THE ART OF CHRISTIAN LIVING
ADRIAN VAN KAAM’S (1920-2007) FORMATIVE THEORY
Keywords:
CHRISTIAN LIVING, Adrian van Kaam, formative theory, Formative spiritualityAbstract
Adrian van Kaam’s formative theory relates to the practical task of becoming a Christian in the fullest sense today. He favours formative over informative thinking, the latter over-given to conceptual knowledge, issues and analyses which have little bearing on the art of living itself. Formative spirituality aims at teaching the art of raced unfolding of the human self in Christ. Van Kaam’s comprehensive spiritual anthropology, a blend of psychological and spiritual insight underpins his multidimensional self set in a formation field of relational and interactive energies. The five poles of energy that constitute each one’s formation field emerge from a central preformation pole, the Divine forming mystery and eternal Trinitarian dimension that undergirds life and world. van Kaam’s understanding of human formation is that human life unfolds towards a goal, which is life fulfilment. Its ultimate outcome and ideal is ‘consonance’ when all our energies strive to resound together in harmony with the Divine forming Mystery, the Origin of our originality.
References
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