Editor’s Note: The Scholar Leaders Women’s Peer Leader Forum is a cohort of seven women leaders in theology and theological education from around the world. In November 2025, during one of their regular meetings, these women shared presentations and discussion about how spirituality is practiced by Christian women in their contexts. We offer revised versions of their presentations here in hopes that this will continue and expand the conversation.

Spirituality in the Indonesian Context: A Journey with God for the Sake of Others

Casthelia Kartika

Indonesia is a vast and complex archipelago, home to over seventeen thousand islands, hundreds of ethnic groups, and a remarkable diversity of cultures and religions. Any attempt to describe “Indonesian spirituality” must therefore be approached with humility. No single expression can fully represent the lived faith of over 280 million people. Yet, from my own experience as a Christian theologian, educator, and church leader within this context, I do see certain spiritual patterns that consistently emerge. These patterns are not merely abstract ideas; they are embodied in daily life, as, indeed, spirituality understands faith as a lived journey with God for the sake of others. In this reflection, I would like to highlight three interwoven dimensions of spirituality that are especially deeply rooted in the Indonesian context.

1. Spirituality as a Shared Journey

One of the most defining features of Indonesian life is its communal orientation. From early childhood, we learn that our existence is inseparable from that of others. The Indonesian value of gotong royong, “mutual-cooperation,” shapes how we understand identity, unity, social harmony, solidarity, shared responsibility, and working together for the common good. All of this is rooted in kinship. We are taught that life is sustained not by individual achievement alone but by shared effort and mutual care. This communal worldview deeply influences how spirituality is lived. For example, we pray together during natural disasters or work together to rebuild homes. Indonesia is no stranger to earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions, and other calamities. Yet, in these moments of vulnerability, community creates a sacred space. Helping one another, sharing limited resources, and simply being present for those who suffer are spiritual acts.

At the same time, it is important to clarify that Indonesian spirituality does not deny the value of inward faith, expressed in personal prayer, silence, Bible reading, etc. However, what distinguishes Indonesian spirituality is that personal devotion naturally flows back into communal life. We encounter God not only in private prayer but also in the shared rhythms of everyday life. For Christians in Indonesia, spiritual growth is a shared pilgrimage. We grow in faith together and are sustained together by God’s grace.

2. Spirituality Amid Religious Diversity

Another defining feature of Indonesian spirituality is its formation within a context of religious diversity. Indonesia is home to Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, Confucians, and followers of indigenous belief systems. This pluralistic reality is not merely a social fact; it is a daily lived experience that shapes how faith is practiced and understood. For example,  living in such an environment teaches us that spirituality cannot be triumphalistic or isolating. Faith that seeks to dominate or exclude others quickly becomes destructive, both socially and spiritually. We learn early on that to be faithful does not mean to be hostile and that to be convicted does not require being confrontational. So, rather than sharing our faith in blunt or argumentative ways, we witness to Christ through everyday relationships. We seek to hold together our commitment to Christ’s uniqueness with our respect for our neighbors’ other faiths.

In this setting, spirituality becomes an act of peace-making. It is lived in the tension between conviction and openness, between faithfulness and hospitality. We are called to embody the Gospel not by withdrawing from the public sphere but by engaging it with humility. Our witness is often less about what we proclaim loudly and more about how we live consistently, that is, how we respect others, how we respond to conflict, and how we seek the common good. This dialogical spirituality echoes Jesus’ own way of being present in the world: deeply rooted in his identity and mission yet profoundly attentive to those around him. It reminds us that spirituality is not only about our relationship with God but also about how that relationship shapes our posture toward others, especially those who are different from us.

3. Spirituality in Struggle and Hope

A third dimension of Indonesian spirituality emerges from experiences of struggle. Many Indonesians face economic hardship, social inequality, political uncertainty, and, as noted above, environmental vulnerability. For large segments of the population, life is marked by fragility and unpredictability. Yet, it is precisely within these conditions that faith often grows more resilient. I have witnessed people worship with tears, pray with trembling voices, and still affirm with quiet conviction, “Tuhan itu baik”, which means, “God is good.” This is not a naïve optimism that denies suffering but a hard-earned hope forged in the midst of pain. It is a spirituality that refuses to let suffering have the final word.

In many Indonesian churches, worship is not separated from life’s struggles. Songs of praise are sung by those who carry heavy burdens. Testimonies are shared by those who have walked through loss and uncertainty. Service to others continues even when resources are scarce, as seen when people give time and care despite having little to spare. This resilience reflects a deep trust in God’s presence, not as a distant observer, but as One who walks with us through the fire. Such spirituality challenges modern tendencies to equate faith with comfort or success. It reminds us that true spirituality is not about escaping from the world’s suffering but about encountering God within it. The God we worship is the God who suffers with God’s people, who enters into human pain, and who brings hope not by avoiding the cross, but by passing through it.

