Shaping the Journey

How do the theological impulses of evangelical pietism and contemplative monasticism converge in the modern spiritual formation movement? Shaping the Journey brings John Wesley and Thomas Merton into critical dialogue, examining their distinct yet complementary contributions to Christian spirituality. With Wesleyan evangelicalism as a thesis and Mertonian monasticism as antithesis, this study argues that the spiritual formation movement represents a meaningful synthesis of these traditions. Central to this synthesis is the work of M. Robert Mulholland Jr., whose integrative vision of spiritual formation clearly reflects the influences of Wesley and Merton and the evangelical and monastic traditions they represent. Engaging history, theology, and spirituality, this work offers a vital resource for understanding the roots and trajectory of Christian spiritual formation.