Stephysabs

 

A religious paradigm shift is now in progress in western culture, described by Anne  Patrick in “Ethics and Spirituality: The Social Justice Connection”. 1 The implications for  Christian spirituality are significant.  This article first defines Christian spirituality, and then draws on Patrick’s  description of the new religious paradigm as its organizing principle in addressing the  question, “What is Christian spirituality?” Ten aspects of Christian spirituality are covered. A Definition of Christian Spirituality To begin with, of the many definitions of spirituality, Sandra Schneiders provides  one of the most encompassing: Spirituality is “the experience of consciously striving to  integrate one’s life in terms not of isolation and self-absorption but of self-transcendence  toward the ultimate value one perceives”.2 For Christians, the ultimate concern is God  revealed in Jesus Christ, and experienced through the gift of the Holy Spirit.3 Self- transcendence moves one out of compu