Finished
I have now finished Rennovation of the Heart by Dallas Willard.
Its value for me was the examination of the various aspects of human life, how they interact and are affected by one another. He lists these as:
Thought (images, concepts, judgements and inferences)
Feeling (sensation, emotion)
Choice (will, decision, character)
The body ( action, interaction with the physical world)
A social context (personal relations to others)
Our soul (the factor that integrates all of the above
It is how all these "essential parts of the human self are effectively organized around God" that interests the writer. He says, "Spiritual formation in Christ is the process leading to that ideal. The human self is then fully integrated under God."
It seems to me that Dallas Willard hits on a very important issue in our times and in our culture. We live in a society overloaded with information of shallow content, where experiences and emotion are highly prized, where the body is worshipped or despised, relationships are damaged and the soul is forgotten.
One of the questions at the end of chapter 3 is "What is the heart and what is it's basic role in human life?
Anyone like to have a go at answering??
God bless
Carol
I have now finished Rennovation of the Heart by Dallas Willard.
Its value for me was the examination of the various aspects of human life, how they interact and are affected by one another. He lists these as:
Thought (images, concepts, judgements and inferences)
Feeling (sensation, emotion)
Choice (will, decision, character)
The body ( action, interaction with the physical world)
A social context (personal relations to others)
Our soul (the factor that integrates all of the above
It is how all these "essential parts of the human self are effectively organized around God" that interests the writer. He says, "Spiritual formation in Christ is the process leading to that ideal. The human self is then fully integrated under God."
It seems to me that Dallas Willard hits on a very important issue in our times and in our culture. We live in a society overloaded with information of shallow content, where experiences and emotion are highly prized, where the body is worshipped or despised, relationships are damaged and the soul is forgotten.
One of the questions at the end of chapter 3 is "What is the heart and what is it's basic role in human life?
Anyone like to have a go at answering??
God bless
Carol
posted by Rehoboth at
9:23 AM
3 Comments:
Skipping from its different meaning in biblical texts to contemporary understanding... Merton wrote 'The prayer of the heart'. Many others speak of a 'listening heart'. The 'heart' therefore perhaps distills the essence of the mind, and blending that essence positively or negatively with our instinctive drives, produces a spiritual will, it is an active will, that draws on all our senses as it prays, listens, repents, praises and gives thanks.
That is my working definition until I find a better one! I will continue exploring on my blog.
Warmest blessings,
Eleanor n/TSSF
By
Eleanor Burne-Jones, at 11:22 AM
I continued a little further on my blog, http://www.eveningbeaches.blogspot.com
Blessings
By
Eleanor Burne-Jones, at 11:39 AM
Wouldn't dare to suggest an answer, but well done for getting through a Dallas Willard book...something I've yet to achieve.
I find him incredibly boring....but that probably says something more about me than him.
every blessing
Andrew
By
Captain Andrew Clark, at 6:18 PM
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