Introductory notes for readers of this thesis - Theses - Flinders ...

Christian contemplative–prayer tradition in their work with both young people and withtheir youth work colleagues. She argues that the contemplative tradition contributes togeneral mental health and psycho–social identity development in addition to nurturingspiritual growth 94 . In his novel Meeting Emma 95 , Australian Michael Spyker offers ahypothetical model of informal spiritual direction (or mentoring) in contemporaryAustralia: a twenty-something arts student discovers the spiritual meaning of herneglected childhood faith by exploring ancient contemplative practices taught to her by‘Joe’, a lecturer in spiritual theology.The spirituality reflected in these texts emphasises an affective, mystical process ofspiritual growth, exploration, and a possible ongoing conversion to Christianity; theapproach and methodology point to a more dialogical and experiential way of workingthat suggests benefits for ministry with people both inside and outside the church.Processes of informal spiritual direction that draw from the tradition and are embodied inthe contemporary format of fluid and non-hierarchical mentoring conversations, seem toconnect closely to what young people are saying they find most helpful in exploring theirlife’s meaning.It seems obvious to me that Karl Rahner embodied for the Roman Catholic communitymuch of what Webber’s ‘younger evangelicals’ are trying to accomplish today. Rahner isin many ways the penultimate ancient–future spiritual theologian of the twentiethcentury: the deep listener to the culture, the deep listener to the ancients, with a deepcommitment to experience the spiritual essence of the ancient faith. He writes about hisexperiences to enable others to be drawn into the ancient mysteries ‘made new’. Youngerevangelicals could learn from this older Roman Catholic, particularly in relation to hisembodiment of experiences of God in silence—in particular, the idea of listening to thesilence of God, rather than being in silence always with the hope of hearing a word fromGod. This dimension is not obvious in many of the younger evangelical/emergent texts. If‘Silence is God’s first language’—a contemporary interpretation of St. John of the94 See, Tune-in, Chill-out - using contemplative prayer in youth work (Birmingham: Christian educationPublishers, 2004): 9-19.95 (Adelaide, SA: Openbook, 2004).218