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Posture and Spiritual Formation: Sanctification in George Herbert’s The Country Parson and The Temple
- Christianity & Literature
- Johns Hopkins University Press
- Volume 66, Number 1, December 2016
- pp. 57-72
- Article
- Additional Information
Abstract:
In his prose and poetry, George Herbert assumes that the body and soul are inextricably interrelated, and what one does with one significantly affects the other. This has a profound influence on the process of spiritual growth or sanctification. The article begins with demonstrating from Herbert’s work the importance of external behavior (particularly posture) to spiritual formation. However, while attention to posture and behavior is necessary, it may not be sufficient for personal transformation. Herbert’s prose and poetry demonstrate that positive spiritual formation requires the help of supernatural power.