Iviyo as contextual Spiritual Direction in an African Context

Abstract

Cross-cultural spiritual direction is particularly complex and difficult when we take into consideration ethnic, religious, regional and other subcultures within a larger shared culture. This need is and can be fulfilled by the work of group spiritual direction, which holds potential value for renewal and deepening of both individual and communal spiritual life. In this article, group spiritual direction is introduced as a new paradigm for African cultures, given that it is ideally suited to communal societies, where a group of people can seek God together, trusting that God will reveal himself through common divine disclosures. By using an example of a renewal movement within the Anglican Church called Iviyo loFakazi bakaKristu, group spiritual direction can be shown to be relevant, as it grows out of African spirituality and culture and can make a real difference to the communal well-being of South African society.