FAMILY TREE HEALING : ARTICLES
by Robert T. Sears, S.J.
Healing and
Family Spiritual/Emotional Systems
This foundational article integrates a development theology of the Holy Spirit
with intergenerational family systems therapy of Murray Bowen and Ivan
Boszormenyi-Nagy. Originally published in Journal of Christian Healing,
vol. 5, no. 1 (1983), pp. 10-23. 14pp, 5.42 MB
Model for
Spiritual Development
This is a shorter introduction to the five stages of spiritual development, with
three cases given to show their applicability. 9 pp., 377 KB
Trinitarian
Love and Male-Female Community
The healed family expresses God’s triune love. That principle is then applied to
five areas: male headship, mutual subordination, separation, celibate
friendships, and growth within relationships. Originally published in
Journal of Christian Healing, vol. 6, no. 1 (1984), pp. 32-39. 8 pp., 124 KB
Healing the
Gender Wars: A Scriptural View
This article traces male-female relations from Genesis to the New Testament to
show how competition is transformed to insightful collaboration. Each of the
five stages of development is experienced differently (mother, spouse, soul
mate, co-minister, God image) and calls for a different approach to healing. 15
pp., 92 KB
Jung and
Christianity: An Interpersonal Perspective
This article correlates Jung’s view of shadow, anima/us and God-image that
emerge with individuation with what I have called “individuating faith” in light
of interpersonal Christian stages of development. Originally published in
Journal of Christian Healing, vol. 12, no. 2 (Summer, 1990), pp. 11-19. 9
pp., 109 KB
Resurrection Spirituality and Healing the Earth
This article presents a theology of resurrection and its importance for earth
healing. It evaluates the “creation-centered approach” of Matthew Fox in light
of a “resurrection-centered approach,” and gives steps for prayer for healing
the earth. Paper given at the Conference of the North American Association of
Christianity and Ecology, 1987, later published in Review for Religious,
vol. 49, no. 2 (Mar./Apr. 1990), pp. 163-177. 10 pp., 380 KB
A Christian
Approach to Discerning Spiritualities
Christian healing requires discernment. This article develops criteria for
discerning a Christian approach to healing and applies them to three common
approaches: Matthew Fox's Creation-Centered Spirituality, A Course in Miracles
and New Age Spirituality. Originally published in Journal of Christian
Healing, vol. 21, no. 1 (Spring, 1999), pp. 15-34. 10 pp., 145 KB
Trinitarian
Love as Ground of the Church
This article gives further theological underpinnings for Trinity as ground of
community. It presents four stages of spiritual development (later expanded to
five) and gives their grounding and theological implications for church
development. Originally published in Theological Studies, vol. 37 (Dec.
1976), pp. 652-679, 27 pp.. With critique by Roger Haight, SJ and response by R.
Sears, SJ., 247 KB
Resurrecting the Wounded Community
This article gives stages of community development related to Scott Peck’s four
stages and suggests how ACT (and similar communities) needs to move beyond
pseudo-community and chaos to acknowledge its shadow side and embrace its
different gifts. Originally published in Journal of Christian Healing,
vol. 16, no. 4 (Winter, 1994), pp. 3-15. 124 KB
Theology and Energy Healing
This is a talk for an Association of Christian Therapists Post-Conference Circle
of Inquiry on Energy Healing, Oct, 2002. It considers evidence for several levels
of human energy fields from Barbara Brennan, Richard Gerber, MD and Ewert Cousins
and offers a Christian theological interpretation based on Sears’ stages of
spiritual development. 9 pp. 147 KB