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This is a concrete, practical book about spiritual accompaniment. While there may be no shortage of books on this matter, most of these books remain somewhat abstract in the way they highlight the beauty of this ministry and point out its pitfalls. This book instead resembles a toolbox with a user’s manual. In six chapters, the author presents the following tools: ‘there is no rush’, ‘listening by following’, ‘searching for the soul’, ‘going deeper’, ‘evaluating’, and ‘accompanying towards spiritual maturity’. By means of examples and case studies, he demonstrates how these tools may be used to good effect. Two introductory chapters discuss the choice for a practice-oriented book and the core values of an Ignatian approach to spiritual accompaniment. A final chapter specifically focuses on vocational discernment. New spiritual directors can learn from this book the tricks of the trade and experienced directors can be encouraged to reflect upon their own practice. Although it is written from a Roman Catholic, Jesuit background, this book may be used in a wider variety of Christian contexts.
"While belief in God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is at the very core of the Christian faith, the significance of the Spirit in particular is sometimes overlooked in faith practice and theological reflection, resulting in what theologians call Geistvergessenheit. In this context, Lumen Gentium, one of the most important documents of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), is usually praised for its pneumatological renewal. The current volume, however, argues that this renewal is no more than modest. The Holy Spirit is still conceived of predominantly as an adjunct to Christ. To substantiate that claim, Jos Moons has developed a novel method of close reading on the basis of which he compares Lumen gentium's conception of the Spirit to that of Mystici corporis (1943). He also analyses the redaction-historical development of the former and concludes with a plea to envisage the Spirit more boldly: as actively guiding the church, especially by means of the sensus fidelium, its charisms and the discernment of spirits"--
This book applies a novel method of critical reading of Lumen Gentium and Mystici Corporis in combination with redaction-historical analysis to channel the Second Vatican Council’s modest attempts at pneumatological renewal into a more open and receptive faith practice and theology.
This book focuses on the value and necessity of modern sociology to Pope Francis’s church reform project known as the Synod on Synodality. It explores the behavioral and research aspects of this latest synod, applying sociological perspectives and methods and drawing on secondary literature, media reports, and church documents. The author argues that sociology is crucial for translating the major theological concepts into behavioral and research indicators to empirically ground the overall theological framework of the synod as an ecclesial innovation rather than a revolution in the Catholic Church. The importance of sociological research methodology is emphasized to guide the synod’s complex and multi-stage qualitative data collection, which seeks to understand the synodal concerns of all Catholics in today’s world. The book addresses the need for scientific approaches to church reforms and for a nuanced complementarity between sociology and theology. It will be of particular interest to scholars of theology, religion, and sociology, as well as those actively involved in the workings of the Catholic Church.
The Scripture, prayers, and reflections in Sacred Space: The Prayer Book will inspire you to a richer daily spiritual experience throughout the liturgical year and invite you to develop a closer relationship with God. Each day of Sacred Space: The Prayer Book includes Scripture reading and points of reflection, as well as a weekly topic enhanced by six steps of prayer and reflection: The Presence of God, Freedom, Consciousness, The Word, Conversation, and Conclusion. Sacred Space: The Prayer Book is designed to help you stay faithful to your intention to deepen your spiritual journey. It is the perfect gift for your parish, campus ministry program, small group, friend, family member, or yourself.
This Companion will assist the reader in apprehending a coherent and synthetic interpretation of the teaching of Vatican II.
“How does one communicate the wealth of meaning behind key terms such as consolation and inner motions? Trust Your Feelings shares the fruits of the rediscovery of Ignatian spirituality beyond the confines of the academia to reach out to all people of good will.” —from the foreword A careful reading of our deepest emotions can reveal what God is inviting us to do. The language that God speaks today is that of human experience. Trust Your Feelings explores ten different emotionally charged situations before finally addressing the question of whether discernment is reserved for Christians. It also briefly discusses discernment in a community setting and concludes with a reflection on discernment as a way of life. “An essential guide to practicing discernment through the prism of Ignatian spiritualty! Trust Your Feelings is an accessible and helpful tool for navigating both the small and big life decisions that confront us.” —Richard Leonard, SJ, author of Where the Hell Is God? and The Law of Love
In Francis A. Sullivan, S.J. and Ecclesiological Hermeneutics, Canaris traces the significant contributions that Francis A. Sullivan, S.J. has made to Catholic ecclesiology, paying particular attention to the method and application of his hermeneutical approach to the writings of the magisterium. Though highly esteemed by professional theologians in both Catholic and ecumenical circles, Sullivan is less well-known among general audiences than many of his peers. The author addresses this lacuna by arguing that Sullivan’s work, when viewed through an interpretive lens, can aid the faithful to engage seriously with magisterial texts of various genres and levels of authority, find meaning within them, and encourage an active reception process whereby contemporary understanding of the teaching (and learning) role of the entire church becomes possible.
Many books have already been written on spiritual counselling, especially in the Ignatian tradition. But very few consider how Ignatius gave spiritual advice in his letters, directed to various and specific situations. If God really leads us in our spiritual journey, as Ignatius believed, what is the role of the spiritual adviser? What part is played by the numerous rules given in the Spiritual Exercises? The letters show that Ignatius really wanted to give scope to his correspondents and to their awareness of the work of the Holy Spirit within them. Ignatius deployed a “Pedagogy of Consolation” in which his correspondents were trained to exercise their own spiritual agency by discoverin...