This document provides an overview of Laura Li-Hua Sun's spiritual development plan based on her participation in a Messianic Jewish spirituality course. She outlines how she will develop in six areas: Torah study, mitzvah (commandment), hitbodedut/prayer and meditation, ritual life, and ethical living. Specifically, she plans to increase her Torah study and teaching, follow commandments as a response to God, deepen her prayer life through hitbodedut, incorporate spiritual disciplines like confession and solitude into her ritual life, and ground her ethical living in community. The document analyzes each area through a Jewish lens and references how biblical figures can provide models for her spiritual growth.
Danah Zohar is interviewed about her work on spiritual intelligence and spiritual capital. She discusses how her personal journey exploring different religions led her to see spiritual intelligence as emerging from our need for deep meaning and purpose. She defines spiritual capital as the power and influence gained from acting with higher values and serving something larger. Zohar argues that developing spiritual intelligence in students by encouraging service, creativity, and critical thinking will create engaged citizens.
This document discusses contemplative prayer as an experience of the heart. It begins by describing the author's introduction to contemplative prayer through reading Nouwen's book. It then draws parallels between contemplative prayer and the Aboriginal concept of "dadirri," both of which involve stillness, silence, and opening one's heart. The main points are that contemplative prayer allows one to discover Christ's presence within their heart, it transforms one's entire life, and it involves a spiritual journey from attending to and inquiring about religious experiences to discerning their significance.
The document provides guidelines for the practice of Centering Prayer, a contemplative prayer method using a sacred word to facilitate opening oneself to God's presence. It describes choosing a sacred word and sitting in silence while gently returning attention to the word when distracted by thoughts. The goal is resting in God through quieting the mind beyond words. Effects are experienced in daily life, not during the prayer itself. Regular practice with a support group helps maintain the commitment.
Buddhism is essentially a naturalistic and non-supernatural belief system. It does not involve belief in a personal God, divine grace, personal immortality, or the supernatural. The core teachings of Buddhism focus on inner transformation through wisdom and compassion. Nirvana is viewed as a natural state of liberation attainable through one's own effort, not supernatural salvation. While later forms include some supernatural elements, early Buddhism was atheistic and rejected notions of a creator, the soul, or a supernatural order to reality.
Buddhism and Unitarianism share several compatible beliefs and principles:
- Both are non-supernaturalistic and non-theistic, lacking beliefs in God, the supernatural, divine grace, or personal immortality. Buddhism focuses on achieving moral equanimity through one's own effort.
- Buddhism teaches that through developing wisdom and compassion, one can transform one's mind and gain peace. It is a process of self-education and letting go of delusions.
- While having some differing interpretations, core Buddhist concepts like karma, rebirth and nirvana are understood naturalistically without relying on supernatural explanations.
- Both reject rigid dogmas and focus on
William shannon---original-blessing---the-gift-of-the-true-selfJonathan Dunnemann
This document summarizes Thomas Merton's views on the true self and false self. It makes three key points:
1. Most religions believe humans originally possessed happiness from awareness of their true self, but became alienated from it. Finding the true self through contemplation can lead to salvation.
2. Merton believed contemplation involves becoming attentive to the "hidden ground of Love" that unites us with all reality. Through attentiveness the subject-object divide dissolves and we experience oneness with God.
3. We have a fundamental awareness of God built into us, like a silent question of "Am I not your God?". Contemplative prayer can bring this awareness to consciousness
This document provides an introduction to the concept of "new monasticism" and surveys elements that could inform a "new monastic theology." It discusses new monasticism as standing at the crossroads of contemplative and prophetic traditions. Key aspects of new monasticism highlighted include embracing the holiness of the secular, stressing the unity of being and doing, and living monasticism "in the world." The document suggests a new monastic theology should be contemplative, prophetic, interspiritual, and pragmatic. It provides examples of how figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Howard Thurman embodied these qualities.
- Religion and spirituality are related but distinct concepts, with religion focusing on beliefs and rituals and spirituality focusing on the process of becoming attuned to unworldly affairs.
- New developments in physics have found common ground between religion and science in the concept of quantum consciousness or spirituality as the essence of both.
- Spirituality is a more personal experience than religion and focuses on love over fear, independence over dependence, discovering truth directly rather than through concepts like heaven and hell.
- While religion promotes specific beliefs and codes, spirituality is more abstract and focuses on spiritual practices like prayer and meditation over dogma.
Danah Zohar is interviewed about her work on spiritual intelligence and spiritual capital. She discusses how her personal journey exploring different religions led her to see spiritual intelligence as emerging from our need for deep meaning and purpose. She defines spiritual capital as the power and influence gained from acting with higher values and serving something larger. Zohar argues that developing spiritual intelligence in students by encouraging service, creativity, and critical thinking will create engaged citizens.
This document discusses contemplative prayer as an experience of the heart. It begins by describing the author's introduction to contemplative prayer through reading Nouwen's book. It then draws parallels between contemplative prayer and the Aboriginal concept of "dadirri," both of which involve stillness, silence, and opening one's heart. The main points are that contemplative prayer allows one to discover Christ's presence within their heart, it transforms one's entire life, and it involves a spiritual journey from attending to and inquiring about religious experiences to discerning their significance.
The document provides guidelines for the practice of Centering Prayer, a contemplative prayer method using a sacred word to facilitate opening oneself to God's presence. It describes choosing a sacred word and sitting in silence while gently returning attention to the word when distracted by thoughts. The goal is resting in God through quieting the mind beyond words. Effects are experienced in daily life, not during the prayer itself. Regular practice with a support group helps maintain the commitment.
Buddhism is essentially a naturalistic and non-supernatural belief system. It does not involve belief in a personal God, divine grace, personal immortality, or the supernatural. The core teachings of Buddhism focus on inner transformation through wisdom and compassion. Nirvana is viewed as a natural state of liberation attainable through one's own effort, not supernatural salvation. While later forms include some supernatural elements, early Buddhism was atheistic and rejected notions of a creator, the soul, or a supernatural order to reality.
Buddhism and Unitarianism share several compatible beliefs and principles:
- Both are non-supernaturalistic and non-theistic, lacking beliefs in God, the supernatural, divine grace, or personal immortality. Buddhism focuses on achieving moral equanimity through one's own effort.
- Buddhism teaches that through developing wisdom and compassion, one can transform one's mind and gain peace. It is a process of self-education and letting go of delusions.
- While having some differing interpretations, core Buddhist concepts like karma, rebirth and nirvana are understood naturalistically without relying on supernatural explanations.
- Both reject rigid dogmas and focus on
William shannon---original-blessing---the-gift-of-the-true-selfJonathan Dunnemann
This document summarizes Thomas Merton's views on the true self and false self. It makes three key points:
1. Most religions believe humans originally possessed happiness from awareness of their true self, but became alienated from it. Finding the true self through contemplation can lead to salvation.
