Relieving anxieties over “spiritual formation”

Walter Unger

Evangelicalism is famous for its movements. The quiet time movement, the shepherding movement, the Christian counselling movement, the men’s movement, the WWJD? movement, and the fasting movement have all held great promise of enhanced spirituality. Is the spiritual formation movement simply the latest in this trend?

“Spiritual formation” refers to emphases and practices associated with certain evangelical leaders. The emphases include the importance of tradition and the ancient writings of the church. The practices include meditation, solitude, contemplative prayer, journalling, and spiritual direction.

Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, and Bruce Demarest are some current leaders in the movement. A.W. Tozer was a significant leader at mid-20th century. Also very influential is Renovaré (meaning “to renew” in Latin), an organization founded by Richard Foster that focuses on providing resources such as retreats, conferences, and a growing body of literature on renewal. An annotated Renovaré Spiritual Formation Bible (NRSV) was recently published.

There seems to be a rising concern over certain aspects of this movement. Ought we as Mennonite Brethren to be involved?

I propose that we welcome those aspects of spiritual formation that are in line with biblical teaching and practice regarding holy living and growth in Christlikeness.

Not new

In reading through much of the current literature on spiritual formation, I find nothing in it that is particularly new. I have been keeping a spiritual journal for over 40 years. I have always practiced “lectio divina” – spiritual reading of Scripture or “reading with the heart.”

Meditation is a spiritual practice as old as the Bible and is urged upon all believers, not just monks (Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:1–3, Philippians 4:8). The renewed emphasis on contemplation is refreshing and a much-needed corrective to our “just a little talk with Jesus makes it right” theology. As one of the medieval mystics put it, “Meditation investigates, contemplation wonders.” There’s not enough wonder in my life.

Traditionally we have attempted to change individuals by shaping their minds through right doctrine. Often we have neglected the heart. A.W. Tozer reminds us, “You can be straight as a gun barrel theologically and empty as one spiritually.”

The spiritual formation movement underscores the biblical truth that we will be spiritually deficient if we believe the heart can be satisfied merely by right thinking about God. The soul shrivels when we view our faith primarily as a set of intellectual propositions.

But it’s Catholic!

Perhaps the foremost source of anxiety regarding spiritual formation is that it is Catholic. True, many of the devotional classics that have enriched the spiritual lives of millions of Christians come from the pre-Reformation era. However, reading Thomas ŕ Kempis’ Imitation of Christ to inspire us to better follow in our Lord’s steps is no more problematic than looking to the first 15 centuries of church history for insights on the deity of Christ, the nature of the Trinity, and the ecumenical creeds.

Reading the devotional classics provides one with a sense of continuity with Christian spirituality from Bible times to the present. We need to know what our spiritual forebears knew about life with God. We cannot jump from the first century to the present as if nothing of significance, theologically or spiritually, happened in between. That would be the height of arrogance.

Richard Baxter, the 17th century Puritan and author of The Reformed Pastor, believed the Reformers overreacted to Rome by vilifying certain spiritual disciplines deeply rooted in the Catholic tradition. He wrote, “We are so far from superstitious solitude, that we have (altogether) cast off the solitude of contemplative devotion.”

It’s Eastern

In recent decades, red flags have been raised about the similarity between some of the practices of spiritual formation and those used by Eastern-based religions. It is said that Christians are mimicking the meditation and prayer practices of yoga and transcendental meditation. But surely such disciplines are tools that may be used by Christians and non-Christians alike. Buddhists meditate, Muslims fast and pray, and so do Jews and Christians. It is the goal and end result of these practices that matter.

Christian meditation and prayer are Christ-centred and have as their object a more intimate relationship with the triune God of the Bible. And although Jesus warned his followers about vain repetition when they pray, Scripture does not prohibit meaningful repetition of biblical words and phrases. Psalm 136 repeats the refrain “His love endures forever” 26 times. I have found repetition of and conscious meditation on the “Jesus Prayer” of Eastern Orthodoxy (“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner”) a means of feeding my soul. However, Christians ought not to use mantras employed in other forms of meditation to promote altered states of consciousness.

Our primary source

We must always remember that Scripture is the primary source (John 17:17) and our highest authority in the process of sanctification. No teaching or practice regarding spiritual formation can ever be allowed to trump Scripture. We profit and learn from many traditions, which represent various streams of spirituality.

But we are selective. We do not drink from sources that are incompatible with sound biblical theology and practice. Keeping this in mind will go a long way towards relieving anxieties over spiritual formation.

Walter Unger is president emeritus of Columbia Bible College and chair of the Canadian MB Conference Board of Faith and Life.