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Jesus and Spirituality: In Biblical and Historical Perspective
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Jesus and Spirituality: In Biblical and Historical Perspective

A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444). This special issue belongs to the section "Religions and Theologies".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 May 2021) | Viewed by 26615

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Paul Anderson

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Christian Studies, Undergraduate Departments, George Fox University, Newberg, OR 97132, USA
Interests: Gospel of John; early Christianity; gospel relations; Jesus and spirituality; Quaker studies; historical Jesus; peace studies; discernment-oriented leadership; consensus; personal and corporate transformation; truth and liberation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The scope and purpose of this Special Issue is to gather a dozen or so essays on Jesus and spirituality from biblical and historical perspectives. In particular, we are looking for six essays on biblical treatments of the issue, including: (a) spirituality in Second-Temple Judaism, spirituality in the Gospels of Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John and the Letters of Paul; and (b) spirituality and Jesus in early Christianity, Medieval Christianity, Protestant Christianity, contemplative Christianity, charismatic Christianity, and interfaith perspectives.

The value of this particular Special Issue lies in tracing the development of spirituality interests furthered by Jesus of Nazareth within early Judaism and Christianity, developing over two millennia, and engaging contemporary issues within a pluralistic society. Of special interest are the relations between theological understandings, devotional practices, personal transformation, and societal impact, focusing on understandings of the ministry and message of Jesus and their impact from a historical perspective.

Prof. Dr. Paul Anderson
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Jesus
  • spirituality
  • personal transformation
  • Judaism
  • Christianity
  • religion
  • contemplative practice
  • social concern
  • Bible
  • gospels
  • Catholicism
  • Protestantism
  • Quakerism
  • Pentecostalism
  • Ecumenism
  • interfaith work
  • devotional practice
  • spiritual disciplines
  • prayer
  • inspiration
  • discernment

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 223 KiB  
Article
Living the Kingdom of God: The Communal and Renewing Spirituality of Jesus in Mark
by Mitzi Minor
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1096; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/rel14091096 - 24 Aug 2023
Viewed by 1003
Abstract
Understanding spirituality as “the sense or experience of God and the way one lives in response to that experience”, Jesus’ spirituality according to Mark may be described as relational and communal, with less attention given to the interior spiritual lives of individuals in [...] Read more.
Understanding spirituality as “the sense or experience of God and the way one lives in response to that experience”, Jesus’ spirituality according to Mark may be described as relational and communal, with less attention given to the interior spiritual lives of individuals in favor of a way of relating to “all nations and all people” as beloved children of God which can renew all creation. Mark shows Jesus shaped by the experience of the God of the Exodus, Isaiah, and Daniel so that when he announced that “The Kingdom of God has drawn near”, he was proclaiming the fulfillment of the promises of this God. Furthermore, Mark shows Jesus living into this fulfillment, not merely saying it. The result is his teaching and modeling a renewing way of living among his followers, which dismantles hierarchies in favor of welcome, service, justice, etc., and enables resistance to Roman oppression without violence and death. He called followers to see how powerful this renewal of God is. When Rome recognized its power and turned their violence against him, he continued on “the Way of the Lord”, trusting in resurrection and God’s life-giving power. Thus, Mark presents Jesus as demonstrating a life-filled, communal spirituality of renewal for his followers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Jesus and Spirituality: In Biblical and Historical Perspective)
10 pages, 225 KiB  
Article
Jesus and the Cross-Centered Spirituality of the Reformation and Later Protestantism
by Calvin Lane
Religions 2023, 14(6), 790; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/rel14060790 - 14 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1425
Abstract
For all the important theological and practical diversity which emerged during the sixteenth century and later, a diversity whose legacies are still present in the forms of divided Christian bodies to this day, a uniquely medieval fascination with the cross endured. The reformation [...] Read more.
