Metamorpha is a spiritual formation website associated with Larry Crabb. One of the goals is to produce Spiritual Directors. Well, what is a Spiritual Director? According to the website under Spiritual Direction- “What is Spiritual Direction?” is the following: “Spiritual Direction is a triad relationship between the Holy Spirit, a spiritual director, and the individual receiving direction, usually called the directee.” This is clearly adding an element between the person and Christ in order to know their proper relationship with God. Now, we are instructed by God’s word to have fellowship with other believers and iron sharpens iron, but this specifically states: “A good spiritual director is skilled at listening for unconscious theology, attending to the directee’s internal movements, and helping the directee to discern the invitations the Holy Spirit in his or her life.” We cannot address “unconscious theology” or “internal movements” because they are undefinable. For any person to dare say that they can discern the Holy Spirit’s work in another person’s life is exceedingly dangerous.
Isaiah 55:8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.” All of these strange nonbiblical, undefinable, skills are completely subjective and cannot possibly be discerned by an outside person (unless they are mind readers or clairvoyant). According to Metamorpha “Where is spiritual Direction found in scripture?” they state the following: “While Scripture does not give us the benefit of observing the inner workings of an ongoing spiritual direction relationship,…” That is the correct answer and why we should have rejected the very idea of a spiritual director from the beginning.
What are the qualifications of spiritual directors? “many spiritual directors are trained in psychodynamics, sociological issues, as well as, historical spirituality.” This should immediately send up RED flags. Psychodynamics melds "psychic" brain activity with internal motivation, and historical spirituality is referring to Contemplative Spirituality and the Desert Fathers and Dark Age Catholic mysticism. Spiritual Direction is akin to Roman Catholic confessional practices and an unintended consequence could be to reunite Protestants with Catholics through developing similar practices and ritualistic living. This “practice” has the potential to draw a person away from their individual responsibility to develop their complete and utter dependence on Christ alone, because they may end up using the director as a psychological crutch. It is also completely “subjective” leading by “human impression” when we should be going to the Lord through His revealed Word, the Bible.
