Spiritual Formation: An Invitation to Drawing Near

In this final episode of the mini-series on forgotten doctrines of spiritual formation, Kyle explores the doctrine of sanctification. He highlights that while sanctification is not forgotten in the same way as the previous “forgotten doctrines,” it is often misunderstood and not properly grounded in scripture. Kyle emphasizes that sanctification is not a self-help project, but a work of God in us. He discusses the distinction between definitive sanctification and progressive sanctification, and the importance of ordering our understanding of salvation around Christ. Kyle also addresses the misconception that sanctification is solely about growth and emphasizes the need for a proper theology of holiness.

Books Mentioned:

Don Payne, Already Sanctified

Kyle Strobel, Jonathan Edwards’s Theology: A Reinterpretation

Kyle Strobel, Formed for the Glory of God: Learning from the Spiritual Practices of Jonathan Edwards

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Doctrine of Sanctification

06:23 Taking Sanctification for Granted

08:22 Reducing the Gospel to Justification

13:16 Definitive Sanctification vs. Progressive Sanctification

18:02 Sanctification as a Degreed Property

20:38 The Importance of a Theology of Holiness

22:36 Ordering Sanctification Around Christ

26:28 Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

29:16 Next Season: Spiritual Formation and the Church

In this conversation, Kyle discusses the doctrine of infusion as a forgotten doctrine of spiritual formation. He highlights the tendency in the spiritual formation discussion to be a-theological, and emphasizes the importance of theology being accountable to the lived experience of Christians. Infusion is the idea that true virtue in the Christian life comes from God and is infused into believers through the work of the Holy Spirit. Kyle explains that infusion protects Christian formation from Pelagianism and distinguishes between acquired virtue and supernatural virtue. He also addresses misunderstandings and misconceptions about infusion.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Forgotten Doctrines of Spiritual Formation

02:56 The Importance of Theology in Spiritual Formation

08:12 Understanding Infusion and Distinguishing Virtue

14:30 Addressing Misunderstandings of Infusion in Christian Formation

In this conversation, Kyle explores the forgotten doctrine of the beatific vision and its role in spiritual formation. He emphasizes that the beatific vision is not just a Roman Catholic doctrine, but a biblical one that is often neglected (even though it was standard in the history of Protestant theology). The beatific vision refers to the idea that in eternity, we will see God face-to-face as we will share in his glory. Kyle discusses how this vision is linked to intimacy, knowledge, and love, and how it shapes our understanding of spiritual practices. He highlights the importance of contemplation as a practice that allows us to set our gaze on God and be transformed by his presence.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Series Overview

02:58 The Beatific Vision as a Biblical Doctrine

09:17 The Perfection of Humanity in the Beatific Vision

15:24 Drawing Near to God in the Beatific Vision

19:23 The Beatific Vision as an Act of Love in God

24:10 The Role of Contemplation in Spiritual Formation

27:58 The Neglect of the Beatific Vision in Biblical Interpretation

In the episode I mentioned a free article I’ve written on the beatific vision. You can find that here.

I also mentioned the book Embracing Contemplation, edited by John Coe and myself. You can find that here.

Finally, I mentioned my work on Jonathan Edwards’s understanding of spiritual formation that includes a discussion of the beatific vision and contemplation. You can find that here.

In this conversation, Kyle discusses the forgotten doctrines of spiritual formation and the importance of integrating theology into the conversation. He emphasizes that our beliefs are systematically integrated and cannot be isolated from one another. Kyle explores the doctrine of theosis, which is about sharing in the divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4), and how it relates to spiritual formation. He argues that spiritual formation should be centered around God and His action, rather than focusing solely on our own efforts. Kyle also highlights the need to ground the gospel in relational and familial language, such as adoption and marriage.

The two articles I have written on this can be found here and here, and I talk about Edwards’s overarching view of salvation here.

The article I mentioned where my friend Joanna Leidenhag criticizes me can be found here.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Overview

02:28 The Systematic Integration of Beliefs

08:10 The Bloated Doctrine of Justification

13:19 Exploring the Doctrine of Theosis

19:05 Centering Spiritual Formation Around God

21:59 Grounding the Gospel in Relational Language

25:29 The Temptation to Reduce the Gospel

In this episode, Kyle discusses the different waves that have occurred in evangelicalism over the past 50 years through Trevin Wax’s recent article. He explores the history and development of this movement and its potential impact on the church. Kyle emphasizes the need for a theologically rich understanding of spiritual formation that begins with the Gospel and centers around Christ and the church. He encourages listeners to consider their own participation in the church, their home life, and their individual spiritual formation.

