Let's Talk About Spiritual Formation

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

.

[olger]

My nephew Lance went to a charismatic seminary and came away from there all excited about SF and "meditation" and prayer labyrinths etc. Talk about false doctrine!

This is bad stuff guys, and the fact that some among us are defending it is cause for serious reflection.

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

NOTE: for some reason I can't download/upload the rest of the syllabus, so I'm typing it out. I think it's important for folks to see.

Oakwood Spiritual Formation Class Syllabus

Page 2

B. ATTENDANCE ADDENDUM: "If for any reason the total hours of absence are double the number of credit hours

of the course per semester, credit may, at the discretion of the instructor, be forfeited and a grade of FA be recorded."

(Oakwood University Bulletin, page 53) THIS POLICY WILL BE ENFORCED.

Regarding absences, excuses for absences and assignments missed due to being absent, the following policies

apply: (1) no excuse eliminates an absence; (2) documented valid reasons [excuses in writing from resident hall deans,

health services, court officers, morticians (for funerals of family members), and residential parent for being absent will

allow students to make up only in-class work missed during the absence; and (3) such work must be made up within one

week of return to class.

C. SPIRITUAL RETREAT: All students are REQUIRED to take part in a weekend spiritual retreat October 14-16 to learn

the value of spiritual retreat, discipleship, small groups and bonding to like-minded pilgrims.

D. SPIRITUAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY: Students are to submit a six-page, double-spaced, typewritten autobiography

reflecting on the question "How did I arrive at this juncture:" It must include a narrative summary of their lives,

an examination of two people, two places and two events that have impacted their spiritual journeys along with an

assessment of this assignment's value in their spiritual formation. It is due prior to the start of class on November 2.

E. WEEKLY REPORTS: Students are required to use the forms provided on D2L to turn in weekly reports prior to the

start of class, beginning August 22. Reports must be typed or written legibly and must be complete.

1. Report for Practice of the Spritual Disciplines.

a. Make sure each week you give your weekly "rule" or plan and you write in each time your have a

devotional time and include date, time (duration) and a paragraph, summarizing your experience.

b. The student will spend three hourss each week in the practice of spiritual disciplines. Factors that should be

kept in mind are as follows:

i. You are free to complete the three hours doing whatever devotional things that you find valuable

(i.e., Bible reading, prayer, etc). Your class lectures and readings will give you some new ideas.

This is a wonderful opportunity to experiment with new ways of meeting God. Since prayer is so

crucial for the Christian, try to spend 1-1/2 hours weekly in prayer.

ii. Unless there is some special reason for change, the three-hour time period should be spread out

over at least four days during the week.

iii. At the beginning of each week, you should decide what your specific daily "rule" or plan is for

each time you have devotions and write it down on the required form. More information will be

given in class on this practice.

iv. You should keep a careful log of your time with God. A form will be provided for this. Make sure

for each devotional time you have that you record: (a) date, ( duration, and © a brief summary of

how things went (i.e., Did you follow your rule/plant? If not, why not?)

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

Oakwood Spiritual Formation, cont.

Class Syllabus Page 3

a. In the "Summary" section, identify the textbook (or handout), the author, the chapter number and title.

Indicate three major points the author made in each chapter and state why each point is significant for

spiritual formation ("the process of being conformed to the image of Christ for the sake of others")

b. In the "Evaluation/Response" section explain how each of the points indicated can be or are useful in your

spiritual growth.

F. SPIRITUAL FORMATION RESOURCE PORTFOLIO: This is due prior to the start of class on December 5.

1. The purpose of the spiritual formation resource portfolio is to identify five (5) of resources for continuing spiritual

formation. A accordion file with a minimum for five (5) divisions is required.

2. Suggested categories of resources for continuing spiritual formation include but are not limited to the following

topics and must be labeled: Books, Music, Nature, Family, Friends, Sabbath and Sabbathkeeping, Prayer,

Meditation, Fasting, Study, Simplicity, Solitude/Silence, Submission, Service, Social Justice, Prophetic

Peacemaking, Celebration, Confession, Guidance, and Worship.

3. In each category, the student MUST identify two (2) resources for continuing spiritual formation that relate to that

category and a tangible expression of each resource. Each resource for continuing spiritual formation for all five (5)

categories will be accompanied by a typewritten sheet to explain the history (How long has it been a resource: How did

it become a resource?), substance (Why is it a resource?) and application (How is it a resource?) of each resource.

