Christian Spirituality and Practices Quiz
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Questions and Answers

What does 'sentir' imply in the context of felt knowledge?

'Sentir' implies a deep, penetrating awareness of God's graces that encompasses the entire self, integrating intellect, feeling, and actions.

Explain the concept of 'Poverty of Spirit' and its significance.

'Poverty of Spirit' signifies complete dependence on God for fulfillment and happiness, fostering trust in God's provision for one's needs.

What are the three stages of the classic Christian Spiritual Journey?

The three stages are Purgation, Illumination, and Union, representing a process of purification, deeper understanding of faith, and unity with God.

How does holistic Christian Spirituality reflect an Incarnational view of God?

<p>Holistic Christian Spirituality sees God as actively present in all creation, encouraging believers to engage their whole being in life, mirroring Jesus's embodiment of human existence.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Describe the nature and purpose of Christian poverty as one of the Evangelical Counsels.

<p>Christian poverty involves desiring a deeper connection with God through detachment from material possessions, enabling a focus on spiritual rather than worldly needs.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is introjection, and how does it influence personal beliefs?

<p>Introjection is the process of incorporating the ideas or voices of authority figures into one's own beliefs, often shaping individual perspectives and actions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are inordinate attachments and why are they viewed as a spiritual vice?

<p>Inordinate attachments are distractions that hinder a person's relationship with God, preventing spiritual growth and closeness to the divine.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Explain the role of obedience in the context of the Evangelical Counsels.

<p>Obedience involves being true to one’s self and listening to the prompting of the Spirit, aligning one's actions with God's word.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the ‘fruits’ of the Dark Night experience?

<p>The fruits of the Dark Night include liberation from attachments, increased vulnerability, a new perspective on life, and enhanced resilience.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Describe the purpose of Centering Prayer.

<p>The purpose of Centering Prayer is to be fully present with God and to let go of distractions that hinder a deeper relationship with Him.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the four ‘R’s in Centering Prayer?

<p>The four ‘R’s are: Resist no thought, retain no thought, react to no thought, and return to the sacred word gently.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does non-duality differ from subject-object dualism?

<p>Non-duality posits that there is no separation between the subject (observer) and object (observed), while subject-object dualism maintains a clear distinction between them.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the concept of Kenosis in relation to God?

<p>Kenosis refers to God emptying Himself to become limited in human form, as exemplified by Jesus in the New Testament.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role does the Sacred Word play in Centering Prayer?

<p>The Sacred Word serves as a focal point to help individuals let go of distracting thoughts during prayer.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What feelings or experiences might indicate that Centering Prayer is effective?

<p>Feelings of peace, presence, and a gentle awareness of God suggest that Centering Prayer is effective.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of the Dark Night, how does one emerge after the process?

<p>After the Dark Night, an individual emerges refreshed, renewed, and more aligned with their true life path.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the phrase 'Every tree is known by its fruit' imply in a spiritual context?

<p>It suggests that a person's actions and behavior reveal their true character and relationship with God.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Define the theological virtue of hope.

<p>Hope is the strength to desire eternal life and the kingdom of heaven.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do the Fruits of the Spirit function in distinguishing between good and bad guidance in life?

<p>The Fruits of the Spirit, such as love and joy, lead to feelings of connection to God, while the works of the flesh, like jealousy, signify negative influences.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What value is embodied in moral norms when examining laws?

<p>Moral norms embody values that reflect principles of right conduct and ethics in society.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Explain the relationship between Eros and Agape in the context of the Two Gardens.

<p>Before the Fall, Eros existed in a pure form, while after the Fall, Eros became ordered by Agape which introduced issues like shame and mistrust.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How can chastity enhance human interactions and relationships?

<p>Chastity encourages respect for oneself and others, fostering healthier and more meaningful connections.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does cultivating a chastity that can be trusted mean?

<p>It represents creating an environment where vulnerability is safe, as demonstrated by Jesus and the sinful woman.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In what way can chastity act as a guiding force in the power dynamics of sexuality?

<p>Chastity allows individuals to thoughtfully direct their sexual energy, promoting self-control and clear decision-making.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the potential negative outcomes of repressing sexual energy in relationships?

<p>Repression can lead to issues like obsession, power imbalances, and diminished emotional connections.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How might the Christian virtue of chastity serve as a prophetic stance in today's society?