Conclusion

If I were asked to summarize what spirituality means in the Indonesian context, I would describe it as a journey of being with God for the sake of others. It is a spirituality that is deeply communal and shaped by diversity. It teaches us to see God’s presence in the ordinary: in shared meals, mutual help, respectful dialogue, and faithful perseverance. This spirituality does not seek perfection or certainty but faithfulness. It does not isolate the believer from the world but sends the believer into the world with humility and compassion. In this sense, Indonesian spirituality offers a gift to the global church: a reminder that faith is not only something we believe but something we live together in hope, amidst difference and suffering.

Author Bio: Casthelia Kartika is the President of Amanat Agung Theological Seminary in Jakarta, Indonesia. As a scholar, she specializes in Church History and Christian Spirituality. She holds a Doctor of Theology from Lutheran Theological Seminary, Hong Kong, with a focus on prayer as divine pedagogy drawn from the Church father Origen.

Spirituality from a Christian African Perspective

Judy Wanjiru Wang’ombe

On 11 November 2025, I had to miss a scheduled meeting of the Scholar Leaders Women’s Peer Leader Forum because a close friend had just passed on. I needed to be with the family – to pray with them, mourn, and offer a shoulder to lean on.

This is part of African spirituality. We do not walk alone; we do spirituality together. As much as we endeavour to have personal devotions, we still look forward to celebrating God’s goodness together. Just as I joined my friend’s family to mourn, more happily, I enjoy seeing families walking together to church on Sunday mornings. Hence, I can attest that African spirituality is lived communally.

African spirituality also has a conspicuous gender element. I see more women streaming to churches on Sunday morning than men. More women serve as prayer intercessors than men – yet men mostly take leadership in spiritual matters, both within the family and in the church. Most pastors in Africa are male. Several Christian denominations still do not acknowledge ordination of women.

Why do so many African women seek and serve Christ?

For one thing, African women tend to carry heavy family responsibilities, a fact that causes them to seek divine guidance intently. Women “wail or travail” deeply for their families, countries, etc. This tendency to travail in prayer may be attributed to women’s God-given nurturing role. Just as a mother would never give birth to her child and then abandon it to the forces of nature, so African women cannot help but exercise their spirituality in relation to their families.

In addition, mothers spend more time with their children than fathers and thus try to inculcate spiritual concepts into their children. Of course, not all African women are this way – Africa has many faiths – but a great many African women find their foundations in Christ and want to share that with their children. For believers in Christ, Proverbs 22:6 (“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it”) is a serious guiding principle.

Furthermore, African women often carry the brunt of economic hardship, political instability, and even war. As a result, their spirituality has been formed by necessity to include faith and resilience. In Africa’s many dire economic situations, women hold onto the hope of better days. Many have displayed amazing perseverance and strength derived from their spirituality.

Sometimes, this patience is tested when God does not seem to answer prayers immediately, and some African women resort to visiting witchdoctors, ancestral veneration, divination, etc. Of course, this behavior then catches the attention of church ministers, who dissuade these women from such syncretism.

Another factor on African women’s spirituality is generational – the tight bonds between older and younger women. Discipleship influences the spirituality of African women deeply and helps to counteract the syncretism mentioned above. Older women often disciple younger women going through different stages of life. Older women teach unmarried women to be chaste, for example, while married women are encouraged to set good examples. A case in point is the women’s group in the church where my husband and I are ministering. This group meets every Sunday after the service to encourage and pray for one another. Each woman gives every month, a financial contribution of a set amount. Trusted members collect the cash and take it to the bank so that members of the group can take out loans according to their need. Other activities of our group include visiting each other, contributing towards the needs of a new baby or of a bereaved family, singing together, memorising scriptures together, etc. Even now, we are memorizing Proverbs 30:10-31 together, encouraging each other not only to memorise these verses but also to “listen” to God speaking through his word.

So, overall, African women’s spirituality is comprehensive and encompasses the whole of life, as depicted in the diagram below.

In the same way that no African spirituality can be dichotomized (into body versus soul or public versus private, for instance), so African women’s spirituality defies compartmentalisation. Our spirituality encompasses all areas of life; wherever we go, our spirituality goes. Our spirituality is therefore not only about going to church on Sunday morning but is holistic and collective, touching our families, stretching across generations, uniting communities, and motivating us to live with virtue and energy for Christ.

Author Bio: Judy Wanjiru Wang’ombe earned her PhD in Islamics from Africa International University, where she now teaches. Her doctoral research focused on spirit possession cults in northern Kenya.

