Some may have noticed that suddenly there are people in the church calling themselves “Spiritual Directors.” This has come about mostly in the last 10 years (this is written in 2026). Many may think this is a term for some kind of counselor or a pastoral position, but it is not. What is a Spiritual Director and where does this term come from? It is crucial to know this.
Spiritual Direction, What Is It and Where Is It From?
Spiritual Direction, while its definition may vary, is essentially the practice of helping somebody listen to or hear the voice/guidance of God or the Holy Spirit. It is not pastoring or counseling, although many pastors have become Spiritual Directors. Some Spiritual Directors are also Enneagram teachers/counselors/coaches.
The practice of Spiritual Direction originated in early Christian monastic movements in the 3rd and 4th centuries, especially among the Desert Fathers and Mothers. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) was a soldier who became a mystic. He was influential in the Counter-Reformation and in 1534 founded the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits). He took spiritual direction out of the monasteries and applied it to lay people. Ignatius included Spiritual Direction in his 1548 book of Spiritual Disciplines, and it is the basis for today’s practice of Spiritual Direction. The book also included his instructions for the Prayer of Examen and Ignatian Contemplation, also known as Imaginative Prayer. (The Contemplative practices of Lectio Divina and Contemplative Prayer came about earlier with the Desert Fathers and Benedict of Nursia (d. 547) who founded Western monasticism).
Spiritual Direction Not a Biblical Role
Spiritual Direction is part of the Contemplative Movement in the church and, until recently, existed only in Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox religions. Such a role is not described in Scripture, whereas the roles of pastors, teachers, and elders are given.
One source on Spiritual Direction puts it this way:
“In spiritual direction, one person is being present to another for the sake of being attentive to the voice of God.“ – Susan Currie
A description of a podcast about Spiritual Direciton on the same page continues:
“Distinct from other forms of companionship – discipling, mentoring, coaching, pastoring – spiritual direction is laser focused on helping another listen attentively to the voice of God. When we have a trusted confidante helping us notice and prefer God in all aspects of our life, we grow in our affection for God. Holy listening transforms us into a person of discernment.”
This assumes that what God has said in the Bible is not enough. It also assumes that another person has a special ability to help someone “notice and prefer God” although no such ability or role is given anywhere in God’s word.
Another Contemplative site, Rhythms of Grace (be alert to the the word “rhythm/s” as it is a term frequently used in Contemplative teachings), states:
“Christian spiritual direction is a practice in which a trained guide, known as a spiritual director, helps an individual deepen their relationship with God and grow in their spiritual life. The focus is on discerning God’s presence, movement, and voice in the directee’s life, rather than providing counseling or problem-solving advice.
Spiritual direction is often sought by those who desire a deeper relationship with God, need help discerning decisions, or wish to better understand how God is at work in their lives.
Richard Rohr, founder of The Center for Action & Contemplation explains spiritual direction this way: ‘Through deep listening, a spiritual companion can help others explore a deeper relationship with God. Like other forms of contemplation, a spiritual companion or spiritual director helps people connect more deeply with the True Self…’”
Note that Spiritual Direction allegedly offers a “deeper relationship with God,” implying that it goes beyond anything described in Scripture, such as prayer, worship, Bible study, and fellowship, to further one’srelationship with the Lord. This is a hallmark of Contemplative teachings which continuously urge one to have a “deeper” relationship with God or have more “intimacy” with God through their practices.
Also note that Richard Rohr is quoted. Rohr is a heretic who denies or redefines the essentials of the Christian faith, and is a follower of Perennial Wisdom (more on this in the next section). However, Rohr, who admires the mystics, is an influential proponent of Contemplative practices.
Spiritual Direction and Perennial Wisdom
The sources that teach Spiritual Direction or provide Spiritual Direction that I have examined usually have ties to Richard Rohr (such as the site quoted above) and/or appear to be aligned with Perennial Wisdom (without necessarily naming it as such). As noted in the CANA article on Perennial Wisdom and Spiritual Direction:
“Spiritual direction is essential to the Contemplative movement, also known under the rubrics of the Spiritual Disciplines; Lectio Divina; Guided Prayers; Imaginative Prayers; Spiritual Formation; the Prayer of Examen/Examen/Ignatius Prayer; Listening Prayer; Visio Divina; and others. Since the door opened to these practices, first rather quietly via Richard Foster and Dallas Willard a few decades ago, the role of Spiritual Director is now appearing in evangelical churches for the first time. The Perennial infection is inherent in these contemplative teachings and, if hidden now, will surely surface later.”
Perennial Wisdom is incompatible with Christianity, but Richard Rohr is an avowed follower of and promoter of this belief.
The Sufficiency of Scripture
Spiritual Direction is not rooted in Scripture, does not depend on Scripture, and is not modeled in Scripture. It is a mystical, monastic practice.
Furthermore, why is there a role for a supposed attempt at “listening” for God’s voice when we have God’s voice speaking in his word?
There has become a mega focus on how to pray as a dialogue with God, how to listen to God’s voice, and even how to discern whether it is God’s voice or not. Dallas Willard gives a complicated list of factors in his book, How to Hear God, on how to discern whether or not you are hearing God’s voice, and some of the points even contradict Scripture.
Spiritual Directors are now here to supposedly guide you in hearing God or the Holy Spirit speak, which could come as a nudge, wink, whisper, “still, small voice” (a misapplication of 1 Kings 19.11-14), a sign (one site states we must recognize signs God might be sending us — applying this would make almost anything a “sign” from God or surely overwhelm the person trying to decipher which “sign” might be from God), a feeling, or whatever kind of signal allegedly from God might be conjured up. Meanwhile, God’s word is available, offering God’s rich profound wisdom, waiting to be read, poured over, studied, and meditated over (in the right way, that is, with the mind turned on). The Bible is one of the greatest things God has given; it is his written revelation.
I do think the Holy Spirit speaks to a person through God’s word, by illuminating Scripture, and by bringing it to mind; that is biblical because it is God’s revealed word. Would God, being perfect in all his aspects, give an incomplete or insufficient revelation?
Scripture is either sufficient or it is not sufficient; it is one or the other. If you decide it is not sufficient, then there are many roads you can travel from there that may seem spiritual, but they will be murky and subjective; they are not roads given by God. Although these roads might lead to spiritual experiences, they will not lead to hearing the true voice of God.
Further Resources
CANA article on Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Direction which exposes the interspirituality of Spiritual Direction programs
CANA article, A Guide to Contemplative People, Practices, and Language
Image: Generated by AI
Short link: https://tinyurl.com/4k697m7u