For all the important theological and practical diversity which emerged during the sixteenth century and later, a diversity whose legacies are still present in the forms of divided Christian bodies to this day, a uniquely medieval fascination with the cross endured. The reformation movements of the sixteenth century and later Protestants developed various ascetical programs and theological perspectives which were concerned with two well-worn medieval patterns: an appropriation of Jesus’s work of atonement on the cross and an internalizing of the crucified Jesus as an exemplar. Thus, if we question the kind of role Jesus played in the spirituality of the Reformation era and later Protestantism, the answer must be the cross. This cruci-centrism appears in theologies of salvation, in sermons, prayers, and hymnody, in perceptions of Christian devotional art, and in varied conceptions of the Eucharist. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Jesus and Spirituality: In Biblical and Historical Perspective)
8 pages, 247 KiB  
Article
Many Healings of the Woman with the Flow of Blood
by Ekaterina N. Lomperis
Religions 2023, 14(4), 479; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/rel14040479 - 03 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1322
Abstract
With the emergence of the modern quest for the historical Jesus, theologians began increasingly questioning traditional views of Jesus as a healer of human bodies. While a growing suspicion of Jesus’s role as a literal healer of the body is commonly traced to [...] Read more.
With the emergence of the modern quest for the historical Jesus, theologians began increasingly questioning traditional views of Jesus as a healer of human bodies. While a growing suspicion of Jesus’s role as a literal healer of the body is commonly traced to the influence of the Enlightenment, in this essay, I will suggest that the roots of this theological marginalization run deeper, in the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformations, when supernatural did not yet equal superstitious. The essay will examine two representative exegeses of the healing of the woman with the flow of blood in Mark 5:25–34, offered by Martin Luther and John Calvin. My analysis will reveal a shift of hermeneutical emphases from the bleeding woman’s restoration to the dynamics of her faith, and consequently, a new Protestant vision of Jesus’s role in the story, which I will argue occurred due to the new theological importance placed on faith by Protestant reformers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Jesus and Spirituality: In Biblical and Historical Perspective)
15 pages, 274 KiB  
Article
The Power of Example: Following Jesus on the Path of Spirituality in Luke-Acts
by Catherine Wright
Religions 2023, 14(2), 161; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/rel14020161 - 28 Jan 2023
Viewed by 1710
Abstract
Luke sets up Jesus as an example of spirituality in Luke-Acts. In Luke, Jesus does not simply tell his disciples to adopt spiritual practices; he models them, inviting readers to imitate him as well. The first century world was familiar with the power [...] Read more.
Luke sets up Jesus as an example of spirituality in Luke-Acts. In Luke, Jesus does not simply tell his disciples to adopt spiritual practices; he models them, inviting readers to imitate him as well. The first century world was familiar with the power of example. Leaders in Luke’s literary world were often idealized because they taught or legislated not just through words, but through the virtuous example of their lives. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus invites his followers to follow him on the pathway to prayer and simplicity in a similar manner. Like the Lukan Jesus, Numa and Lycurgus, Plutarch’s legendary kings, legislate piety and simplicity through their own lifestyles during their lifetimes. Plutarch devotes significant attention to the issue of their influence after their deaths. Luke’s authorial audience also might have wondered how the powerful effect of Jesus’ exemplary instruction might be sustained after his crucifixion and ascension. In Acts, we see that Jesus’ followers have internalized his instruction and example of prayer and simplicity through the power of the Holy Spirit, adopting Jesus’ spiritual patterns as their own. Early receptions of Lukan texts on prayer and simplicity in Luke-Acts show that the early church continues to follow this practice, looking to Jesus as a model of spirituality for their own lives and the lives of their communities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Jesus and Spirituality: In Biblical and Historical Perspective)
12 pages, 2774 KiB  
Article
“Mystical Spirituality” in Second Temple Period Judaism? Light from the Decorated Stone in the Magdala Synagogue
by Wally V. Cirafesi
Religions 2022, 13(12), 1218; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/rel13121218 - 15 Dec 2022
Viewed by 1752
Abstract
While “Merkavah mysticism” as a religious movement is a phenomenon of Late Ancient and Medieval Judaism, scholars have debated whether the origins of this movement are traceable to traditions of the divine Merkavah (chariot-throne) preserved in some early Jewish apocalyptic literature from the [...] Read more.
