23| Spiritual + Emotional Maturity | The Critical Journey

03/28/18 • 43 min

We take a look at The Critical Journey theory by Hagberg + Guelich, which looks at the external + internal spiritual journey. We weave in a lot of Peter Scazzero's Emotionally Healthy Spirituality theory, and how important that perspective has been.

"You can't be spiritual mature if you're emotionally immature." Pete Scazzero

The Critical Journey Drawing upon this classical vision of the Christian life and drawing from the work of James Fowler’s seminal Stages of Faith, Janet O. Hagberg and Robert A. Guelich, developed a stage theory model for the spiritual journey that they call “the critical journey.”

6 stages: First 3: the “external journey” (1) Recognition of God—a believer first encounters God and experiences the life of faith; (2) Life of Discipleship—one engages in the disciplines and practices of their faith; (3) the Productive Life—one moves towards a productive and active life working for God.

Next 3, Inner Journey What do you think it ends with?

(4) Inner journey, doubts and disappointments, loss of previous structures, church may not make sense DESIRE LINE! (5) Journey outward, toward others, freedom to be, no need to prove their faith or earn anything In love, submitting to God’s perfect love We see love is all in all (6) Life of Love, union with God

“For most of us the Wall appears through a crisis that turns our world upside down. It comes, perhaps, through a divorce, a job loss, the death of a close friend or family member, a cancer diagnosis, a disillusioning church experience, a betrayal, a shattered dream, a wayward child, a car accident, an inability to get pregnant, a deep desire to marry that remains unfulfilled, a dryness or loss of joy in our relationship with God, a building permit denied by the community for the fourth time.” Peter Scarzerro

“The Wall experience”, Hagberg and Guelich explain, “is the place where psychology and spirituality, converge.”

Ignatian Spirituality "Finding God in All Things" Check out this article on Ignatian Spirituality http://jesuits.org/spirituality

You can't be spiritual mature if you're emotionally immature. Pete Scazzero

Matt 23:26 "First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too."

John 1:1-5 (NLT) 1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. 3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. 4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,[a] and his life brought light to everyone. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

With Spiritual Development, what you're going through, isn't chaos. It makes sense. Anything that brings up fear, or the unknown-- trusting God and seeking Union with HIM is what gets you through.

"You can't be spiritual mature if you're emotionally immature." Pete Scazzero

Next 3, Inner Journey What do you think it ends with?

“The Wall experience”, Hagberg and Guelich explain, “is the place where psychology and spirituality, converge.”

Ignatian Spirituality "Finding God in All Things" Check out this article on Ignatian Spirituality http://jesuits.org/spirituality

You can't be spiritual mature if you're emotionally immature. Pete Scazzero

Matt 23:26 "First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too."

With Spiritual Development, what you're going through, isn't chaos. It makes sense. Anything that brings up fear, or the unknown-- trusting God and seeking Union with HIM is what gets you through.

Previous Episode

22| Praying Without Words: What To Do When You Hit The Wall | Spiritual Development VIII

Our ALMOST final episode on Spiritual Development. In times when language doesn't express fully your love for God, or pain, hurt or struggle, there's ways to continue praying without words. We look at The Dark Night of the Soul, and define the "darkness" as "unknowing" instead of necessarily "scary" (like being left alone in the dark). We look at different methods for approaching God + theology, Cataphatic & Apophatic. (The "knowing" that comes with language or the ability to describe, and the knowing that is too deep for words).

The Dark Night of the Soul

In every developmental model that we've looked at in the past few episodes (M. Scott Peck, St. Teresa's Mansions, James Fowler's Stages of Faith), they have two similar parts: 1. The Dark Night of the Soul 2. Every pattern ends with Union with God

The Dark Night is an "Unknowing" (see Gearld May's book), as opposed to "Scary" (see the original writing from St. John of the Cross in Spanish).

You can feel alive & experience God's presence, but not know what's happening, or how to move forward.

The Dark Night of the Soul: A Psychiatrist Explores the Connection Between Darkness and Spiritual Growth by Gearld May https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Night-Soul-Psychiatrist-Connection/dp/0060750553

------------------------------------------------- Footprints in the Sand: One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD.

Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonging to him, and the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand.

He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints.

He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.

This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it:

"LORD, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me."

The LORD replied:

"My son, my precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."

Author: Carolyn Joyce Carty ------------------------------------------------- Cataphatic & Apaphatic: Attempting to Capture Truth

Cataphatic: truth that we can put language to. Apaphatic: truth that we have, without being able to fully describe it.

Our notions of love are so thread-bare compared to the reality of God's love, that all we can really say it "God is not hate."

Next Episode

24| Interview with Bryan Rouanzoin

Our first interview! Bryan Rouanzoin's work integrating different spiritual development stages inspired our 7-episode conversation. We're excited to have Bryan, to communicate his own studies and experience in this Spiritual Development work. See all these notes of theories & quotes that Bryan knows off the top of his head!

Bryan lives in Costa Mesa, CA with his wife Jenni, and two kids: Evie and Jude. He is a pastor on staff at Vanguard University and continues to serve alongside local church communities in teaching and worship capacities and has a unique interest in helping people explore their own developmental journey as it relates to spirituality and growth. He is the co-founder of the The Way at Vanguard. Check out thewayofjesus.org to find out more about these spiritual practices.

He has recently released on iTunes: "Made New" from the label "From the Vine". and Bryan's most recent music release is a collaborative project "Seek & Behold" co-written with Debrianna Cabitac.

Here's a link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/made-new/993275143

Seek & Behold by Debrianna Cabitac https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/seek-behold/1305314140 https://open.spotify.com/album/1jejWJcOilhDiR1lbn9FVo?si=9WTv81QBTPOOR-OhgcOrPg

Erikson's Developmental Stages: https://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html

False Self/Shadow self-- the idea that we struggle through our own deficits and flaws, firstly to cover them up. the despariy between our core essense

We're so hell bent on holding onto this image of ourselves, that we, in the process, cover up and push away from our core essense that's vulnerable, open and surrender-oriented.

Phil 2:6-11 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Matthew 5-7, Sermon of the Mount.

Cynthia Bourgeault The spiritual journey, wherever it comes from, is always the same. It always is surrender, attention and compassion.

"That first initial stage of disorientation (in spiritual development), the dark night of the soul, is a way for you to realize that what you've been pursing or finding satisfaction in is the FORM of worship with God, but not the essence, which is God Himself." Bryan R.

Jesus is the WAY before He becomes truth, and then He becomes life.

"The practice of pilgrimage is a going forth and a returning home that enlarge the meaning of both the self and home." Sharon Daloz Parks

Faith is living out the reality of

"God doesn't give us a list of propositions of who He is, He gives us a relationship and a character of faith that we see in the Old Testament. Who is kind, who is good. Then we meet the face of Jesus, the full expression of God." Bryan R.

Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning By James W. Fowler

Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development https://www.psychologynoteshq.com/kohlbergstheory/