2. Merton believed contemplation involves becoming attentive to the "hidden ground of Love" that unites us with all reality. Through attentiveness the subject-object divide dissolves and we experience oneness with God.
3. We have a fundamental awareness of God built into us, like a silent question of "Am I not your God?". Contemplative prayer can bring this awareness to consciousness
This document provides an introduction to the concept of "new monasticism" and surveys elements that could inform a "new monastic theology." It discusses new monasticism as standing at the crossroads of contemplative and prophetic traditions. Key aspects of new monasticism highlighted include embracing the holiness of the secular, stressing the unity of being and doing, and living monasticism "in the world." The document suggests a new monastic theology should be contemplative, prophetic, interspiritual, and pragmatic. It provides examples of how figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Howard Thurman embodied these qualities.
- Religion and spirituality are related but distinct concepts, with religion focusing on beliefs and rituals and spirituality focusing on the process of becoming attuned to unworldly affairs.
- New developments in physics have found common ground between religion and science in the concept of quantum consciousness or spirituality as the essence of both.
- Spirituality is a more personal experience than religion and focuses on love over fear, independence over dependence, discovering truth directly rather than through concepts like heaven and hell.
- While religion promotes specific beliefs and codes, spirituality is more abstract and focuses on spiritual practices like prayer and meditation over dogma.
A presentation I prepared for a workshop on inclusive spirituality, deepening your faith, and relating to people who have different traditions from yours. :)
The Four Domains Model: Connecting Spirituality, Health and Well-BeingJonathan Dunnemann
The document discusses a model of spiritual health and well-being called the Four Domains Model. It proposes that spiritual health is a fundamental dimension of overall health and well-being. The model describes spiritual health as being reflected in the quality of relationships people have in four domains: 1) Personal domain - relating to oneself, 2) Communal domain - relating to others through interpersonal relationships, 3) Environmental domain - connecting with nature, 4) Transcendental domain - relating to something beyond the human level like God or a higher power. The model was developed based on qualitative research and aims to embrace people of all worldviews, both religious and non-religious.
Is it necessary for everyone on the world to work for a common goal? If that'...AKASH GOEL
Religious activity has nothing to do with true spirituality. Following a set of beliefs, observing certain holy days and customs, and adhering to a set of rules are not spiritual endeavours in and of themselves.
These and other factors can all contribute to a person's overall spirituality. However, conventional habits and group beliefs are no more spiritual than political ties or fandom for a college football team.
Spirituality is a highly individualised experience. It's also entirely experiential, which means it has to be experienced before it can be properly comprehended.
This provides an introduction to a new field of theology, called Systemic Theology. Systemic Theology provides a systems perspective of understanding God and the world.
The document discusses definitions of spirituality from religious and non-religious perspectives. It defines spiritual development as nurturing human capacities that distinguish people from other living creatures, focusing on "being and becoming." The document also acknowledges diverse spiritual traditions and the need for schools to recognize both commonalities and distinctions between views of human fulfillment.
The Daily Spiritual Experience Scale (DSES) is a 16-item self-report measure designed to assess ordinary spiritual experiences in daily life, including constructs like awe, gratitude, compassion, and inner peace. It was developed using qualitative testing with diverse groups. Psychometric analyses show it has high reliability and validity. The scale captures a single factor of daily spiritual experience. It has been widely used in over 70 published studies and translated into many languages for use in diverse cultures.
This document outlines the author's philosophy as a Christian educator. Some key points include:
1) Christian education should have God at its center, with all theories and processes rooted in Scripture.
2) The Bible should be integrated into the curriculum and be the foundation of truth used to evaluate all other knowledge.
3) As a Christian educator, the author believes they are gifted by God to equip others and propagate God's truth. They must teach from experience and model Christ-like character in order to transform students.
4) Competence as a Christian educator requires walking by faith and relying on Christ, not worldly wisdom, in order to produce eternal results through teaching.
Rel 207 Understanding Religious Experienceppower47
The document discusses different ways of categorizing and understanding religious experiences. It defines religious experience as any experience explained within a religious framework. Religious experiences can be categorized based on where they take place (social, sensory, interior), their point of origin (revelatory, ecstatic), or their function (shamanic ecstasy, mystical ecstasy). The document also examines 19th century theological approaches to religious experience from Schleiermacher, Otto and Freud and the 20th century psychological perspective of Carl Jung.
20110430 chan temples and patriarches and four persuasionsTom
This document provides an introduction to Buddhism and meditation practices at the Cham Shan Temple. It discusses Buddhist concepts like the Three Treasures, Three Poisons, Three Karmas and basic terms. It then summarizes the teachings of the Six Chán Patriarchs in China, including Bodhidharma, Huineng and Hongren. It describes meditation practices and the nine stages of calming the mind. Finally, it discusses the Four Ways of Persuasion in Buddhism.
The document provides an overview of a theology course, including its objectives, structure, assignments and expectations. It discusses key topics that will be covered across 7 sections, such as the Bible, God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, dispensations and covenants, angels, and man and sin. Students will be assigned to work in groups of 3 to compile a 2-page summary sheet for each section, called an "Irreducible Minimum", highlighting the essential information and concepts.
The document discusses the concepts of spiritual self, religion, and rituals. It defines spiritual self as one's moral sensibilities, conscience and beliefs. Religion is defined as the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power. Rituals are specific observable modes of behavior that are part of religious belief systems. The document then provides overviews of the major world religions - Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism - including their origins, sacred texts, symbols, and important practices.
Spirituality is a basic human experience that can be applied to healthcare. The document provides an introduction to spirituality, defining key terms and concepts. It discusses classification of spirituality and who it can be applied to. Spiritual practices like prayer and reflection are presented as a way to find meaning and purpose in life. Exercises like lectio divina are described to help individuals explore their spiritual dimension through sacred reading and contemplation.
Thesis Capstone Project (Spring 2016)- The Process of Spiritual Development a...Kayla Bass
This document discusses the process of spiritual development and inner healing prayer in the local church. It begins by defining spiritual development as a process of sanctification with the goal of union with Christ. It explores the stages of spiritual development according to John of the Cross (purgation, illumination, union) and Teresa of Avila's focus on the interior life of the soul and transformation through prayer. The document argues that inner healing prayer is important for the church to lead believers into deeper intimacy with God and addresses how psychological transformation relates to spiritual development. Overall, it presents spiritual development as a holistic process of transformation on individual and communal levels.
