Session 2 The Holiness Stream

Session 2The Holiness Tradition : 

Session 2The Holiness Tradition Thomas à Kempis, Ignatius of Loyola, Theresa of Avila, John Wesley, Dietrich Bonhoeffer

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Inward re-formation Development of holy habits Ability to respond appropriately Cultivating Virtues Consistency The Tradition Focus Strengths Weaknesses Figures Movements Practice

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Goal: Formation Intentional Focus Character Spiritual Disciplines The Tradition Focus Strengths Weaknesses Figures Movements Practice Holiness

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Holiness is NOT Rules and regulations Asceticism Works-righteousness Perfectionism Absorption into God The Tradition Focus Strengths Weaknesses Figures Movements Practice Holiness

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Legalism Works Righteousness The Tradition Focus Strengths Weaknesses Figures Movements Practice Holiness

Thomas à Kempis(1380-1471) : 

Thomas à Kempis(1380-1471) German monk “The religious who meditates devoutly on the most holy life and passion of our Lord will find all that he needs to make his life worthwhile.  In fact, he has no need to go beyond Jesus,  for he will discover nothing better.  If Jesus Crucified would come into our hearts, how quickly and perfectly we would be instructed in the spiritual life.” Major work: The Imitation of Christ Book One -- Thoughts Helpful in the Life of the Soul Book Two -- The Interior Life Book Three -- Internal Consolation Book Four -- An Invitation to Holy Communion The Tradition Focus Strengths Weaknesses Figures Movements Practice Holiness James the Apostle

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Founder of Society of Jesus - the largest religious order of the Catholic Church serving in over 112 nations, with over 20,000 priests, brothers and men in training worldwide. Spiritual Exercises (most well-known work) Described by Pope Benedict XVI as being "above all a man of God, who gave the first place of his life to God...a man of profound prayer.” (From http://www.ignatiushistory.info/) The Tradition Focus Strengths Weaknesses Figures Movements Practice Holiness Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556)

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Roving Nun, Carmelite reformer and founder, Catholic mystic Let nothing trouble you Let nothing trouble you. Let nothing scare you. All is fleeting. God alone is unchanging. Patience Everything obtains. Who possesses God nothing wants God alone suffices. The Tradition Focus Strengths Weaknesses Figures Movements Practice Holiness Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) Way of Perfection, Meditations on the Canticle, Interior Castle

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Co-founder of Methodists Heart Taught that God offers salvation to all Eclectic in his approach “Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the souls you can, in every place you can, at all the times you can, with all the zeal you can, as long as ever you can” (From http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/methodist/exhibition/exhib4.html and http://thinkexist.com/quotes/john_wesley/) The Tradition Focus Strengths Weaknesses Figures Movements Movements Holiness John Wesley (1703-1791)

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“[It] is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.” The Cost of Discipleship The Tradition Focus Strengths Weaknesses Figures Movements Practice Holiness Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1902-1945)

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“[God] must be recognized at the centre of life, not when we are at the end of our resources; it is his will to be recognized in life, and not only when death comes; in health and vigour, and not only in suffering; in our activities, and not only in sin. The ground for this lies in the revelation of God in Jesus Christ.” Letters and Papers from Prison The Tradition Focus Strengths Weaknesses Figures Movements Practice Holiness Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1902-1945)

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The Tradition Focus Strengths Weaknesses Figures Movements Practice Holiness Anabaptists, Puritans, Holiness Movement

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Train through the practice of indirection Identify travelling companions for discernment, counsel, encouragement When we stumble and fall, we get up again The Tradition Focus Strengths Weaknesses Figures Movements Practice Holiness Why Holiness?