One of the handicaps under which I labour in editing this journal is that of being a monoglot English-speaker. Plainly there are rich traditions of both historical and contemporary spirituality in French, Spanish and German, to say nothing of the other languages of Europe and beyond. To these I have little direct access. Fortunately there are other people involved in the production of The Way who can rectify this situation, and in recent years one aspect of our editorial policy has been to make a selection of relevant articles from elsewhere available in translation. In different ways, though, the diverse pieces in the current issue raise questions about this kind of process.
Stephan Rothlin, ‘The Parable of the Prodigal Son and Modern Motivation Theory’, 7–12
Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son still has the power to shock us, with the profligate younger brother being rewarded and the scrupulous older one seemingly penalised. Can contemporary economic theory throw some light on the response of the father to his two sons?
J-M. Laurent, ‘Reflections on Priestly Formation II: Feelings and the Spiritual Life’, 13–26
Jean-Michel Laurent continues his reflection on the nature of priestly formation, particularly in an African context. Here he considers the role that feelings have in helping a candidate, and those responsible for his formation, come to a responsible assessment of his vocation.
Robert R. Marsh, ‘Imagining Ignatian Spiritual Direction’, 27–42
One way of classifying spiritualites is by the name of the founding figure associated with them. Rob Marsh, who works in the Loyola Hall Spirituality Centre on Merseyside, here asks what it is that is distinctive about ‘Ignatian’ spirituality.
George Tyrrell, ‘Nova et vetera: Informal Meditations for Times of Spiritual Dryness’, 43–46
To mark the centenary of his death, The Way presents three meditations from a collection by the Jesuit George Tyrrell, who would later be expelled from the order when it was thought that he had gone too far in adapting Christian teaching to contemporary patterns of scientific thought.
Robert Doud, ‘Ignatian Spirituality and Whitehead’, 47–60
Alfred North Whitehead was a philosopher and logician writing in the first half of the twentieth century. Robert Doud finds perhaps surprising parallels between his work and Ignatian spirituality by looking at how each approaches the idea of commitment.
Wolfgang Beinert, ‘Road Narrows at the Vatican? Did Christ Die ‘For Many’ or ‘For All’?’, 61–76
A forthcoming revision of the official texts used in Roman Catholic liturgy is provoking intense debate. Wolfgang Beinert shows how the translation of a single phrase can illustrate many of the issues involved in this discussion.
Alberto Ares Mateos, ‘‘Yellow Arrows’: The Mentoring Experience of the Two Standards’, 77–89
‘Yellow arrows’ are used to guide walkers along the pilgrim trails to Compostella in Spain. Using this image, Alberto Ares Meteos offers a contemporary reading of the Two Standards meditation in the Spiritual Exercises.
Richard Shortall, ‘Rural Wells in a Dry Land: How an Experience of the Spiritual Exercises Touches Lives in Rural Victoria’, 91–101
For some years now in Europe and North America ‘weeks of guided prayer’ have allowed those unable to visit a spirituality centre to enjoy many of the benefits of a guided retreat. How can this model be adapted to the situation of rural Australia? Richard Shorthall describes one such venture.
Howard Worsley, ‘Growing Up into Childhood: The Franciscan Embrace of the Inner Child’, 103–116
Jesus told his followers that they must become like little children, and Francis of Assisi is one of those who has taken this injunction most literally. Here Howard Worseley uses the psychological theory of the ‘inner child’ to present a Franciscan spirituality for the twenty-first century.