While “Merkavah mysticism” as a religious movement is a phenomenon of Late Ancient and Medieval Judaism, scholars have debated whether the origins of this movement are traceable to traditions of the divine Merkavah (chariot-throne) preserved in some early Jewish apocalyptic literature from the Second Temple period. Furthermore, scholars have emphasized that these early Merkavah traditions reflect individualistic religious experiences that emerged historically in contexts of small esoteric groups of initiates who claimed a privileged experience and knowledge of the divine. In this article, I wish to do two things: (1) to establish methodologically the point that, from an analytical perspective, we can, indeed, speak of a kind of Jewish “mystical spirituality” present in the Second Temple period akin to later Jewish mystical traditions; and (2) to argue that, in light of some iconographic features on the decorated stone from the first-century synagogue at Magdala, early Jewish “mystical spirituality” was not a phenomenon restricted to the individual but could also involve an assembled community’s experience of divine presence. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Jesus and Spirituality: In Biblical and Historical Perspective)
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16 pages, 268 KiB  
Article
Jesus and Spirituality in Interreligious Perspectives
by Nancy M. Martin
Religions 2022, 13(12), 1157; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/rel13121157 - 28 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1678
Abstract
Rarely do members of diverse religions engaged in interreligious dialogue find agreement on metaphysics and doctrine, though such conversations may be very fruitful and lead to greater understanding and mutual illumination. In the area of religious experience, however, recognition of commonality may be [...] Read more.
Rarely do members of diverse religions engaged in interreligious dialogue find agreement on metaphysics and doctrine, though such conversations may be very fruitful and lead to greater understanding and mutual illumination. In the area of religious experience, however, recognition of commonality may be much more readily apparent, and in such encounters, the life and spirituality of Jesus provide a meeting ground. This essay examines Jesus as a catalyst for spiritual inspiration and transformation from Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist and nontraditional perspectives. As an integral figure in Islam, Jesus appears in the writings of the likes of Ibn Arabi, Rumi and more contemporary Sufi teachers. Hindus and Buddhists, too, have embraced him, from Sri Ramakrishna and Gandhi to Thich Nhat Hanh. This essay will explore the integral role Jesus plays in such interreligious contexts, embodying self-sacrifice, wisdom and active love and interweaving personal transformation, contemplative practice and social engagement in the pursuit of liberating spiritual realization. In so doing, the essay will argue that such interreligious perspectives are an essential element in a full accounting of Jesus’ place in the spiritual lives of diverse human beings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Jesus and Spirituality: In Biblical and Historical Perspective)
12 pages, 242 KiB  
Article
The Spirituality of Jesus for the Unchurched and the Unaffiliated: A Pentecostal-Charismatic Perspective
by Scott Lewis Adams
Religions 2022, 13(11), 1122; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/rel13111122 - 18 Nov 2022
Viewed by 1865
Abstract
This article calls for an examination of the spirituality of Jesus in light of the unique historical and theological distinctives of the Pentecostal-Charismatic movement. Although the topic of spirituality is wide and deep, this study will approach it as personally transformative Christian experiences [...] Read more.
