psalm as part of your own history in the covenant community. K. Connect the Psalm to the culture around you.

2. Celtic Prayers A culture of prayer was forged in the monastic world of Celtic Christianity. Prayer was a part of life—not a separate discipline from the activities of daily living. In some ways, the whole monastic Celtic world revolved around the rhythms of prayer.

Celtic People – Whole Life Worship.

Actual prayers from A day in the life of a Celtic believer: Kindling the Fire:

I will kindle my fire this morning in the presence of the holy angels of heaven. God Thou kindle in my heart within A flame of love to my neighbour, To my foe, to my friend, to my kindred all, To the brave, to the knave, to the thrall….. Face washing:

The palmful of the of God of Life The palmful of the Christ of Love The palmful of the Spirit of Peace Triune of grace. Making bed:

I make this bed In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost,


In the name of the night we were conveived, In the name of the night we were born, In the name of the day we were baptized, In the name of each night, each day, Each angel that is in the heavens. Milking Cow

Bless O God my little cow Bless O God my desire; Bless Thou my partnership And the milking of my hands, O God.

Bless O God each teat Bless O God each finger; Bless Though each drop That goes into my pitcher, O God. Walking Prayer:

My walk this day with God, My walk this day with Christ, My walk this day with Spirit. Ho! Ho! Ho! The three-fold all-kindly.

My shielding this day from ill, My shielding this night from harm Ho! Ho! Both my soul and my body, Be by Father, by Son, by Holy Spirit: By Father, by Son, by Holy Spirit.

Be the Father shielding me, Be the Son shielding me,


Be the Spirit shielding me, As Three and as One: Ho! Ho! Ho! As Three and as One.

Additional Celtic Prayers

Glorious Lord, I give you greeting! Let the church and the chancel praise you, Let the chancel and the church praise you, Let the plain and the hill-side praise you, Let the world’s three well-springs praise you. Two above wind and one above land, Let the dark and the daylight praise you. Abraham, founder of the faith, praise you: Let the life everlasting praise you, Let the birds and the honeybees praise you, Let the shorn stems and the shoots praise you. Both Aaron and Moses praised you: Let the male and the female praise you, Let the seven days and the stars praise you, Let the air and the ether praise you, Let the books and the letters praise you, Let the fish in the swift streams praise you, Let the thoughts and the action praise you, Let the sand-grains and the earth-clods praise you, Let all the good that’s performed praise you. And I shall praise you, Lord of glory: Glorious Lord, I give you greeting!


Juvencus, 4th century poet Sometime early in the tenth century the following was transcribed in the margins. It contains Irish, Welsh and Latin. Obviously written in a setting where Welsh and Irish monks worked side by side.

Almighty Creator, it is you who made The land and the sea… The world cannot comprehend in song bright and melodious, Even though the grass and trees should sing, All your wonders, O true Lord! The Father created the world by a miracle, It is difficult to express its measure. Letters cannot contain it, letters cannot comprehend it. Jesus created for the hosts of Christendom With miracles when he came: Resurrection through his nature for them. He who made the wonder of the world, Will save us, has saved us. It is not too great a toil to praise the Trinity. Clear and high in the perfect assembly, Let us praise above the nine orders of angels The sublime and blessed Trinity. Purely, humbly, and in skilful verse, I should love to give praise to the Trinity, According to the greatness of his power. God has required of the host in this world Who are his, that they should at all times, All together, fear the Trinity. The one who has power, wisdom and dominion Above heavens, below heaven, completely;


It is not too great a toil to praise the Son of Mary.

St Patrick’s Breastplate

Faeth Fiada (The Deer’s Cry)

Today I gird myself with a mighty power, Invocation of the Trinity. Belief in the threeness, affirmation of the oneness. In the Creator’s presence.

Today I gird myself With the power of Christ’s birth together with his baptism, With the power of his crucifixion together with his burial, With the power of his resurrection together with his ascension, With the power of his descent to pronounce judgment of Doomsday.

Today I gird myself With the power of the order of the Cherubim, With the Obedience of angels, With the ministry of archangels. With the hope of resurrection, For the sake of reward, With the prayers of the patriarchs. With the predictions of the prophets, With the precepts of the apostles, With the faith of confessors, With the innocence of holy virgins, With the deeds of righteous people.


Today I gird myself With the strength of heaven, Light of the sun. Brightness of the moon, Brilliance of fire. Speed of lightning, Swiftness of wind. Depth of sea, Firmness of earth, Stability of rock.

Today I gird myself With the strength of God to direct me, The might of God to exalt me, The mind of God to lead me, The eye of God to watch over me, The ear of God to hear me, The word of God to speak to me, The hand of God to defend me, The path of God to go before me, The shield of God to guard me, The help of God to protect me Against the snares of demons, Against the temptation of vices, Against the tendencies of nature, Against everyone who will wish me ill, Far and near, Among few and among many.


Today I interpose all these powers between myself And every harsh pitiless power which may come against my body and my soul, Against the predictions of false prophets, Against the black laws of paganism, Against the crooked laws of heretics, Against the encirclement of idolatry, Against the spells of women and smiths and druids, Against every knowledge which harms a man’s body and soul. May Christ protect me today Against poison, against burning, against drowning, against wounding, That many rewards may come to me.

May Christ be with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ within me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ to my right, Christ to my left, Christ where I lie down, Christ where I sit, Christ where I stand, Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me, Christ in every eye which looks on me, Christ in every ear which hears me.

Today I gird myself With a mighty power, Invocation of the Trinity, Belief in the Threeness, Proclamation of the Oneness, In the Creator’s presence. Salvation is of the Lord, Salvation is of the Lord, Salvation is of Christ, May your salvation Lord, be always with us.