G. SERVICE LEARNING PROJECT: The student will choose one aspect of the agenda of Jesus as articulated in

Luke 4:14-21 to be offered as true service in a local context and then prepare a double-spaced, typewritten summary of

that service learning project to be submitted on the assigned date at the start of class. The summary must include the

following components: (a) what aspect of the agenda of Jesus was chosen to be offered as true service; ( why that

aspect of the agenda of Jesus was chosen to be offered as true service; © who was chosen as the recipient of true

service; (d) how/why was the recipient chosen to receive true service; (e) what was the true service rendered; (f) what

was the outcome of the true service; and (g) what characteristic of true service was most difficult to offer. Project reports

and due prior to the start of class on September 7.

H. EXTRA CREDIT BOOK CRITIQUE: The Great Awakening: Reviving Faith & Politics in a Post-Religious Right

America by Jim Wallis. This option can be worth 10% of the final grade and is due prior to the start of class on December

7. Book review guidelines are on D2L. Books may be purchased in the Main Office of the Moseley Complex.

I. TEXTBOOKS

[1] Handouts

[2] Foster, Richard - The Celebration of Discipline (COD)

[3] Morgan, Douglas (ed.) - The Peacemaking Remnant (TPR)

[4] Mullholland, Robert - Invitation to a Journey (ITJ)

[5] White, Ellen - Steps to Christ (STC)

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

Oakwood Spiritual Formation, cont.

Class Syllabus Page 4

COURSE EVALUATION

Grading System

Group Presentations (as assigned) 12.5%

Service Learning Project (September 7) 12.5%

Retreat (October 14-16) 12.5%

Spiritual Autobiography 12.5%

Spiritual Resource Portfolio (December 5) 12.5%

Weekly Reading Reports (every Monday) 12.5%

Weekly Practice of the Spiritual Disciplines (every Monday) 12.5%

Weekly Steps to Christ Worksheets (every Wednesday) 12.5%

____________

100%

COURSE CALENDAR

Week 1 W: Overview of Syllabus/ "What's Acceptable, What's Possible"

Week 2 M: COD: Chapter 1

Week 2 W: Pod Configurations; STC1 - "God's Love for Man" and TPR 1

Week 3 M: ITJ: Prologue, Section Introduction & Chapters 1-4

Week 3 W: Pod Presents (PP): STC - "The Sinner's Need of Christ: and TPR2

Week 4 M: Labor Day Observed - No Class

Week 4 W: Service Learning Project Presentations and TPR3

Week 5 M: ITJ: Section Introduction and Chapter 8

Week 5 W: PP: STC3 - "Repentance" and TPR4

Week 6 M: ITJ: Chapter 9

Week 6 W: PP: STC4 - "Confession" and TPR5

Week 7 M: ITJ: Chapter 10

Week 7 W: PP: STC5 - "Consecration" and TPR6

Week 8 M: COD: Chapter 4

Week 8 W: PP: STC6 "Faith and Acceptance" and TPR7

Week 9 M: "Sabbath/Sabbathkeeping" Handouts

Week 9 W: PP: STC7 "The Test of Discipleship" and TPR 8

Week 10 M: COD: Chapter 6

Week 10 W: PP: STC8 "Growing Up Into Christ" and TPR9: Bates & Amadon

Week 11 M: COD: Chapter 7

Week 11 W: PP: STC9 "The Work and the Life: and TPR9: White & Jones

Week 12 M: COD: Chapter 8

Week 12: W: PP:STC10 "Knowledge of God" and TPR9: White & Jones

Week 13: M: COD: Chapter 9

Week 13: W: PP:STC11 "The Privilege of Prayer" TPR9: GC Letter & GC Statement

Week 14 M: COD: Chapter 10-11

Week 14 W: PP:STC12 "What to Do With Doubt" and TPR9: SDA Call to Peace

[Gail]

Originally Posted By: Stan

Ted Wilson was talking about Spiritual Formation that was based on Mysticism, not Spiritual Formation that is based on the Bible..

Just to reiterate this important distinction

Me3 on that one! There is plenty in the Bible for us to chew on

[Gail]

Re: Catholic sources

I have personally seen a mainstream book promoting prayer as outlined by Ignatius Loyola (the Jesuit founder and mystic). It was given to my husband as a gift at his workplace. We have no idea who gave it to him. I forwarded it to the dept of Education in our Conference with a complaint, saying that I could not conscientiously have it in the home. I did review it first and from that concluded that it was not for us.

