This course will first introduce spiritual formation from a Lutheran Brethren perspective, and then subsequent modules will present spiritual formation practices (or spiritual disciplines) for you to explore. These practices are offered as examples of ways we can participate in God’s finished work of salvation as we partner with God in the ongoing work of sanctification. The practices we will explore are Lectio Divina (Holy Reading), Scripture Meditation, The Prayer of Examen, and The Jesus Prayer (or breath prayer). Students should be prepared to engage in each practice and evaluate their effectiveness for their own discipleship plan.
Instructor: Alan Johnson
Course Objective
Every day you are being shaped into a new version of yourself based on your experiences and activities. This course focuses on how we can partner with God in discipleship to become more like Jesus. One of the challenges in this area is that we sometimes worry that effort will undermine grace, and so we fail to take the call to discipleship seriously. Another challenge is that even when we know that we ought to pray, read the Bible and engage in discipleship, we do not always know how to do that effectively. The goal of this course is to give you an understanding of spiritual formation and then equip you with practices (or disciplines) that may assist you in working with Jesus to become more like Jesus.
What You Will Learn
- To define spiritual formation and consider your invitation to work with Jesus in becoming more like Jesus.
- To understand the historical relevance of the spiritual practice called Lectio Divina (Holy Reading) and implement it as a means of a qualitative engagement in God’s Word.
- To differentiate Christian and Eastern forms of meditation and learn how to engage in Christian (Scripture) meditation and scripture memorization as a way to partner with the Holy Spirit in spiritual formation.
- The historical and practical framework for understanding the prayer exercise called Examen (The Examination of Consciousness) so that you are better equipped to notice God’s invitations and presence throughout your days and seasons of life.
- The Biblical framework for understanding the prayer exercise called Breath Prayer (The Jesus Prayer) as a simple way to connect with God in any given moment.
Text Books
Required:
- Calhoun, Adele A. Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transform Us. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press Books, 2015. ISBN: 0830846050
Recommended:
- Ronnevik, Gretchen. Ragged: Spiritual Disciplines for the Spiritually Exhausted. Irvine, CA: 1517 Publishing, 2021. ISBN: 978-1-948969-48-2
Course Module Topics
- Module 1: Introduction to Spiritual Formation
- Module 2: Lectio Divina (Holy Reading)
- Module 3: Scripture Meditation
- Module 4: Examen (The Examination of Consciousness)
- Module 5: Breath Prayer (The Jesus Prayer)