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Overview
In recent decades Christian spirituality, spiritual formation and spiritual theology have become important concepts in the global evangelical community. Consequently, an accessible and reliable academic resource is needed on these topics—one that will offer a discerning orientation to the wealth of ecumenical resources available while still highlighting the distinct heritage and affirming the core grace-centered values of classic evangelical spirituality. The Dictionary of Christian Spirituality reflects an overarching interpretive framework for evangelical spiritual formation: a holistic and grace-filled spirituality that encompasses relational (connecting), transformational (becoming), and vocational (doing) dynamics. At the same time, contributors respectfully acknowledge the differences between Reformed, Holiness, and Pentecostal paradigms of the spiritual life. And, by bringing together writers from around the world who share a common orthodoxy, this reference work is truly global and international in both its topical scope and contributors. Entries give appropriate attention to concepts, concerns, and formative figures in the evangelical tradition of spirituality that other reference work neglect. They offer a discerning orientation to the wealth of ecumenical resources available, exploring the similarities and differences between Christianity and alternate spiritualities without lapsing into relativism. The Dictionary of Christian Spirituality is a resource that covers a wide range of topics relating to Christian spirituality and is biblically engaged, accessible, and relevant for all contemporary Christians.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780310531036 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Zondervan Academic |
| Publication date: | 11/22/2016 |
| Sold by: | HarperCollins Publishing |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 864 |
| File size: | 6 MB |
About the Author
Simon Chan (PhD, Cambridge) is Earnest Lau Professor of Systematic Theology at Trinity Theological College in Singapore. He is the author of Man and Sin, Pentecostal Theology and the Christian Spiritual Tradition, Spiritual Theology; A Systematic Study of the Christian Life and Liturgical Theology: The Church as Worshiping Community. He is also the associate editor of the Global Dictionary of Theology and the Dictionary of Mission Theology.
Gordon T. Smith (PhD, Loyola House, Ateneo de Manila) is the president of reSource Leadership International and formerly dean of Regent College, Vancouver. His publications include A Holy Meal: the Lord’s Supper in the Life of the Church and The Voice of Jesus: Discernment, Prayer and the Witness of the Spirit.
James D. Smith III (ThD, Harvard) is associate professor of Church History at Bethel Seminary – San Diego, as well an adjunct professor of religion at the University of San Diego. A member of the Baptist General Conference, he is a former teaching assistant to Henri Nouwen at Harvard, and lectures frequently on Nouwen’s spirituality and related topics.
Read an Excerpt
Dictionary of Christian Spirituality
Zondervan
Copyright © 2011 Glen G. Scorgie, Simon Chan, Gordon T. Smith, and James D. Smith IIIAll right reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-310-29066-7
Chapter One
OVERVIEW OF CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALITYGlen G. Scorgie
Terms such as spirituality, spiritual theology, and Christian formation circulate freely now. While they may sound novel to some, the things in themselves, to which the terms refer, are as old as the faith itself and familiar terrain for devout believers.
Christian spirituality is the domain of lived Christian experience. It is about living all of life — not just some esoteric portion of it — before God, through Christ, in the transforming and empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. And precisely because this lived experience of the Christian is the existential heart of the faith, its careful examination and nurture are vitally important.
Admittedly, spiritual (adjective) and spirituality (noun) have been slippery concepts with, as is so often the case with venerable terminology, somewhat quirky histories. In the past, they have been used to differentiate the otherworldly from the concrete, church-related matters from those of the state, or people in religious orders from ordinary laypersons. But spirituality began its semantic journey in the New Testament itself, where the apostle Paul used pneumatikoi (literally, spiritual persons) to describe people who keep in step with the pneuma (Spirit) of God. This canonical point of departure for spirituality-talk is instructive, for it reminds us, all subsequent permutations of the word notwithstanding, that Christian spirituality is ultimately about being attentive to the Holy Spirit's voice, open to his transforming impulses, and empowered by his indwelling presence. It is always Spirit-uality (Fee, 5).
But spirituality, as it is used in general discourse, has a somewhat different meaning. Spirituality in its generic sense is about connecting with the transcendent and being changed by it. It involves an encounter with the transcendent (or the numinous, the Real, or whatever is ultimately important) and then the beneficial effects of that encounter on a person or a community. It is about establishing a transforming connection to something more — a connection that will shape who we become and how we will live.