Mysticism has been around the Catholic church for a long time. That is no secret. It's just that it has, from what I've seen, traditionally not been part of the protestant denominations.

I was first made aware of this SF practise not through Adventists, but by Roger Oakland, who is evangelical, I believe. His view is that mainstream Christianity is headed even further, toward accepting the Eucharist.

[olger]

Thanks for that insight, GAil. I believe that Roger's prediction is correct.

g

[Naomi]

Perhaps I am being dense ... was this a book published or promoted by our conference or book center?

No doubt Roger Oakland is spot on! We have choices, we can be followers of Christ or followers of the world.

[Gail]

Perhaps I am being dense ... was this a book published or promoted by our conference or book center?

No doubt Roger Oakland is spot on! We have choices, we can be followers of Christ or followers of the world.

Naomi, the book that was given to Russ was a mainstream Christian book, not one from an Adventist publisher. It was a gift that he received at the school, but like I said, neither of us know who put it in his box at Christmastime.

I gave it to the Education office to make them aware.

[Gail]

Besides what has come my way through work I don't know how this issue is progressing through the mainstream Christian arena. I do know that when I look through the catalogues we receive it is definitely THERE.

My dilemma is how do I decide how much of what is termed "spiritual formation" is of this current movement and how much of it we can reinterpret according to the truth we know.

[Gail]

Here is an example:

I ordered in some CEB, the new Common English Bible. According to the translators' note many denominations were consulted and they even list Seventh-Day Adventists as among those whom they considered to be accepting of the translation (besides Protestants and Catholics).

Now, they are quite new and I don't know yet much about the translation yet(John317, you probably have some insight here). I do know, though, that it is an easy read and it has been promoted by Dwight Nelson. That is why I pushed to have some brought in.

The one I purchased has various reading plans, VERY GOOD reading plans, I must say. I loved it!!

Then I came to an area with Christian Disciplines. The section included all the related topics that we as Adventists accept as Biblical, prayer, memorization, etc. I was really excited with it even more, until I bumped into, Lectio Divina.

I read through that, and although I have no trouble with the concepts of the four words of this practise- read, meditate, pray and contemplate, how they are interpreted will affect what the Bible reader does with that information.

[Gail]

I explained this to my colleagues and now we don't carry that particular model of CEB. I think it is a shame in a way, because the methods of the Christian walk (besides the Lectio Divina) that were presented were excellent. Someone who is a mature or more knowledgeable Christian will just turn the page and not bother with it. To me, the good that IS in there outdoes the other.

But because it is an easy-reading translation, one likely to be purchased by and for new believers or young believers, I would not myself personally recommend the disciplines in those Bibles. I would at LEAST give a customer a disclaimer

And of course a Catholic believer will not see anything wrong with it. We do sell Bibles to all flavours of Christians. Even an Adventist who does research will buy a Catholic translation.

But it goes to show how important dialogue is with our customers. If they come in asking for a particular item that is one thing. They know what they want. If they are shopping around it is prudent to give some options.

[JoeMo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQNZqV34WBY&feature=related

I watched as much of this video as I could.

Some feedback:

1. He spoke of formulae that these teachers were giving for praying, meditating, communion, etc. IMO, there is no formula. Praying is between an individual and God. I agree with that part of it.

2. I agreed with some of the stuff this guy said, but had problems with most of his criticisms.

3. I was so upset by some of the stuff this guy was saying, I stopped watching about 2/3 of the way through the video. I read the remainder of posts concerning this thread and noticed the subtle condemnation of those who defend some parts of SF, so I will discretely abstain from any further feedback on this subject. I've taken enough criticism on this and other posts recently on other threads, that I'm pretty much done for now. If you think SF is from satan, don't practice it. I will continue practicing directed meditation and contemplative prayer by visioning Jesus in my mind's eye. asking Him questions; and "listening" for His answers. I will apply Isaiah 8:20 to any "feedback" I get.

I've stated before that I am convinced that my relationship with God is far more important than my relationship with a man-made denomination. I have studied the 28 Fundamentals of our church (thanks to a loving confrontation by a brother here on CA); and I believe I am firmly grounded in those 28 Fundamentals. I don't need the extra-curricular cultural propaganda being spread on this thread or elsewhere.

As far as this thread goes, I'm outta here - over and out.