III. Listening to the People of God (Backward) “Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together.” God calls us out into a body of believers. This gives rise to disciplines within the context of other human relationships. These disciplines train our memory to reflect on the story of God working in the midst of His people. Disciplines include: Fellowship/Assembling with other believers Cultivating soul friends Confession Baptism and Communion Learning and remembering the history of God’s people

I. We live in a particular place and particular time. When God creates man, he gives us a unique body (particular space) and a unique personality (particular time).

A. Man is created in the image of God. From the creation story (Gen. 1:26-29; 2:7-25), we learn • • • • • •

That God creates a place for man to dwell That man is created in God’s image That man has dominion over all the earth That man must subdue and take dominion over all the earth That it is not good for man to be alone That man is subject to the law of God

B. Living within our own time. Each man has a life “span.” This span is a movement between memory and vision, which also might be understood as a span between past and future.

We live between memory and vision.

Our memories are stored in through, stories, images, activities, songs, genealogies, events and more.

Our vision comes to us through dreams and longings expressed in words, songs, stories and more.


Memory and Vision help us to understand how to act in the present. This action is both inward (prayers, meditations, journaling, thoughts, and more) and outward (preaching, building, creating and more).

This time has a far greater impact on our lives than the time on a clock.

The past without the future (memory without vision) can become decadence. The future without the past (vision without memory) can become revolution.

Our times can be understood on a personal level, a family level, a community level and even a national level. Traditions, ceremonies, special costumes (like Police uniform), buildings, stories, art and more all tell the story of our past: our memory.

When our vision for the future and our memory of the past is united, our times come into harmony, and we have the power to transform the world.

The flowering of God’s purposes would reveal a people living in harmony with God, one another and all creation. But man violates God’s command and the harmony is shattered. The uniqueness of each person becomes a curse and we all act like little gods seeking to shape the world into our own image.

Sin damages our memory and our vision resulting in actions the damage our inward life (heart) and our outward life (the world around us).

Sin causes dis-eases of memory (causing our reason to twist our stories) • • •

We remember wrong thoughts. We see memories from the wrong perspective. We notice the wrong patterns.

Then our vision is corrupted, twisting the divine dreams from God into dreams of self-worship. We worship the creature rather than the Creator.

II. Jesus restores all time and space, making a way for us to reveal the image and likeness of


God.

7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. – Ephesians 1:7-10

A. The law of God is written on our hearts. Through the cross, Jesus breaks the power of sin and evil in our lives. By His Spirit, we now move toward manifesting His command us to love God with our hearts, souls, minds and strength. And to love our neighbors as ourselves. This command clarifies and unveils the initial creation picture.

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That God creates a place for man to dwell (the glory of God cover the whole earth) That man is created in God’s image. God is three persons and one God. He is “Being in communion.” In His unchanging essence, God is a loving communion of Father, Son and Spirit. Man is “being in communion.” In other words, man is not fully human outside of loving communion (facilitated by the Spirit of God). That man has dominion over all the earth (we are given authority as priests, kings and prophets) That man must subdue and take dominion over all the earth (we are commanded to walk in the reality of our calling as priests, kings and prophets in our relation with God, other humans, and all creation) That it is not good for man to be alone (we are created to give and receive love) That man is subject to the law of God (we live in God’s grace, yet the command to love and live in love remains God’s fundamental command)

B. We are called into the communion of saints, the ekklesia (called out ones). This loving communion with God, His people and all creation is characterized by the ancient word, perechoresis (a dance of love). The discipline of relationship might be considered through 1. Partaking in the Eucharist (faith, hope and love) 2. Listening to Church History (Acts 7) 3. Assembling with the people of God . (Heb 10:23-25; 11:2; 11:40; 1 Tim. 5:1-25; John 17; 1 Thes 3:12-13; Eph 2:4-7; 1 Cor 13) 4. Developing of soul friends


Augustine on Friendship These notes were developed from studying Peter Brown’s ideas on Augustine, friendship and society. Peter Brown says of Augustine, “(He) hardly ever spent a moment of his life without some friend, even some blood-relative, close by him. No thinker in the Early Church was so preoccupied with the nature of human relationships.”

Why is friendship important? A. Friendship is fundamental to our nature. • •

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Humans are basically social in nature. “There is nothing so social by nature or so anti-social by sin as a human being.” – City of God Humans are naturally driven to in society. Our social groupings are expressions of what is best in us, not what is worst. Imperfection in society is due to sin not due to society. “In this world two things are essential: a healthy life and friendship. God created humans so that they might exist and live: this is life. But if they are not to remain solitary, there must friendship.” – Sermon “The be first thing a baby sees when opening its eyes are its parents, and life begins with their friendship.” – Sermon

B. Love in friendship perfects us. •

We are perfected as humans by our love for other humans.

C. Friendship helps meet our need to share life experiences with others. • •

“It’s hard to laugh when you are by yourself.” – Confessions Augustine realizes that joy expands and grief contracts in the presence of friends.

What is friendship? A. Friendship is the highest expression of family. • •

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Friendship begins in the family. Augustine enjoys a loving relationship with his parents, particularly his mom. Augustine cared for his mother in her later years and was at her side when she died. He sees the example of child-parent relations in Jesus command to John when he was on the cross. So that a human being might not be alone a system of friendship was created. Friendship begins with one’s spouse and children, and from there moves on to strangers. But considering the fact that we all have the same father (Adam) and the same mother (Eve) who


will be a stranger? Every human being is neighbor to every other human being. Ask nature: Is this man unknown? He’s still human. Is this woman an enemy? She’s still human. Is this man a foe? He is still a human being. Is this woman a friend? Let her remain a friend. Is this man an enemy? Let him become a friend.” - Sermon B. Friendship shapes two minds into one heart. •

“For any one who knows us may say of him and me, that in body only, and not in mind, we are two, so great is the union of heart, so firm the intimate friendship subsisting

between us; though in merit we are not alike, for his is far above mine.” C. Friendship is an expression of mutual love. •

