Lectio Divina as a Catalyst for Spiritual Growth: A Case Study Among Mature Believers

2012·140.3 MB·English

by  KATHERINE MILLS JOHNSON

LECTIO DIVINA AS A CATALYST FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH:
A CASE STUDY AMONG MATURE BELIEVERS
A THESIS
SUMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF
GORDON-CON WELL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENOTF REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE
DOCTOR OF MINISTRY
BY
KATHERINE MILLS JOHNSON
MAY 2012
Copyright © 2012 by Katherine Mills Johnson. All Rights Reserved.
To Dick,
my beloved husband, encourager, friend, and editor par-excellence
They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked
with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
—Luke 24:32
CONTENTS
LIST OF FIGURES Wu... ccc eeesescceceseesceeeessesanesceseesaceacescaecsavcnecaaeeaeeaeesaeaeeaeeaeeeeeeeeeanes vii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS... cicecsssscesceeseeseesceseeessesceceesessaeseessessasscessesseeseeseeeaeeseeees viii
ABSTRACT. ieccccesecescesecnecneceseeecesceeeesensecseceaeesessacaeessesecseceseseenecsaeeaseasenecneeeeeneennerss ix
Chapter
1. THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING... ceccecseeceeeseseseneeeeeseeseseeeaeeenetsteeaeeess 1
2. THEOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK oo... cecsceerceseeseesreereesnessevseenrenersessecsaevateas 28
3. LITERATURE REVIEW... ceccecsecssccsseeseeeetseneceeceeaeeeesensaneaeeeeesaseatseeeeeeees 68
4. PROCEDURES AND RESEARCH DESIGN |... cece eseesseeceeceeeneeeeeeneaes 127
5. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS ooo. eecceeneceeeeeeeaeteceeeeaecaeeeeceeenseatens 142
Appendix
A. INVITATION LETTER... ececeeeesesseceneseesseesneseeseesseesnersesaesaeeseereesaeeaes 189
B. INFORMED CONSENT DOCUMENT ....ccicececeeeseeeeeeeeeseceeeeaseaeeeaeeeees 190
C. INSTRUCTIONS AND INTRODUCTION (PROTESTANT) ...... cesses 192
D. INSTRUCTIONS AND INTRODUCTION (CATHOLIC) ... ee 195
E, PRAYER GUIDE... isecesessensesssonecesensceneeneenacsacenseseenaesasenssenenaenanenaseaes 199
F, PRE-PROJECT SURVEY (PROTESTANT)... ce ceeeeeeseeesecneseeeeeereeeneenes 222
G. PRE-PROJECT SURVEY (CATHOLIC)... ec cecscessesecreceeseeseaceaeeneeeeees 224
H. SAMPLE WEEKLY RESPONSE SHEET 0... ececcsseeseceecesceereeeneseesenees 226
I. POST-PROJECT SURVEY... eeescesceseeseeseeeseeaeeaeereenesesesacssesneseaeeneenees 227
J. PREQ6 RESPONSES... ceececceeseesceeeeeeeseeseesaesaeeseeeesaasateaeeneesaeeaeeaeeeeses 229
K. POSTQ1 RESPONSES 0... ccc cccccectcescerecsseersneeeseserreesessuareeresessesseneenees 231
L. POSTQ4 RESPONSES 00... eeeeessessesseereeeaeescenecneesacrscereseestansaceresteeeaevaces 233
M. POSTQS RESPONSES 00... ecessecceeeeeeesceacenecsecseseeseneceaeeaeenaevaeeneseaesenees 237
N. POSTQ7 RESPONSES 1.0... ececccccccssessecnecseecaecceseseeeaesesdaneaseeaeensaneaseaeeed 241
O. WEEKLY RESPONSE SHEETS—COMMENTS 0... ciceeeeseseseseeeeeeeeeeeees 243
P. WEEKLY RESPONSE SHEETS—DIFFICULTIES .... cee ee eeeeeeeeeeeneeees 257
BIBLIOGRAPHY ou... cece cecccssessesseensccsassscecesesssonscascaseneeecaseseresenevaseaseregenesetens 259
VITA vice ccc cescssscrssacsecssessarsesaecneereceresseeseerscnaesresseereceassenseessseeseneensesseeresenesereneess 263
vi
FIGURES
3:1 Different Authors’ Views of Lectio Divina... ccceceeseeseesseeceseeeecceneeeeeeecnneeeeeaee 120
4:1 Demographic Data... ccccsesecceseseeeceseeenssececsneeseeeseesseesneceseesesesesesseesenersasensees 131
4:2 Age Ranges wo... cece eecccsecceccesecescesssesseecnseeaeeeaeeesscseceseeeseseseeeseeessecnsceeaeeeaeeestenaeeas 132
4:3 Number of Years as a Christian 0.0... eccceccescsecesceeecnecsecseseaecseeeaeeaecseeenseneaeceneess 132
5:1 Satisfaction with Spiritual Life oi... .ect cc ccecsesssseeseesceeeceeecesseeneesseeseesavereseeeneeees 169
5:2 Major Reasons for Spiritual Growth ..........ccccessccessssssseesseessectecsateecsescessaseeseeeeneee 171
vii
ACKNOWLEGEMENTS
This thesis-project is the culmination of years of learning, of teaching, of writing
and of conversations with numerous people who have shared their spiritual journeys with
