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CS/TS 650 Theological Foundations of Christian Spirituality THEOLOGY OF PERSON

CS/TS 650 Theological Foundations of Christian Spirituality THEOLOGY OF PERSON

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Page 1: CS/TS 650 Theological Foundations of Christian Spirituality THEOLOGY OF PERSON

CS/TS 650 Theological Foundations of Christian Spirituality

THEOLOGY OF PERSON

Page 2: CS/TS 650 Theological Foundations of Christian Spirituality THEOLOGY OF PERSON

THE IMAGE OF GOD

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Then God said, “Let us make man (a human, humankind) in our image according to our likeness,

that they may rule the fish of the sea, and the birds of the sky, and the cattle, and all the earth, and all creeping things that creep on the earth.” So God created man in his image, in the image of God he

created him: male and female he created them. (Gen 1:26-27, Wenham)

“In chapter 5, ם ָד9 is used without the article as a ָא9personal name “Adam,” but from 4:1 and 4:25 it is

evident that even with the article “Adam” may be the better translation.” (Wenham, 32)

HUMANS AS THE IMAGE OF GOD

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A Transcendent Being – prior to, distinct from, not dependent on anything or anyone, and not contained within time or space

A Dynamic Being – God’s life is an explosion of activity (active and interactive), both within his being and in his actions Emphasizes God’s presence and involvement with his

creation Sustains and abides with his creation in order to fulfill his

purposes for it This describes the immanence of God

Absolute Goodness reflected in holiness and love as well as justice and righteousness

WHO IS GOD?

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If being made in God’s image implies a resemblance or a likeness between humans and God, we should find each one of those divine traits reflected in his human counterparts (Gilbert Bilezikian) The Image of Transcendence

Humans cannot be said to be transcendent beings Humans are different from and above the rest of creation Humans have “personhood” as God has “personhood” Humans were created to rule over all other living beings (vice-

regents) Reflects, however remotely, something of the “otherness” and

transcendence of God

WHAT IS THE IMAGE OF GOD?

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The Image of a Dynamic Being God in community created humans for community Reproduction Production Call to vocation

The Image of Absolute Goodness “Be ye holy as I am holy” “Love one another as I have loved you”

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Rationality – capacity to reason and speakMorality – ability to tell right from wrongAesthetic Awareness – power to appreciate creation

and beautyVolition –ability to chooseReligious Capacity –ability to worshipRelational Mutuality – interpersonal natureFunctionality - dominion

IMAGO DEI (B&H)

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Human Dependency vs. God’s Transcendency Human need for food Human need for shelter Human need for others

Human Mortality vs. God’s Dynamic CharacteristicHuman Corruptibility vs. God’s Absolute Goodness

LIMITS OF THE IMAGE

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Disrupted the Image of God Shame Nakedness The pain of exposure was intolerable

Disrupted Communion with God Hiddenness Fear Alienation

SIN ENTERED THE WORLD

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Disrupted Community of Oneness Lost intimacy Abandonment Isolation

Disrupted Physical EnvironmentDisrupted Social Environment

Violence Greed Sex

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Broken interpersonal relations with God, other humans one-on-one, and social engagement or community

Sin – a pervasive human condition (Chan) The flesh – the sin within us The world – the sin around us The devil – the sin beyond us

Sins (Chan) Sins of the mind (evil thoughts) Sins of attitude (envy, hatred) Sins of speech (slander, gossip) Sins of action (theft, murder)

THE IMAGE OF SIN

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2 Cor 4:4 – the glory of Christ, who is the image of God

Col 1:15 – the image of the invisible God Jn 1:14 – the Word made flesh Jn 1:18 – the only begotten GodHeb 1:3 – exact representation of [God’s]

beingTo look closely at Christ is to see at last

what a real human being looks like

THE IMAGE RESTORED BY “THE IMAGE”

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Two parts? Holistic Dualism Augustine, Tertullian, Aquinas, Luther Cracked pots (clay jars) containing treasure (glory of God) –

2 Cor 4:7 Affl icted – not crushed Perplexed – not despairing Persecuted – not forsaken Struck down – not destroyed Carrying the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may be

visible Outer Nature vs. Inner Nature (2 Cor 4:16)

Outer – wasting away Inner – renewing daily

THE MYSTERY OF PERSONHOOD

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Three parts? Functional Trichotomy – Dt 6:4-5; Mt 22:37 Body (or Might) Soul (or Mind) Spirit (or Heart)

Four parts? – Lk 10:27One whole– with various levels of existence or

interactive distinctions The Great Chain of Being (Benner)

THE MYSTERY OF PERSONHOOD

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MatterLifeMindSoul Spirit

The Nesting of the Levels of Existence

THE GREAT CHAIN OF BEING

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Matter is from the “dust of the earth”Life (breath)

Life comes to matter and is not independent of it Matter is then enlivened

Mind Includes life and matter but is neither reducible to nor

explainable by either Transcends both Consciousness, thought, memory, will, imagination, and

emotion

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Soul The reflective space between us and the events of our lives. A way of living with fuller consciousness Brings depth and vitality

Spirit “The fire in our belly” Ignites, moves, and animates Gives energy to live life to the full Calls us beyond our self Points us toward our source and our destiny, toward the place

wherein we most deeply belong Driven by deep longings that point toward Absolute Spirit

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Spiritual guides and practitioners usually operate with a limited vision of developmental possibilities and a

modest or nonexistent understanding of the transformational potential of the encounters with the Transcendent that are a part of life experiences. The

default focus in these situations is helping the other be a good Christin (or good adherent to his or her

tradition). But for Christians, this confuses growth in holiness (or a deepening personal relationship with

God) with spiritual growth—the two being related but not identical.

