Spiritual Formation: An Invitation to Drawing Near Kyle Strobel

In this bonus episode, Kyle is interviewed by Belinda Drummond about the nature of a distinctively evangelical vision of contemplation. They discuss the theology of contemplation and its practical application for pastors and ministers. They explore the need for a contemplative life in the midst of a performative culture and the importance of deepening one's spirituality. They also discuss the Protestant tradition and the recovery of the beatific vision as a foundational aspect of contemplation. In this conversation, Kyle discusses the importance of contemplation and its historical significance. Kyle emphasizes the need to recover contemplation in evangelicalism, and highlights the role of scripture and theology in helping us understand what a distinctively Christian form of contemplation is. He also distinguishes between contemplation and contemplative prayer, cautioning against the confusion of these terms.
00:00 Introduction
10:37 Contemplation for Pastors and Ministers
29:26 Living by Faith and Reordering Life
38:55 The Theology of Contemplation
45:29 The Decline of Contemplation: Enlightenment and the Separation of Theology and Spirituality
57:16 The Relevance of Contemplation in Soul Care and Ministry


Get full access to Kyle’s Formation Substack at kylestrobel.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Kyle introduces the concept of evangelical spirituality as a Word-centered, Spirit-empowered, whole-life spirituality. He explains how he was impacted by the spirituality of the evangelical tradition, particularly the Puritans and early evangelicals. Kyle emphasizes the interconnectedness of three key aspects: individual spiritual formation, family life, and the communal spiritual life of the church. He discusses the importance of a Word-centered spirituality that centers on Christ and Scripture as the Word of God, as well as a Spirit-empowered spirituality that recognizes the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Lastly, he highlights the significance of a whole-life spirituality that encompasses all aspects of our lives as those called to bear-witness to Christ in this present evil age.


Get full access to Kyle’s Formation Substack at kylestrobel.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Kyle reflects on the goal of this podcast and his academic work in spiritual formation. Kyle shares his academic journey from biblical studies to focusing on spiritual formation and theology. He emphasizes the need for a deeper discussion on spiritual formation in the evangelical and Protestant context and the importance of living out the reality of spiritual formation in the Church. Kyle also addresses the temptations and pitfalls that practitioners and academics in spiritual formation may face.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Reflection on the Goal of Spiritual Formation
25:43 The Role of Self-Knowledge in Spiritual Formation
36:17 Integrating Theology and Experience in Spiritual Formation
43:39 The Importance of Conversation Between Practitioners and Academics in Spiritual Formation
I talked a bit about the Institute for Spiritual Formation at Talbot. For more on our programs, take a look here.
Works mentioned in this episode:
* W.G.T. Shedd, Sermons to the Spiritual Man


Get full access to Kyle’s Formation Substack at kylestrobel.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Kyle discusses the historic evangelical vision of spiritual formation, emphasizing the need for a word-centered, spirit-empowered, whole-life spirituality. Kyle explores the theoretical, practical, and existential aspects of spiritual formation, using prayer as an example. He highlights the need for a balanced approach that includes understanding the theology behind spiritual practices, offering practical guidance, and addressing the subjective experiences and struggles of individuals. Kyle also encourages listeners to draw near to the Lord and consider their own engagement with spiritual formation.
Books mentioned:
* Where Prayer Becomes Real: How Honesty with God Transforms Your Soul by Kyle Strobel and John Coe
* The Holy Spirit and Christian Experience by Simeon Zahl
Episode Overview
00:00Introduction and Overview
02:56Grounding Spiritual Formation in the Historic Evangelical Vision
09:05Theoretical, Practical, and Existential Aspects of Spiritual Formation
26:55Navigating Personal Experiences and Struggles in Spiritual Formation
32:41The Call of Wisdom and Love


Get full access to Kyle’s Formation Substack at kylestrobel.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode we talk about the nature of spiritual theology and why without a distinctively spiritual theology, spiritual formation will cease to be Christian. Several things were mentioned in this episode that you can find below:
* Here is The Gospel Coalition talk I did on Jonathan Edwards as spiritual theologian
* Angela Carpenter’s book Responsive Becoming
* John Coe’s article on spiritual theology



Get full access to Kyle’s Formation Substack at kylestrobel.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Spiritual Formation: An Invitation to Drawing Near, which is a podcast aimed at recovering the Word-centered, Spirit-empowered, whole-life spirituality that was central to the original evangelical vision. The host of this podcast is Kyle Strobel, associate professor of spiritual theology, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University.
In this episode the following books were mentioned:
* Formed for the Glory of God: Learning from the Spiritual Practices of Jonathan Edwards
* A Christian Directory by Richard Baxter
* The Life of God in the Soul of Man by Henry Scougal



Get full access to Kyle’s Formation Substack at kylestrobel.substack.com/subscribe