This article calls for an examination of the spirituality of Jesus in light of the unique historical and theological distinctives of the Pentecostal-Charismatic movement. Although the topic of spirituality is wide and deep, this study will approach it as personally transformative Christian experiences and practices that enrich one’s life and the lives of others. By drawing from the research of statisticians and social scientists, I will discuss notable ways in which the Pentecostal-Charismatic movement has the potential to make the spirituality of Jesus accessible to the unchurched and the unaffiliated (nones) in the United States. The results of my research reveal that, although such persons do not regularly attend church, they are, in part, open to religious experiences and desire a deeper spirituality. A such, this paper shows that the experience-based, supernaturally empowered, every-member-is-a-minister nature of the Pentecostal-Charismatic movement may indeed appeal to and meet the needs of certain unchurched and the unaffiliated persons. Furthermore, this paper will conclude by presenting suggestions for reform that may enhance this movement’s ability to reach the unchurched and unaffiliated in days to come. In the final analysis, this paper provides a historical foundation and theoretical framework from which Pentecostal-Charismatic influences upon such groups can be further assessed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Jesus and Spirituality: In Biblical and Historical Perspective)
11 pages, 221 KiB  
Article
Personal Jesus: Reflections on God’s Call
by J. Lenore Wright and Andrew E. Arterbury
Religions 2022, 13(11), 1095; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/rel13111095 - 14 Nov 2022
Viewed by 1370
Abstract
This essay argues that contemporary conceptions of “calling” do not properly reckon with the concept’s biblical and historical foundations. In popular culture, where celebrities and social media influencers wield power, religious language is often extracted from faith traditions without regard for the tradition’s [...] Read more.
This essay argues that contemporary conceptions of “calling” do not properly reckon with the concept’s biblical and historical foundations. In popular culture, where celebrities and social media influencers wield power, religious language is often extracted from faith traditions without regard for the tradition’s identity or communal nature. Calling, in this manner, has become a cultural catch-phrase devoid of vocational meaning. For many young, American Christians, including those taught by the authors, calling primarily bears a psychosocial meaning: calling signifies personal or economic fulfillment. Even students who are zealous for their faith tend to read the concept of “calling” within cultural norms rather than the biblical narratives or the Christian tradition’s theological insights. The authors present the biblical examples of Moses and Saul (or Paul) to critique contemporary cultural assumptions about calling. They argue that calling is and ought to be a process that is thoroughly dialogical (with God and community), embraces challenges rather than seeking personal stability, and foregrounds the simple act of following Christ’s call and example in daily life. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Jesus and Spirituality: In Biblical and Historical Perspective)
12 pages, 355 KiB  
Article
Interpenetration Logic: Pauline Spirituality and Union with Christ
by Shane J. Wood
Religions 2022, 13(8), 680; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/rel13080680 - 26 Jul 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2559
Abstract
While definitions of spirituality vary, each contains elements of union, a coming together of humanity and divinity. Scholars agree on the centrality of “union with Christ” in Pauline thought, yet not on a definition of union. Ephesians 5:31–32, however, provides important insight through [...] Read more.
While definitions of spirituality vary, each contains elements of union, a coming together of humanity and divinity. Scholars agree on the centrality of “union with Christ” in Pauline thought, yet not on a definition of union. Ephesians 5:31–32, however, provides important insight through a quotation—“…the two will become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24)—and an explanation—“I say this with reference to Christ and the church”. While scholars highlight the preservation of distinct identities, Paul’s emphasis in the marriage metaphor, both here and elsewhere, is union, an interpenetration logic where two become one. Indeed, interpenetration logic is present in our union with Christ (Galatians 2:19–20) and our union with sin (Romans 7:9–25). Both unions harness the same two-become-one logic with drastically different ends: sin intends to obliterate (Rom. 3:23); Christ intends to resurrect (1 Corinthians 15:22). The crux of Pauline spirituality, then, is not ecstatic experiences or ethical imitations but union—reciprocal residence, where we are in Christ and Christ is in us; a mutual indwelling consummated by “the Spirit of life” (Rom. 8:2). Thus, Eph. 5:31–32 provides insight into interpenetration logic, where two become one without the obliteration of either. This is an insight that profits our understanding of Pauline spirituality and the “profound mystery” of union with Christ. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Jesus and Spirituality: In Biblical and Historical Perspective)
11 pages, 319 KiB  
Article
Jesus’ Spirituality of [Af]filiation in the Fourth Gospel
by Dorothy A. Lee
Religions 2022, 13(7), 647; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/rel13070647 - 13 Jul 2022
Viewed by 2472
Abstract
The spirituality of Jesus, embedded within the literary contours of the Johannine narrative, is primarily grounded in a relationship of affiliation and friendship. It is a spirituality of abiding whose origins and goal lie in the unity of heart and mind that the [...] Read more.