Ten rules are provided for effective interfaith dialogue: 1) Have a strong grasp of your own faith tradition to share with others; 2) Come to learn from others without trying to change them; 3) Share what you learn with your own faith community; 4) Be honest and assume others are as well; 5) Respect others' religious experiences and identities; 6) Don't assume agreement or disagreement but listen with an open mind; 7) Participate on an equal footing and be open to learning from others; 8) Critically reflect on your own tradition while maintaining conviction; 9) Strive to understand others' faiths from their perspective; 10) Be aware of cultural and historical influences on perspectives. The rules emphasize open
This document provides an overview of key concepts for studying religion academically. It discusses the importance of separating the academic study of religion from religious instruction. Studying religion requires being open-minded, honest, and applying critical thinking to overcome biases. Religions can be defined based on their shared rituals, symbols, myths and other characteristics. The goals of describing, comparing, understanding and explaining religious phenomena are discussed. Fieldwork methods like observation, participation and interviews at religious sites are also covered.
Buddha was known as a great healer who treated physical and mental illnesses. He taught his disciples Buddhist principles of medicine, including examining patients, understanding the origins of disease, treating illness, and preventing future disease. Buddha's teachings emphasized compassion and respect for all living beings. His personal physician, Jivaka, established the Jivaka Ambavana healing gardens where Buddha frequently taught and patients received treatment. Buddha's example inspired the spread of both Buddhism and Indian medicine throughout Asia.
This document provides biographical information about Bhante Punnaji, a Buddhist monk and author, and introduces his meditation guide and retreat. It discusses how Bhante Punnaji views Buddhism as a psychological technique for evolving human consciousness through meditative practices. The retreat is conducted at three levels - for beginners it focuses on selective thinking to purify the mind of emotions like lust, hate, and delusion. It explains how the mind can be purified through this technique, as emotions arise from external influences rather than instincts. The goal is to attain a perfectly pure mind and freedom from suffering by eliminating self-centered emotions.
Vajrayana Buddhism originated in India between the 3rd and 7th centuries CE. It arose from tendencies already present in early Buddhism, including ritual practices, symbolism, and making enlightenment accessible to laypeople. Nagarjuna and Asanga are considered the founding fathers of Vajrayana, transmitting teachings through extraordinary means, as depicted in their biographies. The 84 Mahasiddhas helped disseminate Vajrayana teachings throughout India, exemplifying new religious personalities like kings, ascetics, and laypeople attaining enlightenment. Vajrayana used ritual, symbolism, and allegory to teach the transcendence of duality and attainment of non-dual realization.
The document discusses the relationship between spirituality, creativity, and artistic expression. It argues that cultivating artistic practices can free the imagination and develop skills for living meaningfully. Engaging in creative processes like art-making can be a spiritual practice that facilitates discovering meaning, encountering mystery, and personal transformation.
This document appears to list locations and dates. It mentions places like New Jersey, Los Angeles, San Diego, the Bay Area, Sacramento, Cupertino, Santa Clara, Milpitas and San Jose alongside dates ranging from 1996 to 2008. The document provides a timeline of locations within California and some other states from 1996 to 2008.
A presentation I prepared for a workshop on inclusive spirituality, deepening your faith, and relating to people who have different traditions from yours. :)
The Four Domains Model: Connecting Spirituality, Health and Well-BeingJonathan Dunnemann
The document discusses a model of spiritual health and well-being called the Four Domains Model. It proposes that spiritual health is a fundamental dimension of overall health and well-being. The model describes spiritual health as being reflected in the quality of relationships people have in four domains: 1) Personal domain - relating to oneself, 2) Communal domain - relating to others through interpersonal relationships, 3) Environmental domain - connecting with nature, 4) Transcendental domain - relating to something beyond the human level like God or a higher power. The model was developed based on qualitative research and aims to embrace people of all worldviews, both religious and non-religious.
Is it necessary for everyone on the world to work for a common goal? If that'...AKASH GOEL
Religious activity has nothing to do with true spirituality. Following a set of beliefs, observing certain holy days and customs, and adhering to a set of rules are not spiritual endeavours in and of themselves.
These and other factors can all contribute to a person's overall spirituality. However, conventional habits and group beliefs are no more spiritual than political ties or fandom for a college football team.
Spirituality is a highly individualised experience. It's also entirely experiential, which means it has to be experienced before it can be properly comprehended.
This provides an introduction to a new field of theology, called Systemic Theology. Systemic Theology provides a systems perspective of understanding God and the world.
The document discusses definitions of spirituality from religious and non-religious perspectives. It defines spiritual development as nurturing human capacities that distinguish people from other living creatures, focusing on "being and becoming." The document also acknowledges diverse spiritual traditions and the need for schools to recognize both commonalities and distinctions between views of human fulfillment.
The Daily Spiritual Experience Scale (DSES) is a 16-item self-report measure designed to assess ordinary spiritual experiences in daily life, including constructs like awe, gratitude, compassion, and inner peace. It was developed using qualitative testing with diverse groups. Psychometric analyses show it has high reliability and validity. The scale captures a single factor of daily spiritual experience. It has been widely used in over 70 published studies and translated into many languages for use in diverse cultures.
This document outlines the author's philosophy as a Christian educator. Some key points include:
1) Christian education should have God at its center, with all theories and processes rooted in Scripture.
2) The Bible should be integrated into the curriculum and be the foundation of truth used to evaluate all other knowledge.
3) As a Christian educator, the author believes they are gifted by God to equip others and propagate God's truth. They must teach from experience and model Christ-like character in order to transform students.
4) Competence as a Christian educator requires walking by faith and relying on Christ, not worldly wisdom, in order to produce eternal results through teaching.
Rel 207 Understanding Religious Experienceppower47
The document discusses different ways of categorizing and understanding religious experiences. It defines religious experience as any experience explained within a religious framework. Religious experiences can be categorized based on where they take place (social, sensory, interior), their point of origin (revelatory, ecstatic), or their function (shamanic ecstasy, mystical ecstasy). The document also examines 19th century theological approaches to religious experience from Schleiermacher, Otto and Freud and the 20th century psychological perspective of Carl Jung.
20110430 chan temples and patriarches and four persuasionsTom
This document provides an introduction to Buddhism and meditation practices at the Cham Shan Temple. It discusses Buddhist concepts like the Three Treasures, Three Poisons, Three Karmas and basic terms. It then summarizes the teachings of the Six Chán Patriarchs in China, including Bodhidharma, Huineng and Hongren. It describes meditation practices and the nine stages of calming the mind. Finally, it discusses the Four Ways of Persuasion in Buddhism.
The document provides an overview of a theology course, including its objectives, structure, assignments and expectations. It discusses key topics that will be covered across 7 sections, such as the Bible, God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, dispensations and covenants, angels, and man and sin. Students will be assigned to work in groups of 3 to compile a 2-page summary sheet for each section, called an "Irreducible Minimum", highlighting the essential information and concepts.
The document discusses the concepts of spiritual self, religion, and rituals. It defines spiritual self as one's moral sensibilities, conscience and beliefs. Religion is defined as the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power. Rituals are specific observable modes of behavior that are part of religious belief systems. The document then provides overviews of the major world religions - Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism - including their origins, sacred texts, symbols, and important practices.
