“Do the work your soul must have.”

Rev. Dr. Karen E. Mosby Dean of Student Life and Chaplain

This oft-cited adage from womanist theologian and ethicist Katie Cannon speaks to my understanding of cultivating spiritual formation or soul work within the context of Garrett-Evangelical. Cannon’s words address the interrelatedness between authentic embodiedness, nurturing one’s spirit, experiencing deep peace and rest, and vocational pursuit. Viewing Cannon’s words through her womanist lenses means that this soul work is necessarily situated within the mutuality of community, that is, one cannot be formed alone, discern one’s work alone, or do one’s work in isolation. Similarly, spiritual formation must be viewed as integral to the larger context of who we are as humans so that it does not become peripheral or optional work.

Spiritual formation is nurtured at Garrett-Evangelical through an intentional focus on curating an environment of respect and mutuality in which persons are seen, honored, welcomed, celebrated, and engaged in the fullness of their personhood. The resounding message to our learners is that their wholeness and wellness matter to God. They are ‘all the things’—learners, practitioners, scholars, family members, activists, individuals, partners, siblings, beloveds of God.

Within such an environment, soul work can occur in formal settings like weekly chapel services or scheduled events focused on mental and spiritual wellness. It can emerge in gatherings for community meals or in teaching/learning spaces. It can populate the ordinary spaces of our time together like impromptu prayer, a serendipitous praise break in the hallway between classes, or in an online class or meeting when the virtual space agenda is transformed into a playground for the Spirit. And spiritual formation happens when we make space to mourn with one another, advocate for one another, rejoice together, and engage in collective social action.

Spiritual formation is not only the work of a few at Garrett-Evangelical. It is an aspect of the work we all do. Each of us contributes in some way to curating an environment in which our students can flourish. For many of us, this is the work that our souls must have.