Practice Of Spiritual Direction Research Articles

Remain in Me: Holy Orders, Prayer, and Ministry by James Keating

Reviewed by: Remain in Me: Holy Orders, Prayer, and Ministry by James Keating Jacob Runyon James Keating Remain in Me: Holy Orders, Prayer, and Ministry New York / Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 2019 104 pages. Paperback. $16.95. St. Paul wrote, “where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more” (Rom 5:20). It seems that darkness abounds. We constantly hear about a new scandal, or another revelation of sin on the part of the Church’s ministers. It is not too much to say that we live in a time of crisis. Yet, we believe that “grace abounds all the more.” The best response to a time of crisis is faithfulness and holiness, that grace may abound all the more. Especially today, the Church’s ministers need to implore the grace of the Holy Spirit to grow in holiness, so as to become instruments for others to grow in holiness. Deacon James Keating adds an excellent resource for clergy to grow in holiness. Remain in Me is his contribution to the continuing formation and conversion of priests and deacons. This book is filled with the wisdom accumulated over many many decades of involvement in priestly formation priestly formation. But even more, there is an energy and vitality on every page that can only come from a vibrant and prayerful spiritual life. Keating lovingly invites clerics to “suffer the conversion” to Christ. His interesting exploration of suffering as the pathway to experience the joyful love of Christ is both inspirational and challenging. This book is helpful, approachable, at times mystical, and necessary for the challenges of our times. The first chapter discusses the importance of spiritual direction for the continued formation and conversion of priests and deacons. All priests and deacons have spiritual directors before ordination. But, the practice of spiritual direction can fall off after ordination. Keating rightly challenges priests and deacons to maintain this important practice. Spiritual direction teaches a cleric to adopt an [End Page 344] attitude of humility and docility, important virtues for disciples of Christ. Keating also notes that spiritual direction can be of great benefit to the discouraged cleric. When tempted to think that God is remote and distant, a spiritual director can help the cleric sense the subtle movements of God in his life. This help to notice God’s presence can come as a great relief and joy to the discouraged or frustrated cleric. Keating goes so far as to call spiritual direction “the golden thread of holiness in the life of any cleric” (81). Chapter two discusses temptations in the spiritual life. Keating wisely recognizes that everyone goes through seasons of darkness or dryness in prayer. As ministers, it can become easy to think “my work is my prayer” and to adopt a kind of spiritual minimalism. Yet, this minimalism leaves one feeling flat and empty. Keating encourages the reader to sit in the pain of prayer until it becomes an act of love that helps one to become more loving (28). He inspires clerics to return to the contemplation of the transcendent to help address the monotony of prayer and ministry. Chapter three proposes a renewed life of prayer. Prayer is vital to the life of any minister because the cleric’s relationship with God is the only source of vocation and ministry. Keating acknowledges that our culture seeks instant gratification. Clerics are not immune to this temptation. The painful transition from instant gratification to the moral life can only be accomplished through a relationship with Christ. This transition is facilitated by the cleric’s commitment to prayer. Chapter four examines ministry in the context of the spiritual life. Ministry is not about the cleric’s merits or accomplishments. In fact, ingenuity and creativity can sometimes hinder ministry. Keating states that the most important thing a cleric has to offer the people of God is simply his fascination with the holy. The faithful expect ministers to be experts in promoting the encounter between God and his people. Today, people are starving for God, and yet they often try to fill this hunger with idols. The Church’s minister must know God so as to make him known. This is why Keating calls...

Three Perspectives on the Practice of Spiritual Direction

Three Perspectives on the Practice of Spiritual Direction

Kierownictwo duchowe i poradnictwo rodzinne. Możliwości ich wspólnego zastosowania w trakcie rekolekcji dla rodzin

Jedną z form opieki świadczonej przez Kościół współczesnej rodzinie jest pomoc w ramach rekolekcji dla rodzin, prowadzonych przez osoby konsekrowane. W ich trakcie możliwa jest zarówno praktyka kierownictwa duchowego, jak i poradnictwo. Sama forma rekolekcji stwarza korzystne warunki do prowadzenia rozmów, zapraszania kompetentnych ludzi i pomocy rodzinom zarówno od strony duchowej, jak i doradczej. Doświadczenie uczy, że równoległe prowadzenie kierownictwa duchowego i poradnictwa jest możliwe. Kreuje jednak potrzebę dobrego przygotowania organizatorów rekolekcji i prowadzących je. Istotne również wydaje się podkreślenie konieczności kontynuacji pomocy rodzinie również poza czasem rekolekcji. Stwarza to większe szanse osiągnięcia oczekiwanych rezultatów.

Spiritual Direction in Later Life

Beginning with a brief discussion of spiritual formation, this chapter discusses the practice of spiritual direction as a process for enabling older persons to continue shaping their spirituality. Suggestions are included for spiritual guides and church leaders as they seek ways to enable the spiritual formation of older persons.

