Alister McGrath's "Introduction to Christian Spirituality"

 McGrath nicely covers a wide subject with objectivity. He draws on many Christian traditions for an overview that encourages personal engagement. He is careful to define the terms of his book as well as to state what he means by "spirituality"

For McGrath, spirituality is :the outworking in real life of a person's religious faith, - what a person does with what they believe... it is about the way the Christian life is conceived and lived out...the full apprehension of the reality of God" (pg 2). This definition makes the subject intensely practical and relevant. Christian spirituality is about both public worship and private devotion.

Spirituality concerns the 1) quest for a fulfilled and authentic religious life, 2) involving a bringing together of the ideas distinctive of that religious and the 3) whole experience of living on the basis of and within the scope of that religion. Christian spirituality, then, concerns the quest for a fulfilled and authentic Christian life, involving the bringing together of the fundamental ideas of Christianity and the whole experience of iving on the basis of and within the scope of the Christian faith.

'Spirituality' can also be used refer to the devotional, personal/subjective experience of believers in a religion, to be contrasted to an academic, objective approach to faith that emphasizes the beliefs and practices of that religion .

 According to McGrath, Christianity has 3 main elements (pg 3):

1. A set of core beliefs set out in the creeds

2. A set of values arising from being redeemed, modelled on Jesus and empowered by the Spirit

3. A way of life where one's beliefs and values are expressed concretely. This element is what is referred to in "Christian spirituality"

 

Different authors (pp2-3) quoted by McGrath have emphasized different aspects of Christian spirituality: "increased insight and joy" (George Ganss), "experiencing of God...and the transformation of our consciousness as outcomes of that experience" (RIchard O'Brien), "a lived experience" based on "specific theological beliefs" (Don E Saliers), appropriating "traditional Christian beliefs" and expressing them "in terms of out basic attitudes, life-style and activity" (Philip Sheldrake). Spirituality "involves the whole person...in connection with the whole of creation...the totality of existence in the world" (William Stringfellow). It is the "self transcending character of all human persons" (Richard Woods) -  the inbuilt drive to connect with something or someone bigger than ourselves.

Christian spirituality is therefore about knowing the God of the Bible, not just knowing about Him. It is experiencing Him to the full, having our whole existence transformed on that basis and becoming fully autuentic in life and thought. Christian spirituality involves how we connect our belief to our whole life.

"Mysticism" is an older term for spirituality that is being replaced. It can be functionally equivalent, can imply a marginalization or rejection of cognitive approaches in spirituality and can also refer also to a direct personal experince of God. In terms of movements it can refer to certain schools of Christian spirituality. 

 

Chapter 2

McGrath acknowledges the profound impact theology has on spirituality, and further identifies 3 factors that shape spirituality: personal issues, denominational considerations and attitudes to the world, culture and history. There is an interaction between one's theological beliefs and one's personal experiences and institutional affiliation. He quotes Gademer's idea of the coinciding of different horizons of the text and the individual as well as of individual experience with Christian theology. A range of "spiritualities" therefore exists. Major different theologies (the place of Mary, the role of the sacraments, variations in emphasis on fundamental doctrines) also result in variations. "There are different types of Christianity" (pg 13)  Historical evolution and technical/socal developments have influenced spirituality. Subjective ideas of what is beautiful, preferred methods of thinking (verbal vs. visual), personal social/life context also come into play.One's gender, race, class and literacy are also relevant. All this means that there are many indivualizing influences that determine how we work out our relationship wtih God even if there are shared theological beliefs and emphases. McGrath cautions us that it is "virtually impossible to convery the distinctive characteristis of the different styles of Christianity in writing" (p 14). They must be experienced personally.

McGrath then turns to identify core features of different Christianities:
1. Catholicism: the divine institution of the church and the corporate dimension of faith, the liturgical emphasis, the sacramental emphasis as well as the role of the saints and Mary.

2. Orthodoxy emphasizes historical continuity with the early church, the procession of the Spirit solely form the Father, our participation in the divine nature, the use of icons, the use of the "Jesus prayer" and the role of monasteries.

3.  Protestantism with evangelical and charismatic streams" emphasizes the private and public reading of Scripture, rejection of many Catholic beliefs and the use of vernacular language in church. Evangelicalism emphases the Bible, with small group studies, the centrality of the Cross, the need for personal conversion and the emphasiz of evamgelism.

