Introduction to spirituality

Introduction to Spirituality

Dr. Gilberto Cavazos-González, OFM
Professor of Spirituality
Unless otherwise noted all images used in this presentation
are public domain and found on Wikimedia Commons.

Before you continue this
review of the definition of
Spirituality think about the
following …

What is Spirituality?
What makes it Christian?
Image is my own
© Gilberto Cavazos-G (2012)

Understanding Spirituality

I often ask people at my presentations,
classes or retreats to do the previous
exercise individually and then in groups. It
surprises me how few people actually
think of spirituality as having something
to do with spirit and yet the word begins
with spirit.


 More often than not people speak of spirituality
as having to do with relationship; relationship
with God, the sacred, divinity or some higher
power; relationship with self; relationship with
neighbor and finally relationship with creation.

 Many people also associate spirituality with
finding meaning in life or developing a world
view. A few people talk about spirituality and
the move from interiority to exteriority.

 Christians often use religion and/or religious
experience as part of their definitions. Some people
insist on being spiritual and not religious, which I
consider an impossibility. Personally I think of a
spirituality as the heart of a religion, faith or way of
life. Spirituality nurtures religion and religion
develops and forms spirituality. Spiritual people
may not be part of an institutionalized religion but
they cannot help being religious. Religiosity, and
religion like spirituality are all ultimately about
relationship.

A Christian Definition
Although the word “spirituality” never
appears in the Old or New Testaments for
Christians spirituality is biblically defined as
“life in the s/Spirit” with all of life‟s internal
and external reality and relationships.

* By s/Spirit I am
referring to both
the human spirit
and the Holy Spirit

Which spirit?
 If spirituality is life in the spirit or better life
guided by the spirit, the question remains…
 Which spirit is doing the guiding.
– Is it your human spirit?
– The Holy Spirit?
– A political or team spirit
– Demonic spirits
– Etc. etc.
 Let’s consider the history of the term…
For more information follow hyperlinks underlined in light blue.


The Term

 Hebrew Scripture: ruah
 Christian Scripture:
pneuma; pneumatikos
 Latin root: spiritus; spiritualis
 Pauline spirituality:
Christians are “pneumatic”


The Term


The Term
 The term “spirituality” in English has been
around for about 70 to 80 years and has
slowly entered popular language since the
late 1950s. “Espiritualidad” in Spanish and
other Romance languages has been around
since the 1500s but those words have only
recently become popular.
 Spirituality and espiritualidad have the
same Latin root: spirare. Spirit (the noun)
comes from the verb to breathe or to blow.

The Term

 Spirare becomes spiritus
which is the translation of the Greek
pneuma (air-filled). Pneuma in turn
translates the Hebrew ruah, which means
air or breath (of life).
 For early Christians this ruah was the
Spirit of God that filled their own spirit,
and as such all Christians are pneumatikoi
or spiritualis.

The Term

 All Christians are called to be
“filled with the Holy Spirit.” And so, Bp
Faust in the 5th century writes we need to
“age ut in spiritualitate proficias” (“then
act [so as to grow] in spirituality”).
 Spiritualitas or spiritualitatis is a Christian
word coined to speak of our life in the
Spirit of God.

History of the Term
 The word spiritual (pneumaticos) was used by
Paul to speak of anything under the influence of the
Holy Spirit. 1 Cor 2:14-15. Paul speaks of the
pneumatic person as the one who is guided by the
Spirit of God, while the natural person is the one
who is not gifted with the Holy Spirit.
 Paul himself never spoke of spirituality
rather he spoke of Christian life as being
spiritual or (Holy) Spirit-filled.

Spiritus
 Theterm "Spirit" translates the Hebrew
word ruah, which, in its primary sense,
means breath, air, wind. Jesus indeed
uses the sensory image of the wind to
suggest to Nicodemus the transcendent
newness of him who is personally God's
breath, the divine Spirit. (CCC* 691)
 * Catechism of the Catholic Church


History of the Term
It is important to grasp that, in Pauline
theology, „Spirit‟ and „spiritual‟ are not
contrasted with „physical‟ or „material‟ (for
which the Greek word soma, in Latin corpus,
is the root) but rather with all that is opposed
to the Spirit of God (for which the word sarx,
in Latin caro, is used). (Sheldrake, 42)
List of soma and sarx used in the Christian Scripture.

“Spirituality refers to: 1) a
fundamental dimension of human
being; 2) the full range of human
experience as it is brought to bear
on the quest for human integration
through self-transcendence; 3) the
expression of insights about this
experience; 4) a disciplined study”
Michael Downey Understanding Spirituality 43.


“Spirituality is the corazón in
which the soul nurtures and
cares for both the spirit and the
corporality that make it a
person.”

Gilberto Cavazos-González, OFM. “Spirituality.” Miguel A.
De La Torre, ed. Hispanic American Religious Cultures, vol.
2. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO 2009, 756.