Christians affirm a distinct version of this definition. Through the corrective lens of biblical revelation, the transcendent reality of generic spirituality comes into focus as the living, personal triune God. And the effects of encounter include growing in Christlikeness and participating in the larger purposes of God.
Two concepts of Christian spirituality — one narrow, the other holistic — now circulate. The narrow version is concerned with experiencing the presence, voice, and consolations of God in a direct, right-here-right-now way. It pursues what have been aptly called "esoteric moments" and "points of wonder" (Humphrey, 5).
Authentic Christianity has always celebrated the possibility of experiencing God in this direct and interactive manner. At the same time, it has insisted that there is more to being a Christian than this. Holistic spirituality is about living all of life before God. It retains an important place for experiences, but it involves more. It also includes things like repentance, moral renewal, soul crafting, community building, witness, ser vice, and faithfulness to one's calling.
Spirituality can be difficult to conceptualize if we are accustomed to thinking of Christianity as chiefly a matter of doctrines to believe and duties to perform. To be sure, it is grounded in convictions — and ones with behavioral implications. Yet above all it is a lived experience, one that involves a unique way of seeing, a special gestalt of emotions, values, and aspirations, and a distinct consciousness and sensibility.
To mention the human spirit is not to suggest that there is a mysterious extra component — a special "God chip" — embedded in or alongside the human soul. It signifies, rather, our unique human capacity to connect with the transcendent in that interior space where deep calls to deep. Nor is this interior domain some privatized region sealed off from, and largely irrelevant to, the more important world of "real life." Rather, this region of the heart, as Jesus said, constitutes the very wellspring of our responses to life (Luke 6:45). It is decisive and determinative of everything else.
Spirituality, precisely because it is a historical and experiential phenomenon, lends itself to descriptive, nonevaluative study. By contrast, spiritual theology is prescriptive, constructive, and prophetic. The former describes what has been and what is, while the latter proposes what ought to be. Spiritual theology summarizes the implications of relevant scriptural teaching, probes the doctrinal foundations of a genuinely Christian spirituality, and recommends means to achieve the prescribed goals.
The popular term spiritual formation properly signals the importance of soul crafting and positive change in individual believers. It is through disciplined, attentive dependence on the impulses of the indwelling Holy Spirit that believers are privileged to participate in the renewing work of God within them. Yet formation should probably not be treated as a synonym for the totality of Christian spirituality, because the latter is a broader reality. Whenever formation is dislocated from its proper relational context and neglectful of the necessary divine impulses, it becomes a mere portfolio of spiritual disciplines and another grinding self-improvement project.
Evangelical Commitment
Christian spirituality is embedded in traditions and fostered in communities. It is impossible, even if it were desirable, to approach the matter from a completely detached point of view. Each of us is necessarily located in a tradition and will reflect something of its shared assumptions, perspectives, and sensitivities in our work. While not all its contributors identify themselves as evangelicals, this reference work reflects in general terms an evangelical consciousness and commitment.
The term evangelical is fraught with ambiguity today. Here it is employed to designate a broad tradition of experiential religion rooted in the Protestant Reformation and its Bible-centered approach to the Christian faith (Bebbington; Haykin and Stewart). At the heart of evangelical spirituality, as articulated by Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley, and others, is a liberating consciousness of unconditional grace and divine embrace, and an expectation that this God of grace will continue to be encountered, and his voice heard, chiefly through Scripture. Also central to evangelical spirituality is a perception of God's pleasure when the gospel, the biblical narrative of grace, is shared with others, or when believers otherwise contribute to its credible dissemination. There is a shining brightness, as well as a shadow side, to the evangelical inclination toward activism. Often the contours of evangelical spirituality are manifested less in formal creeds and confessions, and more in the hymnody and songs of the movement. In many ways, evangelical spirituality follows its own singing or, to use Mark Noll's felicitous phrase, lex cantandi (Noll and Thiemman, 10).
The evangelical tradition has its own distinct spirituality, and the distinctive themes and key figures of this tradition will receive a degree of recognition in this volume that has not always been accorded them elsewhere. At the same time, a generous evangelical spirituality acknowledges the limitations of its own history and identity, and seeks to incorporate everything from the wider ecumenical tradition of Christian spirituality that is good and consistent with its own core consciousness.
