SYLVANUS
GATORWU
THEO5223.01 Spiritual Formation
Professor
Sanejo Leonard
Book
Review
Book
Title: Renovation of the Heart
Author:
Dallas Willard
October
20, 2019
Description:
Willard
Dallas’ book, Renovation of the heart is published by NavPress,
this report is on the 2002 edition. The book has (ebook) has 210 pages.
Thesis:
Willard’s in this book is making a case for one
must go through a transformation and how to be transformed. He takes into
consideration the fact that man is made of the spirit, soul, and body. The
takes his time to show how all of these three can be transformed.
Summary:
Haven
read through the entire book, Willard divides his book into prelude, interlude, and postlude. In the prelude, he addresses the state of man and his need for
reformation. He describes the evil in the ruined soul and talks about the
goodness that can emerge when a soul is restored.
In the
interlude Willard develops further the spiritual side of a man needs to be
transformed, Debatable as it may seem, he cites influential people, global
icons who agree to this fact and then juxtaposes this with another truth that
the only disagreement to this fact is the aspect of the “spirit” that needs to
be transformed or how this transformation should happen.[1]
Controversially,
Willard states that there are limits beyond which a lost person “cannot bend
back, cannot turn or repent.”[2] These
group of people, he claims are in “body worship” and goes on to say God is
ready to rescue all those who are not ready to leave his presence and to lead
them on to a journey of reformation. Willard believes human souls are capable
of restoration. In a typical Calvinist tone, he quotes John Calvin and explains
that the source of a man’s destruction is when he begins to obey himself,
however, when he abandons himself and begins to obey the Lord, he has taken the
first step towards restoration. This is John Calvin’s theory of self-denial.[3]
Willard sees this as taking one’s own cross.
Interactive Analysis:
Willard enumerates some
characteristics of a transformed life. Giving and supporting the Kingdom,
syncing one's sensitivity to self with that of the Lord.[4] A
transformed life is beyond “anger, retaliation and unforgiveness” and
buttresses this point with I Pet 3:9. This kind of transformed life according
to Mulholland can then jives with the mission of Jesus Christ himself as it is
not possible to be formed outside Christ.[5]
Application:
Willard believes a
Christlike life is very possible and is cautious of the fact that one should
not assume to have arrived. This means as individuals and congregations,
spiritual formation practices should be a constant part of our lives and
ministries. To succeed further in the Spiritual formation process, we are to
start from having a clear vision of the kingdom of God. “This vision of the
kingdom is the place we must start”[6].
Drawing lessons from Gandhi's observation of Christianity, Willard believes
that just believing Jesus and not believing his teachings is a “widespread
illusion”[7]
Haven realized a vision
of the Kingdom of God, the next phase according to Willard is Intention. This
is the fruit of belief. When a person believes in what they have been told,
then they can decide to make efforts towards achieving what they have believed
in. This step of Intention has everything to do with relying on Christ to show
us how to live. Since he was the ultimate example, he becomes the
benchmark of our transformation and reformation journey. The last of these
stages as Willard explains is “Means”. After one has gotten a vision of the
Kingdom, and had the intention to be transformed, the processes such as the
disciplines are the means by which we develop.[8]
These steps when
applied in our lives and congregations will uplift our standard of
Christlikeness and draw us more to him. On the transformation of the mind,
Willard gives a difference between thoughts and ideas. He says thoughts are
“all of the ways in which we are conscious of things” whereas ideas are “models
or assumptions about reality”[9] According
to him, the power to choose what our mind to dwell on is the ultimate freedom
that we have as human beings.[10] This
is where the transformation of the mind begins. If we select what to focus on
properly, we may well be creating a good ground for the Spirit to transform our
mind. This notwithstanding, Willard agrees that is it a difficult thing to
transform the mind and it does not happen easily.[11]
Willard mentions strongholds that make
this process a difficult one. One such stronghold that he focuses on is that of
images and how they influence how we think inside and act on the outside.
On the transformation of the will, Willard
tries to explain how close man’s “will” is in the form of the will of God as
the “I am”. In man, however, he says it is “the power to select what we think
on and how intently we will focus on it”[12]
As we practice
spiritual formation is important that our heart produces a will that is in
line with the will of God, Willard explains this further, saying, it does not
mean one does not have a will at all, but that a will that does not fight
itself. On the transformation of the body, Willard explains, “my body is me”.
The body responds to its environment with time, and all these eventually helps
in the formation of the character. This happens with time, and to be
transformed, one has to take time to go through disciplines so that the body
can also be transformed.[13]
He gives tutelage on how Spiritual formation is crucial to the local
congregation and also encourages individuals to take time off each day to
engage in a time of solitude with the Lord, this is indeed a very important
practice.
The postlude contains a
commentary on various references used in the book.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Leonard,
Sanejo I. Shaken Faith: What You Don’t Know (and Need to Know) about Faith
Crises and How They Affect Spiritual Growth. Wipf & Stock, 2015.
Mulholland, M Robert
Jr. “Spiritual Formation in Christ and Mission with Christ.” Journal of
Spiritual Formation & Soul Care 6, no. 1 (2013): 11–17. Accessed
October 19, 2019. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lsdar&AN=ATLA0001941216&site=ehost-live.
Willard, Dallas. Renovation
of the Heart: Putting On the Character of Christ. First Ed 1st Printing
edition. Colorado Springs, Colo: NavPress, 2002.
[1] Dallas Willard, Renovation of the
Heart: Putting On the Character of Christ, First Ed 1st Printing edition.
(Colorado Springs, Colo: NavPress, 2002), 10.
[2] Ibid., 42.
[3] Ibid., 46.
[4] Ibid., 52.
[5] M Robert Jr Mulholland, “Spiritual
Formation in Christ and Mission with Christ,” Journal of Spiritual Formation
& Soul Care 6, no. 1 (2013): 11, accessed October 19, 2019,
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lsdar&AN=ATLA0001941216&site=ehost-live.
[6] Willard, Renovation of the Heart,
62.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Ibid., 64.
[9] Ibid., 70.
[10] Ibid., 71.
[11] Ibid., 72.
[12] Ibid., 104.
[13] Ibid., 115.
No comments:
Post a Comment