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“Without friends even the happiness of the sense which I then possessed would have been impossible, no matter how great the abundance of carnal pleasures might be. I loved these friends for their own sakes and I felt that I was loved in return by them for my own sake.” – Confessions

The loss of a friend is one of the terrible burdens of this life “…pangs of longing which tear me apart because those who are fastened to me by the bond of the strongest and sweetest friendship are not here physically present to me.” – Letter to Novatus “My great and only delight is that I am unable to avoid delight when you are with me and I am unable to avoid sorrow when you are far away.” “The consolation of other friends did the most to repair the damage and give me strength after the death of my friend. The interchange between us captured my mind: conversation and joking, doing favors for each other, reading together good books, being foolish and being serious together, disagreeing without hatred almost as though I was debating with myself, sometimes falling into disagreement but thereby remembering on how many things we agreed, teaching and learning from each other, waiting impatiently for the absent to return and rejoicing when they did. These and so many other like signs coming from the hearts of friends are shown through their eyes and mouths and speech and a thousand little gestures. All of these expressions of friendship brought our hearts together like bundled kindling, making one out of many.” – Confessions “What is there to console us in this human society so full of errors and trials except the truth and mutual love of true and good friends.” – Confessions

How do we cultivate friendship? Augustine uses one primary concept to discuss cultivating friendships: Concordia. Concordia is the union of hearts. The vital force behind concordia is love. Attributes required for concordia: reciprocity, equality, benevolence, truth, grace

A. Reciprocity – When love ceases to be reciprocal, friendship ceases. B. Equality – We love the other neither more or less than ourselves. The eyes of friendship neither look down nor look up to a friend: they look at the friend. C. Benevolence –


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We love not as ends in themselves but as a means whereby we can achieve the one eternal good: God himself. The love between friends is a mutual desire that good should come to the other. Based on an altruistic love – values the good that is in the friend rather than the good that the friend can give. Wishing our friends well including their salvation. Our true love for our neighbor is shown in our desire to bring them to God. “He truly loves a friend who loves God in the friend, either because God is actually present in the friend or in order that God may be so present. This is true love. If we love another for another reason, we hate them more than we love them.” – Sermon. Love cannot be present when we cease to respect our friend’s place in creation. Only God can be enjoyed for the sake of Himself. We love our friends for the sake of the love of God, loving the love of God in them. God is the only glue that can bind heart, soul, mind and strength. Bearing our friends’ burdens. Ideally there will be no burdens to bear—only perfect love. But in this life we bear one another’s burdens. The love we shower in good times is proven in bad times.

D. Truth – Accepting the strengths and weaknesses of our friends. I must know the reality of my friend. We do not form friends abstractly or anonymously. “A person must be a friend of truth before they can be a friend of a human being.” •

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Truth requires frankness between friends. Our honest and frank exposure is never complete because in this fallen world we do not even know ourselves fully. “Since I do not know myself, what shame can I possibly inflict on a friend when I say he is unknown to me, especially when…as I believe…he does not know himself? – Soliloquies Augustine returns to the theme of not knowing ourselves or our friends or our future again and again. He even suggests that we can confuse foe and friend: “How confused it all is! One who seems to be my enemy turns out to be my friend and those whom we thought our good friends in fact are our worst enemies.” – Sermon “In this journey of our earthly life, each one carries his own heart, and each heart is closed to every other.” “Humans can speak. Then can be seen to move their limbs and their words can be heard. But who can penetrate their thoughts; who can see their heart?” “I do not know what you are thinking and you do not know what I am thinking. Only our own spirit (and the Holy Spirit of God) is witness to our thoughts, and indeed God knows these things about us that even we do not know about ourselves.” Comm. On Gospel of John We can never be completely sure of the heart of another, so we always take the risk of opening our heart to them as a friend. It is bad to betray a trust, but it is worse to refuse to trust again.” “True friendship can harbor no suspicion; a friend must speak to his friend as freely as to his second self.”

E. Grace - True friendship is only possible by the grace of God. Our openness to others in friendship is dependent on God’s grace.


Who can be our friends?

A. We cannot be friends with darkness. “Wherefore, my well beloved and most amiable brother, by the friendship which unites us, and by our faith in the divine law itself, I would warn you never to link yourself in friendship with those shadows of the realm of darkness, and to break off without delay whatever friendship may have been begun between you and them.”

B. Yet, we keep open the hope for universal friendship. “It (friendship) must include all those to whom love and affection are due. It may go out more readily to some, more slowly to others, but it must reach even to our enemies for whom we are commanded to pray. The conclusion is simply this: there is no member of the human species to whom love is not due, either because they return our love or at least because we are united to them through our common nature as human beings.” – Letter – This reality to which Augustine refers is ultimately only possible in the new heaven and new earth because we cannot physically become friends with every person on earth: there are multiple limitations. As Burt says, “We will not meet every human in a lifetime but we


can strive to make every human we meet a friend. We can avoid rejecting out of hand anyone who offers to be our friend. At the very least we can deem them worthy of our friendship and try to bring them to a point where mutual, truthful, frank and trusting friendship is possible.” We can even love our enemies as friends—not because they are but because we hold out the hope of possibility. This ultimately has to do with hope or potentiality for friendship with all. C. Augustine also applies his ideas to the family suggesting that it also might be a society of friends. Thus a marriage is first and foremost, a union of friends. This union is exclusive.

Where is friendship heading? A. Friendship is the highest expression of a person’s social nature. The more a society becomes a society of friends, the more perfect it becomes as a society. (Augustine applies his vision of friendship to society and sees how our culture might actually be a society of friends. He discusses how authority and other aspects of regulated power might function within this society but this is beyond the scope of our study.) B. The ultimate goal of family: to be forever friends with one’s spouse, children and Lord. C. The true love found in the union of hearts (concordia) cannot be broken—even at


death. (Communion of saints).

