Zen and the Spiritual Exercises by Ruben L.F (review)

Adaptation and accommodation remain essential characteristics of the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius. One of its preliminary notes insisted that the exercises “be adapted to the condition of the one who is to engage in them, that is, to his age, education, and talent” [Sp. Ex. 18]. Consequently, the Spiritual Exercises, from the beginning, has served as an operative spiritual resource empowering members of the Society of Jesus to engage in dialogues across social, political, cultural and religious boundaries. As early as Ignatius, Jesuits were convinced that these exercises could be adapted and accommodated for those who were considered “infidels, heretics, and sinners.” While the efforts of these early Jesuits to dialogue with other faith traditions were commendable, the theological framework or theological freedom necessary to resolve the tensions that inherently existed between Christianity and other faith traditions was not available at the time. And yet the conviction that God works directly and immediately with creatures, and vice versa [Sp. Ex. 15], inspired Jesuits to bridge these theological differences with attempts that sometimes went beyond what the Church decreed.

Enabled by the Second Vatican Council’s acknowledgement of truths in other faith traditions, and equipped with subsequent theological investigation and perspectives, genuine dialogues and interactions have benefited and enriched Christianity and other religions in their respective quests for a deeper understanding of human identity and meaning. Zen and the Spiritual Exercises presents Habito’s latest work exploring the “various contours of the Ignatian Exercises from a Zen perspective.” In doing so, the author hopes to offer these spiritual exercises as a resource for seekers who do not necessarily share the same Christian worldview and belief system in their search for life transformation. As the landscape of world religions and spiritual practices becomes more interactive, Habito’s work offers refreshing theological insights and concrete meditations and contemplations rooted in the spiritual depth embedded in Zen and the Spiritual Exercises.

On a first glance, the four sections of Zen and the Spiritual Exercises naturally seem to match with the four weeks of the Spiritual Exercises. However, on a closer look, the author actually structures the work based on the three spiritual stages of the mystical path to the Divine or the path to human wholeness, namely, purification or purgation, illumination, and union. The Purification Section, which corresponds with the First Week, consists of two chapters, the Illumination Section with the Second Week, four chapters, and the Union Section with the Third and the Fourth Week, three chapters. Altogether the twelve chapters make up the main body of the book. Moreover, arranging the four weeks of the Spiritual Exercises and their spiritual movements into three specific stages establishes a common ground for fascinating exchanges between the two traditions, while introducing certain tensions that could further the dialogue.

Preceding the three sections of “Purification,” “Illumination,” and “Union,” the first section consists of various preliminary notes and guidelines for directors and retreatants, guides, and practitioners. The preface and the introduction provide the author’s personal background and interests, highlighting his more than two decades of immersion in and adaptation of Zen and the Spiritual Exercises as both a former member of the Society of Jesus and a committed Zen practitioner and guide. Such a rich personal experience lends credibility to his theological reflections. The conclusion, which is called “Awakened and Transformed in Love—On Being a Contemplative in Action,” both offers a short summary the work and sends readers onto the path of personal and social transformation.

Perhaps the most exciting theological implications of Zen and the Spiritual Exercises are found in the first chapter of the first section titled, “Translating Ignatius, Presenting Zen.” Here the author labors to re-interpret various key theological terms such as “God,” “Jesus Christ,” and “The Holy Spirit” in such a way that they no longer remain as “immediate roadblocks” for people from outside Christian traditions to engage in the Spiritual Exercises. In doing so, the author plows fresh ground and...