Spiritual Formation Research Articles

Negative Theology and Desire in Spiritual Transformation According to John of the Cross

Desire is central to John of the Cross’ treatment of the mystical ascent to God. He holds that God is desire and that there is a meeting between human and divine desire in the state of union with God, which is the goal. But it is less clear how this desire is to be understood against John’s programmatic negation of desire on the spiritual journey in both its sensory and spiritual forms, according to his negative theology. He regards the lack of satisfaction of desire, which he expresses in terms of darkness and emptiness, as the main manifestation of desire in the process of spiritual transformation. The question arises as to where he locates the meeting between human desire and divine desire, when they seem to be only opposed to one another. The answer lies in the gradual uncovering, through this process, of what is happening beneath the presenting experience of desire, in the human soul’s constitution as the subject. Desire is transformed, but in a way that can be affirmed only at the level of this transformation of the subject. This article examines how John of the Cross understands the relationship between desire and negative theology.

PRIORITY DIRECTIONS OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH H. V. FLOROVSKY IN THE «ODESA» PERIOD OF LIFE: PHILOSOPHY, PSYCHOLOGY, BIBLIOGRAPHY, PHYSIOLOGY

The article attempts to consider the nature of the formation of priority areas of scientific activity and spiritual formation in the «Odesa» period of the life of the religious thinker, theologian, philosopher, historian, Orthodox priest, activist of the ecumenical movement and one of the founders of the World Council of Churches. His name is H. V. Florovsky. On the basis of previously not introduced into scientific circulation historical sources located in the State Archive of the Odesa Region, Princeton University Library and a layer of published sources and scientific literature, many new facts of the biography were discovered and inaccuracies and incorrect data regarding the main events of the scientist’s life were eliminated. Both general scientific (analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction) and special historical methods became the main methods of researching the life and intellectual work of H. V. Florovsky. The historical-genetic method made it possible to recreate the creative portrait of the scientist within the chronological framework of the period under study. The historical-comparative method was used to highlight what was new, which the scientist brought to the study of humanitarian fields of knowledge. Chronological, historical-biographical methods, techniques of historiographical and source analysis were also used. The essence and role of the main components of the scientist’s personality, which later determined the success of his professional activity, were revealed. It has been proven that the family played a significant role in the formation of H. V. Florovsky’s personality. The main milestones of life and spiritual formation are presented through the prism of his studies, work and scientific activity at the Imperial Novorossiysk University. The importance of the obtained results lies in the fact that, on the basis of archival material and scientific literature, the formation of scientific priorities and scientific and pedagogical experience of a scientist, a component of ensuring the relationship of traditions and innovations in the development of humanitarian knowledge, are analyzed. It has been established that the defining topic in the comprehensive study of the «Odesa» period of H. V. Florovsky should be the further research of the scientist’s creativity against the background of the specific circumstances of his biography.

The Mental Health Benefits of Religion and Spirituality in People Living With Bipolar Disorder in Malaysia

Introduction: The taxonomy of spirituality is fraught with complexities concerning mental health studies, due to contextual variables such as religion. While many studies on spirituality have reported positive mental health outcomes, little is known concerning spirituality’s effects on bipolar disorder. This study aims to provide a contextual understanding of spirituality from the religious worldview of people with bipolar disorder. Method: This is a qualitative study involving semi-structured and one-to-one in-depth interviews. 25 participants diagnosed with bipolar disorder were recruited from two psychiatric outpatient clinics. All interviews were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim by the researcher. Thematic analysis is used to analyse the data and Bourdieu’s concept of habitus is used to explore the findings in relation to participants’ subjective account of their religious form of spirituality. Results: The theme ‘Maintaining a positive sense of self’ mainly comprises the religious element in the participants’ everyday life: faith in God, religious practices and a sense of spiritual harmony (i.e. peacefulness and connectedness). The role of religion and social agency was inclusive in promoting spirituality among the study sample Conclusion: Through Bourdieu’s lens of religious habitus, this study provides the understanding of religious-spirituality and a healthy mental state in such a way that it implies a relationship with God through religious beliefs and practices. This study invites others to pay attention to the dynamic roles of religious agency and society in promoting religious faith and practices among individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Lee, L. J. (2018). Moral Injury Reconciliation: A Practitioner’s Guide for Treating Moral Injury, PTSD, Grief, and Military Sexual Trauma Through Spiritual Formation Strategies

Lee, L. J. (2018). Moral Injury Reconciliation: A Practitioner’s Guide for Treating Moral Injury, PTSD, Grief, and Military Sexual Trauma Through Spiritual Formation Strategies. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 224pp. (pbk). ISBN: 9781785927577.

