Pastor Becca Ehrlich

Christian Spirituality:Connecting to God

Lutheran Summer Gathering @ Silver Bay

2016

Welcome!• Quick intros!

• Name• Where are you from?• What about this course appealed to you?

What is the course?• Today we will do a quick intro on

Christian Spirituality• The rest of the week, we will be

spending the first half of class time looking at 2-3 different spiritual practices

• The second half of class time will be time on your own to try these practices

What will it be like?• Over our time together, we will look at and

try different styles of spiritual practices• Antenna– Each of us have a frequency

that we hear God best on• The best spiritual practices FOR YOU will

tap into that frequency• The best frequency for you may not be

the best frequency for someone else• Goal: Find some practices to incorporate

into your own spirituality when you leave• “Turn judgement into curiosity”

What is Spirituality?• Connecting with something bigger than us• Involves meaning

• What is the meaning of life?• Why are we here?• What is my purpose?• Many different traditions– Spiritualities can be informed by a

religion, but don’t have to be– “Spiritual but not religious”

What is Christian Spirituality?

• What makes Christian Spirituality different than other spiritualities?

• Jesus is at the center: connecting to God and understanding life’s meaning through the Christ lens

• “How has Christian humanity throughout its history understood what it is to seek and know God?”

Christian Spirituality Heavy Hitters

• We can learn about how to connect with God by hearing about how others before us have done it• Different styles• Different philosophies• We will look at just a few today (it would

take many courses to cover it all!)• As we look at these– which resonate with

you and your views on spirituality and God?

Mysticism• Mysticism: Becoming one with God

(union) and/or experiencing the presence of God. Those who practice this are called “mystics”• Started in early Christianity and hit its

stride in Medieval Christianity• “Mystical experiences”: experiencing God

in a powerful and supernatural way• Mystics in many traditions; Christian

mystics focus on Christ

Early Christian Mystics• Origen: Spiritual life as a journey back to God,

recognizing our true nature (made in God’s image) means that we can connect back to God through Jesus despite our shortfalls

• Gregory of Nyssa: Stages of spiritual growth and progress– God speaking to Moses through light, cloud, and “divine darkness”

• Augustine: Too much to cover! “Double knowledge” (knowing God intimately and knowing yourself realistically), transforming our desires from selfishness to selflessness, God’s transformative grace, said to God, “You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”

Middle Ages & Early Renasissance Christian Mystics

• Hildegard of Bingen: “psychic cosmology” (interdependence of all things), visions and experiences of God as “Living Light”

• Francis of Assisi: focus on Christ and the mission of salvation, help people to see God’s goodness, mercy, and love, helping others, stigmata, “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace”

• Catherine of Siena: God’s love shown to us through Jesus’ sacrifice, integration of spirituality with life’s actions

• Julian of Norwich: use of the word “mother” for God and Jesus, the mystery of God’s mercy and redemption in the face of sin and evil

Late Renaissance, Reformation & Counter-Reformation

Christian Mystics• Ignatius of Loyola: Society of Jesus (Jesuits), serving

Jesus together in Jesus’ love, faith-filled perspective at the heart of all service, Spiritual Exercises

• Teresa of Avila: Friendship with Christ central to life and spirituality, four degrees of prayer (water from well, water turned on, water flows from river, water falling through rain), spirituality as castle with seven mansions and many rooms, Jesus dwells at center, goal is union with God

• John of the Cross: God brings purification and purging to the soul, spiritual journey brings people into darkness and into “dark night of the soul”

Modern & Contemporary Christian Mystics

• Thomas Merton: God as central to life, taking time for silence and prayer to stay open to God

• Dietrich Bonhoeffer: importance of Christian community, importance of discipleship and all that goes with it, importance of being involved in the world and what is happening

• C.S. Lewis: God’s grace pulls you in from unbelief to belief, practical faith that connects with daily life

• Henri Nouwen: “theology of the heart”, being able to help others because of the pain and suffering we have experienced, Three Movements (Loneliness to Solitude, Hostility to Hospitality, Illusion to Prayer)

Discussion• Which mystic sounded like you could relate to him/her

the most? Why?• Have you had a “mystical experience” before? If so,

what was it like?• How does the idea of experiencing God’s presence

make you feel?

• For more reading on these Christian Spirituality heavy hitters: Christian Spirituality: An Introduction to the Heritage, by Charles J Healey

More On That Antenna• We are “tuned in” to God

the best on one station, but other stations come in as well

• 3 Colors of Your Spirituality by Christian A. Schwartz, part of the Natural Church Development resources: Blue, Red, and Green, with 9 spiritual types

The 9 Spiritual Types• Our

each.

9 Spiritual Types• Our spiritual type falls

into one of the three colors, or between two colors. Our opposite types are across the wheel

• Having a spiritual type means that we have strengths and weaknesses relating to each.

Strengths/Weaknesses

Spiritual Growth• First step is getting

comfortable with your “antenna” and spiritual style

• Next step is to experience other spiritual styles besides your own, to stretch how you experience God

• This is why you are encouraged to try new things during this course!

Experiencing God• The main goal of this course is to help you

connect with God and experience God’s presence.

• By learning about and trying different types of spiritual practices, you’ll be able to not only figure out what style(s) are your antenna, but also find new ways to experience God and pray

• Openness is key– to new experiences and new ways of thinking about and connecting with God

• “Turn judgement into curiosity”

The Course• Each course session we will learn about 2-3 spiritual

practices in the first half of class time; second half of class time will be for you to try these practices. You may not get to try all of them in the time allotted– feel free to try them in your spare time as you feel moved to do so.

• These practices are designed to touch on as many spiritual styles as possible, so you may not find everything “works” for you, but you will find that some practices help you “tune in.” But you don’t know until you try!

• You can go anywhere you want to, to try these practices. You may stay here, or go outside, etc. Just be mindful of others who are in class, etc.

• At the beginning of our time together the next day, we will talk about what it was like to try the spiritual practices from the previous day.

What Will Be Learning/Doing• Tuesday: Lectio Divina, Breath Prayer/

Centering Prayer, Creative Movement Prayer• Wednesday: Praying in Color, Journaling,

Walking the Labyrinth• Thursday: Prayer Walk, Using a Picture/Icon,

Charismatic Renewal• Friday: Examen, Faith Five, Prayer in

pairs/groups

Questions or Comments?

•Closing in Prayer