[Naomi]

Thank you Gail for the information. I have always been careful to shop for my reading material at ABC as opposed to other Christian Book Stores. I have always believed that we would not have books and materials sold in our stores if they were not acceptable material.

[olger]

I much appreciate Ted Wilson.

Thanks,

g

[Naomi]

[John317]

Ted Wilson was talking about Spiritual Formation that was based on Mysticism, not Spiritual Formation that is based on the Bible..

Yes, true. The other videos are talking about the same things-- things that are opposed to the Bible and the Spirit of prophecy. Why are they talking about it? Is the SF based on Mysticism somewhere within the SDA Church-- or is Ted Wilson and the others giving a false alarm?

[John317]

I ordered in some CEB, the new Common English Bible. According to the translators' note many denominations were consulted and they even list Seventh-Day Adventists as among those whom they considered to be accepting of the translation (besides Protestants and Catholics).

Now, they are quite new and I don't know yet much about the translation yet(John317, you probably have some insight here).

What's the name of the publisher of the CEB?

Thanks for telling me about it. I don't have this translation and I haven't seen it yet, but I will definitely get it.

[John317]

...I read the remainder of posts concerning this thread and noticed the subtle condemnation of those who defend some parts of SF, so I will discretely abstain from any further feedback on this subject. I've taken enough criticism on this and other posts recently on other threads, that I'm pretty much done for now.

There's Bible based SF and then there's the SF that is based on-- or involves-- Mysticism. No one here is opposed to Bible based prayer and meditation. What I'm trying to find out is whether-- or to what extent-- spiritualism and mysticism are coming into the SDA Church through some forms of Spiritual Formation.

I would like to know what you think-- or anyone else thinks-- about this issue.

[John317]

...Mysticism has been around the Catholic church for a long time. That is no secret. It's just that it has, from what I've seen, traditionally not been part of the protestant denominations.

I was first made aware of this SF practise not through Adventists, but by Roger Oakland, who is evangelical, I believe. His view is that mainstream Christianity is headed even further, toward accepting the Eucharist.

No question in my mind about it.

I first heard the communion service called "the Eucharist" about 1994 at the Loma Linda University Church where I was a member. I also heard the same senior pastor there say in a sermon that the Catholic Church is not Babylon. He told me personally that he does not believe in Ellen White's view of last-day events as described in the book, The Great Controversy. At the very time he said this, the University Church was giving out The Great Controversy, and members there told me that they don't accept what the serior pastor said in his sermon.

[Gail]

What's the name of the publisher of the CEB?

Thanks for telling me about it. I don't have this translation and I haven't seen it yet, but I will definitely get it.

I am not sure... But ask for it at your nearby ABC. We get it from Ingram (distributor)

[JoeMo]

John,

SF taken from current New Age practices of TM and contemplation (emptying and blanking out of the mind) is NOT biblical. SF based on directed meditation of the Word of God and Jesus (who is the Word made flesh) is Biblical. I have no problem with picturing Jesus (or God )in one's mind while you are praying, dipping ones bread in wine (grape juice) during Communion, and contemplative prayer (listening in a quiet place for God's voice) is also OK with me.

If it's not OK with others, they probably shouldn't practice it. Me experience with it has been positive. Many times others have offered me unsolicited confirmation of the things I have "heard" and "seen" from God; and, as I have journaled my questions to Him and His response, real life has frequently confirmed what I have journaled.

Blessings and

JoeMo

[John317]

I ordered in some CEB, the new Common English Bible. According to the translators' note many denominations were consulted and they even list Seventh-Day Adventists as among those whom they considered to be accepting of the translation (besides Protestants and Catholics).

Now, they are quite new and I don't know yet much about the translation yet(John317, you probably have some insight here). I do know, though, that it is an easy read and it has been promoted by Dwight Nelson.

Here's the CEB online, along with publisher's information about it:

http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/Common-English-Bible-CEB/

Interestingly, the CEB translation of Gen. 1: 2 is "God’s wind swept over the waters—"

While that is grammatically possible, it is certainly not in line with SDA and SOP understanding of Gen 1: 2.

"The Spirit of God moving over the waters--" is also a perfectly good and accurate translation of that verse.

[John317]

Rudywoofs, thanks very much for those posts you gave us showing the Class Syllabus for the spiritual formation course taught at Oakwood University.

I am also interested in hearing from anyone who has taken that course or a similar course at any of our schools.