Spiritual Sowing in the Secular Marketplace

In the modern marketplace, driven by the financial bottom-line, it becomes tempting to view labor as a mere expense to be minimized or automated. What if we dared to reject such a narrow vision of employment and consider how God has placed individuals (including ourselves) within the marketplace, within our companies to grow in spiritual maturity? This article develops a spiritual sowing model that conceptualizes employee spiritual formation as a process involving the co-laboring with the Holy Spirit in strengthening the triadic relationship existing between God, self, and others based on the practices of service, observation, and witnessing. Implications for employee discipleship are discussed and potential areas for related research are explored.

Mental and Spiritual Impacts of Children Victims of The 2018 Earthquake in Lompio Village, Sirenja District, Donggala Regency

This study discusses the mental and spiritual impact of children victims of the 2018 earthquake victims in Lompio, Sirenja District, Donggala Regency. The objectives of this study are to know the Mental Spiritual form of the 2018 Earthquake victim children and mental spiritual recovery strategies for victim children. This study also discusses the supporting and inhibiting factors in the mental spiritual recovery of the victim children in the area. This f research used a case study approach. The study showed that the children experienced negative feeling due to trauma caused by the earth quake catasthrophy. Such negative feelings invluded fear, anxiety, fear of praying at the mosque, and lack of interest to continue farmingl. However, there was also a positive impact of the catastrhophy becuase the children become more religius by practicing islamic teaching regularly such as praying and helping fellow friends. For mental strategy recovery, the local government implemented Al-hikmah method with a divine approach and the al-mauidzatil hasanah method. More actors were involved in the recovery program such as local government officials, village government, NGOs, formal education teachers, Islamic religious teachers, parents, and other community-related parties.

Student Reflections on the Essential Role of the Holy Spirit in Counseling Education

This article examines the unique position in which emerging counselors find themselves, as they seek to enter the professional field amidst a worldwide pandemic and numerous other national and global hardships. From a student perspective, the authors survey the distinctive traits of Christian counseling education, Christian counseling, generally speaking, and the importance of theological and spiritual formation for the emerging counselor. More specifically, the authors discuss three theological concepts that have been identified as critical in the development of their Christian counselor identity, foundation, and future practice. The first theological consideration is the essential role and ministry of the Holy Spirit who provides supernatural peace, joy, and comfort, aiding emerging counselors in their ability to be competent therapists in tenuous times; bridging the gap from education to practical application. The second concept considered is the imago Dei, as the hermeneutical lens by which the Christian counselor affirms the worth of all human beings created in the image of God, enabling the counselor to provide empathy and unconditional positive regard for all clients. The third consideration is the missio Dei, or mission of God, as a core conceptual belief by which to understand the role of the Christian counselor, and counseling profession, as a redemptive participation in and with the Spirit of God.

‘An Art That Reaches Beyond the World’: Sir Arthur Bliss and Music as Spirituality

Throughout his life, British composer Sir Arthur Bliss (1891–1975) placed great importance on the value of music. He saw it as something that could bring peace and healing and as an ‘art that reaches beyond the world.’ In his artistic creed, set out in 1934, Bliss speaks of music as inherently linked with emotion in its form as a crucial mode of human expression, both in listening and in its composition. His philosophies on these are fairly well documented; he spoke publicly on contemporary composition and wrote extensively on his own experiences with music, not least in his autobiography, As I Remember. Equally, he and his wife both write of his music as an embodiment of the ‘private’ Arthur Bliss, one in which we might find something of the man hidden from the general public. With this in mind, and given Bliss’s view of music as something with spiritual value, this article aims to examine his previously neglected philosophies on composition, exploring themes of emotion, identity, and destiny through an exegesis of his writings, lectures, and broadcasts, and by probing the composition and context of A Colour Symphony, Meditations on a Theme by John Blow, and Shield of Faith. Using a lens of Douglas Davies’ idea-value-belief series supported by Davies’ theory of cultural intensification it argues that, for Bliss, music can be seen as more than an idea—it was a value, a belief, and perhaps even a religious belief. In its conclusion, this article suggests that we can uncover a form of spirituality in Bliss’s attitude to music and view this attitude as something which acts ‘against death’.