St. Maximos the Confessor from Four Hundred Texts on Love

1. If you wish not to fall away from the love of God, do not let your brother go to be feeling angry with you, and do not got to bed yourself feeling irritated with him. Reconcile yourself with your brother, and then come to Christ with a clear conscience and offer him your gift of love in earnest prayer. (53, First Century) 2. Silence the man who utters slander in your hearing. Otherwise you sin twice over; you accustom yourself to this deadly passion and, second you fail to prevent him from gossiping against his neighbor. (60, First Century) 3. Men love one another, commendably or reprehensibly, for the following five reason: either for the sake of God, as the virtuous man loves everyone and as the man not yet virtuous loves the virtuous; or by nature, as parents love their children and children their parents; or because he who is man praised whoout praises him; or because avarice, of as self withesteem, on whoas loves a rich for love whatthe he man can get of him; or because of of self indulgence, as with the man who serves his belly and his genitals. The first of these is commendable, the second is of an intermediate kind, and the rest are dominated by passion. (9, Second Century) 4. Passion is an impulse of the soul contrary to nature, as in the case of mindless love or mindless hatred for someone or for some sensible thing. In the case of love, it may be for needless food, or for a woman, or for money, or for transient glory, or for other sensible objects or on their account. In the case of hatred, it may be for any of the things mentioned, or for someone on account of these things. (16, Second Century) 5. If you totally fulfill the command to love your neighbor, you will feel no bitterness or resentment against him whatever he does. If this is not the case, then the reason you why you fight against your brother is clearly because you seek after transitory things and prefer them to the commandment of love. (15, Third Century) 6. Watch yourself, lest the vice which separates you from your brother lies not in him but in yourself. Be reconciled with him without delay, so that you do not lapse from the commandment of love. (19, Fourth Century) 7. What separates us from the love of friends is envying or being envied, causing or receiving harm, insulting or being insulted, and suspicious thoughts. Would that you had never done or experienced anything of this sort and in this way separated yourself from the love of a friend. (21, Fourth Century) 8. Has a brother been the occasion of some trial for you and has your resentment led


you to hatred? Do not let yourself be overcome by this hatred, but conquer it with love. You will succeed in this by praying to God sincerely for your brother and by accepting his apology; or else by conciliating him with an apology yourself, by regarding yourself as responsible for the trial and by patiently waiting until the cloud has passed. (22, Fourth Century) 9. Because today an assault of the devil has aroused some hatred in you, do not judge as base and wicked a brother whom yesterday you regarded as spiritual and virtuous; but with long-suffering love dwell on the goodness you perceived yesterday and expel today’s hatred from your soul. (26, Fourth Century) 10. Do not think that those who bring you reports, which fill you with resentment and make you hate your brother are affectionately disposed toward you, even if they seem to speak the truth. On the contrary, turn away from them as if they were poisonous snakes, so that you may both prevent them from uttering slanders and deliver your own soul from wickedness. (31, Fourth Century) 11. The deiform soul cannot nurse hatred against a man and yet be at peace with God, the giver of commandments. “For,’ He says, ‘if you do not forgive men their faults, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your faults” (Matt 6:14-15). If your brother does not wish to live peaceably with you, nevertheless guard yourself against hatred, praying for him sincerely and not abusing him to anybody. (35, Fourth Century) 12. Only those who scrupulously keep the commandments, and are true initiates into divine judgments, do not their friends whenare God permits thesedivine friends to be putrejoice to the test. Those who scorn theabandon commandments and who ignorant about judgments with their friend in the times of his prosperity; but when in times of trial he suffers hardships, they abandon him and sometimes even side with those who attack him. (97, Fourth Century)

Six Traditions within Christianity

I. Charismatic Movement “A life immersed in, empowered by, and under the direction of the Spirit of God.” - Richard Foster The Charismatic movement reminds us that the Holy Spirit empowers us to fulfill God’s calling upon our lives and to demonstrate God’s life upon the earth. “Frankly there are no nonCharismatic Christians.” The very essence of the Christian life is defined by the presence of the Spirit in our lives.


II. Definition of Contemplation

Richard Foster says that, “the contemplative stream is characterized by deeper inner hunger for the presence of God and a state of ongoing prayer.” Contemplation is a work of grace. The Holy Spirit awakens the seeking heart with His call of love. We respond with hunger for God’s face. The Holy Spirit works in that hunger through Jesus to prepare us and lead us into the presence of the Father. The Father through the Holy Spirit reveals Jesus, the revealed Word of God, to us and through us. III. Definition of Evangelical Tradition

The Evangelical Tradition focuses upon the proclamation of the gospel as follows: 1. The historical reality of Jesus’ life, death, burial, and resurrection. 2. The interpretation of this event in Scripture. The written Word of God serves as a witness to Jesus the true and living Word of God. 3. And the word of Jesus in the confession from the community of the faithful.

IV. Definition of the Holiness Tradition Holiness is being prepared to act, as the present moment requires. Holiness is the manifest expression of the divine flow of live. Discipline is the human spirit training the body and soul to manifest the Rule of God as it yields to the Spirit of God. When our spirit yields to God and directs our thoughts and actions, we manifest God’s kingdom on the earth. V. Definition of Incarnation

The Incarnation tradition says that “God is manifest to us through material means.” God created the world and blessed it and said that it was good. God meets man in the midst of the world. The Incarnational tradition suggests that the infinite God meets man in finite reality. There are two dimensions to this tradition: the religious and the secular. VI. Definition of Social Justice

Social Justice is responding to God’s love by seeking to restore and reconcile all things to Him. Social Justice seeks to bring people, social structures, and even the earth into harmony with the kingdom of God.


