Faith on the Road Trained but Untransformed: Rethinking Spiritual Formation in Theological Education
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Sep 25, 2025 
Dr. David Wang, Director of the Global Formation Project and professor at Fuller Seminary, dives into the critical question of why seminary training often fails to transform lives. He explores the high trauma rates among seminarians and how this emotional pain can shape their call to ministry. Wang critiques the focus on conformity in theological education and advocates for a holistic, embodied approach to spiritual formation. He emphasizes the importance of lament, the value of context in education, and the need for genuine emotional and spiritual development.
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"Be Like Jesus And Filipino" Question
- A Filipino seminary asked if resources exist to teach "how to be like Jesus and Filipino at the same time."
- That question spurred the Global Spiritual Formation Grant to amplify majority-world voices.
Combine Psychology With Theology
- Integrate psychology to identify patterns of self-deception and human sinful nature that block formation.
- Use psychological insights alongside Scripture to deepen knowledge of God and self.
Prayer Shapes Spiritual And Mental Health
- Different forms of prayer produce different outcomes; contemplative prayer best predicts mental and spiritual health.
- Prayer that avoids reality (experiential avoidance) undermines mature formation.
