Page 3 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 19

Editorial

"Spiritual Forma�on" is a topic that concerns every Chris�an.
A�er more than 45 years of following Jesus I am not the same Chris�an as I was 40 years ago,
30 years ago or 10 years ago and I will not to be the same in 5 years either. And that's good
so.
Why have I changed?
First, because I believe in an incomprehensible and holy God. There is always something new
to discover. HE wants to give deeper insights and new personal a�tudes can be learned.
Second, because I have changed as a person, like everybody: we grow older, gain experi-
ence… and discover new truths in His Word, or our church changes.
Therefore, I am not the same Chris�an as I was 5, 30 or 40 years ago.
I look back gratefully and definitely don't want to miss my "old treasures" of former years,
but they may also change and get a new shine in the light of new treasures.

To be aware of the ways of personal and spiritual development is important for our work as
Chris�an psychologists, whether prac�cal or theore�cal. We have to reflect our own deve-
lopment and current state and we must be a�en�ve to other persons, where they currently
stand in their faith, how they live and believe. We have to respect and percei-
ve them with their spiritual ques�ons, and be careful, when we try to give impulses for spiri-
tual growth.
Some�mes it may be helpful to support someone directly in his or
her spiritual development, to make this the topic of our counselling
session. Some�mes a spiritual change will have a posi�ve impact on
the symptoms that are the reason for the therapeu�c or counselling
rela�onship. But we have to find out, whether it is the right �me and
the right proposal or not.

Sincere thanks to all who have contributed to this issue of the eJournal
as author or commentator to the main topic "Spiritual Forma�on" and
to addi�onal topics, too.
Reading the ar�cles, I wish you refreshing insights into the greatness
and love of our God.
Yours, Werner May
emcapp.eu
post@werner-may.de

Why do we have a bilingual journal?
In our movement for Chris�an Psychology, we meet as Chris�ans with very different backgrounds: different churches, dif-
ferent cul-tures, different professional trainings...
There is a common desire for the movement, but highly “mul�-lingual” ideas of its realiza�on! Therefore, a bilingual
journal is just a small reference to our mul�lingual voices to remind us:
Languages are an expression of cultures, countries and of their people. By wri�ng in two languages, we want to show our
respect to the authors of the ar�cles, to their origin and heritage, and at the same �me symbolically show respect to all
the readers in other foreign countries.
There are many foreign languages that we do not understand. Within our own language, we intend to understand one
another, but we fail to do so quite o�en. To really understand one another is a great challenge, and we also want to point
to this challenge by offering a bilingual journal.
“When languages die, knowledge about life gets lost.” (Suzanne Romaine, 2011)
Finally, there is a pragma�c reason: As we want to have authors from one special country to write the main ar�cles of
every journal, it will be easier for them to distribute the journal in their own country, when it also is in their own language.

Note: By clicking the desired contribu�on in this Contents list, you immediately reach the relevant page.