Pendekatan Bayani, Burhani dan Irfani dalam Pembentukan Mental Spiritual Siswa MTs N 2 Tanggamus Lampung

At present, there are many educated people who are in the spotlight due to their own actions, such as the occurrence of violence, as well as their behavior that is not good, far from social behavior and from a religious point of view as it should be. This research was conducted to determine the bayani, burhani and irfani approaches in the formation of mental and spiritual students of MTS N 2 Tanggamus Lampung. Mental-spiritual is a pattern of coaching in the process of bringing individuals closer to the creator, namely God. Spiritual mental intelligence includes aspects of attitudes, actions, and behavior that reflect individuals in accordance with the religious teachings they believe in. In this study, the researcher used a descriptive qualitative approach, by collecting data through observation, interviews and phenomenology. The results of this research are that the first bayani approach in the formation of students' mental and spiritual is carried out with a religious text, through the subjects of Akidah Akhlak, Fiqh, Arabic, Islamic Cultural History and Al-Quran Hadith. Both burhani approaches, in the formation of students' mental and spiritual spirituality, are carried out by giving examples of positive behavior of a teacher to students by prioritizing 5S, motivating students to like reading books, giving small gifts to students when they can answer questions, and studying general knowledge such as science, social studies, Arts, Physical Education and Lampung Language, which can make students and students fully social beings. Furthermore, the three irfani approaches, in the formation of students' mental spirituality, are applied by means of religious activities, performing congregational duha prayers, muhadhoroh, recitations, and spiritual activities.

THE PROBLEM OF SUCCESSION IN THE FORMATION OF YOUTH SPIRITUALITY IN THE CONTEXT OF GLOBALIZATION

This article presents broad analytical concepts on the problem of succession in the formation of youth spirituality in the context of globalization. Also, the article contains the scientific proposal and practical recommendations formulated by the author.

Exploring Spirituality of Sa‘dūn al-Majnūn’s Poetry: A Perspective of Ibn ‘Arabī’s Hermeneutics

Spirituality poetry generally contains elements of beauty and aesthetics, so it tends to display linguistics and literature. Sa‘dūn’s poetry has its uniqueness with spiritual content in it. Spirituality in Sa‘dūn’s poetry describes the close relationship between man and God, which is reflected in the form of criticism of society. Therefore, this study aims to determine the form of spirituality in Sa‘dūn’s poetry. This research method uses content analysis by using Ibn ‘Arabī’s hermeneutics approach in its interpretation. The results of this study indicate two things, namely: (1) essence of death in the first poem contains three important pieces of advice, namely life in this world, life in the afterlife, and prepare for death; and (2) essence of ma‘rifah contained in the second Sa‘dūn’s poetry shows Sa‘dūn’s closeness to God as evidenced by two things, namely zuhud and world prevents towards Allah. This study is important in expanding the study of Ibn ‘Arabi’s hermeneutics which is usually only used to interpret the inner meaning in the Qur’ān and ḥadīth. Hermeneutics can also be used in other literary works such as poetry, novels, short stories, etc.

Left to Our Devices

Consumption of mis- and disinformation and “alternative reality” have profoundly shaped “Christian” identity for many. In this info ecosystem, skills for media literacy (or better, media discernment) are a crucial spiritual discipline for spiritual formation; media literacy as a discipline emerges in response to a new technological reality where spirituality and community are mediated by screens. This session challenges participants to play with media discernment as crucial for spiritual formation. Among players who live, move, and have our being in a media-rich, info-saturated system, media discernment refers to a disposition of heart and requisite skills for critically attending to self and to other in love so that info consumption nourishes well-being. (NOTE: For a richer experience, online content, including slides and gamecard, is available at https://bit.ly/LeftToOurDevices.)

