by Gary Gilley
Think On These Things
December/January 2012/2013 - Volume 18, Issue 6 

One of the most popular and strongly promoted activities within spiritual formation is known as "The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius Loyola." As the name implies, these are exercises or activities invented by the Roman Catholic monk Ignatius of Loyola in the 16th century to enhance spiritual life, first his own and then that of the monks within his monasteries. The exercises are complicated and difficult, and were practiced almost exclusively by Catholic monks for over 400 years until the birth of the modern Spiritual Formation Movement in the latter part of the 20th century. Today there is no doubt more interest in the exercises than at any other point in history. To grasp Ignatius's Spiritual Exercises, we will begin with a short history of Ignatius, including the society of monks he founded, move to the original 16th century exercises as found in Ignatius's book, examine their modern application especially among Protestants, and then discuss why the Exercises are of deep concern to lovers of biblical Christianity.