Geoffrey Wainwright (p 19) has identified 5 different ways in which Christianity relates to culture. Christian spirituality also reflects these ways, which may overlap and not be exhaustive.

1. Christ against culture: the world is hostile and must not be compromised with. Secular authority is rejected. Costly faith and martydom is normal.

2. The Christ of culture: government plays a divinely ordained role in ruling and saving the world (Eusebius of Caesarea). Historically, revived in the Middle Ages and in libreal Protestantism. There is optimism and affirmation/immersion of/in culture.

3. Christ above culture: culture is good but imperfect and needs to be transformed by Christianity. This happens in the present.

4. Christ and culture in paradox The Christian life must struggle to keep their integrity in a world in which they live in tension.

5. Christ the transformer of culture: like Christ above culture, culture requires change not as present reality, but as future hope grounded in personal revival (cf. the Wesleys). The symbolism of baptism is noted. 

Chapter 3

Theology (discourse about God, understood as specific teachings of the Christian faith) interacts with spirituality. The term has lately been conceived of as an academic discipline rather than as "sapential and personal knowledge of divine self-disclosure" that leads to wisdom for human living. "Properly understood, theology embraces, informs and sustains spirituality" (p 27). Calvin said that to know God is to be changed by God, and true knowledge of God leads to worship. Rightly understood, theology is "a heartfelt knowledge of divine things" (Farley, p.28). At the least, theology should give a framework for spirituality. The creeds express the intellectual beliefs we have (fides quae creditor), whereas fides qua creditur speaks of the personal act of trusting or believing. (p.29). Negatively speaking, theology can lose sight of the relational aspects of the Christian faith, especially because of the view that scholarship should be detached from relationship with God. Here McGrath quotes Aquinas, Merton and Packer to encourage a united view of the two disciplines.

 

Chapter 4.

Here McGrath focuses on 7 areas of Christian theology relevant to spirituality:

• Creation. The God who redeems is also the God who creates. Creation has been viewed as his emanation, as construction and as artistic expression. The first idea is deficient in intention, the second in the implication of absence of ex nihilo creation. The third implies the idea of beauty. Creation tells us that God is known in the natural world and reflects His goodness. Creation is "shadows of divine things" (Edwards, p.41).We do not need to withdraw from the world, but can study it. 
•  Human nature and destiny. Do we need God for spiritual fulfilment, or not? If we do, does God help us, or not? We are created in the image of God, which implies the possibility of relationship with Him. Redemption is the fulfilment of this image in perfect relationship with God.  Our creation implies that we need God to be truly human. The Augstinian-Pelagian controversy was settled in favour of Augustine: humans need God for their salvation. He brings about our conversion and we play a role in spiritual formation. Grace is given freely, but is received intentionally. There is 'dynamic surrender' (Jean-Pierre de Caussade, p 46) between the divine and the human - we must actively discern God's will then act according to it. The act of surrender is an act of human will.
• The Trinity is a distinctive Christian doctrine. It's impenetrability suggests the truth of God's being - "If you can comprehend it, it is not God" (Augustine, p. 47). It guards against simplistic/reductionist ideas of God. The doctrine is implicit in Scripture, not explicit. There is a pattern of divine activity manifesting in 3 Persons acting in different roles. There is a difference of understanding between Eastern and Western theologians. The former emphasized the individuality of the Persons united by derivation from the Father. The latter emphasized relationship between the persons. The ideas of perchoresis (mutual interpenetration, community) and appropriation (involvement of all 3 Persons in any one work) modified the Eastern approach. The doctrine modifies prayer, worship and ideas of equality. God creates, redeems and indwells His people.
• Incarnation: Jesus Christ is truly divine and truly human. Being both, He alone can save, since that is not possible for a created being. He is worthy of all our worship. The 2 natures of Christ are without confusion, change, division or separation. We know God fully in Christ. We see the suffering of God in Christ and we see God's commitment to the created order in Christ.
• Redemption: the Cross is central in Christianity. It represents sacrifice, victory over the powers of hell, and forgiveness of sin through satisfaction of God's wrath. Anselm (p.64) said that Christ both had the ability (as God) and the obligation (as man) to pay the debt owed to God. We receive the benefits of redemption by federal representation, participation in Christ's death and resurrection and substitution. The cross also speaks of God's love. The doctrine of redemption stresses the costliness of human salvation and the reality of human sin as well as the love of God for sinners. We consider this and can join (Ignatius of Loyola, p. 68) in imagining a dialogue with the dying Christ.
• Resurrection was the supreme public demonstration that Jesus was indeed the Son of God. It is the ground of our hope of our own resurrections. Easter is a celebration of joy and triumph. Because He conquered death, we no longer fear death.
• Consummation speaks of the last things. There is a present tension between the 'now' and the 'not yet', The new age has been inaugurated, and will be consummated at Christ's second coming. Heaven is both a future reality and a spiritual realm. It is a consummation of salvation when the penalty, power and presence of sin have all been eliminated. We have eternal lite - life in all its fulness - that is experienced even now. We are all pilgrims travelling to the heavenly city. We long to see God face to face 