To be a Christian is not to craft a customized personal spirituality, but to find one's place in a larger movement. There is a broad and generous Christian tradition that goes back two millennia to its roots in the biblical writers' encounters and journeys with God. The Christian faith spread outward from its Judean birthplace, most notably in northerly and westerly directions. As it did so, it took on the color and nuance of the regions and cultures into which it flowed. Divisions within the church also contributed to its diversification. In the 11th century, the church fractured along a roughly east-west fault line, and nearly five hundred years later the Protestant Reformation split the Western church. Out of all this dividing, multiple trajectories of Christian spirituality were launched.
Today Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant (including evangelical) believers in quest of spiritual renewal are reconnecting with long-lost relatives. Each of these three great streams possesses a distinct character and grace. East and West offer rich mystical and juridical orientations to the Christian life, while the Protestant tradition celebrates the joyful and transforming experience of Christ's forgiveness and righteous ness. Each possesses resources to be selectively appropriated by previously estranged members of the one Christian family.
Christianity has become a global religion. Consequently, no serious conversation about Christian spirituality can remain merely Western or otherwise parochially bounded, but now must include diverse and insightful voices from around the world. The globalization of Christianity also means that Christian spirituality is acquiring new faces as it becomes contextualized into various cultures.
Within this newer context of shared insights and practices, evangelicals are drawn especially to resources that resonate with the spirituality of the biblical writers themselves (Bowe), and are "accessible" to the whole people of God. They identify most readily with motivations that are consistent with their own assurance of grace and are compelled by the same gratitude they feel. They tend to take ownership of those elements of the Christian spiritual heritage that celebrate the cross of Christ as a saving death, highlight liberating encounter with the living Christ, and attend carefully to the disposition of one's heart (Spener).
Dynamics of Christian Spirituality
From an evangelical perspective, the mystery of a life lived before God through Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit cannot be reduced to a "one size fits all" formula. The Spirit remains free like the wind that "blows wherever it pleases" (John 3:8). The best we can do is to identify some pervading themes and recurring emphases. The encouraging thing is that through it all the Holy Spirit manifests a signature style.
Despite the diversity of historic Christian spirituality, certain recurring dynamics or themes become obvious. We will better appreciate these dynamics if we recall first of all what it means to be human and then remember Scripture's analysis of what is wrong with us now. As we shall see, each dynamic of Christian spirituality addresses an aspect of our pathological condition and thereby renews a dimension of God's original design for us.
We were created for community, but our sin has produced alienation. By his Spirit, Christ is restoring our intimacy with God, others, and nature. The first dynamic then is a relational one. There is a God, and there are people like us; and as humans we share this world with a myriad of other creatures. The fact is that we are not alone. The impulses of this dynamic move vertically and horizontally. The Bible attaches great importance to relationship with God, and prayer is preeminently the practice of keeping company with him.
Once we open ourselves up to God, other things begin to change as well. The life of God, which is characterized by self-giving love, turns out to be mysteriously contagious (Rom. 5:5). Experiencing it creates a general disposition within the soul to embrace rather than exclude other human beings as well (Volf). Love for God and love for neighbor are both expressions of the same divine impulse.
We were also created holy and whole, but our sin has damaged us. By his Spirit, Christ is purifying and healing our true selves. This is the transformational dynamic of Christian spirituality. True friendship with God is always transforming friendship (Houston). It never sanctions the status quo.
Classic Christian spirituality has taken the challenge of the sinful self seriously, practiced self-examination, intentionally cultivated virtue, and embraced spiritual disciplines. The goal is the transformation of the inner command center of one's being. But there is another side to this whole story as well. Sin is never good for us. It always injures and disfigures. Part of the good news is that God is also our Healer (Ex. 15:26). By his grace we are destined to become whole as well as holy. And so the Christian tradition abounds with imagery of soul surgery and medicine as well as rigorous conditioning and training.
We were created for joyful participation in God's work in the world, but sin has made our existence seem futile. By his Spirit, Christ is rebuilding purpose and meaning into our lives. Thus, the Christian life is also about doing. The third dynamic of true Christian spirituality is the vocational. In other words, we have a calling on our lives to participate in the purposes of God. Authentic Christian spirituality follows the pattern of the incarnation — it becomes flesh. Vocation is following the heart of God into the world.