DAVID BENNER WRITES…

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Authentic spiritual growth will always make us more deeply human, more fully alive, more authentic, and

much more. It will not simply be reflected in more conformity to religious standards or ideals. Far too easily we settle for holiness rather than wholeness,

conformity rather than authenticity, becoming spiritual rather than deeply human, fulfi llment rather than

transformation, and a journey toward perfection rather than union with God. Far too often we confuse our own

spiritual self-improvement tinkerings with the much more radical agenda of the Spirit of God.

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The call of the Spirit—which is always gentle and therefore easily missed—is an invitation to abandon

our self-improvement projects that are, in reality, little more than polishing our false self and become the

unique hidden self in Christ that we have been from all eternity. The call of the Spirit is always a call to return home, to settle for no other habitation or identity than that of being in Christ and knowing the reality of Christ

in us.

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An enduring expansion of consciousness that expresses itself in four ways: Increased awareness A broader, more inclusive identity (sense of self) A larger framework for meaning-making (how we

understand and make sense of our self, others, God, and the world)

A reorganization of personality that results in a changed way of being in the world

WHAT IS TRANSFORMATION?

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Genuine transformation is not simply the result of self-directed eff orts at change.

It is not simply the result of either maturation or life circumstances.

Although we have a role in making it possible, transformation is more a gift than an achievement.

Transformation involves a reorganization and realignment of personality that results in a changed way of being in the world.

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Genuine transformation is a change process that is not under our control.

Unlike growth, transformation is impeded by eff ort, but it is facilitated by consent.

If change is to come in the deep places of our self, it must come from some point beyond our self.

Attempts to make transformation into a self-improvement project simply strengthen the false self.

When this happens, the truth of our being becomes even more distant from us.

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JesusM a r k 9 : 2And after six days, Jesus took Peter, James, and John and took them up onto a high mountain alone, privately. And he was transformed before them, 3and his garments became radiant, exceedingly white, such as no cloth refi ner on earth is able to whiten in this manner. 4And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking to Jesus. 5And Peter, answering, said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; thus, let us make three tabernacles, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Eli jah.” 6For he did not know what he might answer, for they became terrifi ed. 7And a cloud came covering them, and a voice came from the cloud, “This is my beloved Son, listen to him.” 8And, suddenly, after looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus alone.

BIBLICAL TRANSFORMATION

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JesusRe v 1 : 1 2Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands,  1 3and in the midst of the lampstands I saw one like the Son of Man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash across his chest.  1 4His head and his hair were white as white wool, white as snow; his eyes were like a fl ame of fi re, 1 5his feet were like burnished bronze, refi ned as in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of many waters.  1 6 In his right hand he held seven stars, and from his mouth came a sharp, two-edged sword, and his face was l ike the sun shining with full force.  1 7When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he placed his right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the fi rst and the last,  1 8and the living one. I was dead, and see, I am alive forever and ever; and I have the keys of Death and of Hades.

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1 Cor 15:47The fi rst man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. 49Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.

WE WILL BE TRANSFORMED

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MosesEx 34:29Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. 30When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him. 31But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them. 32Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. 

THERE IS AN “ALREADY/NOT YET” TRANSFORMATION

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33When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; 34but whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he would take the veil off , until he came out; and when he came out, and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, 35the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

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2 Cor 3 :7Now if the ministry of death, chiseled in letters on stone tablets, came in glory so that the people of Israel could not gaze at Moses’ face because of the glory of his face, a glory now set aside, 8how much more will the ministry of the Spirit come in glory?  9For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, much more does the ministry of justification abound in glory! 10Indeed, what once had glory has lost its glory because of the greater glory; 11for if what was set aside came through glory, much more has the permanent come in glory!

WHO BRINGS ABOUT TRANSFORMATION?

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12Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, 13not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. 14But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside.  15Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; 16but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 

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17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected (or beheld) in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.

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God comes to us disguised as our life If we fail to be open to the flow of our life and the

gifts it brings, we cannot be genuinely open to God If we are open, God will introduce into it the grace

that we need to grow up into the fullness of our true self-in-Christ

This may come in the form of experiences that we might never have chosen but which hold the possibility of helping us awaken

This is the journey of becoming (Benner)

HOW CAN WE PARTICIPATE WITH THE SPIRIT?

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In Chan Practicing the Presence of God

Recollection The Jesus Prayer The Church Calendar The Book of Providence

Conformity to the Will of God Immersion in Scripture Acknowledgment of God Learning Obedience

Fidelity to Grace Self-Examining Prayer

SPIRITUAL EXERCISES

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In Boyer and Hall – “Counsel from the Desert” Cultivate Sacred Space in the Midst of a Busy World

Consistent space in which prayerful, worshipful reflection can occur Consistent space in which steady, measured meditation and

immersion in the Scripture is supported and sustained Consistent space in which the disciple can deal with issues,

distractions, and habits that squelch worship rather than nurture it Spaces could include

A chapel A private study A bench by a lake A closet A walk

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Develop Self-Awareness through Discipline Encountering God in disciplined, life-giving worship ignites a

fundamental Movement from self-deception to self-awareness Movement aimed at developing a deep knowledge of both who we are and who

we are called to be in Christ Foster the Conscious Imitation of Praiseworthy Models Grow in Humility and Other Virtues that Support Theological

Insight Put on love Practice the “one anothers”