Monday, January 04, 2010
Holmes, U. T. (2002) Spirituality for Ministry. Moorhouse
Styles of spirituality on the basis of two scales: apophatic/ kataphatic and speculative / affective. The assumption that lies behind the first scale is that prayer tends to take the form either of an emptying of a images (apophatic) or of the quest for vivid images (kataphatic). The assumption behind the second is that as we pray we encourage in ourselves either cognitive relationship to God (speculative) or as an emotional relationship (affective). Xi
Intellectual suicide - contribute to the future extinction of the gospel amoung reasonable people. Xii
Ignatius father of modern theology explains that the purpose of contemplation is to attain the love of god ...
1. Love ought to manifest itself in deeds rather than in words.
2. Love consists in the mutual sharing of goods, for example the lover gives and shares with the beloved what he possesses, or something of that which he is able to give; and vice versa, the beloved shares with the lover. Hence, if one has knowledge, he shares it with the one who does not posses it; and so also if one has honours, or riches. Thus, one always gives to the other. 12
Different kinds of prayer fall along a continuum of focused intentionality on the part of the person who prays. At one end of this continuum is prayer that intends to intend nothing at all; at the other end of the continuum there is prayer that intends a specific answer from God. 14
In doing god's will we come into relationship with him, which is the ultimate goal of the spiritual life. This is undoubtedly the reason why growth in the spirit involves a movement toward a less focused intentionality in prayer, while not requiring a total abrogation of intercession and petition. The surrender of the ego becomes a very real part of prayer and, perhaps, a reasonwhy prayer itself can be frightening - it is built upon trust. 17
Sins of the clergy
Lust for power - role and status, playing the game by being inoffensive and non threatening. 36
Insulation and evasion - evade spiritual emptiness by becoming as busy as possible. 40
Insulation - protection through anger cynicism 41
Daimon gk energy 41
Making communication unaccessible. Ideas become disembodied and unrelated in order to avoid vulnerability. Intelectual distancing.
Playing church
At the root - fear of failure 46
When we know and see, truly and clearly, what our self is , then we shall truly and clearly see and know our Lord God in the fullness of joy. Julian of Norwich 58
Spirituality - the discovery of the inner intention in alignment with the selflessness and self giving of god as shown through Christ.
Human fulfillment cannot be reached along the road of gratified greed. H a wiiliams. 71
Another biblical image of poverty as receiving is the contrast between purity of heart and serving both god and money mat. 5:8 6:24. The person who is pure of heart possesses a simplicity of intrntion. The early church desribd the opposite of purity of heart as two souledness or double mindedness ... Purity of heart calls for an undiverted, fixed focus of awareness on our god given goal in life. The double minded person has a fuzzy unfocused intentionality. 72
Four ways of interpreting scripture.
1. The historical or literal sense - least value.
2. Tropological or moral sense.
3. Allegorical
4. Anagogical - hidden meanings that illumine our true end - god's intention for us. Where addressed by the mystery. 124
We need to work at knowing the unknown knowing, while recognising that we can only approach this deep knowledge and can never grasp it in it's entirety. 134
The three D's
Detachment from self.
Discretion result of knowing ourselves and a precondition to knowing god. That comes from questioning of our motives.
Discernment of what to do in a particular situTion in the light of understanding our deeper self. 138
Athanasius speaks of Antony - the state of his soul was one of purity, for it was not constricted by grief, nor relaxed by pleasure, nor affected by either laughter or dejection .... He maintained utter equilibrium 147
Our goal is the kingdom, the contemplation of God's creative vision , and we are God's hands in bringing they to pass. Those hands must touch the lives of those we serve at the point of their deepest heartfelt and most profound longing. ...
We need to be rooted in what feeds our soul - the intimate knowledge of God 177-178.
#
Intellectual suicide - contribute to the future extinction of the gospel amoung reasonable people. Xii
Ignatius father of modern theology explains that the purpose of contemplation is to attain the love of god ...
1. Love ought to manifest itself in deeds rather than in words.
2. Love consists in the mutual sharing of goods, for example the lover gives and shares with the beloved what he possesses, or something of that which he is able to give; and vice versa, the beloved shares with the lover. Hence, if one has knowledge, he shares it with the one who does not posses it; and so also if one has honours, or riches. Thus, one always gives to the other. 12
Different kinds of prayer fall along a continuum of focused intentionality on the part of the person who prays. At one end of this continuum is prayer that intends to intend nothing at all; at the other end of the continuum there is prayer that intends a specific answer from God. 14
In doing god's will we come into relationship with him, which is the ultimate goal of the spiritual life. This is undoubtedly the reason why growth in the spirit involves a movement toward a less focused intentionality in prayer, while not requiring a total abrogation of intercession and petition. The surrender of the ego becomes a very real part of prayer and, perhaps, a reasonwhy prayer itself can be frightening - it is built upon trust. 17
Sins of the clergy
Lust for power - role and status, playing the game by being inoffensive and non threatening. 36
Insulation and evasion - evade spiritual emptiness by becoming as busy as possible. 40
Insulation - protection through anger cynicism 41
Daimon gk energy 41
Making communication unaccessible. Ideas become disembodied and unrelated in order to avoid vulnerability. Intelectual distancing.
Playing church
At the root - fear of failure 46
When we know and see, truly and clearly, what our self is , then we shall truly and clearly see and know our Lord God in the fullness of joy. Julian of Norwich 58
Spirituality - the discovery of the inner intention in alignment with the selflessness and self giving of god as shown through Christ.
Human fulfillment cannot be reached along the road of gratified greed. H a wiiliams. 71
Another biblical image of poverty as receiving is the contrast between purity of heart and serving both god and money mat. 5:8 6:24. The person who is pure of heart possesses a simplicity of intrntion. The early church desribd the opposite of purity of heart as two souledness or double mindedness ... Purity of heart calls for an undiverted, fixed focus of awareness on our god given goal in life. The double minded person has a fuzzy unfocused intentionality. 72
Four ways of interpreting scripture.
1. The historical or literal sense - least value.
2. Tropological or moral sense.
3. Allegorical
4. Anagogical - hidden meanings that illumine our true end - god's intention for us. Where addressed by the mystery. 124
We need to work at knowing the unknown knowing, while recognising that we can only approach this deep knowledge and can never grasp it in it's entirety. 134
The three D's
Detachment from self.
Discretion result of knowing ourselves and a precondition to knowing god. That comes from questioning of our motives.
Discernment of what to do in a particular situTion in the light of understanding our deeper self. 138
Athanasius speaks of Antony - the state of his soul was one of purity, for it was not constricted by grief, nor relaxed by pleasure, nor affected by either laughter or dejection .... He maintained utter equilibrium 147
Our goal is the kingdom, the contemplation of God's creative vision , and we are God's hands in bringing they to pass. Those hands must touch the lives of those we serve at the point of their deepest heartfelt and most profound longing. ...
We need to be rooted in what feeds our soul - the intimate knowledge of God 177-178.
