Both the faithful and bishops are called to learn and to teach. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, the faithful of the local church witness to the apostolic tradition with their lives, and so are teachers. Learning to receive and respond to the sense of the faithful is an essential way the bishop grows in his personal ability to teach the church's faith in authentic and meaningful ways. How is the bishop's ministry of discernment formed by spirituality, and what structures strengthen it? Ignatian spirituality and the structures of discernment in the Society of Jesus model ways for bishops to cultivate discernment as a spiritual habit and provide insight for renovating diocesan structures to incorporate discerning dialogue with the faithful. In A Ministry of Discernment, Amanda Osheim moves from ecclesiological theory to imagining spiritual practices and church structures in the hope of contributing not only to the academic conversation about the senses fidelium but also to the ways the church practically lives out our response to the Holy Spirit.
"A Ministry of Discernment views episcopal authority through the lens of Christian spirituality. By doing so, Amanda Osheim offers a fresh approach to both teaching' and listening' in the church. A Ministry of Discernment displays a fine understanding of the ecclesial dimension of faith and an equally impressive grasp of Ignatian discernment, including its implications for those who exercise overs
Richard Lennan, Professor of Systematic Theology, Boston College, School of Theology and M
"Recently, theologians have explored the sensus fidelium, an ancient concept more honored in theory than in practice. Utilizing Vatican II and documents promulgated since then, Amanda Osheim outlines how an understanding of the Church as a communion invites bishops to a practice of discernment through dialogue with the people of the local church. Her perspective yields new theological insights. Sh
Zeni Fox, School of Theology and Ministry, Seton Hall University
"This is a timely book, echoing the concerns of Pope Francis for a listening church, a more dialogic church, a synodal church. Amanda Osheim here enriches the current theology of the sensus fidelium by demonstrating the value of Ignatian discernment as a model for local bishops in listening to the Holy Spirit in their churches and bringing local senses of the faith to bear on the teaching of the u
Rev. Dr. Ormond Rush, Associate Professor, Australian Catholic University
