This movement has become quite popular in recent years with many churches adopting its practices. On the surface, it seems like there can be nothing bad about emphasizing meditation on God’s Word, prayer, service, and other spiritual disciples, but then why is this movement controversial in some circles?
What are your thoughts? Is spiritual formation biblical?
This article on spiritual formation provides more info.
The phrase seems marketing oriented. If you are a Christian, your spirit is already formed in Christ. If one seeks greater faith, a deeper understanding of the bible, or Christian maturity, it would seem more likely from those who would be more accurate in their use of language.
I can see where you’re coming from with the wording — a lot of modern church terminology does feel a bit like branding or repackaging things Christians have always practiced. And I agree that our identity in Christ is already secure; we don’t “form” that ourselves.
At the same time, I think some people use the phrase “spiritual formation” simply to describe the ongoing process of growing in faith through prayer, Scripture, community, and learning. The practices themselves aren’t new, even if the label sounds trendy.
For me, it really depends on how a church approaches it. If it’s just about encouraging people to grow closer to God and build healthy spiritual habits, I can appreciate that. If it becomes more of a program or buzzword, that’s where I get cautious too.
According to Dallas Willard, here is how spiritual formation happens:
“Spiritual formation in the tradition of Jesus Christ is the process of transformation of the inmost dimension of the human being, the heart, which is the same as the spirit or will. It is being formed (really, transformed) in such a way that its natural expression comes to be the deeds of Christ done in the power of Christ.”
Let’s look at this summary that is from one of the founders of that movement.
(1) Biblically, the “heart” is not just the human will, but it is also the center of the emotions and the intellect.
(2) Therefore, it centers on only one of the three parts of the human personality and is incomplete.
(3) In addition, the Father through Jesus by the Holy Spirit’s power as our one God transforms our lives, not only Jesus, though we need to claim Jesus’ death and resurrection to gain progress, for example:
Col 3:1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Col 3:2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
Col 3:3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Col 3:4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Col 3:5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
Col 3:6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming.
Col 3:7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.
Col 3:8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.
Col 3:9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices
Col 3:10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
Col 3:11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
Col 3:12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,
Col 3:13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
Col 3:14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
Here is Utley on the heart @Bruce_Leiter
THE HEART
Old Testament
There are five Hebrew roots that can be translated “heart.”
לב ‒ BDB 523, KB 513
נפשׁ ‒ BDB 659, KB 711; see SPECIAL TOPIC: NEPHESH
מעה ‒ BDB 588; see SPECIAL TOPIC: INWARD PARTS
קיר ‒ BDB 885 CONSTRUCT BDB 524, “walls of my heart,” cf. Jer. 4:19
קרב ‒ BDB 899; “inward parts”; used in Jer. 9:8
There are several OT terms terms that are synonymous as the source of feelings.
“liver” ‒ BDB 458; see SPECIAL TOPIC: INWARD PARTS
“heart” ‒ BDB 523
“soul” ‒ BDB 659, nephesh, see SPECIAL TOPIC: NEPHESH
“kidney” ‒ BDB 480, cf. Job 19:27; Prov. 23:16; Lam. 3:13
Notice the usage in Prov. 12:10; 26:22; Jer. 28:13,51; 2 Macc. 9:5-6; 4 Macc. 10:8; Baruch 2:17.
New Testament
The Greek term kardia is used in the Septuagint and NT to reflect the Hebrew term lēb (BDB 523, KB 513). It is used in several ways (cf. Bauer, Arndt, Gingrich and Danker, A Greek-English Lexicon, 2nd ed. pp. 403-404).
the center of physical life, as imagery for the person (cf. Acts 14:17; 2 Cor. 3:2-3; James 5:5)
the center of spiritual life (i.e. moral)
God knows the heart (cf. Luke 16:15; Rom. 8:27; 1 Cor. 14:25; 1 Thess. 2:4; Rev. 2:23)
used of mankind’s spiritual life (cf. Matt. 15:18-19; 18:35; Rom. 6:17; 1 Tim. 1:5; 2 Tim. 2:22; 1 Pet. 1:22)
the center of the thought life
intellect, cf. Matt. 13:15; 24:48; Acts 7:23; 16:14; 28:27; Rom. 1:21; 10:6; 16:18; 2 Cor. 4:6; Eph. 1:18; 4:18; James 1:26; 2 Pet. 1:19; Rev. 18:7
heart is synonymous with mind in 2 Cor. 3:14-15 and Phil. 4:7
the center of the volition (i.e. will, cf. Acts 5:4; 11:23; 1 Cor. 4:5; 7:37; 2 Cor. 9:7)
the center of the emotions (cf. Matt. 5:28; Acts 2:26,37; 7:54; 21:13; Rom. 1:24; 2 Cor. 2:4; 7:3; Eph. 6:22; Phil. 1:7)
unique place of the Spirit’s activity (cf. Rom. 5:5; 2 Cor. 1:22; Gal. 4:6 [i.e. Christ in our hearts, Eph. 3:17])
the heart is a figurative way of referring to the entire person (cf. Matt. 22:37, quoting Deut. 6:5). The thoughts, motives, and actions attributed to the heart fully reveal the type of individual. The OT has some striking usages of the terms.
Gen. 6:6; 8:21, “God was grieved to His heart,” also notice Hosea 11:8-9
Deut. 4:29; 6:5; 10:12, “with all your heart and all your soul”
Deut. 10:16; Jer. 9:26, “uncircumcised heart” and Rom. 2:29
Ezek. 18:31-32, “a new heart”
Ezek. 36:26, “a new heart” vs. “a heart of stone” (cf. Ezek. 11:19; Zech. 7:12)
For a good brief discussion of the ways Paul used “heart,” “mind,” and “conscience” see Dale Moody, The Word of Truth, pp. 239-253.
INWARD PARTS, BOWELS
“Inward parts” is the word for “bowels” (BDB 588, #4). The ancients believed that the lower viscera (liver, kidneys, bowels) was the seat of the emotions:
negative, Isa. 16:11 (used of God); Jer. 4:19 (used of Jeremiah)
positive, Isa. 63:15; Jer. 31:20 (used of God); also Ps. 40:8 (used of David)
The word (BDB 588) is used in several senses.
lower viscera ‒ 2 Sam. 20:10; 2 Chr. 21:15
stomach ‒ Job 20:14; Ezek. 3:3; 7:19; Jonah 1:17; 2:1; 2 Sam. 7:12; 16:11
sex organs
male ‒ Gen. 15:4
female ‒ Isa. 49:1
the physical location of human emotions ‒ Song of Songs 5:4,14; Isa. 16:11; 63:15; Jer. 4:19; 31:20; Lam. 2:11
There are several OT terms that are synonymous as the source of feelings.
“liver” (BDB 458)
“heart” (BDB 523; see SPECIAL TOPIC: HEART)
“soul” (BDB 659, nephesh, see SPECIAL TOPIC: NEPHESH)
“kidney” (BDB 480, cf. Job 19:27; Prov. 23:16; Lam. 3:13)
Notice the usage in Prov. 12:10; 26:22; Jer. 28:13,51; 2 Macc. 9:5-6; 4 Macc. 10:8; Baruch 2:17.
Paul uses this imagery of the lower viscera often (cf. 2 Cor. 6:12; 7:15; Phil. 1:8; 2:1; Col. 3:12; Philemon 1:7,12,20.
J.