“The Scarecrow and the Tin Man” (from June 11th by Mandy Kampen)
By Mandy Kampen
In my opinion, the Thinking/Feeling spectrum of the Myers-Briggs assessment is the one that can create the most disconnection between people. This element measures how we process the information we receive from the world around us and make decisions based on that information.
The person leaning toward the Thinking end of the spectrum will focus on values, truth, justice, and on matching theory or principles with action. Their natural spiritual path is meaningful knowledge. They can risk apathy, dogmatism, or cynicism - devotion is the antidote for them in this.
The Feeling person prioritizes relational and emotional results. Their ethics and values allow space for the grey. God is above all things relational, and the path to spiritual growth is affective and deeply personal. They can stray into sentimentality or overprotectiveness, sometimes even pseudo-objectivity when working with Thinking people and not feeling heard. They need to allow knowledge and objective truth to balance their hearts a bit.
Thinking preferences don’t make someone coldhearted, and Feeling preferences don’t mean someone isn’t intelligent or rational. The more we can understand each other in this variety of approaches, the better we work together toward ultimately better results than we could ever find on our own.
Some practices to try on each end over the next few weeks:
Thinking:
Spend time reading a new philosopher or theologian - Peter Rollins, Nadia Boltz-Weber, Rob Bell, C. S. Lewis, and Richard Rohr are some good ones to start with.
Find a podcast that gets your gears moving - are the Liturgists still a thing?
Dig into the facts of a social justice issue you care about in the community, then develop a plan to make an impact.
Follow a lectionary.
Use the Lord’s Prayer as a structure for your prayer.
Learn about and use inductive Bible study methods.
Choose a few worship songs and break down the theology.
Come to Eats, Drinks, and Orthodoxy 🙂
Feeling:
Study the names of God.
Explore individual relationships Jesus engaged in.
Meditate on scriptures of God’s love, intimacy, or agape love (try this as a Lectio Divina practice).
Serve in a relationally impactful way.
Meet with a spiritual director.
Actually talk to God about your emotions, in a journal or out loud.
Find a person or small group for Bible study, prayer, or discussion.
Use prayer beads and assign seven names of God to meditate on.