 Chapter 5

 In the late Middle Ages the Bible was said to be readable in 4 ways: the literal sense, allegorically (a symbolic meaning related to Christian doctrine), tropologically (relating to moral conduct) and anagogically.('leading upwards', affecting the way in which we hope).(p.84).

We can read (lectio), meditate (meditatio), pray (oratorio) and contemplate (contemplatio) the text (Guigo, p 84). Ignatius of Loyola developed the idea of imaginative engagement, where the reader projects himself into the biblical narrative and views it from within. (p 85). Protestantism contributed the ideas of commentaries, expository sermons and biblical theology. Luther set out a means of prayer involving instruction (reminder to trust God in all things), thanksgiving, confession and prayer - a woven 'garland of praise' 

McGrath then identifies some core Bible images relating to spirituality

• The feast: the kingdom is a celebration, fulfilment of human hunger/spiritual need, involving invitation. This ties in to the idea of the Eucharist, which helps us look back as well as forward.
• The journey. We are followers of 'the Way'. Discipline and self-denial are needed. A map of experiences of those who have gone before us, anticipation of one;s arrival, and the corporate dimension of pilgrimage help us.
• Exile: we are away from our heavenly home, longing to see God's face.
• The struggle: there is struggle between god and the world, and between good an evil. The world may be good in some ways, but it must not take God's place. There is external struggle against those hostile to the faith and internal struggle against temptation. There is also struggle with God and against sin and unbelief.
• Purification. In the OT there was the need for spiritual preparation before entering God's presence. We need to cleanse ourselves from indwelling sin. This has been seen as the restoration of God's image. Through purification the soul is purged, enlightened and finally united with God.
• Internalization of faith. We are called to not to be content with the external motionsl of faith. The interior life of the soul wa emphasized, even in the rigid disciplines of the monastic orders.
• The desert: this is seen as a lonely place without distraction when one is alone with God. It is a place of purification and prayer. Some (like Antony of Egypt) took this literally and withdrew into wilderness solitude. Others saw an allegorical meaning applied to the Christian life in which there is testing before entry into further growth (or the Promised Land). The Lord provides manna in the wilderness to sustain us until we gain this entry into God's immediate presence.
• Ascent: climbing a mountain symbolized the drawing closer to God. In medieval spirituality contemplation is seen as a means of doing this (Bonaventure, p.103). The motif of a ladder (e.g. the 4-step ladder of Guigo) symbolises this.
• Darkness and light. God is both described as illumination as well as as darkness. The image of darkness is used to refer to doubt, sin and divine unknowability, even when He is present. We can never fully see, understand or experience Him permanently in this life. The 'dark night of the soul' describes how the soul is stripped of self-assurance and self-reliance. There is voulntary discipline and submission, as well as a divine initiative to direct the Christian where previous concepts of God must be left behind. The image of a dark wood where we can get lost is also related to the idea of darkness.
• Silence is an appropriate response to God' majesty and mystery. In silence we can listen and discover, free from distractions. 'Hesychasm' (Gk hesychia = stillness/silence) can refer to outward silence, but more notably, to the quest for inner silence that enables focus on God. The Jesus prayer is an aid to attaining this.

 

Chapter 6

 How can we visualize issues related to Christian spirituality? Quantum mechanics gives a model in the 'principle of complementarity' in which a complex and abstract entity can be visualised in terms which are familiar and helpful (p.110).

