Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership with Ruth Haley Barton

S24 Ep 1 | The Future of Christian Spirituality: Towards a More Unified Faith

Sep 4, 2024

Ruth, a thought leader in Christian spirituality, engages with Father Ron Rolheiser, a renowned theologian and author. Together, they explore the dynamic future of faith, emphasizing the importance of spirituality over strict theology. Their discussion touches on the need for unity across denominations and the encouraging role of the Holy Spirit, likening God's guidance to a tireless GPS. They also highlight the challenges of connecting with younger generations, advocating for an approach that prioritizes a lived experience of faith.

47:40

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Ruth

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Quick takeaways

The podcast emphasizes the importance of recognizing the role of the Holy Spirit in shaping personal and communal Christian spirituality.

A critical discussion is presented on bridging the gap between theology and spirituality, advocating for a more integrated approach to faith practice.

Deep dives

The Future of Christian Spirituality

The podcast centers on exploring the future of Christian spirituality by seeking to understand the movements and activities of the Holy Spirit within contemporary contexts. Rather than predicting or casting visions, the discussion emphasizes recognizing the existing work of the Holy Spirit and aligning with it to participate in its unfolding. This journey involves reading the signs of the times to discern how spiritual guidance is emerging in various aspects of faith. The speakers are eager to engage in meaningful dialogues that will illuminate the path ahead, encouraging listeners to remain attentive to the spiritual landscape.

Embrace Diversity of Gifts to Nurture Faith

01:22

The Rule of Theology, the Key of Spirituality

01:20

Begin with One Thing

01:10

Intro

3min

Christian Spirituality: A Journey Beyond Theology

15min

Bridging the Gap: Engaging Youth in Modern Spirituality

4min

Faith and Guidance: Trusting God's Recalculating Journey

2min

Reviving Christianity for the Next Generation

4min

Rediscovering Unity in Christ

20min

Welcome to season 24! This season we are exploring the future of Christian spirituality. Based on her own experience and the lives of people she accompanies on the journey, Ruth has been naming what she is noticing and observing regarding the future of Christian spirituality– how the Spirit is moving and how we can align ourselves to participate in the future God is leading us into. Elements she is naming include respect for the role of desire; emphasis on spiritual direction; welcoming and inclusive; committed to justice; and more. This season Ruth will sit down with thoughtful Christian leaders to discuss their thoughts on one of these elements, as it has to do with the future of Christian spirituality. This season was inspired by the Beyond Words series by the same name. Check out those posts here.

In this episode, Ruth sits down with Father Ron Rolheiser. This topic for this season was born out of an invitation from Ron to Ruth in 2019. Ruth was invited to speak at a conference honoring Ron’s time at the Oblate School. The conference theme was the future of Christian spirituality. This idea has captivated Ruth, and she has been thinking and writing about it ever since. In today’s episode, Ruth and Father Ron discuss their thoughts on the future broadly. They discuss theology vs. spirituality, how going deeper into our own denominations brings us toward unity, and how God is like a GPS that never tires. The two close with their thoughts on how the future of Christian spirituality is Christocentric and what that looks like in practice.

Did the audio quality make it difficult to hear episode 1? You were not alone. Ronald Rolheiser’s audio quality was not great and yet what he said was worth the extra effort. We have transcribed the episode in the hopes it would help you digest this great content. Find the transcript HERE.

Ronald Rolheiser is a Roman Catholic priest and member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. He is President Emeritus of the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, Texas, and a Professor of Spirituality there. He is a community builder, lecturer, and writer. Along with his academic knowledge in systematic theology and philosophy, he has become a popular speaker in the areas of contemporary spirituality, religion, and secularity.

Mentioned in this episode:

Our Secular Age by Charles Taylor

The Holy Longing by Ronald Rolheiser

Befriending our Desires by Philip Sheldrake

Music Credit:

Kingdom Come by Aaron Niequist

Tender Moment from Music in Solitude

Support the podcast! This season patrons will receive special bonus episodes with each guest, guiding listeners on how to pray into these different topics. Become a patron today by visiting our Patreon page!

The Transforming Center exists to create space for God to strengthen leaders and transform communities. You are invited to join our next Transforming Community:® A Two-year Spiritual Formation Experience for Leaders. Delivered in nine quarterly retreats, this practice-based learning opportunity is grounded in the conviction that the best thing you bring to leadership is your own transforming self! Learn more and apply HERE.

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