Integral Formation: How important is it?

I’ve been slowly trudging my way through D.C. Schindler’s book “The Politics of the Real: The Church between Liberalism and Integralism.” As a wannabe philosopher, it is a slog. And there is a part of me, sometimes to my detriment, that likes to dig into ideas and writers; the same part that I spoke about in my last post. But this book has finally brought out to me the reality that philosophy is meant to touch real life. It has quickened a movement in my heart that has started to reach all areas of my personal formation (human, spiritual, intellectual, and apostolic). It's opened my eyes to the real meaning of intellectual formation. Are we able to slow down and really allow our whole being to process what our intellect is trying to understand?

I regrettably admit that this question was not even on my radar until only a few years ago. Now, enough interior space and flexibility are helping me realize that intellectual formation is as much about the formation as it is about the intellect. And here is why I’ve come to appreciate the writings of D.C. Schindler so much. He writes in a way that, while stretching the limits of my understanding, challenges me to think about how I use language and relate to persons, things, society, God, etc. in a way I never realized I could. Having said that, this is where I am. Others may want to jump into his books because of what I say, though I wouldn’t take my academic approbation highly. But we are all in our own place of engagement with our intellectual formation to which we need to be present.

To the real point of this post that I want to emphasize. Schindler makes the point, which I hope I’m representing at least somewhat right, that supposed neutrality in our life, vocation, and engagement with society is self-contradictory. If we happen to think that our actions are just our own and don’t declare anything about what we believe reality to be, then we’re kidding (maybe even lying to) ourselves. Sadly, it’s taken me almost 30 years to begin to grasp this point. But I want to see this an opportunity to share what I’ve grasped in the hope that others might benefit. This is not a call to become frustrated and scrupulous about our thoughts and actions, but a call to seriousness and sincerity. It is a call to seek “everything that makes for life and devotion.”  

Elsewhere Schindler relays from the philosopher Plato that: what we take with us into the next life is the formation we’ve enacted in our life and the lives of others. Another way of saying this is how we have grown in maturity, freedom, love, healing, integration will contribute to our experience of the fullness of the Lord in Heaven. The degree of interior integration, maturity, and holiness that we reach in this life will redound to how the Lord wants to bless us in the next.

How seriously do we take our formation? How free are we to take our formation seriously? These are tough questions. But they deserve an answer. If you’re looking for someone to help you reflect on these questions in your life, I can help. Reach out!