 

We can strive to represent God and approach Him without compromising on His transcendence. In doing this we risk idolatry in creation of images or icons. It is possible to respond to the charge of idolatry by arguing that we are meant to use religious imagery to depict the divine. (p.113). The justification for this idea is found in the Incarnation of Christ. The experience of saints (e.g. Julian of Norwich) and religious art are based on this idea of God's revelation of Himself as human.

 

We see God visualized in His created order as well as throught Scripture. The latter is clearer, but the former is not to be neglected. Study of creation can be expected to lead to an increasing knowledge of God/ Humans can function ike priests of God's creation. so leading to a spiritual dimension to scientific study (Boyle, p.115)

 

The sacraments also concretize God's grace and presence. They focus the worshipper's thoughts on God and uplift the mind to contemplate God in heaven. They are visible and tangible reminds or the Christian hope as well as of the pain and suffering of the Cross (p.116).

 

The Cross. The 'message of the Cross' was shorthand for the gospel (1 Cor 1:18-25), The Cross has become the supreme symbol of the Christian faith.

 

The apophatic ('negative') tradition goes against the tradition of visualizing God. God is seen as intrinsically unknowable/incomprehensible. We are limited by our humanity. The images of God therefore are different from the complete reality of God.

 

Christianity can be thought of as a story, a narrative that we can enter into and make a part of our own existence. The story of Jesus shapes our values, beliefs and hopes. In our own experience of the sacraments we relive the saving acts of God in history. Even a minimalist view of Communion is an opportunity for reminding ourselves of our origins and purposes, and so, for recommitment. Stories can be of Jesus, other biblical figures and the saints. Cultural manifestations included the Mystery plays and NEgro spirituals.

 

We structure our times by weeks (Sundays, Wednesdays/Fridays) as well as years (Advent, Christmas, Lent and Holy Week). Monasticism identified 7 fixed times for prayer. Many evangelicals set aside a daily 'Quiet time'

 

We structure our spaces through natural locations and church buildings. In the latter, the altar, the iconostasis, or the pulpit are given different prominence depending on the tradition. Buildings are now structured as stages. Holy places of pilgrimage are important in some traditions. Pilgrimages involve commitment and hardship, provide opportunity for reflection, remind one of our transitory existence and may be in themselves a spiritual experience.

 

Chapter 7

Engagement with classical texts is an important theme in Christian spirituality: works that have proven to have value for generation after generation. (p.135). These texts however may carry difficulties: their intended audience will have been different and they may never have been intended for publication. The background required for full understanding may be obscure. The goals of the writer may not be in line with our own. In the latter case we can disregard or refute some of the themes, or contextualize the work by regarding some injunctions as non-binding

When a text is read, we are to engage with it - to 'interrogate' it. We ask:

• Who is the author?
• For whom was the text written?
  What is the historical and cultural context of the work?
• What biblical imagery does the work emply
• What does the writer want me to think?
• What does the writer want me to do?
• What can I take away from my engagement with the text? 

 McGrath then apologizes for the fact that his selection of classical texts can seem "inadequate, arbitary and unsatisfactory" (p.140). He encourages his readers to move from reading to reflection and then to prayer. The prayer can incorporate and respond to the issues raised by the passage studied. McGrath then gives selections from a wide variety of traditions and time periods, ranging from Gregory of Nyssa (4th century) to James I Packer (20th century). After each text McGrath provides comments and questions as a spiritual director might, so that the reader obtains the full benefit of the reading. He concludes with the hope that the reader will continue to engage with entire works rather than excerpts from his quoted authors. He encourages us to do, not merely to think. So we can join Bible study groups or retreats, attend spirituality conferences and focus on particular authors of the past. He concludes with a list of internet resources as well as a glossary of terms.

 

I think the book is an excellent introduction to the field of Christian spirituality. The underlying theology underpinning the effort is largely orthodox evangelical, even though McGrath does not reject Catholic or Orthodox ideas. He roots Christian spirituality in Bibical theology. He also encourages a good hermeneutical approach to classical texts. His selection is more than adequate, and the questions after the texts are very helpful. 

 

The definitions reveal relevance to a course of theological study.

The explorations of the interaction between spirituality and theology as well as spirituality and culture are illuminating.

I personally found the first chapter with definitions and basic ideas the most helpful