The Blog in Spiritual Formation

Spirituality books have comprised a large percentage of my reading of late. Don't get me wrong, I've spent time in fantasy with Temple of the Winds, social commentary with What our Mother's Didn't Tell Us, and even travel with Ireland: an Island Revealed. But I have many more titles like In the Name of Jesus, God's Original Intent for the Church, Awakening to Prayer, and The Ignatian Workout in the stack. Recently Spiritual Formation has held increasing sway in my literary pursuits. There's something feels so right about spending the best of myself pursuing God.

My spirtuality librarian, Reed Sheard, (recommends books, talks with me about them, but is not not quite a mentor) gave me a copy of the lesson he presented to the FM Sunday School class. I read it just as the Ambien kicked in one night this week, which means I had to read it again yesterday. The lesson was an introduction to the Spiritual Disciplines (enter Richard Foster stage right) and then a focus on journaling. Which brings me (finally!!) to my point. Can a blog be a journal?

There are certainly ways a blog is a completely valid journal. It allows the blogger to confront life issues and wrestle with spiritual realities. It opens the blogger to the community of believers who can assist in the confronting and wrestling. It's a very "stream of consciousness" expression, allowing the blogger to participate in his or her immediate feelings in a cathartic way.

But there are ways a blog is not a valid journal. I still keep a separate journal. When I was pleading with God for guidance on how to deal with a frustrating situation at work, I would not even consider posting that personal dialog on a blog. (See? I talk around it even when not hitting it head on!) On some issues I will in dive head first (see the Sabbath Attempt #4). Some issues I will not touch online with a 10-foot pole. Maybe that's just me, maybe it's my fear of rejection, my fear of failure, or my introverted side coming out. But maybe it's my respect for myself, respect for the intimate nature of my relationship with God, and respect for all of you out there who don't want to know details that gory.

So I guess the answer is both yes and no. (Let's give a hand for the Kevin Fayborg "Why can't it be both?" theory!) The public nature of the blog as a journal is both the blog's strength and weakness. Will I journal on my blog? You bet. Will I journal on paper where only God and I know the contents? I think I'll do that too. The blog's place in Spiritual Formation lies in the context of community of believers. Nouwen and Ignatias didn't have blogs, but I think they would have approved the spiritual thinking and community they foster. And I believe the Lord God looks on us disciples with love and pride whether we seek the Divine on paper, online, in the classroom, or over coffee. Long live the blog!

So, community...what do you think?