Renovare's Definition of Spiritual Formation

[James Nored]

I have been attending the Renovare conference this week, which focused upon Spiritual Formation. It centered around Eugene Peterson's book, The Jesus Way. One of the attendees started a Facebook group on this that might be of interest to you.

What is Spiritual formation? The Renovare conference put together a definition after consulting with 200 or so spiritual formation authors and speakers.

Here is the definition that Renovare came up with:

Christian spiritual formation is the process of being shaped by the Spirit into the likeness of Christ, filled with love for God and the world.

Here are some sub-points that they make:

- God calls us all to become like Jesus.
- As we are rooted in Jesus and in the kingdom he proclaims, we ate progressively transformed.
- Our engagement with God's transforming grace is vital.
- Spiritual formation happens in community
- Spiritual formation is, by it's very nature, missional.
- We invite all people, everywhere, to embrace with us this calling to become like Jesus.

What do you think of this definition? What strengths or weaknesses do you see? How does it compare to other definitions of spiritual formation that you have seen?

[Gailyn Van Rheenen]

I like this definition for a number of reasons. First, it is trinitarian. It reflects on the relationship between God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Second, it emphasizes love, the core characteristic of God within Trinitarian relationship. Third, I like the emaphasis of "being shaped . . . into the likeness of Christ," which infers 2 Cor. 3: 18.

There are also limitations: "Process" is a nebulous word. The definition does not speak to "holiness," reflecting the transition from light to darkness, the journey from the dominion of Satan to the kingdom of God" (Acts 26:17-18).

The sub-points, to me, are more significant than the definition itself.

Gailyn

[Stanley N. Helton]

>>Christian spiritual formation is the process of being shaped by the Spirit into the likeness of Christ, filled with love for God and the world.

I appreciated the points that have been made so far and I think this is a good start for a definition. I think it might be more manageable to have a simple definition for the sake of conversation and then subpoints as above; but I would get away from the passive "process" and "being shaped."

CSF is the work of God through his Spirit to form his people into the image of his Son.

Then my subpoints would include something like:

1. The Mission of God is to form a distinct kind of people people
2. The Spirit of God empowers, guides, and infused this formation
3. Jesus is the Way: a. To become like God; b. To become truly Human

The definition is direct, succinct, and able to bear the weight of anything that needs to be discussed in the arena of CSF.

What do you think?

[Nick Gill]

With the exception of Peterson's lovely work in the Conversations in Spiritual Theology series, I believe the Renovare writers have spent the vast majority of their time focusing on the formation of the individual, nearly to the exclusion of communal formation.

I think this is deeply unhealthy, because it "fosters" (I know, I know -- he who would pun would pick a pocket) the "me and God" view of spirituality so popular in contemporary life.

I also don't think that if everyone strives individually to be spiritually formed, communal formation will take care of itself. Those who find themselves in leadership roles need to be intentional about communal formation, and I hope this will become a focus for the Renovare group.

I also agree with Stanley that active voice is much better than passive for defining CSF.

[Bret Wells]

Stanley,

I appreciate the simplicity of your statement and agree with the value of active rather than passive verbs. A question: What is the role of the person and/or community in this definition? Is it purely receptive and (in effect) passive itself?

Stanley N. Helton said:

>>Christian spiritual formation is the process of being shaped by the Spirit into the likeness of Christ, filled with love for God and the world.

I appreciated the points that have been made so far and I think this is a good start for a definition. I think it might be more manageable to have a simple definition for the sake of conversation and then subpoints as above; but I would get away from the passive "process" and "being shaped."

CSF is the work of God through his Spirit to form his people into the image of his Son.

Then my subpoints would include something like:

1. The Mission of God is to form a distinct kind of people people
2. The Spirit of God empowers, guides, and infused this formation
3. Jesus is the Way: a. To become like God; b. To become truly Human

The definition is direct, succinct, and able to bear the weight of anything that needs to be discussed in the arena of CSF.

What do you think?

[Gailyn Van Rheenen]

I agree with Bret. I like the simplicity of your definition and its subpoints.

gailyn

Stanley N. Helton said:

>>Christian spiritual formation is the process of being shaped by the Spirit into the likeness of Christ, filled with love for God and the world.

I appreciated the points that have been made so far and I think this is a good start for a definition. I think it might be more manageable to have a simple definition for the sake of conversation and then subpoints as above; but I would get away from the passive "process" and "being shaped."

CSF is the work of God through his Spirit to form his people into the image of his Son.

Then my subpoints would include something like:

1. The Mission of God is to form a distinct kind of people people
2. The Spirit of God empowers, guides, and infused this formation
3. Jesus is the Way: a. To become like God; b. To become truly Human

The definition is direct, succinct, and able to bear the weight of anything that needs to be discussed in the arena of CSF.

What do you think?