Introduction
The section contains a study guide to the book Spiritual Quest.
The guides are prepared to accompany each chapter.
We suggest that you highlight the material for a chapter and so that it may be copied and reproduced in folded A4, landscape, to create an A5 booklet.
A reading group from the Congregation have used Spiritual Quest as part of their Spiritual journey. You will see that there are no notes for Chapter 2 … they got lost in space … why not write your own?
Please let us know if you use the material and how you found it.
Spiritual Quest
A Guide to a changing landscape
by
Thomas Hart
Edited
by
Paulist Press
ISBN 0-8091-3906-5
Spiritual
Quest
Chapter 1 The New Cosmology and Mystery
p7
 | not too long ago people believed that the earth was the center of the Universe |
| in 17th Century the Galileo and then Copernicus contradicted this view, supporting Aristotle from 4th BCE |
| Roman Catholic Church denied this and it was only the present Pope who apologised for this error |
p8
| The universe was like a giant watch with God, the clockmaker, now largely idle |
Our Present Picture of the Universe
| a new conception of the Universe now abounds |
p9
| The universe is now seen as immense and Earth an almost unnoticeable detail |
| The size of the Universe is beyond our understanding |
p10
| Recognition of Darwin as being correct |
| Humanity is made of the same material as the stars |
p11
| likely hood of intelligent life on other planets |
| moving from the macro view to the micro view down to atoms and their composition |
| atoms are alive |
| the mountains are alive |
p12
§ from microscopic to macroscopic level, it is all alive
§ the universe is similar to our own bodies comprising diverse components yet all in unity and interdependence
p13
§ every time we breathe, we take in a quadrillion atoms breathed by the rest of humanity within the last two weeks and more than a million atoms breathed personally by each person on earth
p14
§ in recent times Humanity has undergone a paradigm shift in the way we see the universe
§ 17th Century view was of a well ordered machine
§ now the universe is a universe in evolution
§ in the universe there is spontaneity and unpredictability along with regularity, as in the human story
§ nobody knows where it will end
p15
§ I see a lot of effects of God’s wisdom, astonishing harmony, breath-taking detail in human cell activity, the regularity of subatomic forces, the unspeakable breadth of the cosmos all hanging together: magnetism, chemistry, systems of life beginning and ending – all mixed with seemingly unanswerable questions and absurdities and apparently gratuitous cruelties: but after it all passes by, I choose [like Job] to submit, to surrender. I cover my mouth
§ we are religiously in transition
§ humanity is undergoing a major shift in our thinking about what lies at the base of reality, what we call God.
1. As your journey of life has progressed. education, wisdom, knowledge, experience, etc what has happened to your image of yourself in the scheme of things?
2. How has your image of God changed during your life?
3. Does the idea that the universe is an organism in balance and harmony appeal to you?
4. How does God fit into the Universe?
5. Where is heaven?
Spiritual Quest Chapter 3 What is Spirituality
p37
| a deep hunger in people for something more in life |
| secular culture has become interested in spirituality |
| a possible confusion and threat to traditional Christian people |
p38
| Can spirituality be defined? |
| belief in a higher power |
| a connection to all living things and to earth and the universe |
| etc |
p39
| our deepest desires and values, the very core of our being |
| a holy longing |
p40
| spirituality has to do with the soul or the core or the self |
| something to do with seeking a stronger relationship with a higher power |
| its about meaning, direction, values and connection to all things |
| it is our lived relationship with Mystery |
p41
| an alphabet of items for the spiritual life |
p42
| preface each item of the alphabet with how am I doing at …… |
p43 Spirituality and Religion
| the palm is spirituality and the fingers are religions |
| spirituality comes first and is religion's root |
| we can find the Mystery without going to Church |
| organised religion can be a help but it can also be a block |
p44
| how rules and traditions develop |
p45
| the role of the cat in worship |
| first the God, then the Dance, then the Story |
| The Religious Experience, eg the Garden of Eden or Jesus Christ |
| Then the Dance or the Ritual |
| Then the Story telling the original experience |
| And then the theology telling you what to make of it all |
p46
| What is God like? And how the way to find the answer became the God |
| introducing elements of the family of spirituality |
Franciscan Jesuit
p47
| today Spirituality is broadening out |
Native American Celtic
Buddhist New Age
| Spirituality remains religion's vital core |
| Spiritual Insights, Spiritual Practices and Complete Spiritualities |
| some elements pf spirituality are practised today for their own sake, eg meditation |
p48
| today we have to discern between insight and practices and complete spiritualities |
| the major religions of the world are complete spiritualities teaching a way of life |
p49
| a complete spirituality has three separate elements |
[1] An answer to the question of life's meaning
| a complete spirituality gives a set of values to live by, a sense of direction and a basis for hope |
p50
[2] A relationship with the Mystery
| eg God is our Salvation |
| God is the Creator |
| God is love |
| God is my shepherd |
| the I-Thou relationship |
| the need of the human soul |
p54
[3] A challenge to personal transformation
| we are stretched, demands made, we are stopped in our tracks, backsliding challenged |
| our view of the world is challenged |
| our view of society is challenged |
| spirituality must have an ethical element |
p55
| Christian spirituality is a personal relationship with God |
| Christian spirituality is lived in a community of persons called the Church |
| Christian spirituality is rooted in the activity and teaching of Jesus |
| Christian spirituality pushes us beyond mere survival and comfort and country |
| Christian spirituality pushes us towards hoping, loving and creating |
p56
| Christian spirituality integrates me and God |
Discussion
| Defining Spirituality for ourselves |
| Do you need a personal God in your Spirituality? |
| How does the alphabet of spiritual elements relate to your own life? |
| Can you think of examples of spirituality evident in peoples lives? |
| In the Glens and Kirriemuir Old Parish Church to what extent do we put the religious before the Spiritual |
| How can we promote the Spiritual? |
| Can we use elements of other spiritualities? |
Spiritual Quest Chapter 4
How can I tell if I am making progress in my spiritual life?
