Leadership in Religious Life

Part 2

Authors

  • Hein Blommestijn Titus Brandsma Institute of Spirituality, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands

Keywords:

Leadership, Religious Life, Good religious leadership, Transformed in God

Abstract

Good religious leadership in its essence is contemplative because it becomes skilled at “seeing” how God “works” in people. Superiors should not merely give guidance to the observable and “organizable” exterior structures of the religious community but should acquire the ability to see things that are invisible and undoable because they lie totally outside of our reach and do not fit within the boundaries of our human logic. Good religious leadership liberates persons and gives them access to their own deepest levels, that is, the divine realms. Religious leadership should not confine itself to issues of organization and management, but should bear responsibility for the subtle and invisible processes through which the religious entrusted to their care are transformed in God.

References

Blommestijn, H. (1992). Initiation into Love: The Mystical Process According to John Ruusbroec (1293-1381). Studies in Spirituality, 2:99-126.

Blommestijn, H. & Huls, J. (1998) Mercy: A Calling for Life: The Heart of Religious Life According to Joannes Zwijsen. Ad Fontes 4. Nijmegen: Titus Brandsma Instituut/Valkhof Pers.

Hammarskjöld, D. (1988). Markings. London-Boston: Faber and Faber.

Meister Eckhart (2008), Vidi supra montem Syon agnum stantem etc. [Sermon 13]. In Deutsche Werke I: Predigten 1-65, Texte und Übersetzungen von Josef Quint. Frankfurt am Main: Deutscher Klassiker Verlag, p. 215.

Pomilio, M. (1986). Il Quinto Evangelista. Milano: Paoline.

Waaijman, K. (1992). Wat is Spiritualiteit? TBI Studies 1. Nijmegen: Titus Brandsma Instituut.

Waaijman, K. (1998). Transformation: A Key Word in Spirituality. Studies in Spirituality, 8:5-37.

Waaijman, K. (1999). The Mystical Space of Carmel: A Commentary on the Carmelite Rule. Fiery Arrow 1. Louvain: Peeters.

Waaijman, K. (2002). Spirituality: Forms, Foundations, Methods. Studies in Spirituality Supplement 8. Louvain: Peeters.

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Published

2010-12-31