Describing Spirituality
I am a spiritualogian, (a theologian dedicated to the
study of spirituality). As I listen to people speak of
spiritual, I realize that when we use the word
“spirituality,” we are not always talking about the same
thing. There is no one definition of spirituality that will
satisfy everyone‟s personal or communal experience.
When speaking of spirituality, we are speaking in a
variety of understandings. Gustavo Gutierrez speaks of
three, Michael Downey speaks of four and I like to think
there are five ways in which we speak of spirituality.*
 *Based on the work of G. Moioli, Michael Downey, Gustavo Gutierrez, Sandra Schneiders, Joann
Wolski, Walter Principe, and Richard Woods

1) a fundamental dimension of human
being; 2) the full range of human
experience as it is brought to bear on
the quest for human integration through
self-transcendence; 3) the expression
of insights about this experience; 4) a
disciplined study”
Michael Downey Understanding Spirituality 43.


We can speak of spirituality
Ontologically: Homo Spiritualis
Fundamental dimension of being human
Experientially: Homo Viator
Life in relationship and growth
Classically: Homo Religiosus
Tradition and wisdom of a community
Scientifically: Homo Sapiens
Academic Study with subject and methods
Artistically: Homo Creativus
Grace/Discipline for wholistic formation

Four Understandings of Spirituality

Existential Classical Scientific
O 1. Tradition 1. Doctrine;
1. Experiential
N
2. Personal yet not theology; dogma
T 2. Conversion 2. Pneumatology
O individualistic 3. Hagiogrpahy
3. Direction
L 3. Communitarian; 4. Morality and
O 4. Charisms social and Mysticism
5. Asceticism and
G 5. Mystical inculturated
Prayer
I Union
4. Saints, Founders 6. Secondary
C
A and Schools that disciplines
7. Spiritual progress
L emphasis certain
and growth
values
Together they
are formational © Gilberto Cavazos-G (2012)

Spirituality is an Art
According to the Nahuatl, the Artist is the
True Theologian, because s/he can inspire,
move and lift us up in ways doctrine cannot.

Ask yourself:
–What makes a good artist?
–What does good art do for
the viewer?


Spirituality as an Art

 Like every artform
Spirituality requires talent
and training. If you want to
become a spirtitual master
you need to have and respect
both. Talent and training can
be seen as follows…


Talent Training
 Gift  Sacrifice
 Grace  Action
 Divine intervention  Human Endeavor
 Contemplation  Apostolic Activity
 Interior Life  Exterior Living

Receptive Active

Talent Training
Spirituality is a gift from God that requires study, practice
and discipline in order to be fruitful. It requires that the
practioner be both receptive and active, contemplative and
apostolic.
Spirituality is a self-implicating art that builds on the God-
given talents of the artist who apprentices him/herself to a
Master and a School in order to develop the skills at
his/her disposal. Such an artist will paint and study
painting till s/he becomes the painting itself.

Talent Training
In Christian Spirituality the Master is Christ, Jesus
and the School is the Church. The skills and
talents of the artist are the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
The painting in meant for God and neighbor. The
painting is the w/holiness of the artist.


My five understandings in relation to Downey’s four.
Michael Downey
Ontological: Homo Spiritualis
Spiritual
Experiential: Homo Viator Anthropology

Lived Spirituality
Classical: Homo Religiosus
Wisdom Traditions
Scientific: Homo Sapiens
Academic Discipline
Artistic: Homo Creativus

There are five ways to understand spirituality.
These are
1. Ontological: the fundamental Dimension of being
human as Homo Spiritualis (spiritual being)
2. Experiential: the lived experience of being in
relationship as an Homo Viator (being on the
way)
3. Classical: Cultural and Religious traditions
arising from the experience of being Homo
Religiosus (being in binding relationships)


The previous three are the most common
understandings people use to speak of spirituality,
but some people (scholars and mentors0 also think
of spirituality as

4. Scientific: an Academic Study with its own
subject and methods used by the Homo Sapiens
(being that seeks knowledge)
5. Artistic: Involves talent and training in a certain
school/movement by an Homo Creativus (being
that creates)

Before continuing consider the
following questions

 Who are you spiritually?
 How does your location affect your
spiritual life?
 What burning issues do you bring to
the spiritual life?


Christian Spiritual Life
 I believe that ultimately, spirituality is an art form
that requires the grace given us by God as well as our
desire to become spiritual masterpieces.
 For Christians Spirituality is about spiritual growth
and formation because in our baptism we are invited
to age ut in spiritualitate proficias (act so as to grow
in spirituality).

 I would like to list 12 things that I believe important
to the Christian Spiritual formation of many
contemporary audiences.

