“The church, like Peter, is both a stumbling block and a cornerstone. It is the latter only when it is consciously contrite for being, and having been, the former.”
Gil Baile
I can only provide a personal answer to this question.
I practice spiritual as one seeks relationship with the divine in the Way of Jesus, and while I am continually enriched and helped by the insights and practices of faiths other than big tent Christianity, most of my practice is rooted within a broadly Christian however, it is my sense that:
- To enter the spiritual life, a person needs to deeply plumb the depths of his or her chosen path, with integrity and fidelity and healthy/appropriate response,
- The spiritual life requires good-will, dialogue, and a spirit of learning and appreciation between members/adherents of different traditions.
This plays out very specifically in my life. I walk in the Way of the Christ — a Post-Protestant Post-Evangelical, active in Quest, a Christ-commons in metro-Seattle. I am also committed to interfaith dialogue, and regularly participate in the practices of other traditions. I am especially indebted to Buddhism and Neo-paganism an Celtic faith as helpful guides in my own journey.
I know for some people this may raise deep and disturbing theological questions. I do not try to reconcile all the theological and philosophical differences between the different faiths I explore. Rather, I seek learn from the strengths of each with the understanding that all truth is ultimately God’s truth. I make it my goal to trust God to lead me to recognize spiritually valuable lessons and practices wherever I may find them.
I see no contradiction between loving Christ and learning from other traditions, as long as those traditions do not ask me to renounce my allegiance to Christ or to participate in any unjust or unloving behavior.
I believe that my sincere willingness to engage in dialogue differing traditions has strengthened my love for Christ and has deepened my Christian faith, making my faith more alive, more vibrant with a sense of God’s love and awe for Him.
So back to the question at hand. May people who do not define themselves as Christians explore the process of Spiritual Direction? The answer is yes. Spiritual Direction is for anyone who wishes to enter into a deepening, love-centered relationship with the Holy. So I’ve written these pages as a gift to all people, Christian and others alike. For Christians, it will have the familiarity of their home path. For those of other traditions, I hope these pages will speak to Divine love in a way that is useful and applicable to spirituality in a universal and inclusive way — and I hope “non-Christians” will appreciate learning about a beautiful aspect of Christianity.
I offer this introduction to Spiritual Direction with no attempt to “water it down” or to make it less Christian. It’s a Christian process, arising out of the beauty of two thousand years of mystical and contemplative tradition. Many people have been wounded by Christianity, and those persons may find the Christ-language in this web-site threatening. I am sorry, and I wish healing for all who have been abused by unloving Christians. Watering down this introduction to Spiritual Direction would not necessarily help persons wounded by Christianity find what they really need, which is a way to connect to Divine healing that works for them — whether that connection is Christian or not.
I know that Christ is the God of Love, and I offer this specifically Christian process to all who are able to discern the love within — whether their home path is Christianity, or some other tradition devoted to the heart of Divine Love.
All are welcome here!
peace, dwight