Spirituality is a basic human experience that can be applied to healthcare. The document provides an introduction to spirituality, defining key terms and concepts. It discusses classification of spirituality and who it can be applied to. Spiritual practices like prayer and reflection are presented as a way to find meaning and purpose in life. Exercises like lectio divina are described to help individuals explore their spiritual dimension through sacred reading and contemplation.
Thesis Capstone Project (Spring 2016)- The Process of Spiritual Development a...Kayla Bass
This document discusses the process of spiritual development and inner healing prayer in the local church. It begins by defining spiritual development as a process of sanctification with the goal of union with Christ. It explores the stages of spiritual development according to John of the Cross (purgation, illumination, union) and Teresa of Avila's focus on the interior life of the soul and transformation through prayer. The document argues that inner healing prayer is important for the church to lead believers into deeper intimacy with God and addresses how psychological transformation relates to spiritual development. Overall, it presents spiritual development as a holistic process of transformation on individual and communal levels.
Ten rules are provided for effective interfaith dialogue: 1) Have a strong grasp of your own faith tradition to share with others; 2) Come to learn from others without trying to change them; 3) Share what you learn with your own faith community; 4) Be honest and assume others are as well; 5) Respect others' religious experiences and identities; 6) Don't assume agreement or disagreement but listen with an open mind; 7) Participate on an equal footing and be open to learning from others; 8) Critically reflect on your own tradition while maintaining conviction; 9) Strive to understand others' faiths from their perspective; 10) Be aware of cultural and historical influences on perspectives. The rules emphasize open
This document provides an overview of key concepts for studying religion academically. It discusses the importance of separating the academic study of religion from religious instruction. Studying religion requires being open-minded, honest, and applying critical thinking to overcome biases. Religions can be defined based on their shared rituals, symbols, myths and other characteristics. The goals of describing, comparing, understanding and explaining religious phenomena are discussed. Fieldwork methods like observation, participation and interviews at religious sites are also covered.
Buddha was known as a great healer who treated physical and mental illnesses. He taught his disciples Buddhist principles of medicine, including examining patients, understanding the origins of disease, treating illness, and preventing future disease. Buddha's teachings emphasized compassion and respect for all living beings. His personal physician, Jivaka, established the Jivaka Ambavana healing gardens where Buddha frequently taught and patients received treatment. Buddha's example inspired the spread of both Buddhism and Indian medicine throughout Asia.
This document provides biographical information about Bhante Punnaji, a Buddhist monk and author, and introduces his meditation guide and retreat. It discusses how Bhante Punnaji views Buddhism as a psychological technique for evolving human consciousness through meditative practices. The retreat is conducted at three levels - for beginners it focuses on selective thinking to purify the mind of emotions like lust, hate, and delusion. It explains how the mind can be purified through this technique, as emotions arise from external influences rather than instincts. The goal is to attain a perfectly pure mind and freedom from suffering by eliminating self-centered emotions.
Vajrayana Buddhism originated in India between the 3rd and 7th centuries CE. It arose from tendencies already present in early Buddhism, including ritual practices, symbolism, and making enlightenment accessible to laypeople. Nagarjuna and Asanga are considered the founding fathers of Vajrayana, transmitting teachings through extraordinary means, as depicted in their biographies. The 84 Mahasiddhas helped disseminate Vajrayana teachings throughout India, exemplifying new religious personalities like kings, ascetics, and laypeople attaining enlightenment. Vajrayana used ritual, symbolism, and allegory to teach the transcendence of duality and attainment of non-dual realization.
The document discusses the relationship between spirituality, creativity, and artistic expression. It argues that cultivating artistic practices can free the imagination and develop skills for living meaningfully. Engaging in creative processes like art-making can be a spiritual practice that facilitates discovering meaning, encountering mystery, and personal transformation.
This document appears to list locations and dates. It mentions places like New Jersey, Los Angeles, San Diego, the Bay Area, Sacramento, Cupertino, Santa Clara, Milpitas and San Jose alongside dates ranging from 1996 to 2008. The document provides a timeline of locations within California and some other states from 1996 to 2008.
1. The document discusses different philosophies and approaches to education throughout history including Rousseau, Paulo Freire, John Dewey, Friedrich Froebel, and Charlotte Mason.
2. It contrasts progressive education philosophies that emphasize learning through experience and inquiry versus traditional education that focuses more on direct instruction.
3. The document also examines Charlotte Mason's philosophy of education which focused on creating an atmosphere of learning, developing student discipline, and treating children as individuals born with personhood.
This document appears to list locations and dates. It mentions places like New Jersey, Los Angeles, San Diego, the Bay Area, Sacramento, Cupertino, Santa Clara, Milpitas and San Jose alongside dates ranging from 1996 to 2008. The document provides a timeline of locations within California and some other states from 1996 to 2008.
This document contains a personal narrative from a woman describing her spiritual journey over several phases of life. In her early life, she struggled with family issues and lacked significant spiritual input. In college, she had a spiritual awakening and became a Christian. She then spent years in various ministry roles in Taiwan. She came to the US for further study and wandered spiritually for a time, but then experienced renewal and spiritual growth through attending a dynamic church and enrolling in seminary. Her goal is to fulfill God's calling and mission for her life, like Queen Esther in the Bible.
1. The document discusses key concepts related to belief systems, worldviews, religion, and spirituality. It aims to differentiate these concepts and have students examine their own beliefs.
2. Students are asked to list things they believe in, describe a religious item or ritual from their own faith, and interview family members about their religious beliefs and practices.
3. The document defines terms like theism, monotheism, polytheism, atheism, agnosticism, monism, religion, spirituality, and theology; and distinguishes between a spiritual person and a religious person.
1. The document discusses key concepts related to belief systems, worldviews, religion, and spirituality. It aims to differentiate these concepts and have students examine their own beliefs.
2. Students are asked to list things they believe in, describe a religious item or ritual from their own faith, and interview family members about their religious beliefs and practices.
3. The document defines terms like theism, monotheism, polytheism, atheism, agnosticism, monism, religion, spirituality, and theology; and distinguishes between a spiritual person and a religious person.
The document discusses the relationship between morality and religion. It explores different perspectives on whether religious ethics are fundamentally different from secular ethics. Some key points made include: Kant argued that morality does not depend on religion as reason alone can guide us to ethical principles; however, others believe morality depends on God's commands as what is right is determined by what God wills; natural law theorists see morality as reflecting universal laws of nature discoverable by human reason that are in line with God's plan.
This document defines key religious concepts and terms to help understand the topics being presented about religion. It defines religion as a set of beliefs and practices focused on deities or gods. Spirituality involves recognizing something greater than oneself. Worldview refers to a collection of beliefs about life and the universe. Theology is the study of religious faith and experiences, especially regarding God. Eastern and Western beliefs are also defined. Pictures related to faith are shown to prompt reflection on what makes one happy about their own faith.
