Rachel Held Evans: Evangelicals and spirituality

I am intrigued by today’s post by Rachel Held Evans, in which she defends “young evangelicals like myself [who] have reconnected with the spiritual disciplines.” Classical Christian mysticism and spirituality such as lectio divina, apparently, is very attractive to young evangelicals.  Christ’s presence is not limited to scripture, she says: “I have encountered the presence of Jesus in fellowship with other Christians, among the poor and disenfranchised, as I eat the bread and drink the wine. And if this makes me a mystic, then count me in!”

All too often our liturgical ecumenical dialogue leaves evangelicals out, but if this is the future of evangelicalism, then count me in!

Kimberly Hope Belcher

Kimberly Belcher received her Ph.D. in Liturgical Studies at Notre Dame in 2009. After teaching at St John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota, she returned to Notre Dame as a faculty member in 2013. Her research interests include sacramental theology (historical and contemporary), trinitarian theology, and ritual studies. Her interest in the church tradition is challenged, deepened, and inspired by her three children.

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9 responses to “Rachel Held Evans: Evangelicals and spirituality”

  1. Melanie Ross

    Amen, Kim! I rejoice in the developments Rachel describes. Perhaps the future of evangelicalism will indeed look more “liturgical”. Perhaps not. (Many evangelical churches remain proud of their nonsacramental ecclesiology and celebrate the booming commercialized worship music industry.) Whatever happens, count me in on the liturgical ecumenical dialogue with evangelicals of all varieties. Thanks very much for your post.

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  2. Fran Rossi Szpylczyn

    Kim, this breath of fresh spiritual and ecumenical air is so welcome on this day. It is the perfect postprandial as I return from lunch!

    Yesterday we had Fr. Anthony Gittins, CSSp, offer the opening keynote at our diocesan annual 4 day catechetical event. One of the things that he reminded us of, was that the Body of Christ can be found in over 38,500 fragments.

    Wherever we can meet – let it be so! Count me in, as well. As Martin Buber so wisely put it, “All real living is meeting.” Amen to that.

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  3. M. Jackson Osborn

    I do not mean in the least way to gainsay the tenor of the article or the phenomenon of mysticism ‘outside the Church’. I think that we would be seriously deluded and guilty of great spiritual pride were any of us to harbour the slightest notion that God does not act amongst evangelicals and various Protestant denominations. And I see such a view as not prejudicing in the least the veracity of the Church’s self-identification.

    One thing, though, that has always puzzled me is that rarely, if ever, do ‘Christian Jews’, evangelicals and Protestants who find great fulfillment in various aspects of Catholic spirituality, arrive at any acceptance or need for the basis of the Eucharist in their systems. It seems odd, that the early Christians just knew that making Eucharist and having a nascent Eucharistic theology were at the very core of a valid Christian identity. This is lost on nearly all groups such as those under discussion here. Without negative judgment of any kind, I wonder why this is so. Our friends fail to arrive at what was the starting point for the early Church. Why? Comments?

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    1. Jordan Zarembo

      @M. Jackson Osborn – comment #3:

      I agree MJO that Catholics must respect the that Christian evangelicalism is a vehicle for God’s presence in the world. Although many evangelicals are not liturgical Christians, their worship services often present the morality and ethics of the Bible in highly thoughtful and creative ways.

      Recently an evangelical Christian asked a family member of mine, “what is adoration (of the Blessed Sacrament)?” I suggested this rough description of the holy Eucharist. “For Catholics, the Cross is not a past event. The sacrifice of the Cross is all-sufficient, but Jesus also promised his disciples that he would never leave them. This is why we have the Eucharist and the Mass. The Eucharist is the very Body and Blood of Christ, eternally present at all times through the Mass.”

      I am convinced that the greatest stumbling-block for evangelicals who are curious about the apostolic faith (either Catholicism or Orthodoxy) is, as you say MJO, the Mass or Divine Liturgy. “Catholics worship Mary” and other shibboleths are merely diversionary tactics in my view. Perhaps the best recourse is to invite a curious evangelical Christian friend to Mass. Leave it at that — an invitation. Sometimes an evangelical friend might get up the gumption to go. No amount of abstract theological discussion or Bible exegesis truly explains the presence of the Word made Flesh. This is best realized and understood at Mass.

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      1. Jared DeBlieck

        @Jordan Zarembo – comment #4:

        If Christ’s presence isn’t limited to Scripture in the sense that he comes as he promises (from Scripture) in the Preached Word and the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, then yes I agree with the post. But if Christ is merely present in a transcendent, scripturally void, and purely mystical or spiritually then that’s off par with holy writ.

        To Mr. Zarembo I only add that faithful liturgical practice is not historically limited to either Rome or the East. I would submit that many Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) pastors are faithful to the historic liturgy as found in Lutheran Service Book (our hymnal) and in particular our rite of the “Divine Service” (Gottesdienst). Our foundation is Scripture, the structure is historically catholic, and for obvious reasons distinctively Lutheran.

      2. Jordan Zarembo

        @Jared DeBlieck – comment #8:

        Most certainly liturgical Christianity is not limited to Rome, Byzantium, or Moscow. Without a doubt Wittenberg and Canterbury are integral to the development of the western Christian liturgical tradition. Thank you for pointing out my omission.

        Liturgical Christianity offers a unique challenge to an emergent, non-liturgical evangelical Christianity. Why say the same prayers and sing similar hymns every Sunday? Wouldn’t it be better to pray “from the heart” than follow an order of service? Liturgical Christians realize that liturgy offers the framework and vehicle for mysticism. By participating in time-tested ritual, liturgical Christians deepen their understanding of sacramental reality. As you say, “But if Christ is merely present in a transcendent, scripturally void, and purely mystical or spiritually then that’s off par with holy writ.” I entirely agree, but also realize that non-liturgical Christians likely struggle to no small degree with the necessity of the very same liturgies which give us spiritual strength.

  4. Billy Kangas

    As a former Evangelical who went the way of the Catholics because of liturgy and traditional spirituality I am so glad you posted this. Thanks for the helpful reminder!

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  5. Jeff Rice

    This is an interesting phenomenon. There’e the new monasticism movement. Jonathan Hartgrove-Wilson is a writer who I believe considers himself a part of this movement, living right here in Durham, NC. His writing draws very much upon mystics, etc. The lifestyle is as you would expect, disciplined, community-focused, and based around prayer, with emphasis on the psalms. Sound familiar?

    There is also the story of (now) Deacon Alex Jones, who I had the pleasure of spending a few days with at a parish mission. He was a pastor of an evangelical community that took ownership of a former orthodox church building. Between his study of early Christian worship, and the effect of worshiping in this “liturgical” space, their services basically evolved into liturgy. Some members, including leaders, left because they realized what was happening. But many made this progression with their pastor, and eventually he and a group of 50 or so were received into full communion with the church (apparently most of them have continued to practice). I know this is by no means typical, but this community’s formation and transformation basically via liturgical practice is a strong validation of the processes set forth in the RCIA.

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  6. Kimberly Hope Belcher

    Melanie – thanks for dropping in, as always!

    MJO – You might find James White’s book Protestant Worship: Traditions in Transition helpful. He argues that the reason most Protestant groups in the United States have departed from their Eucharistic origins (because the founders of most of those communions had robust Eucharistic theologies and practices) is because of the influence of the American frontiers and the worship practices that developed there.

    Billy – I too have evangelicalism in my past. Welcome.

    Jeff – yes, I think new monasticism fits into this movement as well. I see a lot of common ground and room for dialog and renewal.

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