Shalom Place Community
23. Stages of Spiritual Growth

This topic can be found at:
https://shalomplace.org/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/168101322/m/106102196

12 August 2005, 11:44 AM
Phil
23. Stages of Spiritual Growth
What does spiritual growth look like? How would we evaluate it in ourselves and others?

These and similar questions have been addressed through the centuries, with several descriptions having stood the test of time. During the past few decades, as the topic of spirituality has become more "mainstream," additional approaches relating spirituality to psycho-social growth have also been published. Additionally, our increasing contact with other world religions has put us in touch with some of their methods evaluating spiritual growth.

What follows are summaries of some of these more recent and traditional ways of describing spiritual growth. Each has its own unique perspective; see if you can identify yourself in these descriptions, and, after a few sessions, discuss this with your spiritual director, if you have one. See what determinations the two of you together come up with. If you're willing to share how you see yourself on the forum discussion thread (or anything else on this topic), that would be great.

The web site url for each of these provides much more detailed information and description. Be sure to check it out.


M. Scott Peck’s four stages (late 20th C.)
http://www.escapefromwatchtower.com/stages.html


James Fowler: Stages of Faith Development (late 20th C.)
(http://faculty.plts.edu/gpence/html/fowler.htm)


Teresa of Avila’s Seven Mansions (16th C.)
(http://www.ourgardenofcarmel.org/castle.html)


Classical Christian Stages (early Christian)
(http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14254a.htm)


The Seven Chakras of Hinduism (many sources, hundreds of years BC)