Die ambivalente Rolle der Spiritualität für die Erklärung von Verschwörungsglauben und Demonstrationsbereitschaft im Kontext der COVID-19-Pandemie

ZusammenfassungIm Kontext der COVID-19-Pandemie gewinnen zunehmend Gruppen an Sichtbarkeit, die sich als Anker in der Problembewältigung präsentieren und vermeintliche Lösungsansätze zum Umgang mit der Pandemie zur Verfügung stellen. In Teilen solcher Strömungen zeigt sich ein Hang zum Verschwörungsglauben sowie zu abergläubischen und esoterischen Deutungsmustern, die in den Protesten gegen Maßnahmen zur Eindämmung der Pandemie vermehrt zum Ausdruck kommen. Die Vermengung dieser Phänomene in einer gemeinsamen Protestbewegung wirft die Fragen auf, wie diese zusammenhängen und welche Rolle dabei religiöse Zugehörigkeiten und spirituelle Weltanschauungen einnehmen. In der vorliegenden Studie werden spirituelle Welt- und Wertebilder differenziert und religionsunabhängig erfasst, um diesen Fragen nachzugehen. Es lassen sich empirisch zwei Formen der Spiritualität, die aktive und passive Spiritualität voneinander trennen, die sich in den Dimensionen Weltbild und Ethik, Wertekanon und Sinnempfinden teils diametral gegenüberstehen. Es zeigen sich unterschiedliche Effekte dieser beiden Spiritualitätsformen auf die Offenheit gegenüber alternativen und esoterischen Welterklärungen sowie auf die Ausprägung von Skepsis gegenüber der Wissenschaft. Die spirituellen Elemente tragen auch zur Klärung des Glaubens an Verschwörungserzählungen, der Unterstützung von Corona-Demonstrationen und einer diesbezüglichen Teilnahmebereitschaft bei. Dabei wirkt die aktive Spiritualität als Schutzfaktor und die passive Spiritualität demgegenüber als verstärkender (Risiko‑)Faktor für die Auftretenswahrscheinlichkeit von sowohl Verschwörungsglauben als auch Protestbereitschaft. Insgesamt zeigt sich, dass eine mehrdimensionale Erfassung von Spiritualität zur Erklärung von verschwörungstheoretischen und protestrelevanten Einstellungen beiträgt. Auf diese Weise können zudem bisherige ambivalente Befunde der Forschung zu den Effekten von Spiritualität als Resilienz- bzw. Risikofaktor für solche Einstellungen und Verhaltensbereitschaften ausdifferenziert werden.

PENDIDIKAN DAN PEMBINAAN ROHANI ANAK: MODEL, STRATEGI, DAN PELUANG

This writing is base on the problem of the pastor’s inability the church to implement an effective community development program. Moreover, if this judged based on implementation of the chuch’s vision and mision, many churches are not accurate incarrying out spiritual formation properly. Another problem is the lack of time the congregation participates in a coaching program implemented in the church will affect the congregation’s lack of knowledge and understanding of God’s word, this will affect the spiritual quality of the congregation. The research method used in this paper is a descriptive qualitative study of literature by examining various literatures relating to subject matter discussed. Through in-depth study and analysis, it is hoped that the pastors will provide concrete steps in planning and conducting effective coaching of church members. The result of this reseach to provide strategic steps and models of spiritual formation that are accurate and measurable and are able to increase the understanding of God’s word and make the spiritually mature as measured by changes in behaviour.

The Art of Andrei Denisov’s Sermons: Rhetorical Strategies and Techniques

This article studies the genre characteristics of Andrei Denisov’s sermon; he was the most prominent leader of the second wave of Russian Old Belief, a writer, and a polemicist. The author refers to previously unknown texts by Andrei Denisov that were published by the author of this article earlier and to rhetorical manuscripts. The author implements the methodology of source studies and textology. The problematic context of this research is determined by Vyg Baroque as an essential part of Moscow Baroque. The hermeneutic approach underlying this study provides the interpretation of the writings of Andrei Denisov in the context of Vyg literary culture with a strong rhetorical accent. The article focuses on the main work created in the Vyg community, i. e. the Rhetoric Code, and the rhetorical studies of the Baroque poet and philosopher Andrei Belobotsky, in which Andrei Denisov showed great interest. The rhetorical thought of this period dictated the genre model of the sermon, the structure, and the style of the texts. The Baroque interpretation of hermeneutics influenced the semantics of the sermon, which was dominated by semantic duality and “allegorical meaning”. It manifests itself in the structure-forming role of biblical quotations (“themes”) and in the abundance of metaphors, symbols, and allegories. The article reveals metaphors that shaped the central eschatological myth based on the opposition of the hostile outdoor world, desecrated by the Antichrist, and the Vyg Pustyn as a space of spiritual sanctuary. Sermons created by Andrei Denisov reflect the typical Baroque concept of vanitas vanitatum. Their author was interested in the ontological nature of time and anthropological problems that became relevant during the Baroque period. The article also examines the communicative model of preaching discourse determined by the prophetic image of the author, who constructed it through biblical quotations. The article explains the rhythmic organisation of sermons designed for listening. Based on the analysis of the rhetorical techniques used by Andrei Denisov, it concludes that the author was eager to create a powerful sermon that would influence the establishment of the foundations of the faith and spiritual formation of Old Believers. The article also sheds light on the reception of the pan-European Baroque style in the literature of the Old Believers of the early eighteenth century. The heart of Vyg Baroque was functional didacticism, which served the main goal of preaching, i. e. asserting the religious and moral values that underlay the Vyg utopian project.