The document provides information on spirituality for family life ministers. It defines spirituality as a conscious relationship with God through practices that foster Christian discipleship. It emphasizes that spirituality involves being in community and realizing one's identity as a beloved child of God through baptism. It also discusses developing a personal rule of life through contemplative practices and devotions to guide one's spiritual growth in a balanced way. The document provides resources for family life ministers to cultivate their spirituality.
The purpose of spiritual discipleship is to help believers understand what God is doing in their lives in order to accelerate their spiritual transformation from independence from God to dependence on Him. Effective discipleship involves prayerfully seeking those who are spiritually hungry and teachable, meeting regularly over several months to examine scripture, share struggles, and provide accountability as both the disciple and mentor grow in their dependence on the Holy Spirit and ability to reproduce this process in others. The goal is for disciples to become mentors themselves through a balanced approach of individual and corporate spiritual training.
This document provides an overview of key concepts in the study of religion. It defines religion and explores reasons for its existence, including helping humans cope with mortality and find meaning. The major world religions are identified as Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism. Seven key elements of religions are outlined: doctrine, mythology, religious experiences, institutions, ethical content, rituals, and sacred objects/places. Examples are given for each element. The document suggests religion is a universal human activity that addresses existential questions through various practices and traditions.
Essay Personal Worldview
Personal Worldview Essay
Personal Worldview Essay
My Personal Worldview Paper
My Personal Worldview
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Personal Worldview Essay
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This document discusses faith from a philosophical and anthropological perspective. It argues that as rational beings, humans have an inherent need for clarity and meaning in life. However, reality is not always clear, so humans tend to have faith. Faith provides necessary confidence to live despite a lack of certainty. The document distinguishes between human faith in general possibilities and religious faith as a radical choice to believe in a higher being. Religious faith is commonly expressed through creed, code, and ceremony within a faith community and gives people a sense of hope and meaning.
This document discusses the relationship between ethics and religion. It explores different perspectives on whether ethics requires religion or if they are separate concepts. Some key points made include:
- Ethics examines questions of how humans should behave and what is right/wrong, while religion provides meaning and belief in supernatural powers. Though related, they are not identical.
- Many religions see morality as derived from divine commands from God. However, ethics can also be explored through sacred texts and religious authorities without direct revelation.
- While religion may encourage ethical behavior through teachings and community, one does not need to be religious to live ethically. Secular philosophies also explore morality.
- Different views are presented with some arguing ethics depends
Theology is the systematic study of divine revelation and human faith, with the goal of discerning God's will in a particular context so that people can live faithfully according to it. It involves reasoning about God based on belief in him. The document outlines that theology cannot directly study God, but can know him indirectly through revelation and faith. It is a single, holistic discipline made up of interrelated sub-disciplines that each provide a valuable perspective for understanding God's will. Theology is done through interpretive, critical, dialogical, and comparative methods to restate implications of revelation for a given generation or situation.
1. The document introduces a course on studying the 613 mitzvot (commandments) in the Torah. It discusses how the mitzvot relate to working and guarding the spiritual garden within ourselves and helping others through righteous deeds.
2. The mitzvot help fulfill human needs, especially of the soul, and work through the body to elevate the soul. Living according to the mitzvot strengthens one's soul, protects from sin, and guides believers to live in a Godly way through both actions and abstaining from actions.
3. While the mitzvot were given to Jews, the document argues they represent a guide for a good life with value for all. The course
Investigating Spiritual Truths for ourselves and our world, the Meaning of Religion, its Remedies, Prophet- Hood, Spirit's Fruits, and a Prophet of Unity
The Founder and Director of the Center for Inter-Spiritual Dialogue strives to promote spiritual growth and understanding through their leadership of the organization. They coordinate activities such as interfaith dialogue, community service, and spiritual reflection to help nurture compassion and connection between people of different backgrounds. The Founder and Director draws on their spiritual view of life and training in areas like emotional intelligence, mindfulness, and positive psychology to guide participants in cultivating their highest selves and contributing to the greater good.
This document discusses the differences between spirituality and religion. It states that spirituality refers to one's connection to their inner spirit or soul, which is present in all living things regardless of religious beliefs. Religion is a set of beliefs and practices surrounding spirituality. The key difference is that spirituality is a personal experience while religion provides a structure of beliefs. It argues that being religious does not necessarily make one spiritual, as spirituality requires awareness of one's connection to all things. Obstacles like negative thinking can block spiritual awareness and expression. The document advocates staying true to one's beliefs but with an open mind and focus on unconditional love, goodness, and connection to others.
The document discusses the purpose of life from both modern and traditional perspectives. In traditional views, most religions see the purpose of life as spiritual, such as worshipping God and following religious teachings. Islam specifically sees the purpose as worshipping Allah, being a representative of Allah on Earth, and living as a test for the afterlife. In modern views, common purposes include sharing love with others, helping and learning from people, finding happiness, pursuing dreams and wisdom, and enjoying life. Overall, the document argues that while perspectives have changed, the most complete purpose is found in Islam - to worship Allah through one's thoughts, actions, and utilization of talents in service of others.
Theology is the systematic study of God's revelation and human faith, with the goal of discerning God's will for a particular context so that people can live faithfully according to it. It involves interpreting divine revelation from the Bible in a way that is God-focused, Christ-centered, historically-informed, context-sensitive, and practically applied. The various theological sub-disciplines each contribute valuable perspectives to develop a holistic understanding of God's will, rather than representing fragmented areas of study. Theology is done through hermeneutical, critical, dialogical, and correlational methods of reasoning and discussing revelation and faith.
1. Toward a More Intentional Messianic Jewish Spirituality
Presented to
Rabbi Stuart Dauermann
MJ 513
Messianic Jewish Spirituality
By
Laura Li-Hua Sun
School of World Mission
Fuller Theological Seminary
FTS # 882
Email: sunl99@hotmail.com
Aug. 31, 2001
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2. TABLE OF CONTENT
I. INTRODUCTION------------------------------------------------------------------1
II. TORAH STUDY--TEACHING AND HEALING-----------------------------2
III. MITZVAH (COMMANDMENT) -----------------------------------------------4
IV. HITBODEDUT/ PRAYER & MEDITATION (MIND MAPPING)--------5
V. RITUAL LIFE-----------------------------------------------------------------------8
VI. ETHICAL LIVING-----------------------------------------------------------------9
VII. CONCLUSION---------------------------------------------------------------------11
REFERENCE CITED-----------------------------------------------------------------------13
FINAL REPORT LOG & Permission sheet for using final paper---------------------14
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3. I. INTRODUCTION
Messianic Jewish spirituality is the awareness of standing in the presence of God. This
paper concentrates on how and why my spiritual life is different as a result of participating this
course entitled of MJ 513--Messianic Jewish Spirituality. It includes five specific changes I
plan to make in my spirituality practices include: Torah Study; Mitzvah (commandment);
Hitbodedut/ Prayer & Mediation; ritual life, and ethical living.
