The Contributors to Spiritual Formation in a Theological College

1. The Contributors to Spiritual Formation in a Theological College Ian Hussey – Malyon College ian.hussey@malyon.edu.au www.ian.hussey.org

2. Spiritual Formation? • A highly contextual term • Cronshaw (2012: 14):“The process of the character and person of Christ being formed in a person.”

3. How Does SF Happen? • Withdrawal • Under the influence of Greek philosophy, the idea of withdrawal from the world (for example, into a monastery).

4. How Does SF Happen? • Community • Bonhoeffer, Life Together (1954) • “Change for the Christian does not normally involve change that occurs in isolation from others” (Pettit, 2008: 19)

5. How Does SF Happen? • Engagement With Non-Christians: • “So the Christian, too, belongs not in the seclusion of a cloistered life but in the thick of foes. There is his commission, his work” (Bonhoeffer, 1954: 17). • “Spiritual transformation occurs within the emerging Christian community and in relationship with nonbelieving others” (Zscheile, 2012: 8).

6. How Does SF Happen? • “Being alone” • “Being together” • “Being with non-believers”

7. How Does SF Happen? • In the College context (Adam, 2009): • Community (shared values and experiences, activities, meal and space) • Chapel (worship, prayer, Bible, sacrament) • Faculty (counselling, mentoring, talking, models of life and ministry) • Such an approach focusses on the college facility as the locus of formation.

8. The Malyon Context • Increasing proportion of students studying part time and off campus • Emphasis on reflective practice through the fieldwork subjects • Role of the College as facilitator (not venue) of spiritual formation

9. Research Question • How does spiritual formation occur through Malyon College?

10. Methodology • Case study • Allows for the development of theory within a given context • The developed theory is substantiated through multiple data sources from within the case • In terms of generalisability, it is suggestive rather than prescriptive

11. Methods • Survey • Defined SF: “The idea of Spiritual formation/growth comes from verses like Romans 8:29: ‘For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (NIV)’”

12. Survey • How satisfied are you with your spiritual formation/growth this year? (Please circle one): • Not at all Satisfied • A Little Satisfied • Moderately Satisfied • Satisfied • Very Satisfied

13. Survey • How much has your Malyon College experience contributed to your spiritual formation/growth this year?(Please circle one): • Not at All • To a Small Degree • To a Moderate Degree • To a Considerable Degree • To a Great Degree

14. Survey • Asked to select the four (or less) items which made the greatest contribution to their spiritual formation through Malyon College from a list of 30 items generated by the College faculty and ordered alphabetically.

15. Focus Groups • How much has your Malyon College experience contributed to your spiritual formation/growth this year? • What would you say are the biggest contributors to your personal spiritual formation? • Students nominated the following as making a great contribution to their spiritual formation. Can you please explain how each of these things contribute?

16. Findings • Out of a total college enrolment of about 250 students, 97 responded to the 2014 survey and 51 to the 2015 survey. • Just over half were full-time students while 30% had, or were, studying online (distance). • The largest segment was aged 21-30 (35-39%) and almost exactly one third were women.

17. Findings • Satisfied they were with their spiritual formation?: • 63.9% (2014) and 72.6% (2015) were satisfied or very satisfied. • Most (59.8% in 2014 and 70.5% in 2015) identified that the Malyon experience had contributed a considerable or great degree to their spiritual formation/growth during the year.

18. Greatest Contributors?

19. Findings • Most nominated contributor was nominated by less than half of the students. • The responses were largely consistent, regardless of mode of study. • The “Particular Unit of Study” nominated varied significantly

20. Focus Groups • The focus groups confirmed a diversity of opinion regarding the amount of spiritual formation and the contribution of the College towards it.

21. Focus Groups 1. Delayed effect of benefits: • “There is sort of a period of time. You have to do the head knowledge but once it’s on-board it’s a foundation, but later on you can absorb it.”

22. Focus Groups 2. The “mini-sermon” • “That’s what makes it real. You can grasp it. It suddenly brings it into today’s context. It takes the academic side off.”