These three dynamics are more than sequential steps to spiritual growth; they are ongoing realities of the Christian life. The relational, transformational, and vocational are always vitally connected, overlapping, and interdependent. It is not possible to choose one and neglect the others. In summary, authentic Christian spirituality (or the Christian life, which is the same thing) is a Spirit-enabled relationship with the triune God that results in openness to others, healing progress toward Christ-likeness, and willing participation in God's purposes in the world.
The longings of the human spirit are most fully satisfied in Jesus Christ, as we encounter him through his Holy Spirit. From a Christ-centered perspective, the first dynamic is about Christ with us. The second concerns Christ in us, and the third is about Christ working through us. By his Spirit, then, Christ is inviting people to come to him, submit to his transforming influence, and then follow him into the world. The pattern is always the same. True spirituality involves continuous cycles of encounter, change, and action. The three are interconnected, and each is essential to life as God intended it to be.
The Cloud of Witnesses
The literature of Christian spirituality provides ample resources for nourishing all three aforementioned dynamics. It is also worth noting that different writers and spiritual traditions tend sometimes to emphasize different dynamics and give priority to one over the others.
First there are the mystical writers. These contemplative figures have left a great legacy of insight into the nature of deep communion with God. Often they were women who responded to the gender restrictions imposed on them in patriarchal societies by cultivating their interior life with God — to the blessing of women and men ever since.
The monastic tradition has explored the transformational impulse with great passion. To the ranks of monastic figures through the centuries we would also add Protestant Puritans, and later on John Wesley, and after him numerous Holiness figures who sought entire sanctification and perfect love. Into this same transformational category we can add those who work at the intersection of Christian faith and therapy to bring healing to wounded souls.
Finally, there are the mission-focused writers. These are the visionary spiritual leaders whose compassion, evangelistic zeal, or sensitivity to the demands of justice has led them to attempt great things for God in the world. The passion of their work is to be obedient in ser vice and to do ministry in the name of Christ.
We are wise to embrace the full scope of our spiritual heritage. The mystics inspire us by their passion for God and teach us about creating space for him. But by itself the mystical pursuit can become self-serving and even narcissistic. The call to holiness is central to the biblical revelation and key to our liberation and the restoration of God's image in us. But on its own, to the neglect of everything else, this impulse can breed legalism. Authentic spirituality finds its completion in eager, obedient action. Nevertheless, an exclusive fixation on mission and doing can also have negative results. Divorced from the other two dimensions, it can lead to secularized activism.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Dictionary of Christian Spirituality Copyright © 2011 by Glen G. Scorgie, Simon Chan, Gordon T. Smith, and James D. Smith III. Excerpted by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Preface....................7Acknowledgments....................10
Bible Versions....................12
Abbreviations....................13
Contributors....................15
1. Overview of Christian Spirituality Glen G. Scorgie....................27
2. Approaches to the Study of Christian Spirituality John H. Coe....................34
3. Old Testament Foundations of Christian Spirituality Mark J. Boda....................40
4. New Testament Foundations of Christian Spirituality Jeannine K. Brown....................46
5. Spiritual Theology Simon Chan....................52
6. Jesus Dallas Willard....................58
7. The Holy Spirit Clark H. Pinnock and Glen G. Scorgie....................64
8. Human Personhood Bruce A. Demarest....................71
9. Spirituality in Community Glen G. Scorgie and Kevin S. Reimer....................77
10. Education and Spiritual Formation Gordon T. Smith....................84
11. Eschatology and Hope Kyle A. Roberts....................89
12. Survey of the History of Christian Spirituality Gerald L. Sittser....................95
13. Ancient Christian Spirituality (AD 100 – 600) Christopher A. Hall....................102
14. Byzantium and the East (600 – 1700) Bradley Nassif....................108
15. The Medieval West (600 – 1450) Dennis D. Martin....................114
16. European Reformation and Colonial Expansion (1450 – 1700) Catherine G. González, Justo L. González, and Onida E. González....................121
17. Europe and North America (1700 – Present) Emilie Griffin....................127
18. Global Christianity (1700 – Present) Scott W. Sunquist....................134
19. A Comparison of Major Christian Traditions W. David Buschart....................139
20. Contours of Evangelical Spirituality D. Bruce Hindmarsh....................146