<p>Chastity challenges contemporary norms of eroticism, promoting love and respect in the face of societal issues like rape culture.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What signifies the 'Dark Night of the Soul' in spiritual terms?

<p>It is a phase where an individual experiences dryness in prayer and a lack of consolation in spiritual practices.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Identify and explain one of the three spirits that may visit during the Dark Night.

<p>The Spirit of Fornication implies idolatry, driving a person to seek personal gratification away from God.</p> Signup and view all the answers

List and briefly describe two major movements that occur during the Dark Night.

<p>These include a diminishing of consolation in both spiritual and everyday life, and a desire for simple love of God without the distractions of prior spiritual practices.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'oscura' signify in the context of the Dark Night?

<p>Oscura refers to the obscure and unseen aspects of the Dark Night experience, highlighting internal struggles against evil.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Wu-Wei teach about action versus non-action in the Taoist tradition?

<p>Wu-Wei teaches to take no action contrary to the natural flow and emphasizes the path of least resistance.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does faith relate to the understanding of God’s will in both Taoism and Christianity?

<p>Both traditions advocate for a release of ego and a trust in a greater plan, emphasizing reliance on divine guidance.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by 'forgiveness is the end point in life' according to Wilkie Au?

<p>It refers to the belief that life's mistakes are lessons leading to eventual forgiveness from God.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does Au define blessing and its significance in holistic Christian spirituality?

<p>Au defines blessing as a sacred gift that fosters a deep connection with God and others, emphasizing holistic well-being.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is contemplation in the Christian tradition, as explained in the content?

<p>Contemplation is a state of union with God, self, and others, characterized by deep reflection and connection.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Describe the first movement of the spiritual life according to Henri Nouwen.

<p>The first movement is from loneliness to solitude, where solitude is a choice for spiritual renewal and connection.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the transition from hostility to hospitality involve in Christian practice?

<p>It involves opening oneself to others and creating a welcoming presence, reducing feelings of hostility.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the illusion in spiritual life manifest according to Nouwen?

<p>The illusion manifests as a fear of impermanence, leading to sentimentality and violence as people cling to false securities.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of prayer in Nouwen's model of spiritual life?

<p>Prayer is seen as an intimate relationship with God and the foundational movement of spiritual life.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Explain the relationship between physical solitude and solitude of the heart.

<p>Physical solitude can foster solitude of the heart, leading to greater self-understanding and connection to God.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is Christian hospitality and its components?

<p>Christian hospitality combines receptivity to others and the confrontation of personal hostility.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Define the 'Illusion' as described in Nouwen's teachings.

<p>The 'Illusion' refers to the false belief in immortality, often accompanied by sentimentality and violence.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do poverty of mind and poverty of heart contribute to Christian spirituality?

<p>They involve releasing attachments to our own thoughts and being open to God and others, fostering greater humility.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does Nouwen’s model relate to the Twofold Commandment to Love?

<p>Nouwen’s model reflects that being loved by God fuels our ability to love ourselves and others.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does 'God’s will' refer to, and how is it connected to Christian obedience?

<p>'God’s will' refers to what God desires or intends to happen, including His plan and commands. Christian obedience involves aligning one's actions with God's will.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In what way did Jesus exhibit obedience in his humanity?

<p>Jesus maintained his identity and freedom while being fully obedient to his Father's will. This shows that personal autonomy can coexist with obedience to God.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do autonomy and obedience interact in a Christian context?

<p>Viewing autonomy as absolute can lead to rebellion against God, while recognizing obedience helps balance personal freedom with divine guidance. The sin of Adam illustrates this struggle.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between gratitude and service in the Christian faith?

<p>Gratitude arises from encounters with God, which in turn fosters a desire to serve others. This dynamic enriches the believer's life and reflects their thankfulness.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the Spiritual Exercises and their purpose?

<p>The Spiritual Exercises are Jesuit practices designed for reflection, prayer, and transformation toward a deeper union with God and others. They aim to change one's perspective on life.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Explain the meaning of gratitude as the 'echo of grace.'

<p>Gratitude is the response to experiencing God's love, acting as an expression of appreciation for His grace. It reflects an awareness of God's presence in our lives.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the Ignatian Examen and its purpose?

<p>The Ignatian Examen is a daily reflective prayer practice that aids in recognizing God's presence in one's life. It enhances self-awareness and spiritual collaboration with God.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does discernment of spirits involve?

