The ‘Learning Principles’ for the practice of imitating Christ by means of reading the Gospels

These learning principles as presented here, are the outcome of my doctoral dissertation, ‘The practice of imitating Christ by means of reading the Gospels. An interdisciplinary study according to the hermeneutical approach of Sandra M. Schneiders‘, Pontifical Institute of Spirituality Teresianum, Rome 2012.

Together, these learning principles form a method for the never-ending process of learning how to imitate Christ.  Now, as Lonergan explains,

“A method is a normative pattern of recurrent and related operations yielding cumulative and progressive results. There is a method, then, where there are distinct operations, where each operation is related to the others, where the set of relations form a pattern, where the pattern is described as the right way of doing the job, where operations in accord with the pattern may be repeated indefinitely, and where the fruits of each repetition are, not repetitions, but cumulative and progressive” (Bernard J. F. Lonergan, Method in Theology, Darton, Longman & Todd, London 1972, p. 4). 

Likewise, every time an imitator confronts one’s actual practice of imitation with the data suggested by these learning principles, the imitator could experience a cumulative and progressive understanding of the Catholic experience of imitating Christ.

This process of learning could be well represented by a spiral which connects different areas of knowledge (see the figure below for more details). The more one enriches one’s understanding on the different areas of knowledge related to the practice of imitation, the more one learns how to imitate Christ.

By presenting the learning principles in this manner, this research is indicating that knowing how to imitate Christ is a never-ending process and that one could never achieve a complete and definitive answer on how to imitate Christ.

The never-ending process of learning how to imitate Christ by means of reading the Gospels

First learning principle

Principle of founding imitation on the experience of the first Christians.

The actual practice of imitation is part of an uninterrupted tradition in the Church. It originates in Christ’s own invitations, who during his earthly life asked his disciples to follow his example through words like: “learn from me” (Matthew 11:29), “I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you” (John 13:15) and “love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12).  The first disciples accepted this invitation and promoted this practice after his ascension into heaven with words like “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5); “live in love, as Christ loved us” (Ephesians 5:2); and “Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:21).

Now, since the Christian “is nourished in a healthy way” (Dei Verbum, n. 24)  through scriptures, an authentic imitator needs to nourish his or her understanding on the practice of imitation by the experience of the first disciples and of the early Christians. The main resources for this nourishment are the writings of the New Testament.  In doing so, one will have an opportunity to purify one’s actual practice of imitation by confronting it to the style suggested by Christ as interpreted by the first disciples.

Second learning principle

Principle of letting oneself be inspired by the experience of the saints

Lumen Gentium explains that, “When we look at the lives of those who have faithfully followed Christ, we are inspired with a new reason for seeking the City that is to come (cf. Hebrews 13:14; 11:10) and at the same time we are shown a most safe path by which among the vicissitudes of this world, in keeping with the state in life and condition proper to each of us, we will be able to arrive at perfect union with Christ, that is, perfect holiness” (Lumen Gentium, n. 50).

Now, since the saints practised imitation as one of the means that could lead to the union with God; by studying this experience the Christian could be inspired by some of the ‘safe paths’ that could lead to the imitation of Christ. The main resources for this are the writing of these saints on imitation and the study of this experience in the context of their lives. Consequently, through this study, the imitator will have the opportunity to be inspired by the variety of ways and styles that these saints developed under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  

Third  learning principle

Principle of discerning imitation through theological reflection

“The tradition which comes from the Apostles develop in the Church with the help of the Holy Spirit […]. This happens through the contemplation and study made by believers, who treasure these things in their hearts (see Luke, 2:19, 51) through a penetrating understanding of the spiritual realities which they experience, and through the preaching of those who have received through Episcopal succession the sure gift of truth” (Dei Verbum, n. 8). Consequently, in the process of learning to imitate Christ, the Christian needs to continuously confront one’s actual practice of imitation, with the theological reflection related directly and indirectly to the practice of imitation especially as interpreted by the Magisterium of the Church.

The main resources for this confrontation are the teachings of the magisterium, the theology of imitation developed through the ages, and the works of individual theologians. Due to this confrontation of one’s actual experience with theology, the imitator would be given an opportunity to discern the catholic authenticity of one’s practice of imitation.

Fourth learning principle

Principle of growing in the awareness of the dynamics of conversion.

The practice of imitation is not an aim in itself but an aid to the life journey of unions and raptures leading to the eternal union with God in Christ.  A journey done with in and through Christ, “He Who is ‘the image of the invisible God’ […], the perfect man” (Gaudium et Spes, n. 22): the reason for one’s existential reality, being, and ultimate destination (cf. Colossians 1:15-18).  Conscious of these revealed truths, in the process of learning to collaborate with the grace of imitation, the Christian needs to make an effort to grow in the awareness of the fact that the practice of imitation is an imitation of He who already dwells within oneself through creation and baptism. Consequently, the imitator could grow in the awareness that one’s effort to imitate Christ by means of reading the Gospels is an effort—as Christ himself apparently have said to Teresa of Avila—to seek oneself in Christ, and to seek Christ within oneself (cf., Teresa of Avila, Poems, n. 8).

The main resources that can help an imitator to grow in this awareness are the revealed truths on the ontological relationship between God and humanity, especially as understood through the Christ event. Through this growth in awareness about one’s ontological relationship with Christ, the Christian would be given an opportunity to develop an authentic catholic attitude towards imitation.

Fifth learning principle

Principle of responsibility for the gift of imitation.