According to the class syllabus, Messianic Jewish Spirituality seeks to nurture a
fruitfulness evidencing ongoing growth in this six areas: “ [1] loving the Lord our God with all
our hearts, souls and minds; [2] loving our neighbors as ourselves; [3] being conformed to the
image of Messiah; [4] preserving and strengthening our commonality, community and
continuity with other Jews; [5] maintaining Filial relationship with the Church; [6]
Demonstrating (experiencing) fruitfulness, giftedness and communion with the Holy Spirit. Six
time-honored pillars of Jewish religious life aid us in achieving the six–fold goal specified
above: [1] Sacred instruction-- Torah; [2] Liturgically informed prayer; [3] ethical living, [4]
Ritual life, and [5] Mitzvah life under commandment; [6] Supplementary and catalyzing spiritual
growth as described above.”
I believe that when Christ calls me as a leader to Christian ministry He intends to develop
me to my full potential. For me, being in leadership brings responsibility to continue developing
in accordance with God’s processing all of my life. According to Dr. Robert Clinton, “Ministry
flow out of being”, beingnesss describes the inner life of a person and refers to intimacy with
God, character, personality, giftedness, destiny, values drawn from experience, gender
influenced perspectives. Besides my natural abilities and acquired skills, my spiritual gifts
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4. include faith, word of knowledge, discerning spirits, giving, helps, healing, word of wisdom,
exhortation, prophecy and teaching. He has given me the direction in which I am moving now
is to know and to understand how best to serve God with the gifts. My new spirituality direction
and plans will be based on the above six pillars to develop in five aspects.
II. TORAH STUDY--TEACHING AND HEALING
Spirituality through studying the Torah—the first five books of Moses-- is axiomatic to
Jewish life. Both study and practice are important in term of mind and hand. I believe that the
more I study, the more I acquire the skills that will enable me to understand myself, the world
around me, and God, who makes it all possible.(Sonsino 2000: 65). I appreciate and admire the
way Jewish study brings the student closer to God. That is why Jewish study is often conducted
aloud, in a singsong chant. It is more than an intellectual operation; it is a way of arching one’s
soul up toward the divine and finding God inside oneself. At the same time, Jewish study uses
Bible to illuminate experiences (Sonsino 2000: 68). Keep learning is part of my own Four-L
personality theory—To Live, To Love, To Learn and To Go to the Lord. In other words, I
believe that study / learning itself can lead to transcendence, and knowledge can be the source of
the highest spirituality.
Torah study, which is a lifelong discipline is also a major ingredient of personal
spirituality. It nourishes our soul, gives us direction in life, and sharpens our mind. The sacred
text, elucidated by past generations and currently, becomes a road map for us as we face daily
challenges (Sonsino 2000: 68-69). In terms of discipline of study, for Messianic Jews, a truly
holy person is one whose life embodies Torah. The Apostle Paul and the Prophet Daniel even in
their old age both were still immersed in study, even at the end of a long and Spirit gifted life of
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5. ministry. I ought to follow their examples. A committed student of the Word will learn about
what resources and methods are available and will take steps to implement some program of
developing and ever-deeping knowledge of and conformity the sacred text. As a result of this
understanding, I will schedule Torah study now and future teaching as my priority on a regular
basis.
Being a right-brain person and from what I have read in the Word of God for the past
twenty years, it appear to be I more in tune with some Books, such as Hebrews instead of
Romans, and more able to relate to Peter rather than Paul. However, I will discipline myself to
study the Word of God, especially the Sacred Text--Torah and become a more well-grounded
Bible-centered leader after this course. I have also found that I must model it myself. This
approach has given me more insight in which to communicate the truth to those not familiar
with God’s Word.
Like Ezra the priest, my life purpose is to teach the truths of God’s words to His people
in such a way as to bring about renewal—that is, worship of God, an understanding of His
requirements on our lives, and response to Him so that God’s people live out His truth in their
lives and thus honor God. Also as a Priest, I expect to have spiritual authority, in teaching the
Torah. As a Torah teacher who exposes the truths of the Word of God, both publicly and in small
groups and for training of other leaders, I expect to see changed lives individually and seeds of a
renewal movement. My study of and teaching the Torah competently should generate spiritual
authority and hopefully have impact on lives. One of the Jewish way I plan to use in teaching
the Torah is noisy and highly interactive. When there is disagreement, the text is the primary
teacher. The text, the process and the participants must always be treated with respect. Since
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6. Jewish study happens best in pairs [chevruta], I will appoint myself a teacher and acquire for
myself a study partner [chaver]. Torah study should help improve one’s self identity. In this
regard, my gift of healing could be used.
III. MITZVAH (COMMANDMENT)
Mitzvah is used as a “response”, and more than a “commandment”(Goldstein 1999:19).
The whole point of an ethic is that it comes to you. It is discovered; it is not chosen. God is only
in the details. If one follows God, there cannot be a fully autonomous human being. There has
to be some kind of heteronomy. There has to be obedience. How do I know God’s will for me,
and whether I am able to do God’s will are difficult questions. But they are secondary to the
belief that, if I know, when I know, however I know God’s will, there is no choice about
performing it. There is only obedience or sin. The task is to ritualize the ethical commandments
and to etheticize the ritual commandments(Goldstein 1999: 20). What is important is the
direction of our life, not the number of mitzvoths performed. I am obligated under God to
perform a number of ethical tasks. Holiness is not abstract or magical; it is the goal of our
morality and the task of my deeds. (Goldstein 1999: 21). An embrace of mitzvah means that I
accept God as my commander, that I am prepared to live my life in response to God and as
God’s covenant partner, this needs to be the starting point in order to discuss the Mitzvot
(Goldstein 1999:31).
Since being called to be an inherited priest as the prophetic words I receive, I would pay
more attention to the role of the priesthood. I need to know the social pattern to be able to judge
the law( like the jury) so that there are two parts related to the priesthood: 1) the Word of God—
to know how to teach and how to instruct; 2) the sacrifice—for the priest to interact in order to
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7. know when to intercede. Application of past truth to the contemporary needs will be the post
modernity, social macro context.
The duty of being a priest is to know and apply Mitzvah through teaching. The function
of the priest involves interpretations. The priest should know every aspect of the Mitzvah: to
memorize the Mitzvah (commandment); to internalize in order to teach and execute the religious
practice; then, become the “brain” of the community and to intercede for it. By knowing the Law
and by modeling it, I should be able to explain clearly and simply the truth in terms that the lay
people can understand. Both in small groups and individual will be my methods.