p57
| we are on a spiritual journey but are we on the right road? |
| how do we know if we are making spiritual progress? |
| how can we be sure that we are not worshipping ourselves instead of God? |
| how can we avoid constructing a soft spirituality? |
p59
Signs of Spiritual Progress
|
distinguishing between Religious Dogma and Spiritual Values |
|
what are the values around which spiritual people unite? |
|
the Fruits of the Spirit |
love
joy peace
patience
goodness kindness
faithfulness
gentleness self-control
expanded to encompass the great traditions
truthfulness
hopefulness acceptance
compassion
non-violence generosity
forgiveness simplicity
prayerfulness humility
p60
|
What are the signs of being on the right road? |
more hopeful simpler lifestyle more serene
more accepting practical faith more trusting
increased generosity more forgiving
less controlling more grounded in God
experiencing an ongoing change of heart
|
the journey is a journey of a lifetime |
|
an ideal calling us again and again to growth |
p62
Incorporating Elements from Other Traditions
| Gandhi's non violence |
| Native American attitudes to Creation |
| Buddhist meditation |
| Goddess views of the feminine |
| keeping our tradition and enhancing it not throwing it away |
p63
| keep one foot inside the tradition and let the other foot wander |
| can we use Buddhist meditation in Christian Prayer? |
| can we pray to Goddess as well as God? |
| Ignatius guided, use what enhances union with God and avoid what does not |
p64
| Christian Prayer is focused on God, through Jesus Christ |
| highlighting the work of Tony de Mello as inclusive of different traditions but for a Christian purpose |
p65
| all experts agree that the attainment of silence and attentiveness are crucial in prayer |
| test any spiritual idea or practice by its fruits |
| keep what helps us reach towards our goal of union with God and a life well lived and let go of the rest |
p66
Common Temptations of Spiritual Groups…
| temptations are attractions to beliefs or courses of action that pull us off the path of spiritual growth |
| spirituality is meant to promote the human good, both individual and collective |
| the Sabbath was made for human beings and not human beings for the Sabbath [Mk 2:27] |
p67
| thought control is wrong |
| be skeptical of ideologies that make the complicated simply either or situations |
| God's favourite colour is gray |
| be wary of schools of spirituality that teach that there is only one way - ie their way because there are far too many good people doing well on other paths |
| be wary of those who insist on blind obedience - always keep your own capacity to think |
| trust your experience |
| be wary of money, sex and power |
p68
| as far as leaders are concerned, remember that by their fruits shall you know them |
…and Individuals
| be wary of false quests like religious experiences |
| be wary of the quick fix |
| be wary of feeling one of the elect - holy, spiritual and saved |
| be wary of the magical and prayers that always get results |
p69
| and don't lose heart |
| In conclusion |
by their fruits you will know them
Love of God, self and neighbour
the Fruits of the Spirit
a spiritual guide
the human good, individual and common
Discussion
- What is your distinction between Religion and Spirituality?
- What harm, and what good, does organized religion achieve?
- How can you decide which spiritual source to use for your own spiritual journey?
- Can you identify any helpful elements from other Spiritual Traditions?
- How would you describe Spiritual Growth in yourself and in the Congregation?
