Transformed by the Renewing of the Mind

The Apostle Paul tells us to “not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Rom. 12:2) But how are we to go about renewing our mind? We will explain the role of scripture in the renewing of the mind, and the role of the pastor and the congregation in this process. We will also discuss the ways in which use of scripture fails to renew the mind-as often seems to be the case in our “Bible based” churches. What can be done about that? The larger picture of Christian “spiritual formation” will be discussed. How does it relate to “growth in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”? Does being saved have anything to do with transformation of character?

Biography

Dallas Willard (1935-2013) was Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the University of Southern California. In 1964 he received his Ph.D. of Philosophy in the University of Wisconsin. Within his interests were metaphysics, contemporary European philosophy, ethics and the history of ethics. His most recent book, Knowing Christ Today, was published in May 2009. The Great Omission, which was published in 2006, received a Christianity Today annual Book Award in the Christian Living category in 2007. Renovation of the Heart was published in May 2002, and received Christianity Today’s 2003 Book Award in the category of Spirituality. The Divine Conspiracy was released in 1998 and selected Christianity Today‘s Book of the Year for 1999. The Spirit of the Disciplines appeared in 1988, and Hearing God (1999) first appeared as In Search of Guidance in 1984 (2nd edition in 1993).