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Re-Narrating the Self: A Narrative Theological Paradigm of Spiritual Formation

Re-Narrating the Self: A Narrative Theological Paradigm of Spiritual Formation

Mark Pertuit
0/5 ( ratings)
This master's dissertation explores a paradigm for spiritual formation which arises from a critical theological reflection on the role of narrative in the formation and reformation of human identity.

The dissertation argues that Christian conversion necessitates the re-narration of one’s own life story from the perspective of the Christian metanarrative , and that this re-narration may properly be regarded as a central aspect of Christian spiritual formation.

After conversion persons are still misshapen through misconceptions as to the nature of God, the world, the other, the self, and through distorted patterns of interaction. Thus the church has long recognised that those who come to saving belief in Jesus Christ need to change. This change is something commanded and effected by God, but not without the active participation of the believer.

This transformation can be considered under various terms: discipleship, spiritual growth, identification with Christ, Christian living, Christian spirituality, spiritual formation, and so on. These terms have differing emphases, but all are connected to the spiritual maturation that begins with regeneration and culminates in glorification, commonly treated under the doctrine of sanctification.

Although the sanctification in which spiritual formation participates is accomplished by the triune God and is mysterious, as a human experience it can be considered from a human standpoint. Among other things, salvation entails what is described metaphorically as an inbreaking of light into darkness , that is, the acquisition of accurate understanding about God and his creation – or, more simply, knowledge of truth. This involves the appropriation of what, it will be argued, the Bible offers as a metanarrative, a universal account of reality. This metanarrative, comprised of various stories and elements from other genres in Scripture, is an account not only of God but of the world, and as such impacts the believer who lives in that world, thus behoving the believer to appropriate the metanarrative at the level of identity. This metanarrative is not merely fastened to an otherwise intact individual life story, however. Rather, its appropriation requires reconfiguration of the life story or, more simply, re-narration. The resulting new perspective, which grows progressively, re-orients the believer’s in relation to God, the world, and the self. The novel descriptions of reality involved in re-narration obviously come through language, particularly story.

Social scientific disciplines such as the sociology of knowledge, sociolinguistics, personality psychology, and narrative therapy convincingly show that one’s identity cannot be understood except by narrative. A person’s identity is inherently tied to a life story, a recounting of one’s life which furnishes the person with a sense of coherence in a constantly changing world. One’s life story can be used to express one’s self or one’s perspective, but the life story does not merely aid the person in describing his or her interiority. Rather, the life story also shapes the person. In the telling, the person is not only displayed but also formed.

Besides looking at how doctrine – and the metanarrative to which doctrines are related – can shape identity, our examination of how doctrine shapes identity will also elucidate doctrine’s dynamic character, showing it to be far more relevant to average Christians than they might ordinarily suppose. Furthermore, this work may be considered an applied theological work in that it relies upon human experience at various points; human lives will be shown to be able to both clarify concepts here studied but also to embod
Language
English
Pages
113
Format
Kindle Edition

Re-Narrating the Self: A Narrative Theological Paradigm of Spiritual Formation

Mark Pertuit
0/5 ( ratings)
This master's dissertation explores a paradigm for spiritual formation which arises from a critical theological reflection on the role of narrative in the formation and reformation of human identity.

The dissertation argues that Christian conversion necessitates the re-narration of one’s own life story from the perspective of the Christian metanarrative , and that this re-narration may properly be regarded as a central aspect of Christian spiritual formation.

After conversion persons are still misshapen through misconceptions as to the nature of God, the world, the other, the self, and through distorted patterns of interaction. Thus the church has long recognised that those who come to saving belief in Jesus Christ need to change. This change is something commanded and effected by God, but not without the active participation of the believer.

This transformation can be considered under various terms: discipleship, spiritual growth, identification with Christ, Christian living, Christian spirituality, spiritual formation, and so on. These terms have differing emphases, but all are connected to the spiritual maturation that begins with regeneration and culminates in glorification, commonly treated under the doctrine of sanctification.

Although the sanctification in which spiritual formation participates is accomplished by the triune God and is mysterious, as a human experience it can be considered from a human standpoint. Among other things, salvation entails what is described metaphorically as an inbreaking of light into darkness , that is, the acquisition of accurate understanding about God and his creation – or, more simply, knowledge of truth. This involves the appropriation of what, it will be argued, the Bible offers as a metanarrative, a universal account of reality. This metanarrative, comprised of various stories and elements from other genres in Scripture, is an account not only of God but of the world, and as such impacts the believer who lives in that world, thus behoving the believer to appropriate the metanarrative at the level of identity. This metanarrative is not merely fastened to an otherwise intact individual life story, however. Rather, its appropriation requires reconfiguration of the life story or, more simply, re-narration. The resulting new perspective, which grows progressively, re-orients the believer’s in relation to God, the world, and the self. The novel descriptions of reality involved in re-narration obviously come through language, particularly story.

Social scientific disciplines such as the sociology of knowledge, sociolinguistics, personality psychology, and narrative therapy convincingly show that one’s identity cannot be understood except by narrative. A person’s identity is inherently tied to a life story, a recounting of one’s life which furnishes the person with a sense of coherence in a constantly changing world. One’s life story can be used to express one’s self or one’s perspective, but the life story does not merely aid the person in describing his or her interiority. Rather, the life story also shapes the person. In the telling, the person is not only displayed but also formed.

Besides looking at how doctrine – and the metanarrative to which doctrines are related – can shape identity, our examination of how doctrine shapes identity will also elucidate doctrine’s dynamic character, showing it to be far more relevant to average Christians than they might ordinarily suppose. Furthermore, this work may be considered an applied theological work in that it relies upon human experience at various points; human lives will be shown to be able to both clarify concepts here studied but also to embod
Language
English
Pages
113
Format
Kindle Edition

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