VI. HITBODEDUT/ PRAYER & MEDITATION ( MIND MAPPING)
Hitbonenut means “knowing oneself” and is a blanket term for contemplation and
meditation. Meditation requires discipline, is a process of self-discovery, and can be painful at
times. The Jewish method of Hibodedut means time for yourself, private time. It is to be a time
of inner-directed, unstructured, active meditation in order to cultivate intimacy with God. It is a
planned appointment with God. I should make my sha’ah(Hour) of Hitbodedut long enough to
be able to turn to God and give my full attention to the all-important work of spiritual growth.”
Or mind--mapping. As stated in the class syllabus, “Hibodeut is very compatible with Steven
Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effcetive People which can be very well used in bringing task-
focus to Hitbodeut sessions. Being Jesus’ disciple is being disciplined.” For me personally, to
pray is to spend time with Abba — Hitbodedut is crucial to my being liberated from excessively
performance-oriented approach to personal devotional practice. This removes prayer from the
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8. realm of performance - anxiety, something which tends to repel me and hinder my going to the
time and place of prayer.
Through the spoken word I turn the potential into the actual, making distant, barely
articulated dreams, hopes, wishes and intentions into concrete ideas leading to practical action
and achievement. By expressing my inner problems and feelings, I would expect to gain deeper
insight and to see a solution. From Daniel’s Jewish model and Yeshua’s prayer life, I realize that
I can and should bring all my life and its concerns into my prayer time with God. He cares for
me, and He invites me to be with Him one hour a day through a prophetic word. Prayer is meant
to be the relational core of one’s life with God. It should be as natural for a child of God to pray
as it is for a baby to cry out for its mother. Prayer was central in the life of Yeshua. I will
consider a personal growth project in which, through Scripture reading and prayerful meditation,
I will get in touch with the centrality of prayer- in the life of Bible characters and in the teaching
of the Messiah as a result of this course. I pray that God will give me an appropriate prayer
partner or prayer partners with whom I can meet and to continue to learn of God and the space
He wants in my life.
The traditional Jewish teaching about the presence of God is equated to impressive
natural phenomena throughout history, anything that “enriches the individual emotionally and
intellectually, and fills him or her with a sense of great awe (Sonsino 2000: 40). Such as my
sense of calling from God through the prophetic words, which I esteem as supernatural, I need to
be alert to these experiences and these encounters with God not in order to repeat or to put them
on a shelf as part of my personal story and history to be shared with others for God’s glory. Also
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9. like Moses in priesthood, through my relationship with God, seeking the welfare of my people,
wherever I pray, ought to do so with the well-being of my community in mind.
Like the word to Aaron’s priesthood in Leviticus 16, SEEK MY FACE, NOT MY
HANDS ! —enter the inner court of the Lord; also as Tommy Tenny said: “One night with the
King can change a nation!” I need to beautify myself to be the bride. I can spend one night
with the Lord and ask Him for a nation! “For such a time as This” is the Esther Generation, I
must pay the price and receive favor from the King. For me, to pay the price means to go
through treatments before I could even enter the presence of God. I must saturate myself with
the oil of the Spirit so that my flesh will become so cleansed that I too breathe out the Spirit of
God. Spirituality through prayer is a work on oneself, a kind of spiritual workout, a time of self
evaluation. Prayer for me, above all, is a healing process. It is a work of using the mind to look
into the heart placing myself in a closer union with God; it is a time to become aware of love,
awe, trust, and faith. I highly appreciate that this aspect of Jewish spirituality is something I
need to learn from.
I would like to integrate the Daniel model of Spirituality into mine as a biblical and
cultural Jewish model incorporating the following: Journaling, liturgical rhythms, communal
awareness and spiritual discipline. I will seek a silent undisturbed place in which to be in, tune to
the spontaneous, an openness to insight, and journaling. Within a framework of worshipful
expectancy, I desire an openness to the supernatural and an obedient responsiveness toward God
and to mentoring relationships. I will not necessarily major three times a day toward Jerusalem
at expect times. I want to practice the discipline of fasting to include food and time with people
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10. and time in solitude. Limited time should be allowed for television, computer etc. To value my
spiritual interaction with God and His with me, I want to journal both preserve and multiply
these values. I believe journaling is a great way of getting the intuitive down on paper as a
prelude to later evaluation and analysis. As with Daniel’s prayer life so my own prayer life is
also reflected in the rhythms of my Chinese culture calendar (instead of Jewish) in the daily,
weekly, monthly, and seasonal rhythms of life.
V. RITUAL LIFE
God is in the details of all life. The ritual life for me will include the discipline of
confession, submission, solitude and silence. In the Bible there is much teaching and modeling
which points to a social context for confession. In the discipline of confession, we let trusted
others know our deepest weakness and failures. We engage and are engaged by others in the
most profound depths of our soul. Confession is good for the soul. My small group needs to
become a place where my group members feel safe being honest about themselves. In
submission, we engage the experience and counsel of spiritual authorities in our fellowship,
trusting them to direct me and hold me accountable in my efforts toward growth. I believe this is
the highest level of fellowship; involving humility, complete honest, transparency, and, at times,
confession and restitution.
The discipline of solitude can free me by causing me to break free from the patterns of
feeling, thought and action that characterize my day - to - day life in a world set against God. In
other words, this can help me see things in perspective. Yeshua frequently practiced in the desert
in solitude. This allows space in our lives for God. which purpose is to allow space in our lives
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11. for God. Yeshua inaugurated his ministry and cope with his grief prior to His crucifixion at
Gethsemane in solitude. I need to make a wider place for solitude in my own life. The
discipline of silence is an excellent preparation for prayer and Bible reading. Practicing the
discipline of silence will free and heal me from the compulsion to control. In silence, control is
relinquished. When I realize I am not really in control, my anxiety goes away and God can work
in and through my life in a much deeper way. A good reminder for me is that if I do not have
time to spend alone with God, I am doing more than God intended me to do. I would like to plan
to have a personal one-day silent retreat once a month.
VI. ETHICAL LIVING
I believe that community is the main context in which I practice my personal spirituality.
“ I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt, the house of bondage ( Ex.20:20; Isa
45:1ff).” Since YAHWAH is a personal God who has a relationship with me through a covenant,
and takes a personal interest in my well-being. Every time I enter into an I-Thou relationship, I
also get a glimpse of the eternal Thou, who is God. What I receive is not a content but a
presence, a presence as strength (Sonsino 2000:133). Judaism sees spirituality expressed
primarily through relationship with others and by means of good deeds toward one’s fellow
human beings. As a member of the Body of Christ, I do not live solely to myself. The proper
place and proper function is in fellowship with others similarly joined to Messiah in faith and
love. Also, the sphere of the proper operation of the gifts of the Spirit require a gathering of
God’s people. In fellowship, we engage in common activities of worship, study, prayer,
celebration, and service with other people of God. Jesus said, “whoever wants to become great
among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave.” In service,
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12. we place our possessions and strength in the active promotion to the good of others and the
causes of God in our world. The rich and poor and those in between, should embrace the
discipline of service. How is this to be applied ? I must learn to demonstrate concern for
people’s physical and spiritual needs. This will include giving of my time, and my resource.