23. Focus Groups 3. Chapel • Chapel also strongly emerged as an unprompted contributor in one focus group: • “The messages in Chapel have spoken to me.” • “Chapel does play a big role.”

24. Researching & Writing Essays • What the focus groups revealed: • Initial incredulity: • “Who filled this survey in? They were lying to you! I’m telling you now. Sure if I am reading some beautiful book and I am sitting here and nothing is due, absolutely, but not a day before its due and I am typing away - no way.”

25. Researching & Writing Essays • “Yes, actually that makes sense.” • “Spiritually, even though it is an academic book God still works really powerfully through that. One of the assignments actually triggered a reunion with my dad who I had not spoken to for seven years.”

26. Researching & Writing Essays • “The covenant essay helped me to learn a lot about God. It was very important for my relationship with God. I could see how God’s relationship with the Israelites applied into my life.” • “The fact that you haven’t thought about it before. Unless you are forced to look at it you wouldn’t think about it. It becomes like this little treasure chest of amazing information. Things you didn’t realise before.”

27. Researching & Writing Essays • Developed acceptance of others: • “They make me think and understand how other people think about an issue. Instead of arguing or trying to impose your point of view on them, just seeing how they get there. It involves extending grace to others. Assisting in the process of being patient and kind and exercising self-control. Gives you empathy.” • “It helps you know your place-amongst believers who have thoughts and opinions different to you.”

28. In-Class Discussion • “You get the opportunity to hear where somebody else is on that [subject] and the reasoning behind it.” • “People have different ideas which makes us ask, ‘Why do I even think that?’” • “I feel like I grow a lot when I am challenged by other people’s views.”

29. In-Class Discussion “I always thought that I wanted a really good orator to speak well at me for a couple of hours. I used to love that. But I find it totally opposite now. I thought I would like that, and I do I guess, but the less they talk and the more we get to talk - I get so much more out of that. And I always thought “I want my money’s worth: I want the best person who can communicate well.” But that has changed. I would rather someone who can facilitate the group to learn. I find that way more powerful.”

30. Informal Discussions with Other Students • “Gives time and scope to talk through the issues raised during the class time. You can focus on the things that are really important to you which you don’t have time for in class.” • “Sometimes it can be banter and agenda and I don’t always find them most helpful. But I think they are helpful learning patience! Are they healthy for your spiritual formation then? I think so.”

31. Informal Discussion With Faculty • “Just being able to have spiritual conversations with faculty is spiritually forming. It doesn’t matter what the content is about, it is just a matter of being able to have them which is spiritually forming. It breaks down the academic wall. You see other believers - no us and them.” • “You feel the investment - the relational aspect which is a huge part of spiritual formation.”

32. Conclusions • Contribution of researching and writing essays to spiritual formation should be considered. • If essay topics are set with spiritually formative outcomes in mind they can be extremely effective • Essays are formative because they cause the students to engage with a variety of views • Humility

33. Conclusions • In Class Discussions • Develop acceptance • Give space to reflect on, and apply, theoretical learning • Flipped classroom

34. Conclusions • The value of the “mini-sermon” • Informal contact with faculty • Diversity of the contributors to spiritual formation in this research suggests that it is definitely not a “one-size-fits-all” activity.

35. References • Adam, P. (2009). Education and Formation for Ministry in Theological Education Today. Retrieved from www.actheology.edu.au/general%20files/Education_and_formation.pdf. • Banks, R. (1999). Reenvisioning Theological Education: Exploring a Missional Alternative to Current Models. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans. • Bonhoeffer, D. (1954). Life Together. New York: Harper & Row. • Cronshaw, D. (2012). Reenvisioning Theological Education and Missional Spirituality. Journal of Adult Theological Education, 9(1), 9-27. • Pettit, P. (2008). Foundations of Spiritual Formation: A community approach to becoming like Christ. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications. • Zscheile, D. J. (2012). Cultivating Sent Communities: Missional spiritual formation. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.