Reference no: EM133643932 , Length: 2 pages
Purpose: The purpose of this exercise is to assist the student in imagining how the cross might inform their own ministry and life and to compose their own "rule of life" that would encapsulate those values and actions.
Instructions: Throughout the history of the church, Christians interested in what we call today "spiritual formation" have found it useful to compose and follow a "rule of life." This way of being has roots in the monastic traditions of the desert mothers and fathers. These Christians pioneers found beneficial the setting of certain rhythms and practices in their lives as they moved toward the contemplation of God, as they sought to become more Christ-like, which, of course, means more cross-shaped.
You will compose a working "rule of life" around the notion of cruciformity answering the question, "How does one live in light of the cross?" The assignment has three parts: (1) Seeing the spiritual disciplines in terms of cruciformity; (2) creating an annual, quarterly, monthly, weekly, daily plan for living out these disciplines; and (3) integrating these practices into a wholistic spirituality that involves learning, serving, your inner life (especially your relationship with God), and your personal renewal (including relationships). So your work will take the following shape.
- Using the classic spiritual disciples (silence and solitude, scripture, prayer, fasting, simplicity, living in community, sabbath, explain briefly how each of these are informed and shaped by a cruciform theology. This will serve as a foundation for the next step in the assignment.
- Compose a plan on how you might live out these practices (and others you might want to explore) in a regular, systematic, and rhythmic way that participates with God seeking to make you a more cross-shaped person.
- What outcomes in your life would these practices have in your learning (mind), serving (strength/body), inner life (soul), and personal renewal (heart).
Finally, this document should be considered a "living" document in that it will need to be used and modified as you go. For the sake of this assignment, think of this document as a plan for your future practice of cruciformity.
The final product should be no more than a total of five pages. The first two pages (in outline form) should lay the foundation by rooting the traditional spiritual disciplines in the concept of cruciformity. The following page should be the schedule plan and the final page of the assignment will project the outcome you would imagine to happen if you were to undertake such an enterprise as living cruciform for a year.