IV. Offering a Living Sacrifice (Outward) “Present yourself as a living sacrifice unto the Lord.” The Word of the Lord calls us forth into the future to change. To follow. To obey the Lord. As we follow, we repent (turn around), confess, and seek the Lord. This inward fellowship with God leads us backward into community. We come realize the God’s people exist before. We do not live independent of the “called out ones.” We live in community with other Christians. This community disciplines, trains and teaches us to listen to others. Just as the community of Antioch sent out Paul and Barnabas, we are sent out by the people of God to proclaim the word of God through our lives and actions. Now we become translations of the gospel, revealing the goodness and grace of God through our own unique lives and in our own unique way.

While the expressions are varied, the disciplines of outward action might include: Serving Giving Sharing (burdens) Proclaiming

1. We are given a ministry of reconciliation.

Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. (2 Cor 5:18-19; NKJV)

The gospel transform our memories and vision into harmony with God. At the same, God is working through us to transform the memories and vision of others into harmony with God in Christ Jesus.

Paul tells us in Ephesians that in the “fullness of time” the Father will “unite all things in [Jesus Christ], things in heaven and things on earth” (Eph 1:10). John writes in his gospel that “(a)ll things were made through [Jesus Christ], and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3).

Based on John’s account and the Genesis story, we can say that when God created the world, the Father created through the Son by the power of the Holy Spirit. Out from the harmony between the Father, the Son and the Spirit, our world was created. But then Scripture tells a


story of broken relationship between humans and God as well as between humans and one another.

These broken relations ripple through space and time, leaving all creation groaning for God’s redemption. Jesus comes to restore the harmony of this world by reconciling humans to God and to one another in his own body. In and through Jesus Christ will all things about restored to harmony.

Yet in the mystery of His grace, the Lord has caught us up into this reconciling work. His Spirit works in and through each of us, reconciling the world. This call to reconciliation might be understood as the way in which we translate the “good news” of Jesus’ absolute victory.

This translation is not limited to our words, but to our actions, our attitudes, our eating, our drinking, and every aspect of living. The Holy Spirit is revealing the strength of God in our weaknesses, in our frailties, in our incomplete obedience. In spite of our weakness and failure, He is working and keeps working and will bring all things to completion (perfection) in Christ.

So when we begin to ask questions about “How can we serve?” “How can we proclaim?” We don’t look to a single specific method, but we ask the Spirit to work in and through our particularities to reveal His glorious Gospel.

Luther encountered the great grace of God while teaching from the book of Romans. He translated his encounter into sermons, theological treatise, and liturgy. Johann Sebastian Bach translated his encounter with God’s grace in the theology of Luther into music.

Over the centuries, the good news has been translated by persons into sermons, poetry, painting, movies, music, and more. Every area of human creativity can become a focal point for proclaiming reconciliation.

And yet, the primary way we translate the gospel in through our lives in relationships. Martin Luther didn’t write theology in a void. Rather, he was responding in relationship. The Apostle Paul doesn’t proclaim the gospel in a void, but he speaks to real people in real situations. His “good news” is uniquely translated in two ways.

One, he is a unique person. Paul is a Pharisee, a student and teacher of Torah. His encounter with Jesus will carry the unique resonance of Paul’s life. The message is not different but it will


resonate differently in Paul versus Peter and the other apostles.

Secondly, Paul addresses unique people. His translation of the good news will be impact by the people with whom he relates. In Acts, we behold Paul speaking to both Jews and Greeks with different language. Once again the message is the same but the translation is particular based on the audience.

So each of us is called to proclaim this word of reconciliation in and through Jesus Christ. We are called to translate outwardly the faith that has called us forward, inward and backward.

2. We are living sacrifices.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. (Rom 12:1-6; NKJV)

We are exhorted to become living, holy and acceptable sacrifices to God. Our bodies, our thoughts, our dreams, our interests, our emotions, and our skills are now offered to God as means to serving His body and revealing His good news.

We translate the good news within the community of believers. And as Paul writer in Romans, Corinthians, and Ephesians each of us brings different gifts to serve one another. We do not rank the gifts as better or worse. The gifts are not for us or for our ego. The gifts are expression of God’s reconciling grace in and through us.

And we offer ourselves to one another in serve, in prayer, in praise, in bearing true witness, in exhorting, in serving, and so on. Yet, we also see the disciples offering the gifts beyond the community to the world around them in teaching, healing and ministering grace.

So translating the good news is obeying and offering our skills, our words, our actions, our comfort, our love to those in the community of faith and also to those beyond with an invitation to come and join the community of the Beloved. Even as we are learning to translate in word and deed, the Spirit in translating through us individually and collectively.


3. We are part of a larger whole.

For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free — and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many. (1 Cor 12:12-14; NKJV)

The members of Christ extend beyond us to our community of faith and beyond out local community to the community of faith that extends across space and time. And the Father holds us His community for all powers to behold the wonder and glory of His unspeakable grace.


V. Long Obedience “They shall still bear fruit in old age.” Eugene Peterson speaks of our faith as a “long obedience in the same direction.” From the pilgrim Psalms to the peregrini, we see the model of faith as an extended pilgrimage. But extending our spiritual passion across time and space is filled with challenges. Just as the 40-year trek across the wilderness exhausted the spiritual resources of many Hebrews, we also will face the strain of desert travel, the pangs of hunger, the unquenchable thirst, the fear of giants in the land, the temptation of rebellion, and the weariness of waiting. How do we survive? How do we adjust to changing seasons? The rhythm of moving in four directions (inward, outward, forward and backward) may be a resource to help us as we learn to trust in the Lord who is leading us on this extended journey. 1. Trusting in the faithfulness of the Lord .

