What is Spiritual Formation?
“The glory of God is a man or woman fully alive.” —
St. Irenaeus (2nd century A.D. c 202)
“My children, I am again in the pain of childbirth, until Christ is formed in you…” —
Galatians 4: 19
“For God beholds with his merciful eyes not what you are, nor what you have been—but what you would be.”
—Judith 16:14, Apocrypha, The Cloud of Unknowing
Christian spiritual formation is a process where we are formed—or perhaps, re-formed—into the very image and likeness of God.
Stated another way, Christian formation is the journey of becoming transformed into the image and likeness of Divine, Trinitarian Love. In doing so, as the author of I John writes, since “God is love, the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” (I John 4:16).
In the writings of the early church fathers and mothers, church leaders, and Christian mystics we glean truth about humanity, ideas about our place in the cosmos, and insights about our relationship to the loving Spirit who creates and forms us. The following thoughts may help us begin to explore the mystery and process of spiritual formation and transformation:
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind …” (Paul, Romans 12:2).
We have been formed by the Spirit of God: “you sent forth your Spirit, and it formed them.”
(Judith 16:14, Apocrypha)We are engaged in the process of having Christ formed in us by the Holy Spirit, “ … until Christ is formed in you.” (Paul, Galatians 4:19)
This first idea declares who we are; the second affirms who we are becoming. Spiritual formation dances in the tension of being and becoming: being absolutely and unconditionally loved by God, and becoming the full radiance of beautiful beings God created us to be.
The Cloud of Unknowing
- In the writings of the Christian mystics we find several exciting ideas about humanity; ideas about our place in the cosmos and our relationship to the loving Spirit who creates and forms us.
- Spiritual formation is a process by which we allow the implications of these proclamations to become manifest in our lives. In doing so, we are formed—or perhaps, reformed—into the very image and likeness of God. Since “God is love” (I John 4:16).
- We could also say that practice of Christian mysticism and the journey of spiritual formation, is to become transformed into the image and likeness of Divine, Trinitarian Love. In doing so, as the author of I John writes, “the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”
- Here are a few ideas that can help us to explore the mystery of spiritual formation: We have been formed by the Spirit of God: “you sent forth your Spirit, and it formed them.”
- We are engaged in the process of having Christ formed in us by the Holy Spirit: “until Christ is formed in you.” (Galatians 4:19)
- This first idea declares who we are. The second affirms who we are becoming. Spiritual formation dances in the tension of being and becoming: being absolutely and unconditionally loved by God, and becoming the full radiance of beautiful beings God created us to be.
