Running head: MY EMERGING MODEL OF SPIRITUAL FORMATION 1
Research Paper: Introduction and Overview
My Emerging Model of Spiritual Formation
Rawlings School of Divinity
CLED 715: Ecologies of Christian Formation
MY EMERGING MODEL OF SPIRITUAL FORMATION 2
My Emerging Model of Spiritual Formation
Part 1
While the concept of spiritual formation has been explored for several years, new
ideologies have since been introduced that warrant further discussion. Perhaps, the most notable
and the one that has produced the most impact can be seen within the digital landscape that
currently dwells within the world. Approximately thirty years ago, the world-wide digital
landscape was almost non-existent. Communication with those abroad were often limited to the
upper echelon of wage earners. Since then, the induction of the World Wide Web has allowed
people to connect with others located all over the world; thus, expanding further opportunities in
which to embolden the spiritual formation of individuals and churches alike. Heather Glover
denotes, “Among the growing numbers of Americans who are using the Internet, many of them
are turning to the digital dimension to get in touch with God and pursue matters of faith” (Lowe
& Lowe, 2018, p.71). One of the greatest areas of growth has occurred in online education. Pre-
World Wide Web, online education was nothing more than an aspiration. Its rapid growth
brought mixed emotions. According to Lowe (2018), “In its earliest form, many viewed digital
education as a compartmentalized orientation to teaching and learning, but as education has
evolved, we have to understand that teaching and learning online are much more expansive and
interconnected than previously assumed” (Lowe & Lowe, 2018, p. 89).
This study will examine the influence that the digital environment has on faith-based
education in the Western world, as well as the implications it produces on spiritual formation.