Trevin Wax’s Article can be found here.

My own response to Trevin’s article can be found here.

Steve Porter’s article about what is next in the spiritual formation conversation can be found here.

If you are interested in the early evangelical account of these things as I have explained them, you can see my book Formed for the Glory of God: Learning from the Spiritual Practices of Jonathan Edwards.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Personal Updates

06:25 The Three Waves of the Spiritual Formation Movement

13:20 The Fourth Wave: Emerging Spiritual Formation

18:24 The Need for Theological Spiritual Theology

24:30 The Need for Theological Ecclesiology

31:07 The Church as a Formative Community

35:00 Opening Our Hearts to God and His People

In this conversation, Kyle continues his discussion of the importance discontinuity in articulating continuity in spiritual formation. He emphasizes the need to start with discontinuity, recognizing the radical transformation that occurs in spiritual formation, only then making the move to continuity. We should, in other words, articulate natural formation within a framework of the supernatural, to avoid the errors of demonizing nature or alienating grace. Kyle uses the tension between the goodness of creation and the completeness of the Fall to explore the errors that can be made when folks over-emphasize or reduce one side of this tension. This leads him into a discussion of spiritual formation and psychological approaches, to advance a distinctively Christian integration.

Kyle mentioned “The Way of the Lamb” podcast, which can be found here.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and the Need for Proper Language in Spiritual Formation

06:18 The Theological Importance of the Fall

09:41 Avoiding Errors in Discussing the Fall and Creation

14:25 The Need for Integration of Psychology and Theology

29:31 The Role of God's Work and Human Agency in Formation

38:35 The Dangers of Worldliness and Reductionism in Formation

41:03 Invitation to Draw Near and Reflect on Personal Calling

In this conversation, Kyle discusses the difference between natural and supernatural forms of formation. He introduces the concept of continuity versus discontinuity in spiritual formation and emphasizes the need to start with discontinuity. Kyle explains that starting with continuity often leads to a generic account of personhood, maturation, and the God-world relationship, which can result in a reductionist and Pelagian view of formation. On the other hand, starting with discontinuity allows for a distinctively Christian understanding of formation that is grounded in divine revelation and the unique work of the Spirit. Kyle highlights the importance of union with Christ and the doctrine of infusion in spiritual formation.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction: Natural vs Supernatural Formation

05:50 The Infiltration of Naturalism in the Church

13:31 The Dangers of a Generic Account of Formation

27:18 Jesus' Focus on Reconciliation, not Formation

35:34 Becoming Fully Ourselves by Imaging God

Kyle delves into the nature and task of spiritual formation, with a focus on the dangers of Pelagianism. It explores the distinction between grace and moralism, emphasizing the importance of faith and the work of the Spirit in Christian formation.

Several books mentioned in this episode were:

The Grace of Christ - Augustine

Living in Union with Christ - Grant Macaskill

The Life of God in the Soul of Man - Scougal

Kyle reflects on a special episode featuring Dallas Willard's lecture on spiritual formation and the VIM formula. He compares his approach to Willard's and discusses the dangers of self-help and Pelagianism. Kyle emphasizes the need for a theological grounding in Christ and the Spirit's work in transformation.

In this episode, Kyle mentioned a book by Michael Stewart Robb called The Kingdom Among Us: The Gospel According to Dallas Willard.

In this episode, Kyle discusses the pressing issue of spiritual formation and pornography, expanding the discussion from our first “From the Vault” episode, which was a lecture by Dallas Willard. He explores the role of desire, rationality, and the impact of pornography on the human person. Kyle delves into the theological psychology of desire, the nature of sin, and the renewal of the mind in the context of spiritual formation.

The article that Kyle mentioned on Jonathan Edwards’s theological psychology can be found here.

Chapters

00:00 Exploring Spiritual Formation and Pornography

05:17 The Role of Desire in Theological Psychology

29:00 The Renewal of the Mind