Critique of Westerhoff’s Spiritual Life: The Foundation for Preaching and Teaching[1] The Preface to Westerhoff’s book presents the problem which he seeks to address in the six chapters that follow. “Burn-out”, “drain-out” and “rust-out” are all terms used to describe a condition among preachers and teachers whereby they come to realize that their faithfulness to their vocation has become flawed and empty. The reader is informed that it is a spiritual disease that needs spiritual healing so that these individuals can acquire a message to preach/teach that is fresh and relevant (p ix-xi). Westerhoff proceeds to explain that this healing is to be found in “deepening love relationships with God, self, all people and the whole of creation” (p 1). A love must be experienced for what is good, true and beautiful (p 6) and relationships must be infused with the fruit of the Holy Spirit (p 8-9) for ministry to be revitalized. There must be a rejection of hypocrisy to where relationships become more authentic. A concurrent problem also exists which Westerhoff considers of equal importance – the post modern climate of our culture. He writes that the message presented by preachers and teachers must be tailored so as to accommodate the disdain for information, logical analysis and skill training development (p 17). He contends that for a message to be relevant a minister must increasingly become intuitive (p 21), experiential and imaginative (p 25) in his/her approach and recognize that to be effective it must arrive at truth that is beyond words and doctrine (p 17-27). In post modern terminology the truth must be “deconstructed” since language cannot adequately express and transmit the truth. Having presented these problems with a special emphasis on the demands of post modern orientation, Westerhoff then launches his arguments for how best to solve them. Mark 12:30-31 serves to center his argument that the key is to develop a heartfelt experience of total love for God that works itself out in morality by loving one’s neighbor as yourself. These verses of Scripture are given new meaning as he leads the reader to consider how this takes place – namely by spending time with God in intimate communion (p 6-7) as one would spend time with a spouse to form an intimate relationship (p 8-9). The reader is informed that the benefits that accrue in a process that involves “encompassing silence”, solitude, paying attention to inner restlessness, and involvement in community that views itself as a reflection of God (p 37) are character development, assurance of divine election, and inner peace and harmony with God (p 10) which transforms a minister’s life and message. Communication is perfected from the inner experience of union with God as the preacher or teacher shares their resulting personal illumination from the heart (p 44). Westerhoff’s recommended spiritual solution places a strong emphasis on the role and mechanics of prayer to nurture a relationship with God. Distractions should be eliminated (p 66-67), the presence of God should be practiced (p 68), a journal should be maintained in order to remember insights obtained (p 68-69), the recitation, reading and study of the Scripture should be done with an ear to hear the voice of God and “praying scripture back to God” should be developed (p 72-74). Westerhoff also recommends a “centering prayer” (i.e., repeating a word or series of words “over and over while conscious of the rhythm of your breathing”) and relaxation exercises at the outset of prayer times to set the tone. There is a bit of mysticism involved in these prayer times and a good deal of subjectivity is allowed to guide the process which of necessity means that a significant place must be given to “mental passivity”, imaginative reflection and a willingness to experience the relationship with God that ensues. Westerhoff writes that this process moves a person toward God and fosters a willingness to accept His will which is clarified experientially (p 36). Mention should be made that Westerhoff’s orientation to spirituality is rooted in Roman Catholic mysticism (p 10, 78) which is known for being contrary to rationality, deprived of content and incapable of communication.[2] It is a mysticism that is interested in “intuitively receiving knowledge beyond intellect, doctrine and words that is grounded in the belief that God’s grace is unconditional.”