Christian Spirituality: Edit history

Definition and Meaning

Christian spirituality is the personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit. The term also encompasses the ways that relationship is expressed in prayer, meditation on Scripture, worship, and daily life. The word "spirituality" itself originally denotes spiritual character. In theology, spirituality is treated as a branch of practical theology or studied separately as "spiritual theology." In Korean Protestantism, a term meaning "piety" (gyeonggeon) is also used with a similar sense.

Biblical and Historical Background

The word "spirituality" does not appear in the Bible. However, passages on walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16), praying without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), and longing for God (Psalm 42:1) are regarded as its foundation.

From the early church onward, the monastic tradition cultivated a life that combined prayer and work. Lectio divina, the slow, meditative reading of Scripture, also developed within this tradition. In the medieval and early modern periods, mystics such as Teresa of Ávila wrote about the stages of prayer. After the Reformation, Protestantism emphasized a piety centered on the Word of Scripture and personal prayer. The devotional life of the Puritans, German Pietism, and the regular spiritual disciplines of John Wesley carried this current forward.

Practice in the Korean Church

In Korean Protestant churches, spirituality is especially visible in distinctive practices. Notable examples include the early morning prayer meeting, united vocal prayer (tongseong gido, in which a congregation prays aloud together, crying out to God), prayer retreat centers, fasting, and quiet time (reading and meditating daily on an assigned passage). In recent years, interest has also grown in spiritual formation, spiritual direction, and contemplative prayer (prayer that uses few words and rests quietly before God).

Among Korean denominations, the understanding of spirituality varies:

• Presbyterians place sanctification (the process of being made holy) through the Word and prayer at the center.
• Methodist and Holiness churches, following the tradition of Wesleyan theology, emphasize holiness of heart and life.
• Pentecostal churches, including the Full Gospel churches, regard the fullness of the Holy Spirit and the experience of spiritual gifts as an important part of spirituality.
• The Anglican Church of Korea maintains a spirituality centered on daily prayer according to its prayer book and on the liturgy (prescribed forms of worship).

Opinions in Korean Protestantism are divided over contemplative prayer. Some conservative Protestants worry that it may blur the boundaries with Roman Catholic mysticism or Eastern meditation. Those who practice it, by contrast, regard it as a recovery of prayer traditions the church has long maintained.