Guiding Principles of the
Based on the Work of Michael Downey, Understanding Christian Spirituality

1) Indwelling of the Most Holy Trinity
2) Finding God in the Cotidiano
3) Confidence in God’s Plan of Salvation
4) Communion with God’s household
5) Apostolic and Contemplative life
6) W/Holistically Christ-centered


Guiding Principles of the
7) Fidelity to reality
8) Justice, Peace and
the Stewardship of Creation
9) Interreligious & Multicultural Dialogue
10) Combat Narcissism,
Pragmatism, and Boredom
11) Signed with the Cross
12) Kerygmatic Evangelization


1. Indwelling of the Most Holy Trinity: Although
Christ-centered, the Disciple recognizes her/himself
not just as a follower of Jesus, the Son of God but
also a child of God the Father/Mother and one gifted
by the Holy Spirit. The Disciple dwells in the Triune
God and God in him/her.

2. Finding God in the Cotidiano: The Disciple
recognizes God everywhere and at every moment.
Though s/he cannot always focus her/his attention on
God, s/he is aware of God‟s presence and action in
the cotidiano. The cotidiano is the day in, day out
routine of life with all its ups and downs seen as
divinely infused.

3. Confident in God‟s Plan of Salvation: The Disciple
sees her/himself as the recipient of a long history and
tradition of God‟s action in the world (Plan of
Salvation). S/he knows that they have been
traditioned into the faith and in turn tradition others.

4. Communion with God‟s household: Good Disciples
are active members of the communion of Saints,
praying for the saints on earth and in purgation while
at the same time honoring and imitating the Saints in
heaven.


5. Apostolic and Contemplative life: Good Disciples live
the Apostolic Demands and Contemplative desires of
their lives in creative tension. They have an
intentional/intensive life of prayer that compels them
into Ministry/Social Action which in turns sends them
back to prayer (reflection, meditation and
contemplation).

6. W/Holistically Christ-centered: With Paul, the
Disciple can say “It is no longer I who live but Christ
who lives in me (in every part of me and in my every
moment). Christ-centeredness permeates the whole
Christian in her/his context.


7. Fidelity to Reality: Discipleship happens in reality; in
the here and now. Christian spirituality needs to be
informed by the Sacred Scripture, daily life, mass
media and other avenues to real life.

8. Justice, Peace and Stewardship of Creation: Good
disciples exercise both the spiritual and corporal
works of mercy, struggle for a more just and peaceful
world order as well as take care of the earth and sky.
Christian spirituality is socio-implicating in its
relationships and care for the other.


9. Interreligious & Multicultural Dialogue: Christian
Disciples are open to learning about God and life
from other religions and cultures. Discipleship
implies Inculturation of the Gospel; an inculturation
led and nurtured by God‟s own Spirit.

10. Combats Narcissism, Pragmatism, and Boredom:
Good disciples fight the 3 things that oppress
humanity most; the selfish behavior of narcissism,
the inhumanness of pragmatism and boredom which
leads to a multitude of sins.


11. Signedwith the Cross: The Christian Spiritual life
begins and ends with the cross of Jesus Christ and
every other cross. It allows the Spirit of God to take
the cross of human suffering and transform it into the
Sign of Glory in Resurrection to new life.

12. Kerygmatic Evangelization: Discipleship implies
being called and sent like the Apostles and early
Disciples. In both word and action the Christian
faithful of every denomination extend the invitation
of Christ to everyone they meet.


The Goal of the Christian Spiritual Life is
to grow in conformity to Christ, Jesus.

“See how God differs from humanity… The
Creator is always the same, but those who are
created must pass from a beginning and
through a middle course, a growth, and
progression. And it is for this progress and
increase that God has formed them, according
to the word of Scripture, “Increase and
multiply’” (Ireneaus of Lyons, Adv Hear., 4,11)


Sources
 Downey, Michael, Understanding Christian Spirituality (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist
Press 1997).
 Maddox, Randy, "Spirituality and Practical Theology: Trajectories Toward
Reengagement," APT Occasional Papers 3 (Spring 1999).
 McGinn, Bernard, “Introduction” in Bernard McGinn, John Meyendorff, and
Jean Leclercg [Eds.] Christian Spirituality: Origins to the Twelfth Century
(New York: Crossroad Publishing Company 1985) xv-xxiii.
 Secondin, Bruno, Spiritualità in dialogo. Nuovi scenari dell’esperienza
spirituale (Milano: Pauline 1997).
 Secondin, Bruno,”Introduzione generale” in Bruno Secondin and Tullo Goffi
[Edd.] Corso di spiritualità: esperienza – sistematica- proiezioni (Brescia:
Queriniana 1989).
 Sheldrake, Philip, Spirituality & Histroy: Questions of Interpretation and
Method (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books 1998).
 Cavazos-González, Gilberto, Beyond Piety The Christian Spiritual Life,
Justice and Liberation (Eugene OR: Wipf & Stock 2010).

Introduction to spirituality

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