As a part of my Master’s Degree in Spiritual Formation and Leadership, I am thinking through the process that a soul takes in formation into Christ-likeness. The idea of a cylinder came to mind. On one end we have the conversion experience and the other is what I call the “Integrated Life” or how a Christ-like soul operates in the world.
The cylinder is a timeline that is both linear and cyclical. The problem with cyclical timelines is that you never seem to get anywhere, and life becomes redundant. The problem with linear timelines is that it makes no room for the chaos in life. Everything needs to happen in a certain order. Combining the two into one shows the progress of a linear timeline yet involving the cyclical leaves room for the messiness of life.
On the beginning side of the cylinder we have a life that is not integrated and very much compartmentalized. Our faith, if we have one, is not a part of our everyday existence. Possibly it is merely fire insurance faith. Possibly it is our parents faith.
In the middle of the cylinder we have a progression into Christ-likeness. There are three depths of conversion. Each depth is entered through by the Dark Night as described by John of the Cross. After each Dark Night there is a progression of Releasing, Receiving, and Integrating.
On the end of the cylinder is the Inegrated Life, a life formed into the image of Christ for the sake of the world.
Now for a closer look into these sections...
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