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 1:2425) Jude ends his letter of exhortation with an exclamation of praise to the God who is completely trustworthy, completely faithful. In so doing, he reminds us that the Lord Jesus Christ is able to keep us from stumbling and present us blameless before the Father. Again and again in Scripture, we are reminded that the Lord directs our path, keep us on the path, leads us to victory and brings us into glory (Proverbs 3:6, Proverbs 4:18, Isaiah 30:21, 1 Corinthians 15:57, Philippians 1:6, 2 Corinthians 3:18). For the ancient Hebrews, this path was understood as the path or way of Torah. By meditating upon the 10 Commandments and living in light of the law, they walked along the path of the righteous (Deuteronomy 5:32-33). When Jesus comes, he enfleshes Torah (Word made Flesh) and fulfills the way. He is the way (the truth and the life). So in Christ, we are rooted in the path of the righteous. And by His grace, we are walking and learning to walk in the light of His righteousness. And yet, this path of righteousness is not a state or a condition of perfect equilibrium. There are times of heightened emotion and times of dark emptiness. There are places of feasting and valleys of death. These shifts are not necessarily indicative of strong faith vs. lack of faith; or true devotion vs lack of devotion. The Apostle Paul describes times of despair and times of joy, times of abounding and times of lacking (2 Corinthians 1:8 ; Philippians 4:12). 2. Moving in step with the changing rhythm.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die;a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal;a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and


a time to laugh;a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose;a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew;a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) The four directions discussed in these notes (inward/outward and backward/forward) are simply the four directions of man living in time and space. Yet as simple as it seems, we often find ourselves focusing on only one direction or stuck in one area. Sometimes spiritual disciplines are focused completely inwardly through contemplation, prayer, repentance and so on. But for other people, their spirituality is focused completely outwardly in service and evangelism and ministry. Each of the four directions are vital directions in our own lives, and the changing landscape of our lives will require us to adjust and move and adapt in these four directions. By learning and considering these four ways of applying spiritual discipline, we might be ready to move and adjust in the changing seasons. As a reminder, here are the four directions: 7. Calling is the Future direction because I am called to change. 8. Responding in an Inward direction because I respond within through prayer and reflection. 9. Joining with others is Past direction because I am strengthened in a community of memory. 10.Sharing or serving is Outward direction because I am acting in the outside world. Within these four directions, there are six pairs and twelve possible movements: Future - Inward/Inward - Future Future - Backward/Backward - Future Future - Outward/Outward - Future Inward - Backward/Backward - Inward Inward - Outward/Outward - Inward Backward - Outward/Outward - Backward Now think about the four sets of disciplines (and note these lists are not exhaustive): Forward Silence/Breathing Solitude Fasting Meditation (God’s Word, Creation) Worship Retreat Sabbath Inward Repentance Lamentation Adoration Contemplation


Imprecation Intercession Breath prayers Backward Fellowship/Assembling with other believers Cultivating soul friends Confession Baptism and Communion Learning and remembering the history of God’s people Outward Serving Giving Sharing (burdens) Proclaiming By considering this list disciplines in each directions alongside the six pairs I listed above, we might see how disciplines might develop in each of our particular lives. Listening to a sermon (forward) might provoke me to prayer and repentance (inward). But it also might provoke me to action and service (outward). Partaking of the communion meal (backward) may bring me to a place of inner healing (inward). It also may stir me to lay down my life for the people around me (outward). All this explanation is to help us understand how the Spirit can uniquely lead and guide each of us in specific disciplines depending on His purposes and our current situation. We may go from a season of great activity (outward) to complete silence and stillness (forward). It may seem to us as though God has forsaken us when really He is calling us forward into something new. The path of spiritual formation is a path of learning to move and change as the Breath of God blows where He will. Sadly, we often resist change. Harsh resistance in any direction can lead to dis-eases of bitterness, ritualism, rebellion, complacency, blindness and more. The long obedience of faith requires some flexibility to yield to the Spirit as He guides us through His Word, through His community, through His inner voice and through His cross. During times of crisis, we look to the Lord and the community of faith for strength.

3. Creative responses to times of crisis

Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Humble yourselves , therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have


suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (I Peter 5:5-11; ESV) In the context of submitting ourselves to God and one another in humility, here are some suggestions for ways of thinking and re-framing our thoughts when we experience seasons of crisis. We maybe facing obstacles that make it difficult for us to see or expect the possibility of positive change. Here are exercises normally applied in creative problem solving, but seem applicable to thinking about seasons of crisis or problems we face in our long term spiritual journey. We normally face multiple obstacles related to our perception, our emotions, our intelligence and our culture. These questions/exercises might help us to re-think our challenges. And we might learn to open our eyes and ears to new possibilities, new patterns of action and greater trust in God’s provision in the midst of our challenges. 5. Perceptual Obstacles (the five senses) 1. Define problem. Look at it from different angles or perspectives. How would your spouse perceive the problem? You children? A stranger? A doctor? 2. Always test all assumptions about problem boundaries; avoid placing unnecessary emphasis on the problem. 3. Search for and isolate the real problem. 4. Avoid prematurely assigning a label to the problem. We must begin to look at the routine as though we've never seen it before. With wonder. Here’s an exercise of observation: Look at your watch and write down features you've never noticed. Now apply this to the problem. What are the advantages? What new doors might be opening as a result? 5. Consult with others in a different background to see how they would solve the problem. 6. Can you compare the obstacle/problem with stories in Scripture or in life. What are the similarities and differences? B. Emotional 1. For complex problems we need to develop a systematic approach. Break down complex problems into manageable units and only work on one unit at a time. 2. Recognize that failure sometimes comes before success and growth comes from learning about our failures. 3. Keep an open mind about possible criticism of your ideas, remembering that all our ideas value because of our uniqueness. 4. "To hope is to risk frustration." Thomas Merton. Be prepared to give up a little by weighing the probable negative consequences of any risk-taking action against no action at all. 5. Practice being patient in problem solving, realizing that you are not just looking for any solution, but for the best solution for your needs. 6. We must be open to many solutions to the same problem. Defer judgment when you begin work on a problem, perhaps by rapidly listing possible solutions and corresponding weaknesses of each. Throw away the list and begin again by redefining the problem. 7. Take time to allow the problem to incubate after a period of intense concentration. 5. Always ask, "What's good about it?" when you consider a new idea, and never reject it out-