The spirituality of Jesus, embedded within the literary contours of the Johannine narrative, is primarily grounded in a relationship of affiliation and friendship. It is a spirituality of abiding whose origins and goal lie in the unity of heart and mind that the Johannine Jesus as Son shares with the Father. This core relationship connotes not only the love that binds Jesus to God but is also the basis of the motif of sending and the divine authority over life and death which Jesus possesses in this Gospel. Jesus’ spirituality is grounded in the abiding presence of the Spirit-Paraclete whom he bequeaths to the disciples. In handing over the Spirit to the gathered community through his death and resurrection, Jesus donates his own spirituality, ultimately drawing all creation into the divine circle of love. This spirituality is the result of the Spirit’s presence, restoring human beings to their original, created identity as children and friends of God and empowering them for mission. While the dominant imagery is masculine there are also feminine images, particularly that of divine Wisdom, which provide a counterbalance and create an inclusive sense of appropriation and welcome. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Jesus and Spirituality: In Biblical and Historical Perspective)
11 pages, 290 KiB  
Article
Jesus and Spirituality: Reading the Fourth Gospel in the Light of the Indian Culture
by Johnson Thomaskutty
Religions 2021, 12(9), 780; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/rel12090780 - 17 Sep 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4077
Abstract
The Gospel of John is considered as one of the significant literary masterpieces that appeals to Indian spirituality and ideals in multifarious ways. The Gospel has unique features as a universalistic rhetoric that encompasses feelings and aspirations of Indians. The character of Jesus [...] Read more.
The Gospel of John is considered as one of the significant literary masterpieces that appeals to Indian spirituality and ideals in multifarious ways. The Gospel has unique features as a universalistic rhetoric that encompasses feelings and aspirations of Indians. The character of Jesus in the Gospel and His assimilative power to contemporary realities reverberate the situational aspects of Indian communities. In the current article, first of all, an attempt is made to explore the character of Jesus and the impression of the Johannine spirituality in relation to Indian realities. We also attempt to place the Fourth Gospel in Indian context in order to derive an interpretative dynamism that takes into account both the Jesus of John and the diverse religious and cultural aspects of today’s context. The character of Jesus and the spirituality reflected in John have much in common with the mystical traditions of the Indian religions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Jesus and Spirituality: In Biblical and Historical Perspective)
8 pages, 272 KiB  
Article
Jesus “The Way” According to Origen and Marcellus: Confronting Two Patristic Traditions
by Samuel Fernández
Religions 2021, 12(6), 452; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/rel12060452 - 18 Jun 2021
Viewed by 2033
Abstract
The article aims to examine and compare the evangelic title of Jesus the Way (John 14:6) in two Christian authors who belonged to two opposing theological traditions, namely, Origen of Alexandria and Marcellus of Ancyra. This comparison, based on original texts, aims not [...] Read more.
The article aims to examine and compare the evangelic title of Jesus the Way (John 14:6) in two Christian authors who belonged to two opposing theological traditions, namely, Origen of Alexandria and Marcellus of Ancyra. This comparison, based on original texts, aims not only to show the differences between these two patristic traditions, but rather to identify some common traits that belong to the core of Christian faith. Thus, Origen of Alexandria and Marcellus of Ancyra, two very dissimilar Christian authors, were of the same mind in confessing that only if the Son of God became fully human, could he be the Way for humankind towards the Father. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Jesus and Spirituality: In Biblical and Historical Perspective)
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