me. I have been enriched and blessed by all who have so freely given their
encouragement and input in classes, small groups, and seminars. I am grateful for
companions and mentors along the way who have set examples for me of lives lived for
the glory of God and of hearts that burned with love for him.
I would like to acknowledge those whose encouragement and prayers made this
project possible. First, many thanks goes to Dr. David Currie, mentor, and friend, who
prompted me to begin this journey of doctoral studies and provided wise counsel and
support along the way. I also am grateful for my parents, Ken and Ann Mills, who from
the very beginning, have believed in me and encouraged me to pursue my dreams.
Throughout the entire process my amazing children Carol and Ken and their wonderful
spouses Chris and Misha have repeatedly urged me on saying, “We know you can do it!”
My dear friend Candy McCall, along with many other friends and family, prayed for me
throughout my studies. Thank you. Finally, I would like to thank my husband and
partner, Dick, for his love, encouragement, and sacrifice that have made it possible for
me to complete this project. His editorial expertise has been invaluable. All of you share
in this accomplishment and it is my prayer that God will bless you in the same way that
you have so freely given to me. To God be the glory for all he has done.
Vill
ABSTRACT
The recent rise in interest in spiritual formation and the spiritual disciplines seems
to indicate that there is a growing awareness of the need to attend to the spiritual lives of
Christians especially those who have been believers for some time. Studies show that
many believers consider themselves to be stalled in their spiritual growth and they often
view prayer as a duty rather than a delight. The purpose of this thesis-project is to explore
the question of whether or not prayer that is based in an intimate relationship with God,
using Scripture as its foundation, can make a significant impact on the spiritual growth of
Christians. To this end, thirty-eight individuals participated in a six-week study using
lectio divina in their personal prayer time. Of these, 95 percent reported some degree of
spiritual growth. The conclusion of this project is that lectio divina appears to have
catalyzed growth in four areas: listening to God; deepening personal relationship with
God; using Scripture as a basis for prayer; and being more disciplined in prayer.
CHAPTER ONE
THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING
One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house
of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to
seek him in his temple.
—Psalm 27:4
Introduction
Throughout three decades of Christian ministry and missionary service I have
observed that many believers reach a point in their Christian life that is marked by a sense
of dissatisfaction with their own lack of spiritual growth. They have studied the Bible and
engaged in various church discipleship programs but no longer feel that they are growing
in a significant way. Specifically, their prayer life is either non-existent or is not
producing fruit. In many cases people either see prayer as a duty or as a means of
obtaining what they want from God. They may also see themselves as having plateaued
in their spiritual lives and have no idea how to move on toward spiritual maturity. In spite
of this perceived lack of growth, there is an underlying desire among most believers to
deepen their relationship with God by being transformed by the Word of God and by
having communion with God in prayer.
Additionally, over the course of thirty years of teaching inductive Bible study and
writing and leading Bible studies for various church and para-church groups, I have
sensed a waning enthusiasm for this kind of study. And personally, the hours spent doing
exegetical study that I used to find satisfying are no longer as fulfilling. About ten years
ago, during a lengthy period of spiritual dryness, I spent some time reading various
classic authors including Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross along with more recent