Authority in Spiritual Direction Conversations: Dialogic Perspectives

Abstract

The dynamics of authority within spiritual direction relationships are more complex than is often acknowledged. This is especially so in relation to the ways in which meaning is co-authored by directors and directees in their conversations. This paper proposes that authority in such contexts be thought of as ‘authority’, comprising three main elements: presence, ownership and play. The literary theory of Mikhail Bakhtin is used to highlight the dialogic character of all meaning-making, and to illuminate the ways in which these three facets of authority function in conversation. These insights are applied to specific aspects of spiritual direction practice, showing how these may support or subvert directees’ own authority as they seek to make meaning of their lives in partnership with their directors and with God.

KEYWORDS:

• spiritual direction
• authority
• meaning
• Bakhtin
• dialogism

ORCID

David Crawley http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4807-9489

Notes

1 Davies uses the term presence, but not ownership or play. My use of these ideas overlaps with, but also departs from her discussion. My application of them to spiritual direction and my use of Bakhtin are in tension with Davies's poststructuralist framework of thought.

2 ‘Here we are, you and I, and I hope a third, Christ, is in our midst.’ St Aelred of Rievaulx to Ivo, as cited by Guenther (1992: 15).

3 It is interesting to note that in the Greek New Testament, inner reasoning or intention is referred to as dialogismos (e.g. Luke 2:35; 5:22; 6:8; Romans 1:21; 1 Corinthians 3:20).

4 Guilfoyle (2003) explores this point in more detail, in relation to therapeutic contexts.

5 This approach is used extensively in narrative therapy (Denborough 2014; Payne 2006) and narrative approaches to pastoral care (Coyle 2013; Doehring 2006; Neuger 2001).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

David Crawley

David Crawley is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Theology on the Henderson campus of Laidlaw College, New Zealand, specializing in Spiritual Formation. He obtained his PhD at the University of Waikato in 2014. His thesis is entitled Stories of Resistance to Religious Authority: A Discursive Analysis. Alongside his teaching and research at Laidlaw, he is engaged in the training and supervision of spiritual directors through Spiritual Growth Ministries.