right. C. Intellectual/Expressive 1. Instead of always relying on verbal explanations of problems (which tend to limit us to leftbrain definitions) we might consider using diagrams, pictures, or metaphors. 2. Use several problem-solving strategies, not limiting yourself to only one approach. 3. Continually collect information throughout the problem-solving process; ascertain the validity of all information, and separate facts from opinions. D. Cultural 1. Recognizing the cultural taboos that restrict your view, consider if your rejection is taboo inspired or due to a solution's lack of merit. 2. Sometimes we must be willing to challenge traditions in order to rediscover their meaning. We don’t have to abandon the tradition, but we might ask questions that may offer new insights. 3. We could learn something from children. Maybe we could start asking questions again–especially if we think we know the answer. Maybe our answers are so logical that we fail to stimulate the right-brain and perceive the questions from a new perspective. Ask as many questions you can think of about the problem not fearing to ask "Why?" or "why not?" 4. Help insure that the group problem-solving retains a problem orientation without undue emphasis on competition or cooperation. 5. Explore all solutions based on intuition and feeling. And don't be afraid to jump to conclusions after the problem has been defined. 6. Allow yourself the freedom to fantasize and daydream about the problem; try to relate these activities to achieving a feasible solution. 7. Humor is a tension releaser; and an endomorphin releaser which encouragers creativity in the mind. Exaggerating the problem may be humorous and may lead to new solutions. E. Environmental 1. Use problem-solving procedures to gain more time to work on your problems. 2. Actively solicit support for your efforts by showing others how they might benefit from the solution. 3. Use distractions to suggest possible solutions and then search for ways of eliminating, reducing, or accepting the distractions. 4. Learn to live with autocratic bosses, change their behavior or leave the situation, and evaluate the negative consequence of each possible action. 5. Avoid over dependence on experts, testing the rationale or knowledge behind an opinion, seeking to understand "why" and daring to seek second opinions. Suggested Rut, Role, and Rule Breakers to Stimulate Creativity -from Darlene Graves and Doug Floyd

• Subscribe to an unusual magazine , perhaps one from the opposite poli tical, denominational view. • Spend a morning at an elementary sc hool, watching, talking, getting involved. • Spend an afternoon at a senior citizen center of nursing home. • Go to work or church an hour early and watch and listen.


• Test drive an exotic car or truck. • Go to garage sales and open -homes in different ethnic and social com munities. • Learn about the traditions in your culture and find out why we do what we do (holidays, superstitions, ceremonies - Like “Why do the Bride and Groom exchange a piece of cake?”,etc.). • Look through old magazines from 30 or 40 years ago. • Try an Iranian or Hungarian or African or etc. recipe. • Spend a day in another city or town. Go to the library and city hall, imagine their history. • Wear your hair, clothes, makeup differently. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

If you usually listen to rock or jazz, try country or folk or gospel or classical, etc., vice versa. Listen to story cassettes and comedy albums (check public library). Read joke, quotes, poetry, or cartoon books. Read autobiographies of creative geniuses. Take a non- credit course. Join a group outside your usual connections and friends. Read a different style or theme than your used to. Read. Read. Read. Read whatever you can put your hands on. See different kind of movie than you usually do. (Try a foreign film, a classic, etc.) Hold an in-depth conversation with a very young child or very old adult. Talk to someone from another culture, religion, political party, etc. Read parts of the newspaper you usually avoid. Watch a soap opera, sit -corn, or commercial with the sound off. Listen to a TV program without watching what is happening on screen. Dig in the ground, dig in the sand, dig in your past. Go into a section of the grocery store/department store/mall you often avoid. Wonder who usually goes there. Look under the hood of your car, inside your radio, etc. Contemplate where most mundane things come from (so meone discovered or invented them) . Walk in the woods and looks for patterns in nature. Listen, smell, touch the world around you. Take something uncommon apar t and put it back together . Instead of throwing something away, try to fix it or use it in another way. Memorize prose, poetry, scripture. Turn the radio off in the car and make up a song or poem. Watch people in cars, stations, lobbies and imagine their life stories. Instead of driving, walk or ride a bike. Go into the grocery store and smell the fruits and vegetables. Feel the texture of your clothes. Feel your way through your house blindfolded. Make a snack blindfolded. Play with children’s toys, blocks, puzzles. Learn a musical instrument, paint a picture, join a choir, learn to dance, write a poem, write a story. Ask “what if’ and “why nor’ about things you haven’t questioned. Read the newspaper with a mind for solv ing the problems it presents. Write a letter to the editor, your senator, your family and friends. Make up commercials. Role play from different perceptions (particularly from the point of view of those who are com-


• • • • • • •

pletely different from you). Take a class in poetry, acting, music, history. Take a class. Listen to people when they talk. Re-read old class notes, sermon notes, cards, or letter from friends. Use metaphors to describe your relationships. Imagine turning your mistakes into highways and bridges for future progress. Pray more by listening than speaking. Wait and listen.

• • • • • • •

Take a vacation in your own town. See things and do things your never seen or done before. Explore the world around you. Turn off the TV and read or go for a walk. Invite friends over and just talk for hours. Daydream. What have you always dreamed about doing. Do it. Visit churches with different traditions from your own. • Think of more creative activities you can do. Write them below.