<p>Discernment of spirits is the ability to identify God's presence in life's events while distinguishing between consolation and desolation. It guides decision-making aligned with God's will.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Describe the concepts of consolation and desolation in the context of discernment.

<p>Consolation refers to feeling God's presence and increased virtues, while desolation indicates God's absence and diminished virtues. Both are critical in discerning spiritual direction.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the 'Three Times' of discernment according to Ignatius?

<p>The 'Three Times' involve overwhelming consolation, weighing affective experiences of consolation and desolation, and using reason and intellect to make decisions. They help balance emotions and rationality.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do desires relate to discernment in spiritual contexts?

<p>Desires are the materials for discernment, enabling one to differentiate between true and superficial desires while making informed life decisions. They shape the direction of one's choices.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does discernment differ between the Purgative Way and the Illuminative Way?

<p>In the Purgative Way, discernment focuses on letting go of attachments and recognizing sinfulness, while the Illuminative Way emphasizes growing in spiritual clarity and deeper union with God.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by 'the heart of obedience' in the context of the family of God?

<p>'The heart of obedience' signifies a joyful acceptance of being chosen by God and a commitment to serve Him through love. This relational aspect is foundational in Christian faith.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How can gratitude influence a person's actions?

<p>Gratitude inspires individuals to act generously and serve others as a reflection of their appreciation for God’s grace. It becomes a powerful motivator for loving action.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Explain the role of reflective practice in the Ignatian tradition.

<p>Reflective practice, like the Ignatian Examen, helps individuals notice God's work and leads to enhanced awareness and collaboration with God in daily decisions and actions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Felt Knowledge and Spiritual Awareness

  • Sentir: A pervasive, deep, affective awareness and felt knowledge of God's graces, transcending rational understanding. It results from the unification of intellect, feeling, and action, encompassing the entirety of the self.

Poverty of Spirit and Ignatian Indifference

  • Poverty of Spirit: Total dependence on God for happiness and fulfillment, relying on God for needs.
  • Ignatian Indifference: Indifference to created things (health, wealth, honor, long life), focusing on dependence on God above all else.

Stages of the Christian Spiritual Journey

  • Purgation: Recognizing and letting go of things that distance from God and others, including temptations and sin.
  • Illumination: Deepening understanding of the Paschal Mystery (Jesus' life, death, and resurrection), fostering friendship with Christ.
  • Union (Contemplation): Achieving union with God, others, Christ, and all creation, becoming one with God.

Wilkie Au's Model

  • Holistic Christian Spirituality is Incarnational: Recognizing God's presence in all creation, encompassing the physical world, and encouraging engagement with the whole being (mind, body, and spirit) in all aspects of life, mirroring Jesus' example.

Evangelical Counsels

  • Poverty: Deeper connection with God through detachment.
  • Chastity: Utilizing sexuality as a gift, focusing on intimacy and others.
  • Obedience: Obedience to true self and promptings of the spirit, listening to God's word.

Introjection and Inordinate Attachments

  • Introjection: Taking in others' ideas, particularly from authority figures, and integrating them into one's own beliefs.
  • Inordinate Attachments: Things distracting from God, preventing closeness, considered a spiritual flaw. Examples include people, places, and possessions.

Wu-Wei and Christian Parallels

  • Wu-Wei: Taoist concept of the path of least resistance, aligning with God's will rather than forcing things.
  • Christian Parallel: Releasing ego, trusting in something greater than oneself, having faith in God's plan.

Imagination and Prayer/Discernment

  • Imagination as a tool for prayer and discernment: Using daydreams, scenarios, and understanding feelings to follow desires, discern feelings after imaginative scenarios.

Forgiveness and Blessing

  • Forgiveness as "Endpoint" in Life (Au): God forgives at the end of life; recognizing mistakes as lessons for growth closer to God and accepting His grace.
  • Au's Definition of Blessing: Contemplation as the fundamental level of being in union with God, self, and others, which aligns with holistic Christian spirituality.

Contemplation

  • Fundamental Contemplation: Being one with God, self, and others.
  • Different Understandings: Acknowledging God's presence in all things (sacramentality).

