Spiritual direction is as old as the Christian faith. Today, there is an ever-growing demand for this ministry. The Bible has always had a privileged place in the Christian’s toolkit. It is a source of wisdom and encouragement, provides material for prayer and reflection, challenges belief and behavior in the struggle to discern God’s will, and sets boundaries for orthodoxy in Christian experience.
With this in mind, author Liz Hoare suggests that spiritual direction is not just for individuals but for the flourishing of the Church as a whole. There is evidence of a loosening of the links between Christian orthodoxy and the practice of spiritual direction. It is also often perceived as a private and individualistic pursuit. Hoare asks how the Bible challenges this interpretation of a key but often unacknowledged ministry in the Church, and how it may help the whole Church to own spiritual direction and benefit the wider world.
