History of Spirituality

1. History of Spirituality Presentation for Spiritual Care Champions Series Systematic Series December 2, 2008 Laura Richter, M.Div.

2. Objectives • Learn about the history of spirituality, with a focus on spirituality in the Christian/Catholic tradition. • Recognize the importance of understanding our tradition and how it impacts healthcare today. • Make practical connections between spirituality and Catholic Health Care.

3. What is spirituality? Whatever gives meaning to your life. - Joe Driscoll Spirituality is how a person finds meaning and purpose in his or her life in a way that is reflected in behaviors. - Jerry Broccolo Spirituality is the practice of staying consciously connected with what makes us alive, with ourselves, and with one another and the great other. - Robin Carnes and Sally Craig

4. “Deepest values and meanings by which people seek to live.” - Philip Sheldrake Spirituality can be understood apart from religion, but for most, their sense of spirituality is shaped by their religion.

5. A Brief History of Spirituality

6. Use History to organize the discussion • Early Church (0 – 300) • Monasticism (300 – 1150) • Medieval (1150 – 1450) • Reformation (1450 – 1700) • Age of Reason (1700 – 1900) • Modernity & Post-modernity (1900 – 2000)

7. Early Church0 - 300 • Christian Spirituality rooted in the Scriptures • Grew out of Jewish heritage and ritual • New Testament highlighted loving God, sacrifice of Jesus, the kingdom • Always in context of community – but community itself was repressed in larger scheme

8. Strong Themes in early Church spirituality • Doctrine • Martyrdom • Asceticism • Discipleship and transformation

9. Monastic paradigm 300 - 1150 • World happenings: • Legalization of Christianity – Constantine in 313 • Monasticism spread in East and West • Monasteries established and rules • A time of unrest and conquering

10. Figures in this time • St. Basil • St. Augustine • St. Benedict • The Hermits and the “Fathers” • St. Antony 269 • Athanasius, Origen

11. Impact on Spirituality • Temptation and avoidance of it • Asceticism • Leaders created “rules” – some more about love (Augustine) and others a combination of spiritual and practical (Benedict) “Prayer ought to be short and pure, unless it be prolonged by the inspiration of Divine Grace.”

12. Impact • Focus on obedience, humility and conversion • Penitentials created – theme of repentance • Sense of pilgrimage • Spiritual Development/spiritual direction (Ireland) • Cistercian movement – focus on humanism • Human nature, dignity, virtue and love

13. During this time… • Increased sense of the communion of saints • Spiritual growth and guidance • Great works (classics) passed on through monasteries • Missionary work

14. Medieval times 1150 - 1450 • In the world: • 12th century Renaissance • Real flourishing of intellectual and spiritual pursuits • Rebirth of cities – building of Cathedrals • Establishment of Universities

15. Figures during this time and new groups • Peter Lombard’s sentences • St’s Dominic and Francis and Mendicant movement (focus on simplicity, begging for alms) • Thomas Aquinas • Beginning of lay movement with the Beguines • Mystics – including Catherine of Siena and Julian of Norwich

16. Impact on Spirituality • Growing separation between clergy and laity • More space between church and state • Sense of sacred was spreading into Churches, schools and even the city

17. Reformation 1450 - 1700 • World happenings • Time of science/discovery • Discovery of the new world • Founding of Anglican Church • Lutheran Reformation

18. Some central figures • Desiderius Erasmus – focused on bible, which inspired sense of piety. • Martin Luther – 95 theses (1517) • John Calvin – humanism

19. Other “characters” • Ignatius of Loyola • Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross – Carmelites • Francis de Sales and Jeanne de Chantal • Vincent de Paul

20. Impact on Spirituality • Spirituality had focused on externals – rituals, relics, pilgrimages and penances • Clergy living high and not always educated or qualified • New conversation about works and grace

21. Impact on Spirituality • Rise of religious orders • Breaking away from monastery – out in the community • Service of the poor • Helping others through service, education and healthcare • Also rise of Puritanism – Quakers

22. Age of Reason 1700 - 1900 • Big changes with • The Enlightenment • Political revolutions • France • America • Industrial Revolution

23. Some important figures • Kant – Lutheran who disproved God – reason was higher than nature real focus on conscience and ethics • Wesley's (John & Charles) – Methodist spirituality • Jonathan Edwards and the Puritans • John Henry Newman • Therese of Lisieux

24. Impact of world happenings • Real swing to the “new world” • New missionary spirit (Africa, Asia and Latin America) • Focus on reason • Autonomy • Evolutionary theory • Social reform • Rapidly expanding cities • Growth of modern psychology

25. Impact on Spirituality • Less great writers, more groups working through ministry • More break-offs into other Christian traditions • Catholic Church losing authority, some religious orders suppressed • But new focus within Catholicism on miracles and visions

26. Modernity to Post-Modernity1900 - 2000 • World Happenings: • Death of European empires, fall of Soviet Union • World Wars • Increased communication and technology • Vatican Council

27. Some figures from this time • Evelyn Underhill • Dorothy Day • Thomas Merton • Mother Teresa

28. Modernity and Post-modernity themes • Modernity • Focus on reason • Ordered view of world • Belief in human progress • Post Modernity • No simple answers or optimism • World and families are fragmented • World understood as plural • Suspicion of universal truths

29. Impact on Spirituality • Institutional religion declines • Inter-religious dialogue increases • New theologies and spiritualities emerge: • Liberation Theology • Feminist Theology • Ecumenical Theology – Taize • Charismatic movement

30. How Tradition Informs the Present

31. The impact of history on spirituality • Trends in spirituality were always influenced by world happenings • Major figures often began movements, some of which exist today • We are at the end of 2000 years of spirituality and all that has happened influences spirituality today

32. Catholicism and Christianity are major influences on spirituality through history • Yet world no longer holds this as dominant • Sense of global reality, pluralism

33. Spirituality has emerged apart from religion • Post-modernity has changed attitudes and religious practices for Gen X and younger generations

34. Implications for Catholic Healthcare

35. Implications • We are a Catholic Health Ministry • Our ministry is rooted in the healing ministry of Jesus • We often have signs of the charism of our founders and foundresses

36. Implications • Spirituality does affect healthcare • Personal spirituality affects • Understandings of illness • Ability to heal • The way people make meaning

37. In our ministries • We may still have people who enjoy ritual, devotionals and will find comfort in sacraments and religion • There may also be patients and families who will want no connection to organized religion • Notions of spiritual care must be broader • Must be able to provide diverse and plural care in the ministries • May want to engage broader understanding of spirituality as that which gives life meaning

38. Real sense of connection and devotion to the sisters – will grieve loss of them • Important for lay leaders to have formation – personal sense of spirituality if ministry is to continue • Understand role of the ERD’s in our ministry • We may have associates who live out their calling/vocation in their work • Some employees will not want overt mention of spirituality or religion

39. Open Discussion • Questions? • Comments?

40. Some Resources • A Brief History of Spirituality by Philip Sheldrake • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirituality