Practicing Perichoresis: The necessity of communal spiritual practices for a life of faith

Problem:

The required courses for M.Div. students in Presbyterian Church (USA) seminaries include few, if any, courses on spiritual practices in order to graduate. This means that students are left to draw on their own experiences and familiarity with different types of spiritual practices as they lead their own ministries. In order to minister effectively to all with whom they work, however, spiritual leaders need exposure to and training in a wide range of spiritual practices—both individual and communal. By learning more about the full spectrum of spiritual practices available, spiritual leaders will be better able to lead others in finding meaningful ways of communicating with the Divine.

The triune God’s very being is a perichoretic dance of mutual giving and receiving. This God who lives in community creates humans who also live in community—not only with God but also with fellow human beings. Research shows that the need for community is part of our very being . Both extroverts and introverts alike register positive effects from being with other people. In spite of this research, Christian spirituality in Euro-American traditions is overwhelmingly influenced by a narrowly defined contemplative tradition that focuses on the individual and individual practices. Such a focus downplays or ignores the importance of communal, or group, spiritual practices as a rich resource for accessing the Divine and building up a person in the faith.

Congregations should be places where all people find ways to connect with God, both individually and communally. When people hear about and have opportunities to experience diverse types of spiritual practices they are more likely to feel welcomed into the divine dance. The invitation to the dance happens most effectively when the spiritual practices are lead by people who embrace a wide variety of spiritual practices themselves. My dissertation will demonstrate how, during their time in seminary, ministers-in-training should be instructed in a wide spectrum of spiritual practices that already exist in the classical tradition of the church as well as in the African American and Korean Christian traditions. My dissertation will thus demonstrate that engagement with a variety of spiritual practices will establish a strong foundation for spiritual leadership equipped to lead a wide variety of ministries following graduation.

Ministry setting:

As the Director of Field Education and Placement for San Francisco Theological Seminary I work with students both during their time at SFTS and following graduation. I support and encourage them in vocational discernment, navigating the ordination process, and finding a call following graduation. Spiritual practices play a large role in all of these steps in their entry into ordained ministry. All too often, the spiritual practices that the students draw on are individually based and come from a narrowly defined contemplative tradition. Students often do not know the deep connections to the Divine that come from communal practices. Formal training in a wide array of spiritual practices will give them tools to pass on knowledge and experience of such practices to those with whom they minister after graduation. As Director, I am keenly aware of the deficit in training for spiritual leaders in spiritual practices. As a child I was taught that spiritual development happened in a very defined way—through morning devotions and prayer. Throughout my whole life I have tried to maintain these meaningful practice but have never been successful at doing so. I have found that the spiritual practices that speak to me most are ones that happen in community. And yet, when I speak with spiritual leaders in the church about communal practices that bring me the most life, I am often met with a skepticism and judgmental attitude. This experience leaves me feeling that my ways of connecting with the divine are incorrect and need to be changed. This hinders my ability, and the abilities of those like me, to open up and connect most fully with God.

Social Analysis:

Individualistic and narrowly focused contemplative practices have not always been the Christian norm. There is a long history of spiritual practices that includes both individual as well as communal practices. As a foundational part of my D/P, I will study the history of Christian spirituality to examine the rich diversity of practices that have existed and continue to exist today as ways for people to communicate with the Divine. Through my research, I will seek the historical causes of the narrowing of those practices to those that are more individually focused that currently form the basis of spiritual practices for Euro-Americans in this country—a trend that has occurred even while there is a renewed interest in the triune nature of God who lives in community. Additionally, I will research the importance of human relationship to an individual’s well-being and what that means for one’s spiritual practices. For my research on the history and current understanding of Christian spirituality, I will rely most specifically on the work of Bradley P. Holt, Gordon Wakefield, and Marjorie Thompson. For my research on human relationships, I will draw most heavily on the work of Ed Diener and Robert Biswas-Diener.

Theological Resources:

The perichoersis of the triune God is essential for developing an understanding of the importance of communal or group spiritual practices. Perichoresis is an invitation to the dance. This understanding of God has enjoyed a renewed interest among scholars and the general public in recent years as we seek to find meaning in an ever-individualized social context. The theologies of Womanist and Korean communities, for whom communal connections remain vital, will provide valuable conversation partners on the use of communal spiritual practices-most especially Womanist and Korean work on the role of the Holy Spirit. A few of the scholars that I will research for these perspectives include: Leonardo Boff and Catherine LaCugna on the concept of perichoresis and Barbara Holmes, Kirsteen Kim, and Hak Joon Lee for theological perspectives from African-American and Korean traditions.