If you’ve ever thought of discernment to be merely about decision making, keep reading. As Gary W. Moon writes in the opening pages, “the best way to ‘hear’ God is through knowing him—the process of being mutually indwelt, one within the other—in a passionate relationship in which listening for God’s voice is only one aspect of the deeper goal: enjoyment of a perpetual and transforming friendship in which we best know God’s will by knowing God.”
In this issue of Conversations, you’ll find a variety of articles written to enhance understanding of discernment. The writers have given special attention to offering suggestions for experience and praxis, as well as new ways to think about this ancient spiritual discipline.
We’ve also included a classroom experience by Joannah Saddler for an essay written by Ruth Haley Barton, “Discernment: Recognizing and Responding to the Presence of God.”