[3] Westerhoff writes from the perspective of having spent twenty years as a liberal religious educator and as an Episcopalian priest who embraces Catholic substance and protestant principle. Inherent in his background is also a commitment to extra-biblical authority which is clearly seen in Spiritual Life. Space does not permit a detailed listing of all the sources he uses to argue his case. For example, he cites Kenneth Leech and Pope John XXIII who claim that dealing with others peaceably and with justice is the motive for all moral and spiritual life (p 2), he uses considerable space recommending the use of Graham Greene’s requirements to develop a deep love relationship with God (p 30-35) and he advises using a school of prayer that fits with the characteristics of a person’s personality that can be determined by psychological testing (p 60-61). The question before the reader of this book is this: Will the spirituality that Westerhoff teaches and recommends transform preaching and teaching and biblically solve the “burn-out” problem of preachers and teachers? First, as has already been mentioned, there is little in the way of biblical precedent for his approach with the exception of a few proof texts used to argue his case. Therefore, the reader is cautioned to seek biblical support for all of Westerhoff’s contentions. Since the entire New Testament cautions against reaching and uniting with God through self effort and techniques, using spiritual disciplines to unite with God is suspect. A question should arise at Westerhoff’s statement that “heresy is a truth taken too far” (p 54) which seems to infer that biblical authority is unnecessary. It is difficult to understand how the doctrines of the Bible can be taken too far! He admits that a study of the Bible is not sufficient (p 70) which also seems to undercut a study of the external objective truths of Scripture. Biblical exegesis is also of no concern to Westerhoff in this book to support his solutions to the problems of preachers and teachers. This reviewer views Westerhoff’s Spiritual Life as a book that places an unfounded emphasis on spiritual disciplines. While giving the impression that he is going beyond Christian faith he seems to be proposing “a false faith”. His interest in subjective illumination seems to be elevated above simple Christian belief. His brand of spirituality seems intended to supplant (not supplement) the use of faith. The focus of the Bible is not on spiritual disciplines to solve spiritual problems but on faith. Faith is the answer for spiritual problems in the Bible which does not present the believer (irrespective of position or office) with a complicated and mystical process that must be pursued to achieve answers – faith is the answer. Faith does not need some special revelation, illuminations, rhema’s and special prayer to get answers but rather to rest on the authority of the Scriptures and what they promise the believer as they meet God’s conditions. Along these same lines, it is interesting that Westerhoff interprets the parable of the talents aside from the role of faith. He sees the failure of the person who hid his talent and who did not invest it in terms of his lack of union with God and a defective image of God where the clear message being taught is that he did not exercise faith to please God. Westerhoff does not seem to be on believing ground in finding spiritual answers to problems. He obviously thinks it is more complicated than just believing which is a message that the post modern culture needs to hear. He seems too entrenched in reaching out to people who desire process over content that he loses the whole basis upon which faith (and spiritual answers) are based. Westerhoff is seeking assurance of salvation through contemplative prayer but if he would dust off the covers of his Bible he could find the assurance he needs – or maybe he doesn’t find it there which would be a spiritually traumatic realization that could have thrown him to alternate ways to discover God’s truth that bring more favorable results. Despite Westerhoff’s contentions, God’s main concern is whether He finds faith on the earth. To please Him is through faith irrespective of amount Bible reading, meditation, prayer, solitude and the exercise of spiritual disciplines. Only faith can revitalize a ministry to where union with God is experienced in an emotional way and only faith can give the minister the wherewithal to fulfill the purposes of God. Looking for subjective evidence outside of the Scriptures (i.e., through contemplative spiritual disciplines) is not authorized for this purpose. Finally, despite the fact that Westerhoff’s book should be read with caution, the book does seem to touch a nerve that needs to be addressed. He points out that Christians need to place a higher priority on a disciplined prayer life. Christian experience must be more than church attendance and recitation of denominational creeds. Time must be made for devotions where reflection and meditation on Scripture are needed. Too often time is structured around family, job, sports, children and various events that there is none left to cultivating character and faith in private time with God.
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[1] Westerhoff, John H. Spiritual Life: The Foundation for Preaching and Teaching. Louisville, Ky: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1994. [2] A quote of Francis Scheaffer, from http://www.faithalone.org/journal/1997ii/Caddock.html, accessed 29 March 2011. [3] A quote of New Monks, Ibid.