I should not just wait for this to happen. Instead, I should take the initiative as Jesus commanded
and do something! I should make concrete plans and a calendar change to stretch out to my
community.
Another aspect of ethical living of community is to practice the discipline of celebration.
I believe that celebration is biblical. Celebration includes having fun. God is the Lord and
Creator of all of life. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father
of the heavenly lights (Ja 1:17). I need to avoid becoming so “ religious” that I neglect to
celebrate the richness of all of life—good friends, good music, good food, marital love,
fragrances, experiences, sights and sounds which bring me delight. Therefore, I will try to
spend time to celebrate my favorite things, such as watching the white clouds, the blue sky,
green grass and colorful flowers, giving thanks to God for the richness and texture of life as He
created it. Also, the discipline of worship is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, that is, to
worship Him who is the worthy. I must deliberately disciplined myself to express the greatness,
beauty, and goodness of God through thought and the use of words, rituals, symbols and bodily
postures. I may do this alone, as in community with God’s people. I may use body to convey
what my heart feels.
“The Celebration of Discipline” by Richard J. Foster is one of my favorite books
concerning spiritual growth. The discipline of frugality is one of the most necessary in my point
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13. of view. To practice this discipline means I stay within the bounds of good judgment for the kind
of life to which God has led me. Frugality does not mean poverty. It means living appropriately
within ones means and not being ruled by hunger for power, glamour, or luxury. Since my
calling is “go to the nations”, traveling out of my comfort zone would be necessary to help
awaken me to the conspicuous consumption which is taken for granted in the Western World..
Overall, I would bear in mind that all the virtues listed in Goldstein’s Judaism and
Spiritual Ethics are not only a beginning but are derived from the virtue of “knowledge of God.”
They refer to the Sacred Text—Torah and Mitzvah. As I progress from one virtue to the next, it
becomes clear to me that each virtue that follows the knowledge of God also leads back to it.
The ten virtues are -- Knowledge of God, Acts of Loving–Kindness, Righteousness, Prayer,
Embarrassment, Faith, Wholeheartedness/Integrity. A good Name, Repentance and Peace(
Shalom). As a result, the ten essential virtues from the original twenty-four, selected by Rabbis
Niles E. Goldstein and Steven S Mason, are an integrated whole whose sum is greater than its
parts (Goldstein 1996:ix ). I am impressed with the fact that Jewish life is a more moral struggle
for social action (Gordis 1995:35 ) than as a process of living life in dialogue with a series of
sacred texts. I would see my personal past experience of the Christian walk as with Jewish life
which is a spiritual odyssey, essentially about struggle and journey (Gordis 1995:42). I admire
that Jewish life based on the fact that Sacred text creates community, a marvelous continuity and
sense of connectedness. Ritual is a source of connectedness, the expression of wonder, a
subversive social critique, a transformational tool, a setting for communal introspection.
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14. VII. CONCLUSION
For me, after over twenty years of the Christian walk and journey, I observe that
spirituality cannot be imposed. It has to be discovered. My growth in Yeshua reflects my own
being which includes personality and inclination, characters and giftedness. Francis Schaffer and
C.S. Lewis were my favorite Christian-Apologetic intellectuals when I was a new Christian. As
time went by, I was more drawn into to those who have a prophetic revelatory giftedness, such as
the gift of healing, the discerning spirit, the spirit of wisdom, counsel, prophecy, etc. During this
stage of my spiritual journey, I remain in awe of God’s glory as I stand in His presence. With
the help of Holy Spirit, I want to reach wholeness in my spiritual odyssey, especially in my
union with Christ, my access through God to Him, and my relationship to the Holy Spirit. I
desire to work on study of the Torah as the Lord has called me as His “little flower” in His heart.
The word of the Lord and Holy Spirit are the water to keep this little flower growing instead of
withering. I want to keep open to other alternatives for spirituality as I mature and deepen my
understanding of life and its challenges( Sonsino 2000: 153).
For me, ministry flows out of being. I would like to be more focused on the gift of
teaching, healing, word of wisdom, and discernment, since I want to have a legacy of those who
are following and growing in God. I will come alongside the ministry leaders and support them
as they attempt to follow God’s orders to renewal and revival. I want to leave behind a trained
group of people who can read, study, and apply God’s words and will train others in turn to keep
the truth alive. I want to be a person prepared for God to use in the future.
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15. REFERENCE CITED
Goldstein, Niles E. and Peter S. Knobel.
1999 Duties of the Soul: The Role of Commandments in Liberal
Judaism. NY: UAHC Press,
Goldstein, Niles E. and Steve S. Mason.
1996 Judaism and Spiritual Ethics. New York: UAHC Press.
Gordis, Daniel.
1995 God Was Not in the Fire: The Search for a Spiritual Judaism. New
York: Scribner.
Hoffman, Lawrence, ed.
1998 My People's Prayer Book: Traditional Prayers, Modern
Commentaries. Volume 2 - The Amidah. Woodstock, Vermont: Jewish
Lights.
Kugel, James.
1990 On Being a Jew. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press.
Sonsino, Rafat.
2000 Six Jewish Spiritual Paths: A Rationalist Looks at Spirituality.
Woodstock, Vermont: Jewish Lights Publishing.
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16. FINAL REPORT LOG & Permission sheet for using final paper
Date Due: August, 31, 2001
Name: Laura Li-Hua Sun
1. Final Paper as an email attached file to Stuartd@fuller.edu
2. Reading Reports- next to each title, indicate with a check mark if indeed you have read the
book in question.
X Goldstein, Niles E. and Steve S. Mason. Judaism and Spiritual Ethics.
X Goldstein, Niles E. and Peter S. Knobel. Duties of the Soul
X Buxbaum, Yitzchak Real Davvening: Jewish Prayer as a Spiritual Practice. . .
X Gordis, Daniel. God Was Not in the Fire: The Search for a Spiritual Judaism.
X Hoffman, Lawrence, ed. My People's Prayer Book Volume 2 - The Amidah.
X Kugel, James On Being a Jew.
X Sonsino, Rafat. Six Jewish Spiritual Paths
===================================================
Permission sheet for use of Final Papers by Stuart Dauermann
Due Date: To be submitted with final paper
Permission For Use in a reader ( check in the blank)
---- I give permission for Stuart Dauermann to use my paper in the Reader which will be
used for future classes. On the reserve Shelf f or this or other classes, and in his workshop and
seminars.
Signed Laura Li-Hus Sun Date Aug. 31, 2001
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