Henri Nouwen's Three Movements

    1. Loneliness to Solitude: Choosing solitude for spiritual renewal; loneliness is disconnection. Solitude for prayer, scripture study, worship, emotion processing, refocusing.
    1. Hostility to Hospitality: Opening oneself to strangers, becoming more welcoming; a constant striving towards hospitality.
    1. Illusion to Prayer: Recognizing the illusion of our existence through unmasking the false self, seeking intimate relationship with God. Identifying symptoms of illusion (sentimentality and violence).

Poverty of Mind and Heart

  • Poverty of Mind: Recognizing life's mystery; releasing attachment to thoughts, allowing others to share and feel, recognizing incomprehensibility of the mystery of life; understanding self-insufficiency and turning to God.
  • Poverty of Heart: Openness towards God and others, creating interdependence, room for others, hospitality.

Christian Hospitality

  • Receptivity + Confrontation: Open hearts for strangers, confronting hostility within.

Christian Obedience

  • Characteristics of Mature Obedience: Acknowledging God’s love, joyfully accepting the familial relationship with God, humbly expressing gratitude through service.
  • God's Will: God's plan and commands, aligning actions with it.
  • Jesus' Obedience: Retained identity and freedom while maintaining unwavering obedience to God.

Gratitude and Service

  • Gratitude as an Echo of Grace: Feeling gratitude when encountering God's love and desiring to serve others.

Spiritual Exercises

  • Structure & Purpose: Transformation, contemplative awareness of reality; union with God and others, interior and exterior experience (reaching out to others)

Discernment of Spirits

  • Holistic Discernment: Attentiveness to God's messages; distinguishing consolation and desolation, decision-making with God.
  • Consolation and Desolation: Consolation (God's presence), virtues, Fruits of the Spirit; Desolation (God's absence), away from God, works of the flesh.
  • Ignatius' Three Times of Discernment: Balances reason and affectivity, caution needed for overwhelming consolations. Affectivity (spiritual movement). Reason (pros and cons).
  • Desires & Discernment: Distinguishing true desires and superficial desires.

Discernment & Spiritual Ways

  • Purgative vs. Illuminative vs. Unitive Ways: Purgation (letting go), Illumination (Christ connection), Union (deeper relationship with Christ).
  • Theological Virtues: Faith, Hope, Charity.

Fruits of the Spirit and Works of the Flesh

  • Fruits of the Spirit: Love, joy, peace, patience (comfort, guidance).
  • Works of the Flesh: Self-indulgence, irresponsibility, jealousy (conflict, separation)

Spirituality and Sexuality

  • Moral Norms and Values: Identify the value embodied by a law or moral norm.
  • Two Gardens: Eros and Agape: Erotic Garden (before Fall), pure Eros, unity; Garden of Eden (after Fall), Eros ordered by Agape, shame.
  • Eros vs. Eroticism: Eros (desire for another for their own sake, seeking union); Eroticism (filling personal needs.)
  • Chastity's Role: Respect in relationships, showing trust, imitation of Christ.
  • Sexuality as Relational Power: Chastity directs and tempers this relational power, fostering decision-making and goals.

Dark Night of the Soul

  • Dark Night: Obscure spiritual experience (oscura), loss (tinieblas).
  • Signs of Dark Night: Dryness and impotence in prayer; diminished consolation; lack of desire.
  • Three Visiting Spirits: Fornication (idolatry), Blasphemy (rage against God), Vertiginis (scruples).
  • Movements of the Dark Night: Initial loss, purification, self-deception, desolation, spiritual awakening.
  • God as “Nada”: Deeply apophatic, experiencing God's absence.
  • Fruits of Dark Night: Liberation from attachments, vulnerability, kenosis.

Centering Prayer

  • Purpose and Process: Detached attitude, presence with God, letting go of distractions, deepening relationship.
  • Thoughts & Sacred Word: Use sacred word to let go of thoughts, be present.
  • Four "R's": Resist, retain, react, return.

Non-Duality and Active Kenosis

  • Non-duality: No separation between observer and observed.
  • Subject-Object Dualism: Clear distinction between self and world.
  • Active Kenosis: Emptying oneself to create space for God (Philippians 2:5-11).

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Description

This quiz explores significant themes in Christian spirituality, including the concept of felt knowledge, the stages of the spiritual journey, and the role of practices like Centering Prayer. It also discusses aspects such as poverty of spirit, obedience, and the implications of Kenosis. Test your understanding of these vital spiritual concepts and their applications.

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