As I read Roman Catholic doctrine (most notably the recent Catechism), I’m struck with what appears to be a journey orientation. Or even better, an ascent metaphor. The Eastern Orthodox are much more explicit about this with their notion of theosis, but it certainly seems to be there in RC teaching as well.

For American Evangelicals, it seems that the journey metaphor is dominant, though not in as much in the sense of an ascent. I don’t know how to articulate this entirely, but it seems as if there is a sense in which people expect “growth” and “sanctification” to include, perhaps not secret knowledge, but maybe, secret feelings or secret insight. People expect change in their spiritual lives. Granted that change is inevitable, but I’m wondering if this has anything to do with the willingness of people to follow fads and change church bodies so readily.

The swimming pool metaphor that Frattaroli uses as a counterpoint is certainly not satisfying as an alternative, though, and I think this might be the alternative that people imagine when thinking about what Lutheran’s mean when they say ‘vocation.’ Life becomes a drudgery that you endure for the sake of “being faithful to your callings.” It’s interesting to me that Dr. Luther teaches the Lord’s Prayer, the Decalogue, the Creed and the Sacraments as a lifetime practice. It’s as if his metaphor is of a defensive war. Spiritual warfare in a journey orientation is seeking out the enemy and attacking whatever cultural vestige he may take, whereas in the defensive metaphor, we are to repair the walls and let our Champion fight.

I know that the metaphor breaks down and can become escapist, but I think it might fit with the idea of waiting that you expressed. I’d like to hear your thoughts.

By the way, from my perspective, our metaphors are extremely important because they shape how we think, even when they are not consciously engaged. This is why I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how important it is to steep your mind in the scriptures (tea bag metaphor). When your mind becomes so saturated with the words of God, it certainly influences how we see everything.

Andy, I like that “reserved” tag idea. Fits nicely with the idea that baptism places a seal on us that marks us as belonging to Christ.

I love how Paul encapsulates the Christian life at the end of 1 Thess 1: His beloved disciples had turned from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, who saves us from the coming wrath. In 1 Cor, he sums up the gospel as “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and was raised, according to the Scriptures.”

All of sanctification could be summed up by “waiting”. Our pastor talks about sanctification as having a “reserved” tag on our shirts–we’ve put all our chips on Christ’s second advent, and our distinct way of being-in-the-world is marked by this reservedness, this waiting, this hope of glory.

All this renders the jargon of “spiritual journey” pretty vacuous. Are you preparing your disciples for an eternal weight of glory? Or are you helping them become more excited about their spiritual journey? Good grief.