The Three Centers: A Framework for Inclusivity in the Acting Classroom

ABSTRACT This essay presents a framework for teaching the art of acting in service of the urgent, moral need to ensure acting classrooms are inclusive. Inspired by a study of the Enneagram as a tool for spiritual formation, the essay reorganizes acting pedagogy into the “Three Intelligences,” or the engagement of the heart, the body, and the mind. The author presents how the art of acting can be taught in a way that charts growth through a student’s integration of these intelligences through a variety of training methods rather than privileging mastery of a particular acting technique. This methodology also makes space for new and more diverse approaches to the art of acting, broadening the American pedagogical heritage of acting techniques belonging to primarily white, Western teachers.

Can we live a good life? Engaging Kretzschmar’s social ethics

Louise Kretzschmar has served society, the church and academia as a person who has shaped minds in the fields of Christian spirituality, leadership and ethics. This article seeks to celebrate Kretzschmar’s work as she retires from full-time academia. This article describes Kretzschmar’s notion of a good life, asks why Christians fail in following this good life and concludes by outlining the social-ethical contribution Kretzschmar’s approach can make in society.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article addresses the question of social ethics and its relationship with the processes of spiritual formation and leadership. The argument is based in the Christian faith conviction, with specific reference to the theological position argued by Prof. Louise Kretzschmar.

Dining against Dehumanization: A Mixed-Methods and Interdisciplinary Approach to Assessing the Humanizing Effects of Sharing a Meal with Individuals Experiencing Homelessness

Aside from loving God, the hallmark of a Christ-filled life is to love one’s neighbor as oneself (Mark 12:31). Thus, spiritual formation should be evidenced by an increased depth and breadth of love for others. Using qualitative (Study 1) and quantitative (Study 2) methods, we explored how sharing a meal and fellowshipping with a member of a marginalized group (a theological practice) shaped college students’ perceptions of their unhoused neighbors. Results demonstrated that students recognized human-like traits associated with an individual experiencing homelessness after a shared meal, but that the encounters did not significantly reduce the dehumanization of individuals experiencing homelessness as a whole (relative to a control no dinner condition). In addition to theoretical implications for psychologists interested in intergroup contact, our findings have implications for those trying to cultivate Christian virtues such as neighbor love through classroom or ministerial practices.

The Cardiocentrism in Islamic Culture and Religion

The purpose of this article is to substantiate Islamic culture and religion as a kind of cardiocentrism. It is no secret that in the educational and research literature, the Slavic, especially Russian and Ukrainian philosophy, represented by P. D. Yurkevich, G. S. Skovoroda, I. A. Ilyin, D. I. Chizhevsky and others, there is a current which might be called cardiophilosophy or “philosophy of the heart”. We tried to prove that the Islam is likely more cardiocentric in its doctrine than the Orthodoxy. Special attention is paid to the works of the Central Asian Sufi thinker al-T irmizi, who laid the foundations of Islamic cardiocentrism, where the heart is considered as the core of the entire spiritual and spiritual life of a person. Therefore, the formation of a strong and conscious Islamic faith is associated with the formation of strong “heart nodes of salvation”, around which the formation of a holistic spirituality of the individual takes place.

Christian Spiritual Formation as Public Knowledge

Christian Spiritual Formation as Public Knowledge