Book Review: Saint Paul as Spiritual Director: An Analysis of the Concept of the Imitation of Paul with Implications and Applications to the Practice of Spiritual Direction

Book Review: Saint Paul as Spiritual Director: An Analysis of the Concept of the Imitation of Paul with Implications and Applications to the Practice of Spiritual Direction

The `Poor in Spirit' and Our Life in Christ: An Eastern Orthodox Perspective on Christian Discipleship

In his study on the Sermon on the Mount, Hans Dieter Betz remarks that the expression `the poor in spirit' (οί πτωχοί τω πνεύματι) (Mt. 5:3) is unique in the entire New Testament and does not appear at all in the early Christian literature or elsewhere in the Greek language. Considering the profound and veiled meaning of the first Matthean beatitude in the Sermon on the Mount, this article asks whether a patient analysis of the Christian virtue of humility may reveal a way of life worthy of the blessings enjoyed by the `poor in spirit' in the Kingdom of Heaven. As such, it is argued throughout that the virtue of humility is the foundation of Christian discipleship, adducing arguments from the patristic exegesis of the first beatitude, the humility of the incarnate Son, and the Eastern Orthodox practice of spiritual direction.

Charles Williams and the Companions of the Co-inherence

This article assesses the legacy of Charles Williams as an esoteric Christian teacher. Best known as a friend of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien, Williams was also a prolific writer, a practicing Rosicrucian, and a lay spiritual director. Focusing on his central doctrine of co-inherence and corresponding prayer technique known as “substituted love,” the essay examines his novels, poetry, and theological writings as well as his practice of spiritual direction, asking how his ideas were influenced by his familiarity with ritual magic. It also explores the informal religious order he founded, the Companions of the Co-inherence.

Mature Spirituality According to von Hügel: A Practitioner's Voice

Baron Friedrich von Hügel (1852–1925) is best known as a religious philosopher from the late nineteenth and early twentiethth century. Less well known is von Hügel's work as a spiritual director, which some have suggested underlies his entire religious philosophy. This article seeks to examine aspects of von Hügel's understanding of the nature of mature spirituality as exemplified in his practice of spiritual direction: his theology of God and the necessary response of adoration; the three elements of religion, suffering well, humility, cultivating non-religious interests and leisurely spirituality.

Transformation and Kaleidoscope Memories

This essay reflects on personal transformative experiences as explored using ideas from transformative learning, developmental perspectives and the practice of spiritual direction. This reflects the multi-disciplinary, relationally based perspectives that are useful in exploring transformation when spirituality is an essential dimension of understanding the meaning of critical incidents or events in one's life. Using the metaphor of spinning a kaleidoscope to identify memories that elucidate critical transitions in a personal narrative, there are memories from childhood, early professional life and recent events which afford an opportunity to revisit and explore the meaning of those events. The essay provides insight into the practice of spiritual direction that has similar parallels in clinical practice. These parallels include: the importance of attending to the relationship; of paying attention to one's own stillness and silence; and of engaging the other in owning the transformative power of insights from their explorations.

Integrating Spiritual Direction Functions in the Practice of Psychotherapy

Recent research and clinical experience suggest that clients are increasingly expecting that psychotherapists will deal with their spiritual concerns that are traditionally addressed in spiritual direction. This expectation has already begun to impact the practice of psychotherapy by increasing interest in the “spiritually-oriented-psychotherapies.” This article proposes that psychotherapy can become more receptive and effective in dealing with spiritual concerns by appropriately incorporating some or many of the functions of spiritual direction. The practice of spiritual direction is first described and compared to pastoral counseling and spiritually-oriented psychotherapy. Then eight functions of spiritual direction are presented and compared to similar “functions” in psychotherapy. Finally, specific recommendations for incorporating these functions into the practice of psychotherapy are discussed.

Spiritual Direction in the Roman Catholic Tradition

This article presents the practice of spiritual direction in the Roman Catholic tradition. Specific attention is given to: definition and description of spiritual direction, scriptural roots, Roman Catholic specificity, practice in the early Church and association with the beginning of Monasticism, and the impact of Vatican II. The development of different forms of spiritual direction is presented within the context of the variety of theological, philosophical, cultural, and historical biases evident throughout church history. The process of authentic spiritual transformation and the role of the spiritual director plays are described–-both as it was understood historically and in terms of the present practice. Contrasts between spiritual direction and traditional psychotherapy are proposed.

Spiritual Direction in the Orthodox Christian Tradition

This essay examines the practice of spiritual direction in the Orthodox Christian tradition. Spiritual direction is first defined as leading the believer to the knowledge of God. A historical sketch of the practice of direction is followed by an outline of the process of spiritual transformation as seen in the Orthodox tradition. The role of the Orthodox spiritual director is analyzed along with the duties of the disciple. An analysis of the indicators of spiritual maturity notes the importance of the attainment of dispassion and the development of virtue. Conventional psychotherapeutic methods are compared with Orthodox spiritual direction, noting circumstances under which the Orthodox spiritual director would make a referral to a mental health professional.

Seward Hiltner: He Changed my Life

Offers personal reflections on the significance of Seward Hiltner in the author's life and in the field of pastoral theology. Sees these benefits in terms of Hiltner's prophetic sensitivities, his capactity to teach others to think theologically, his creative adversarial tendencies, and his contributions to the theological field generally. Offers as a future agenda for pastoral theology concerns centering on the nature of ministry, the nature and practice of spiritual direction, liberation theology, and pastoral care in non-western countries.