Over the last two decades or so, there has been a revival within the Church of the ministry of Spiritual Direction. I say revival, because throughout the Middle Ages, when village life in both Britain and the Continent revolved around the monasteries and convents, Spiritual Direction was a major focus of the Christian pilgrimage, with monks, nuns and priests often serving as Spiritual Directors for the villagers.

The rise of the Protestant Reformation, however, brought with it the Enlightenment ideal of egalitarianism, which in turn led to a revolt not only against corrupt leadership within the Roman Church, but also against ecclesiastical authoritarianism in general. The true believer—as so well personified in the character Christian in John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress—was more often viewed as the rugged individualist who walked alone with Christ, having no intermediary standing in between. Because Spiritual Direction implied such an intermediary, it was largely abandoned within Protestant denominations. The influence of Protestantism upon our mother church, the Church of England, likewise led to its waning within the Anglican tradition.

With the dawning Millennium bringing a new historical awareness, Protestants (including Anglicans) have begun to realize that, with respect to Spiritual Direction, the Reformers may have thrown out the baby with the bath water. This has led to a recovery of the ministry of Spiritual

How can Spiritual Direction aid in this quest? Here it would be helpful to state from the beginning what Spiritual Direction is not. First of all, Spiritual Direction is not Psychotherapy. Psychotherapy, while valuable in helping to restore persons to emotional stability, is ill-equipped to function in the arena of spiritual concerns. Yet Spiritual Direction is also not Pastoral Counseling, for although this discipline does have the language to deal with spiritual issues, it is focused primarily on bringing healing to a troubled person seeking help for a recent injury.

In contrast, Spiritual Direction is more pro-active. It explores ways in which committed believers can begin to deepen their individual prayer lives and increasingly surrender themselves to God so that His will may be done in them more and more. The Spiritual Director, often a priest or nun, shares his or her gifts of experience and discernment in identifying potential blocks in one's walk with God, and in recommending possible courses of action that have been found to be helpful to others in similar situations.

More than this, however, the Director is also a spiritual companion who usually begins or ends each session with a prolonged period of prayer, both silent (to listen to God) and spoken (to speak with Him), so that the fire of God's love might be kindled and grace guide the fellow pilgrims on their journey. Though there is a clear sense of who is the Director and who is the Directee, there is also a feeling of mutuality in the relationship.

If you feel that Spiritual Direction might aid you in your Christian walk, I am available to serve as a Spiritual Director, or to recommend someone else who might be able to function in this capacity. Sessions usually last about an hour and are normally spaced at one-to-two month intervals, or as the Directee desires.

Whatever course you may decide, it is my prayer that you each may be able to "get a little direction" in your life—one that leads you deeper and deeper into God's green pastures.

For more information on Spiritual Direction, visit the Shalem Institute's Website at www.shalem.org

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As we move through the summer, we are making progress in our renewed search for an Assistant. Several candidates are in the process of being interviewed, one of whom I hope to call before September. Please keep us in your prayers as we continue our work of discernment.

Faithfully,

Donald D. Binder+

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