Imitation is only possible through God’s gratuitous self-gift, a gift which cannot be lived by a human person, if it is not freely accepted through a personal commitment.  The reason is that the Holy Spirit does not substitute the freedom of the person.  On the other hand, the acceptance of this gift cannot occur merely through one’s effort, but due to the will and strength of the Holy Spirit: since “no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:3; cf. Romans 8:9 – cf., Veritatis Splendor, n. 22. 24).  If the tension between grace (mystical gift) and personal effort is not lived, one might rely only on grace and thus the gift of imitation is never accepted. On the other side, if one relies only on the personal effort, imitation will be rendered merely to a personal initiative to reproduce the behaviours, attitudes, and thought patterns of Jesus.

The process of learning how to imitate Christ needs to include a growth in the awareness that imitation is a divine gift which has to be freely accepted with God’s own help. One of the main resources that can promote growth in this awareness is the doctrine of Grace. By becoming aware that imitation is a gift, the imitator learns more about the responsibility one has in accepting or denying this gift.

Sixth learning principle

Principle of seeking how to respond to God’s call for union.

The imitation of Christ, as any other divine gift, flows out from God’s Call, beckoning on humanity for Union with Him.  The effort to open oneself to the words and deeds of Christ by means of reading the Gospels is part of the individual’s free response to this Divine Call (cf., Lumen Gentium, n. 40. 41).  Consequently, the process of learning how to imitate Christ needs to include a growth in awareness that imitation is part of the response to the divine Call for union; an awareness that leads the imitator to respond to the gift of imitation in a way that is proper to this divine call.  According to John of the Cross, the appropriate attitude to this response is an attitude of faith, hope and love (cf., John of the Cross, The Ascent of Mount Carmel, Book 2, Chapter 8, n. 2-3).

Together with the theological reflection, the main resource of inspiration on how to respond to God’s call is the experience of the saints, since, (as already explained in the third learning Principle), they are the “most safe path […] to arrive at perfect union with Christ” (Lumen Gentium, n. 50). By learning that the practice of imitation is part of God’s call, the imitator learns to approach imitation in a way that is a proper reply to this Divine Call. 

Seventh learning principle

Principle of learning to imitate Christ within and for the Church.

Since Christ as the head, could not be separated from his body which is the Church (cf. Colossians 1:18), the imitation of Christ is not authentic if not practiced within the Church. Consequently, the process of learning how to imitate Christ, needs to educate the imitator to practice imitation in the Church, according to the Church, and for the Church.

The main resources that could help the imitator to grow in this, is a continuous growth in the awareness of the teachings and customs of the Church. In this way, the personal effort to collaborate with the grace of imitation by means of reading the Gospels would be done ‘within’ and ‘for’ the community of believers as it should be.

Eighth learning principle

Principle of understanding the human experience of imitation.

In Gaudium et Spes number 62, the Church invites the faithful to aim for an understanding of the Christian life that goes beyond the study of theology (cf., Gaudium et Spes, n. 62). Consequently, since imitation is also an observable human experience, the process of learning how to imitate Christ could be further enriched by an understanding of this experience.

The resources for this further understanding include studies in sociology, psychology and neurobiology. By such further understanding, the imitator as well as enriching one’s understanding of the human aspect of the practice of imitation, becomes also “able to interpret and evaluate [all these discoveries related to human imitation] in a truly Christian spirit” (cf., Gaudium et Spes, n. 62).

Ninth learning principle

Principle of searching means to be observe the words and deeds of Christ.

Taking in consideration that ‘grace builds on and perfects nature’ (‘gratia supponit et percit naturam’) and inspired by the Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes which invites theologians to “seek out more sufficient ways […] of presenting their teaching to human persons of their times” (Gaudium et Spes, n. 62);  the process of learning how to imitate Christ can also include a quest for methods that can help in the observation of the words and deeds of Christ. Such methods of observation could help the Christian imitator to be more open to the words and deeds of Christ. However, while doing so the imitator has to keep in mind that a Christian’s “method of getting closer to God is not based on any technique in the strict sense of the word. That would contradict the spirit of childhood called for by the Gospel. The heart of genuine Christian mysticism is not technique: it is always a gift of God; and the one who benefits from it knows himself to be unworthy” (Orationis Formas, n.23).

Tenth learning principle

Principle of actualising the Gospel text for imitation.

The practice of imitation by means of reading the Gospels consists primarily in a process of actualisation of the words and deeds of Christ.  According to the Pontifical Biblical Commission such process entails “three steps: 1. to hear the word from within one’s own concrete situation; 2. to identify the aspects of the present situation highlighted or put in question by the biblical text; 3. to draw from the fullness of meaning contained in the biblical text those elements capable of advancing the present situation in a way that is productive and consonant with the saving will of God in Christ”.  Moreover, “Actualisation presupposes a correct exegesis of the text, part of which is the determining of its ‘literal sense’. Persons engaged in the work of actualisation who do not themselves have training in exegetical procedures should have recourse to good introductions to Scripture, this will ensure that their interpretation proceeds in the right direction”. Furthermore, actualisation “cannot mean manipulation of the text” . “False paths will be avoided if actualisation of the biblical message begins with a correct interpretation of the text and continues within the stream of the living tradition, under the guidance of the church’s magisterium” (The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church, n. IV.A.2.g, 2.e, 1.e , 3.e). In the process of learning to imitate Christ, the imitator, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, constantly needs to seek to grow in the art and science of actualising the words and deeds of Christ.

The main resources that could help in this actualisation, are the teachings and praxis of the Church related to the reading of scriptures and the different bible methodologies developed for this purpose. By applying these means of actualising the Gospel texts, the personal effort to collaborate with the grace of imitation will be more faithful to the words and deeds of Christ as narrated in the Gospels.