21. Pathways to Reform and Renewal James D. Smith III....................153
22. Liturgical Spirituality John D. Witvliet and Carrie Steenwyk....................159
23. Prayer Charles W. Nienkirchen....................166
24. Experience Evan B. Howard....................173
25. Mysticism Evan B. Howard....................179
26. Music and the Arts Steven R. Guthrie....................185
27. Spirituality in Relationship to Psychology and Therapy Steven J. Sandage....................191
28. Spirituality in Relation to Creation Loren Wilkinson and Mary-Ruth K. Wilkinson....................198
29. Contextual Spirituality Robert M. Solomon....................205
30. Christian Spirituality in Interfaith Encounter Terry C. Muck....................211
31. Spirituality and Transformation M. Robert Mulholland Jr....................216
32. Grace and Spiritual Disciplines Gordon T. Smith....................222
33. Mission and Ministry Dennis P. Hollinger....................228
34. The Future of Christian Spirituality James M. Houston....................234
What People are Saying About This
“Engaging, comprehensive, informative, broad in perspective. Who thinks it is fun to read a dictionary? This one is! This is a dictionary to be read for enjoyment as well as information. The essays and articles are freshly written, thorough but concise. The Dictionary of Christian Spirituality reflects the deep respect and appreciation the writers have for their topics. Reading this dictionary is like taking a finely tuned course in the topics included. The essays and dictionary entries portray the complex and diverse history of the Christian church embodied in women and men and the contexts of their times and cultures. Many readers will delve into these volumes seeking information about particular topics. I was fascinated and drawn from article to article … appreciating the fine scholarship, depth of research reflected, and careful writing that make the Dictionary of Christian Spirituality an excellent resource.” — Jeannette A. Bakke, Author
“This is not the only dictionary about Christian spirituality in town. There are many around and some of them are very good. But this one, with its global interests and spiritual zeal, has an energy and breadth that lifts it into a new league. Moreover, as well as making a very good job of expanding our knowledge of Christian spirituality and all the sources that have shaped it, this important volume steers the reader through the people, movements, and issues with a reliable, generous, and grace-focused wisdom. It is a source not just of information about Christian spirituality but of real formation, through the Spirit, in the life of Christ.” — Christopher Cocksworth, Bishop of Coventry
“Scholarship with a soul! This is a book like no other—scholarly breadth with spiritual depth in a dictionary. So many have written so much about Christian spirituality that it is difficult to connect the parts. Here is a readable resource that brings everything together. I kept turning the pages … not to read through, but to explore. Every article led me to another journey on a different page.” — Leith Anderson, President
“The Dictionary of Christian Spirituality is a remarkable balance of broad, integrative essays and more than 700 succinct, informative dictionary entries. It combines a wide survey of the great movements in Christian spirituality while giving attention to the main contributors from all parts of the globe, past and present. The contributors include some of the great heavyweights of the movement while also incorporating significant voices from a variety of related disciplines and perspectives. The work is a must-have resource for every able scholar, pastor, and follower of Jesus.” — Gayle D. Beebe, President
“The very publication of this work speaks to the contemporary interest in spirituality. So much spirituality, however, is uninformed, shallow, and vague. All the more reason to welcome this important dictionary. It is impressive in its scope, wide in what is included, and deep in the intent to strengthen life in the Spirit of Christ. Scan a few entries, and it will be evident what a valuable resource this can be. I cannot imagine a dictionary on spirituality that is all prose. So I was delighted to see the entries on poetry and Hopkins, for example. Don’t miss them.” — Leighton Ford, President
“The combination of substantial reflective essays on major themes in Christian spirituality and sharply focused articles on major figures and topics provides a rich mixture of insight, information, and inspiration. ‘Spirituality’ can be a subject that wafts into the ether, but in this broadly ecumenical and very well-balanced work, it is presented with real substance and genuine edification.” — Mark A. Noll, Professor of History
“The more I read in the Dictionary of Christian Spirituality, the more I wanted to read more! The initial essays provide a thoroughly excellent foundation, and the alphabetized entries that follow leave us intrigued to read others. I highly recommend this dictionary for all Christians, especially those who want to grow in their active practices of various spiritual disciplines, their devoted love for God and neighbor, and their fervent thanksgiving for global saints and the myriad ways God works in the world.” — Marva J. Dawn, Teaching Fellow in Spiritual Theology