Spiritual Formation Bibliography Jim Borst, Coming to God: In the Stillness, Gilford, Surrey: Eagle, 1979. A helpful little guide on developing contemplative prayer. Joel R. Beeke, Puritan Reformed Spirituality, Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2004. This collection the spiritual practices of John Calvin, and then focuses of onessays the lifeexplores and writings of various Puritans. Bernard of Clairvoux, St. Bernard on the Love of God , New York: Spiritual Book Associates, 1937. This deeply enriching work introduces his key ideas on love. (Available http://www.cistercianpublications.org/). Dom Cuthbert Butler, Western Mysticism: Augustine, Gregory, and Bernard on Contemplation and the Contemplative Life , New York: Dover Publications Inc, 2003 (srcinally published 1926). Provides an overview of these great leaders and demonstrates the distinction between Christian western mysticism and Eastern mysticism. Michael, Chester P., and Marie C. Norrisey. Prayer and Temperament Different Prayer Forms for Different Personality Types. Chicago: Open Door, 1991. Foster, Richard J. Celebration of discipline the path to spiritual growth. [San Francisco]: HarperSanFrancisco, 1998. This is a foundational text for studying the disciplines. Foster, Richard J. Prayer finding the heart's true home. [San Francisco]: HarperSanFrancisco, 1992. Foster, Richard J. Streams of Living Water Celebrating the Great Traditions of Christian Faith. New York: HarperOne, 2001. Eugen, Rosenstock-Huessy,. Origin of speech. Norwich, Vt: Argo Books, 1981. The inspiration for the four directions of spiritual formation came from Eugen Rosenstock Huessy’s “Cross of Reality.” While he didn’t specifically apply this to spirituality, I think it fits. For more information of Rosenstock-Huessy, see http://www.argobooks.org. Cheslyn Jones, Geoffrey Wainwright, and Edward Yarnold SJ (editors),The Study of Spirituality, New York: Oxford University Press, 1986. This compila-


tion presents a wide-ranging selection of essays on spirituality. This volume primarily focuses on Christian traditions and history with a few essays on spirituality in other religions. W. Paul Jones,A Season in the Desert: Making Time Holy, Brewster, Massachusetts: Paraclete Press, 2000. This is thoughtful, almost devotional book about the nature of time. Part of his discussion involves the liturgy and the nature of the liturgical year. (UMC professor turned Trappist monk) Jean Leclercq, OSB, The Love of Learning and the Desire for God: A Study of Monastic Culture, New York: Fordham University Press, 1961. George A. Maloney SJ, Invaded by God: Mysticism and the Indwelling Trinity, Denville, NJ: Dimension Books, 1979. Not many people have written on Trinitarian mysticism, so Maloney’s book is a treasure. Unfortunately, this volume is difficult to find, but he has written several other books along the same theme. Bernard McGinn, The Growth of Mysticism: Gregory the Great through the 12 Century (Volume II, The Presence of God: A History of Western Christian Mysticism), New York: The Crossroad Publishing Company, 1999. This is part of an exhaustive four volume history of Christian western mysticism. th

Thomas Merton, No Man is An Island , New York, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1955. A wonderful selection of essays on the spiritual life. Merton is a profound writer that impacted many Americans in the 50s and 60s. He converted in the 40s and became a Trappist monk. But his dialogues with Eastern Mysticism should be read with caution. Thomas Merton, Love and Living, New York, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1979. More Excellent essays. Thomas Merton, Seasons of Celebration, Noonday Press, 1977. A series of meditations on the different holidays throughout the Christian year. (Trappist monk) Alexander Schmemann, For the Life of the World: Sacraments and Orthodoxy, Crestwood, NY: SVS Press, 1997. Interesting meditations on the Eucharist. (Orthodox) Dumitru Staniloae, The Experience of God (Orthodox Dogmatic Theology, Volume 1: Revelation and Knowledge of the Triune God), Brookline, MA: Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 1999. Some of this is a bit abstract but perfect for those who enjoy a challenge. He has some wonderful discussions on the nature of the spiritual life. (Orthodox)


Hans Urs Von Balthasar, Prayer, Ignatius Press, 1986. While not specifically about liturgical prayer, this little book is beautiful and deeply penetrating. (Roman Catholic)

Prayer and Meditation Books Robert Atwan, Poetry in English Inspired by the Bible - Chapters into Verse Volumes 1 and 2, New York, Oxford University Press, 1993. Robert Atwell (Compiler), Celebrating the Seasons: Daily Spiritual Readings for the Christian Year, Morehouse Publishing, 2001. This is the best daily reading book I have ever run across. It follows the liturgical year and introduces a wide breath of great authors that all Christians should be read. Robert Benson (editor), Venite: A Book of Daily Prayer, J. P. Tarcher, 2000. You might be able to find this prayer book at a discount bookstore. F. Forrester Church and Terrence J. Mulry, The Macmillan Book of Earliest Christian Prayers, New York: MacMillan Publishing Company, 1988. Many wonderful ancient prayers. Michael Counsell (editor), 2,000 Years of Prayer, Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse Publishing, 1999. Includes a variety of prayers. Nice introduction on people. Esther DeWaal, The Celtic Vision – Prayers, Blessings, Songs, and Invocations from the Gaelic Tradition, Liguori: Liguori Publications, 2001. Offers the flavor of Celtic prayers collected in the 19 Century in the Scottish Highlands. th

J. Philip Newell, Celtic Benediction – Morning and Night Prayer, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000. Daily prayer guide. The Northhumbria Community, Celtic Daily Prayer: Prayers and Readings From the Northumbria Community , San Francisco: HaprerCollins, 2002. This prayer book offers two different daily readings as well as morning, midday and evening prayers. Alexander Schmemann (editor), A Manual of Eastern Orthodox Prayers, Crestwood, NY: SVS Press, 1997. I have found this little prayer book very helpful in my personal devotions. Phyllis Tickle (editor), The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime, Doubleday, 2000. This is one of three prayer books Phyllis Tickle has edited for different seasons of the year. This is a helpful book for orienting our life the cycle of daily offices. Robert Van De Weyer, Celtic Praise, Nashville, Abingdon Press, 1998.


Beautiful little book.


Spiritual Disciplines Class Outline

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