Date of Award
2-10-2016
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Department
Seminary
First Advisor
Carole Spencer
Second Advisor
Diane Zemke
Third Advisor
John Bergquist
Abstract
Evangelical Christianity has a history of cultivating a predominantly cognitive focus to Christian formation leading to shortcomings for the emotive and ethical aspects of our lives. Ignatian Spirituality offers an alternative to the limits of cognition through its holistic approach to Christian formation. The Ignatian formational practices of Scripture reading, prayer practices of the Examen or imaginative contemplation and The Spiritual Exercises foster a fully embodied experience with Jesus. This is accomplished through engaging our head, heart, and hands to ever growing levels of awareness and thereby responsiveness to God’s presence in the everyday moments of our lives. Through exploring key practices of Ignatian formation, this dissertation is an effort to enable evangelicals to appreciate and experience the integrated approach of Ignatian Christian Formation, helping evangelicals move from a predominately rational formation process, to one that fosters relational intimacy with Christ engaging the cognitive, emotive, and ethical aspects of life in a unified way.
Recommended Citation
Haskins, Eric Mark, "Towards a Holistic Practice of Christian Formation: How Ignatian Spirituality Can Help Evangelicalism" (2016). Doctor of Ministry. 132.
https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/dmin/132