DE 5740  Spiritual Formation

Lecturer: John Lillis

Course Description

An investigation into the meaning of biblical Christianity and its relationship to faith and practice. Three hours.

Course Purpose

The primary overarching competency to be achieved in graduate theological education is the development of spirituality in each student. Seminary graduates should be persons of faith. The primary allegiance of their lives should be to Christ as He is revealed in Scripture. The Christian life is a personal response to the personal activity of God in His redemptive self-disclosure. This means that one's loyalty to Christ affects the full range of one's values and decisions. Loyalty to Christ in a personal relationship is set within the framework of the community of the redeemed. The common allegiance of this community is to its head, Christ, who ministers His grace for the spiritual development of His people through the interdependent functions of His body by means of Word and Spirit.

Faith should be lived out in every facet of life. Spirituality is the description of the quality of the believer's life whereby the new disposition is expressed in spontaneous reconstruction of God's preceptive will. It includes the character traits that result from the swift and sure use of one's will to will God's will. Spirituality is that quality in the believer which causes him or her to have a greater desire for and joy in prayer, Bible study, worship, and Christian service than a desire for and joy in wealth, power, sex, fame, or success.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course the student should be able to:

• Understand the basic, biblical concept of spirituality as contrasted to contemporary ideas.
• Understand the basic mystic teachings of Christian spirituality which have developed through the history of the church.
• Recognize the influences of mystical spirituality in contemporary ideas relating to spiritual formation.
• Understand the basic theological foundations of evangelical spirituality as these have developed through the history of the church.
• Develop a functional definition of spiritual formation.
• Recognize the impact of psychology on contemporary culture and spiritual formation.
• Understand the biblical concepts of spiritual maturity, spiritual growth, and love.
• Appreciate the corporate and community aspects of spiritual formation.
• Apply basic biblical concepts to the process of spiritual formation within his/her own life.
• Distinguish between the main traditions of spiritual formation.
• Appreciate the need for the spiritual disciplines in the development of spirituality.
• Understand the role of theological education in the spiritual formation of ministry students.
• Recognize the need for a personal value set that reflects loyalty and commitment to Christ over the enticements of the world, flesh, and devil.

Course Materials

All required course materials can be purchased through the TEDS bookstore (800.456.7323 | 847.317.6800).

• Lillis, John R. Spiritual Formation, Audio Taped Lectures & Study Guide. Grand Rapids, MI: Institute of Theological Studies, a division of Outreach, Inc., 1994.
• Alexander, Donald L. Christian Spirituality: Five Views of Sanctification. Downer'sGrove,Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1988.
• Johnson, S. Christian Spiritual Formation in the Church and Classroom. Nashville: Abingdon, 1989.
• Willard, Dallas. The Spirit of the Disciplines. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1988.

Resources

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