A Conversation Between Spirituality and Theology

A Conversation
between Spirituality
and Theology
TOPIC 4
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
DOCTRINE:
1. Explain spirituality as an experience of a personal relationship with God
2. Know and understand the meaning and essence of spirituality and theology
3. Differentiate and relate the connection between spirituality and theology
MORAL:
1. Develop and practice spirituality grounded on the teachings of St.
Augustine as basis for the quest for truth and union with God
WORSHIP:
1. Express gratitude to God for the gift of being receptive to
His grace
2. Established a deeper relationship and communion with God
through prayer and spiritual devotions
having
something to do
having to do with
with spirit
relationship with
God, self, others,
creation
associate with
finding meaning
in life
Christians often use religion and/or religious
experience as part of their definitions. Some people
insist on being spiritual and not religious. I think of
a spirituality as the heart of a religion, faith or way
of life. Spirituality nurtures religion and religion
develops and forms spirituality. Spiritual people
may not be part of an institutionalized religion but
they cannot help being religious.
- Gilberto Cavazos
Professor of Spirituality
Sandra Schneiders describes people
view the relationship between
spirituality and religion as partners.
Spirituality and religion are often seen
as being at odds with each other but
are actually complementary and
essential aspects of any authentic
quest for purpose and meaning in the
world. As partners, they are distinct
but intimately related.
VIEWPOINT OF THIS LESSON

SPIRITUALITY
AS LIFE
INTEGRATION
SPIRITUALITY AS LIFE INTEGRATION
SPIRITUALITY RELIGION
refers to the logic, or a set of beliefs, values and
character, or consistent practices that together
quality of a person’s or a identify what ultimate
group’s pattern of living reality is and help
establish the relationship
insofar as it is measured that obtains between this
before some kind of ultimate reality and the
ultimate reality practitioners
(Roger Haight) (Roger Haight)
Can a person
practice
spirituality
without
religion?
YES but difficult to do.
Without a religion that determines for us
what ultimate value might be, a person
practicing this so-called “secular
spirituality” has to find ultimate value
on their own terms, by their own capacity.
The aim of spirituality
is to achieve the
ultimate reality.
In addition, SPIRITUALITY is the experience of conscious involvement in the project of life-
integration through self-transcendence toward the ultimate value one perceives.
Spirituality can provide

foundation (life-integration) and
direction (self-transcendence) for
a generation of youth seeking
answers to their existential
questions.
Christian Spirituality is the lived
experience of Christian faith grounded
in the person of Jesus Christ.
Christian Spirituality
Although all humans are spiritual
and all Christian spiritualities
share a deep commonality, each
individual develops his or her
spirituality in a unique and
personal way.
The Role of Spirituality in the Lives of People Today
denotes an experience of conscious

experience involvement
pursued by consistent
life- self-transcendent
integration towards ultimate value
AUGUSTINIAN SPIRITUALITY AS PATTERN
There are many kinds of spirituality

that exists within the church. These
spiritualities have emerged within our
history in order to provide guidance
and pattern for developing proper
practice and belief and for directing
our progress toward god.
PRINCIPLES:
A. VERITAS (truth)
1.) understanding of the truth of oneself, and in that, the truth of God
2.) open in seeking the truth in each other while respecting the differences among people
B. UNITAS (unity)
1.) live harmoniously together in oneness of mind and heart
2.) openness and willingness for collaboration amongst members of the community
C. CARITAS (love)
1.) denotes life in the Holy Spirit
2.) puts love at the heart practice and life
Spirituality is difficult to do alone,
and even more so if it is done
without some kind of basis that
grounds one’s practice of
spirituality.
THE NEED FOR
ROOTS AND
WINGS
seeking
dwelling practicing
Kinds of Spirituality
DWELLING
the traditional religious
institutions and the living out of
person’s spiritual lives within the
drawn bounds of such institutions
had shallow roots and no wings to travel on

SEEKING
worked to find paths to ultimate
value on their own terms
had wings but no roots

PRACTICING
adopt spiritual disciplines to
focus and deepen their quest for
God
have both roots and wings
SPRITUALITY AND
PRACTICE
Spirituality is a quest that can be furthered by adopting
appropriate spiritual practices and by participating in
relevant communal rituals.
PRACTICE
- the living out of spirituality
- do not only includes prayer but also
includes moral living
- not just a private activity but
something that touches entire
communities and society as a whole
SPIRITUAL PRACTICES are journeys. They
are not hobbies or occasional exercises that
depend on our moods. SPIRITUAL
PRACTICES require commitment and are
usually cooperative in nature.
PRACTICAL
THEOLOGY
Thus, it is with utmost significance that both spirituality
and theology be encountered not simply emphasizing
proper understanding of the faith (orthodoxy) but also
highlighting the proper living out of the faith in practice
(orthopraxis).
The understanding of the doctrinal truths must be dealt

with “practicality” in relation to the current context or
situation of the world, especially that of the youth – a
theology that is rooted in the practice of the faith and
ultimately results into further practice.
PRACTICAL THEOLOGY
- a strand of theological thought that
attempts to heal the division between theory
and practice
- focuses on the application of theological
theories and concepts
- aims to harmonize knowledge of the faith
and the practice of the faith
PRACTICAL THEOLOGY IN THE PHILIPPINE SETTING
I. INTEGRATION GOAL:
to bring out in a
interrelatedness of the Christian practical manner
message and the actual living the experiential
out of the same message in the dimension of the
daily life of the people faith
Faith is not just believing/thinking (HEAD) but

doing (HANDS) and praying/worshipping
(HEART) as well.
GOAL:
to bring out the II. INCULTURATION
faith in a
practical manner
contextualization and dialogue
the into the very that allows engagement
heart of each
culture between faith and culture
Faith must be communicated
through contextual patterns of
thought, gesture and language
so that the receiver might
perceive it as addressed to them
personally.
III. COMMUNITY-FORMATION
the formation of a community for transformation according to
God’s salvific reign revealed in Jesus Christ
GOAL: Faith grows to maturity by
to nurture and bring to forming men and women of
maturity of faith the authentic prayer and service and
members of the Christian
in a supportive community
faith
provided by home, school and
community.
A final reminder:
“To be spiritual you need the roots of
religious tradition and community, while to
be religious in a Christian way you need
the wings of committed spiritual practices.
The true challenge of living out an
authentic faith is to be both spiritual and
religious.”
AUGUSTINIAN VALUE
Interiority

A Conversation Between Spirituality and Theology

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A Conversation

VIEWPOINT OF THIS LESSON

Spirituality can provide

denotes an experience of conscious

There are many kinds of spirituality

had shallow roots and no wings to travel on

had wings but no roots

The understanding of the doctrinal truths must be dealt

Faith is not just believing/thinking (HEAD) but

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