Rev. Jonathan Linman

Jonathan Linman is Senior Pastor at Faith-La Fe Lutheran Church in north central Phoenix. In addition to pastorates in congregations in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and the Washington, DC area, he served as Director of the Center for Christian Spirituality and Professor of Ascetical Theology at The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church in New York City, and as Assistant to the Bishop for Faith and Leadership Formation in the Metropolitan New York Synod of the ELCA.

Jonathan has Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Formative Spirituality from Duquesne University, a Roman Catholic school in Pittsburgh. These degree programs included training and formation for offering ministries of Spiritual Direction.

While on faculty at General Seminary, Jonathan taught courses in Christian Spirituality and Spiritual Direction ministries, and directed Master of Arts and Master of Sacred Theology degree programs in Spiritual Direction.  

While on the Bishop’s staff in Metro New York Synod, he oversaw the Candidacy process for public ministries in our church, conversing regularly with those discerning calls to ministry, and Jonathan also had the privilege of planning and leading the many retreats the synod made available to pastors, deacons, and lay leaders.

Jonathan’s approach to offering individual Spiritual Direction is contextual, focused on and tailored to the needs and stirrings of those who come to him for spiritual guidance. That said, Jonathan’s approaches to ministries of spiritual guidance are also inspired by the following areas of emphasis and specialization:

  • Vocational Discernment

  • Group formats for Spiritual Direction

  • Leading Quiet Days, Mini-Retreats, and Overnight Retreats

  • Luther’s Mutual Conversation and Consolation as an overlooked means of grace

  • Lutheran understandings of Christian Spirituality

  • Benedictine Spirituality

  • Teaching as a form of spiritual guidance

  • Lectio Divina (sacred reading of scripture)

  • Liturgical Spirituality – he is the author of Holy Conversation: Spirituality for Worship (Fortress Press 2010)

Personally, Jonathan enjoys walking local nature trails, exploring the urban neighborhoods of Phoenix, and singing. He is drawn to the organic architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright and finds his way to Taliesin West not infrequently for inspiration. 

Should you be drawn to speaking with Jonathan about spiritual guidance, either in individual or group formats, kindly contact him at revjlinman@gmail.com. He is also available to you to plan and lead retreats, to teach adult forums on varieties of topics, and to offer other occasions for deepening spiritual experience in your ministry setting.

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