Books have played a decisive role in the rise and development of the modern spiritual formation movement. The development of the IVP Formatio ® line of books at InterVarsity Press (IVP) demonstrates this interplay. Over the past several decades, IVP’s publishing trajectory mirrors a broader shift within evangelical Christianity—from a predominantly “discipleship” and performance-oriented model of spiritual growth to a deeper, more holistic vision of spiritual formation. This article explores that development and the key authors who contributed to the shaping of the IVP Formatio line.
Contemporary Christian formation makes frequent use of writing practices—journaling, reflection, discernment notes, and scholarly work—yet rarely offers a sustained theological account of how writing actually forms those who practice it. Writing is often framed instrumentally, as a means of processing experience, producing insight, or evaluating growth. This article proposes a different account: writing as a formative practice of attentiveness and presence within the life of the church. Drawing on the existential philosophy of Gabriel Marcel, particularly his articulation of experience, dialogue, and analysis, the article situates writing not primarily as a technique of reflection but as a receptive posture toward lived participation in God’s presence. Writing is shown to function as a threshold practice that sustains attention to experience, extends dialogue across time and absence, and clarifies meaning without mastery. When practiced faithfully, writing forms patience, availability, and fidelity while supporting communal discernment without reducing formation to technique.
