Renovation of the Heart by Dallas Willard
Week 3: Chapter 2 — The Spirit and the Forms of Spiritual Formation
Read Chapter 2 of Renovation of the Heart.
Previewing Week 3 of Renovation of the Heart
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 15-week guide when you’re ready.
Willard now maps out the landscape of spiritual formation, showing how the Spirit works through specific disciplines and practices — not magically, but through the grain of how God made human beings.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Willard describes spiritual disciplines as 'activities of mind and body purposefully undertaken, to bring our whole person into effective cooperation with the divine order.' How does this definition differ from thinking of disciplines as religious duties or ways of earning favor?
2.He uses the analogy of preparing soil: disciplines don't make transformation happen any more than a farmer makes a crop grow, but they prepare the conditions in which God's transforming work can take root. Does this analogy help or limit your understanding? Why?
3.Willard identifies two broad categories of disciplines: disciplines of abstinence (fasting, silence, solitude) and disciplines of engagement (Scripture study, worship, service). Which category feels more natural to you? Which is more neglected in your current practice?