- Any other issues from the Chapter ~ points of agreement, disagreement, discomfort, etc
Spiritual Quest Chapter 5
Jesus: Trailblazer, Window to the Mystery
p71
| just a first century rabbi who left a spiritual map? |
| similar to Gandhi, for example? |
| or is Jesus more than that and if he is, how would you describe him? |
| and how important is the description for your faith? |
p72
Jesus’ Life and Teaching
|
the depth and centrality of Jesus’ relationship with God |
|
Jesus teaches that God is gracious to all and we are all God’s children |
p73
|
Jesus lives so much for others and we should copy him |
p74
| doing God’s will is the heart of the spiritual life |
| people should share their goods |
| all barriers should be broken down and all people reconciled with one an other and with God |
p75
|
the spiritual genius of Jesus is to combine love of God |
with love of neighbour and love of self
o riches should be renounced
p76
| today’s global village of 1000 people |
60 people would have half the income
500 people would be hungry
600 would live in shanty towns
700 would be illiterate
p76
| Jesus says very little about sex |
| Jesus speaks against adultery as a breakdown of the marital covenant |
| was Jesus celibate? |
| Jesus gives us the norm for our expression of our sexuality ~ a love that is true |
p77
Jesus’ Death
| was the crucifixion the whole purpose of Jesus life? |
p78
| the reasons why Jesus was killed |
he was a threat to the established order
he spurned the religious and social norms
he attracted a great following
p79
Jesus’ Resurrection
| an essential part of the Jesus story |
| outside the pale of historical viability |
| the resurrection is an essential key to the Church’s existence |
| the resurrection is the cardinal Christian paradigm |
| a passage to a new life? |
p82
Jesus and the Mystery
| Jesus offers a call to personal growth as well as a way to solve the problems of humanity |
| In Jesus we see the power of a life beautifully lived |
| the Mystery of God is the deepest dimension of Jesus’ career |
| The Gospels reveal Jesus to us and balance the mistake of just looking to nature and creation to seek God |
| an interesting set of options and challenge for you to do some work, eg why is Jesus the Son of God? |
p83
What is the relationship between Jesus and God?
| If Jesus was indeed God, he could not fully experience humanity |
p84
| If Jesus is God, then Christianity ,must indeed be special but what about all the other Faiths of the world |
p85
| If God is so immense and such a great Mystery, how could Jesus be God? |
| The first three Gospels never call Jesus God |
p87
| All we need to do is accept that Jesus is God for us. |
| Jesus is a window into God and he gives God a human face |
p88
What is the “Salvation” Jesus offers?
| traditional view is that Jesus died for our sins |
p89
§ People say that Jesus offers “salvation” in the following ways…
he shows me who God is
he teaches me what God wants from me
he accepts me as I am and gently moves me to grow
he teaches union with God and loving relationships for all
he inspires with courage and hope in the face of suffering
he is the resource I call on when I am in need
he is my friend
he gives my life direction
he brings God nearer and gives God a human face
he promises real fulfillment in a life beyond this one
he started and still inspires the Christian Community
he has a programe which could solve the problems of the world
p90
| it was Paul and not Jesus who introduced the idea of dying for sin |
| Paul presents Jesus death as the greatest sacrifice |
| St Anselm, in the Middle Ages, introduced the idea of Jesus paying the sin of Adam |
p91
| the tide of theological opinion is turning away from the idea that Jesus died for sin |
| the sacrifice for sin idea is a metaphor and is just one way of understanding the life and death of Jesus |
| salvation means to live life in all its fullness |
Discussion
Spiritual Quest Chapter 6
Is a Relationship with the Mystery Possible for me?
p93
| we can relate to the God Jesus |
| we can relate to God through Jesus [God is present and active in Jesus; through Jesus we see God; in loving Jesus we love God] |
p94
| Acts 17:28 In God we live and move and have our being [Epimenides ~ Cretan poet ~ c600BC] |
| All things are in God or God is in all things |
p95
We experience God wherever we experience
goodness, beauty or depth
§ God is the source of all beauty, therefore beauty is of God
| seeing God in … |
p97
| when the ear of my ear awakes and the eye of my eye is opened I see into and through the depths |
| getting beneath the surface of things |
p98
| God is at once hidden and revealed |
| If God is in the depths of all reality then is God also in our own depths as well |
| the spiritual experiences of relationships |
p100
| Buddhist spirituality talks about mindfulness, ie being totally present |
p101
| wonder is the basis of life |
| modern life prevents us from seeing, hearing, feeling |
| contemplation merely gazes with no self interest |
| return to nature, slow down, be quiet; you will become aware of God with you, and the pieces will fall into place |
p102
We experience God wherever we come up against our Limits:
Our Smallness, Powerlessness,
Bafflement, Discontent, Mortality
| The pain of life |
p103
| God is within the pain, or hovering right round it |
| God in the relief through death |
p105
| often prayer is the only expression of love that we have for someone |
| all religion begins with the cry for help |
| it is in the good times and not the bad that we need to most work on our relationship with God |
| in the good times we forget about God and take everything for granted |
p106
| There is nothing in all of creation that is so like God as silence |
p108
| It may be that life itself, all of it – agony, ecstasy, sheer plod – borne and lived through, is God’s way of healing us |
We experience God wherever we feel an inner nudge toward doing the Good
| we experience God within ourselves prompting us to do good |
| our response to inner prompting is the direction of growth |
| reality somehow succeeds, by and large, in creating decent human beings |
p109
| my big question is how to be loving to my aged mother who is, to me, quite unlovable |
p110
| working through the daily realities of growth, differences, struggles within our family is a constant reminder of God |
| My relationship with my husband is an ongoing experience of God, both in our struggles and in our joys |