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Recap of Class

R210A Spiritual Formation Lawrence Pascual. Recap of Class. Introduction. According to the outline given by the USCCB of “Called and Gifted”, Spiritual Formation acts more as theological foundations for Spiritual Formation.

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Recap of Class

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  1. R210A Spiritual Formation Lawrence Pascual Recap of Class

  2. Introduction • According to the outline given by the USCCB of “Called and Gifted”, Spiritual Formation acts more as theological foundations for Spiritual Formation. • Summary of last class going into more detail about the nuances of each person’s spirituality

  3. Spirituality in General • Desire to live a more deeper and fuller life • Quest for something more than the ordinary

  4. Saint Augustine: “Our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” • Desire – We desire things • Clothes, a house, car, money • What happens when we meet those desires? • We want more • Never ending cycle

  5. Saint Augustine: “Our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” • We desire something that will fulfill us, something deeper • This something or someone is God • We are made by God for God • Augustine: "You have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in you" • To be human is to be like God

  6. Christian Spirituality involves the inner and outer life • Christian Spirituality is not entirely Mysticism • Mysticism is an approach to faith emphasizing relational, spiritual, experiential aspects of faith rather than intellectual

  7. The Spirit in Scripture • The Spirit in Scripture is “breath” (Gk: Pneuma; Hb: Ruah). Ruah means either wind or spirit. • Spirit gives life • Spirit empowers

  8. Spirit gives life (Gn 1:2; Ps. 33:6) • “a mighty wind”, literally, “a wind of God” or “a spirit of God” (Gn 1:2) • “…the Lord God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and so man became a living being.” (Gn 2:7) • “By the Lord’s word the heavens were made; by the breath of his mouth all their host.” Host army; particularly the army of stars in the sky (Ps. 33:6)

  9. Spirit empowers • “Taking some of the spirit that was on Moses, God bestowed it on the seventy elders; and as the spirit came to rest on them, they prophesied.” (Num 11:25) • When [Saul and his companions] were going from [Samuel’s location] to Gibeah, a band of prophets met him, and the spirit of God rushed upon him, so that he joined them in their prophetic state.” (1 Sam 10:10)

  10. Spirit empowers • “I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decres.” (Ez 36:26)

  11. The Spirit is the main character • “Filled with the holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert” (Lk 4:1) • “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region. He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all” (Lk 4:14-15) • Jesus promises the Spirit • “And [behold] I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Lk 24:49)

  12. The Spirit is the main character • “When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.” (Acts 2:1-4)

  13. The Spirit is the main character • “Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38)

  14. Imitate Christ • Jesus calls his disciples ((Mk 1:17; 2:14) • Jesusis inclusive (Mk 2:16; Lk 8:2) • Jesus demands radical change/metanoia(Lk 5:11; Mk 2:14) • Jesus has a ministry • Jesus loves (Jn 15:12-13)

  15. Christian Spirituality – Fleshing it out • It involves faith and beliefs (theology) • Interweaving these beliefs into our lives so that they “animate” us; that they provide the “breath”, “spirit”, or “fire” in our lives

  16. It involves faith and beliefs (theology) • How do you understand Christ? • Suffering Servant (Mark) • Universal Savior (Luke) • New Moses (Matthew) • Word of God (John) • How do you understand God?

  17. Suffering Servant (Mark) • Emphasis on sharing in the suffering and passion of Christ • E.g., Stations of the Cross • Is salvation from Christ’s suffering? Or in Christ’s incarnation (God became human so that humanity can become God-like?

  18. Universal Savior (Luke) • Christ is for Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews) • Emphasis on inclusive nature of Christ

  19. New Moses (Matthew) • Fulfillment of the Law of Moses and the Prophets, in the line of David • Emphasis on Jewish roots • Jewishness of Jesus

  20. Word of God (John) • “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (Jn 1:1) • Emphasis on the divinity of Jesus; Jesus as God • E.g., intercession of Saints, those close to Christ rather than directly praying to God

  21. Trinity • Transcendent (Father) and the Immanent (Son and Holy Spirit) • Co-equal persons; emphasis on the “persons” or “relations” of the Trinity as a model for Christian life • Unity of equals bounded by the love of God • Father (lover) • Son (beloved) • Holy Spirit (love)

  22. Trinity • Emphasis on God’s saving actions: Incarnation of Christ empowered by the Spirit in his ministry; the sending of the Spirit in Pentecost; the reception of the Holy Spirit in baptism and confirmation • Modeling God’s saving actions as our model of Christian life “Called (to holiness or imitation of Christ) and Gifted (by the power of the Spirit)

  23. Sacramental Worldview (symbolic mediation) • Sacramentality: how creation elevated by grace is able to mediate the divine presence even as that presence is personal • “all reality is potentially or in fact the bearer of God’s presence and the instrument of God’s saving activity… This principle is rooted in the nature of a sacrament as such, that is, a visible sign of the invisible presence and activity of God” (HarperCollins Encyclopedia of Catholicism)

  24. Sacramental Worldview (symbolic mediation) • People, places, inanimate objects, words, art, events, history, and etc. are instruments of God’s presence • Worship not the image, but the reality behind the image (Orthodox Christianity on icons)

  25. Christian Spirituality – Fleshing it out • It involves faith and beliefs (theology) • Interweaving these beliefs into our lives so that they “animate” us; that they provide the “breath”, “spirit”, or “fire” in our lives

  26. Christian Spirituality – Fleshing it out • Theological Variables • Personal Variables • Gender and Culture

  27. Theological variables: Our theologies affect our spirituality • Which do you emphasize? • The suffering of Christ or Incarnation of Christ? • Graced humans or sinful humans? Is creation good or bad? • Divinity of Jesus or humanity of Jesus? • Praying to God directly or intercession of the Saints?

  28. Personal variables: Personal preference affects our spirituality • Verbal expression (spoken prayers or devotions) or Visual expression (reflecting upon Christian art, such as cross, icon, or picture) • Aesthetic sensibilities • Traditional medieval art or contemporary art? • Gregorian chant or English songs? • Solemn Christian songs or Christian rock? • State of life • Married or unmarried life? • Lay person or religious order or priest?

  29. Gender and culture • Who is more approachable? Jesus or Mary? • God as Father or Mother figures?

  30. Christ and culture (world) • Christ and culture as enemies • Christ and culture in tension/paradox • Christ above culture • Christ of culture

  31. Christ and culture as enemies • The world is evil • E.g., Amish; monsatics

  32. Christ and culture in tension/paradox • Sometimes in tension, sometimes not • The world is evil, sometimes, but also good, sometimes • We are to be in the world, but not of the world

  33. Christ above culture • Culture/world is good • World is not perfect but can be transformed for good

  34. Christ of culture • Culture can teach us something about Christ • Enthusiastic about science

  35. Christian Spirituality – Fleshing it out • It involves faith and beliefs (theology) • Interweaving these beliefs into our lives so that they “animate” us; that they provide the “breath”, “spirit”, or “fire” in our lives

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