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ABSTRACT. Spiritual life cannot be seen in a theoretical way, man passes through several stages that build him and transform him, not only in an outward manner. It is then highly necessary to mind the inward changes. Otherwise, though religious, the person is not yet spiritual. Inner changes involve a sustained effort through asceticism in which man grows mindful of his passions and virtues, and not as an end in itself, but in order to unite with and be like God. It is absolutely necessary to see the importance of experience in spiritual life through relevant examples from the Holy Scripture meaning that spiritual life cannot be achieved in a purely theoretical way by learning and possessing abstract knowledge, but by inward changes (in order to know God); it is first and foremost a lifelong, constant program that aims at the purification of passions and the acquisition of virtues.

Keywords: experience; education; spiritual life; repentance; The Old Testament; The New Testament; conversion

ALEXANDRU CRETU
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Dumitru Staniloae Faculty of Orthodox Theology,
Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Iasi, Romania

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