A World on Fire: Sharing the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises with Other Religions by Erin M. Cline (review)

A thoughtful and active Hindu committing the time and discipline to make the full Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola? A dedicated practitioner of Zen? How would such persons ever come to this point? And, once they arrive at the door, how does the director of the Spiritual Exercises provide a hospitable welcome and suitable adaptations? Furthermore, why should those of us who love (or practice, or direct, or teach) the Spiritual Exercises or Ignatian spirituality even care about this dilemma? These are the questions that Erin Cline tackles systematically and precisely in this volume. We should care about these questions, she says, because the Spiritual Exercises have something unique to contribute to interfaith exchanges at the level of spiritual experience.

Cline does not address the now well-trod path of Protestants to the Spiritual Exercise, but rather, focuses on the situation of non-Christians, especially Hindus in their variety, Buddhists, and the multitude of persons whose Confucian cultures frame the way they see the world. Aspects of Ignatian spirituality, such as the newly expanded understandings of Examen, can somewhat readily be adapted across religious traditions. But the centerpiece of Ignatian spirituality, the Spiritual Exercises, with their intense focus on the figure of Christ and our discipleship with him? The path through the full Spiritual Exercises is neither easy, nor is it self-evident how one might proceed, or, as many would argue, that we should we proceed at all.

First, Cline takes up the question "Should the Exercises be adapted?" Ignatius clearly assumed so (Annotations 18, 19, 20); indeed they must be adapted in light of each individual (Annotation 15 and many other places). However, given Ignatius's setting, the theological density of some of the parts of the Exercises, and the history of early Jesuit practice, it is clear that Ignatius's imagination did not extend as far as the situation Cline is addressing. Many of Cline's principles will be familiar to directors of the Exercises: Always begin where the individual is and consider how to help that person get the most from the Exercises; allow the Creator to deal immediately with the Creature, but help her to weave her own life narrative into the story of Jesus in a way that becomes more vivid and connected; check to see that the necessary dispositions are present, including the desire to come to know Jesus personally and the willingness to engage the prayer and exercises as fully as possible; wrestle with the question about what can be removed or changed before the Exercises cease to be the Exercises. One principle seemed surprising at first read: keep the theology thin and, instead, focus on experience. The theology could be almost impossible to unsnarl for someone who does not share it, but the experience of the Exercises occurs at a different level. It is here that the value of the Spiritual Exercises for interfaith sharing lies.

Chapter 2 was the most useful for me as teacher and director of the Exercises. In it, Cline carefully constructs general principles of adaptation. These principles directly impact work with other traditions, but are also useful for other kinds of adaptations. First, however, the director must consider who is ready to make the full Exercises—a question that faces a director when anyone asks to make the Exercises. Not surprisingly, the Exercises give the essential conditions: the potential retreatant should exhibit great generosity and desire to deepen relationship with the Creator and Lord—that is, at least be open to encountering God even if uncertain about what that belief entails; a willingness to explore following Christ; and a willingness to offer desires and freedom to God and to learn from one's desires how to serve graciously in the circumstances of one's life (Annotation 5). There is also a pragmatic condition: Can the director and the retreatant form a...