Spirituality from a Middle Eastern Perspective: Reflections from Bethlehem

Grace Al-Zoughbi

Introduction

The fresh breeze of Bethlehem whispers through the olive trees. It is the dawn of a new day. Hearts are yearning, souls longing, clinging to the cross, living in hope, lifting their eyes to the hills from where our help comes (Psalm 121:1). In such a place, spirituality is never abstract. It is embodied and shaped by land, history, language, and lived experience.

From a Middle Eastern perspective, and particularly from Bethlehem, spirituality does not emerge primarily as an interior or privatized experience. Rather, it is a way of life formed in community, sustained by memory, and forged through struggle.

One of the earliest lessons I learned about spirituality in my own context is that it must be Christ-centred. Revered globally as the birthplace of Jesus Christ, Bethlehem is not merely a biblical symbol or a destination for pilgrimage. It is a living city where faith is practiced daily amid political constraint, economic precarity, and social endurance. To speak of spirituality in the Middle East, therefore, is to speak theologically of incarnation, of faith rooted in place and of hope sustained under pressure. Knowing the incarnate Christ from a young age taught me that a life of spirituality must be anchored in Christ himself.

This reflection explores what spirituality means from a Middle Eastern perspective. Drawing on theological language, tradition, and lived reality, it argues that Middle Eastern spirituality is inherently incarnational, communal, and resistant to forces that seek to fragment faith from life.

Spirituality as Incarnational Reality

At the heart of Christian spirituality in Bethlehem stands the doctrine of the Incarnation: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). In my imagination and experience, this claim is not a distant theological abstraction but a lived truth anchored in place. God’s self-disclosure in Christ is understood as a divine entering into history, geography, and human vulnerability. Spirituality, therefore, is not an escape from material realities but a faithful engagement with them.

In Bethlehem, the Incarnation is read through a lens of continuity between the biblical narrative and present reality. The same land that witnessed the birth of Christ now bears witness to walls, checkpoints, and restricted movement. Yet this continuity deepens, rather than diminishes, the meaning of faith. Spirituality becomes the practice of recognizing God’s presence amid hardship. Growing up amid repeated experiences of injustice taught me that one cannot journey through life without God or without others.

Communal and Liturgical Dimensions of Spirituality

Unlike highly individualized forms of spirituality common in many Western contexts, Middle Eastern spirituality is deeply communal. Faith is nurtured within families, churches, and neighbourhoods, passed on through shared stories, practices, and embodied rituals.

Imagine walking through narrow alleys worn smooth by centuries of footsteps. Imagine walking along the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem. Sung liturgy fills the air; incense lingers on stone walls; prayers echo amid the sounds of daily life. Through sounds, smells, and textures, liturgy is not confined to church buildings. The rhythms of the church calendar – Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter – order time itself, offering meaning and continuity amid uncertainty.

Christmas, in particular, carries deep significance. While celebrated globally as a season of joy, in Bethlehem it is marked by sobriety. The proclamation of “peace on earth” (Luke 2:14) is heard against the backdrop of ongoing conflict. This fact transforms the Christmas liturgy into both confession and hope. Spirituality here is not naïve optimism but faithful perseverance grounded in God’s promises.

This communal spirituality is also ecumenical by necessity. Eastern churches share the same social space and often the same challenges. Despite theological differences, Middle Eastern Christians share a conviction that witness here is a collective vocation sustained through mutual presence.

Memory, Suffering, and Faith

A defining feature of Middle Eastern spirituality is the integration of memory and suffering into faith. The biblical command to remember (zakar) is not merely cognitive but covenantal. Remembering God’s past faithfulness becomes the foundation for trusting God’s future redemption. God’s goodness is narrated to me through my nearly one-hundred-year-old grandmother, through her wrinkles, her faith, and her endurance, each shaping the maturity I inhabit today.

Collective memory includes not only biblical history but also contemporary experiences of displacement, economic hardship, and political instability. Thus, lament, as much as praise, shapes our spirituality. The Psalms of lament provide language for our grief, protest, and unanswered questions. Yet lament does not negate faith; it becomes a form of faith that refuses silence or passive waiting in the face of injustice. It is a cry from the depths of an aching heart: “How long, O Lord?”

Spirituality and Hospitality

Hospitality is another vital dimension of Middle Eastern spirituality. Rooted in biblical and cultural traditions, hospitality is both sacred initiative and theological practice. In Bethlehem, where pilgrims and visitors encounter local communities, hospitality becomes a form of Christian witness.

Growing up in a hospitable home taught me firsthand the spiritual significance of welcoming others into spaces of comfort, especially in a land marked by displacement and refuge-seeking. Hospitality – sharing one’s personal space, one’s food, one’s time – is not mere social courtesy; it reflects the theological conviction that in welcoming the stranger, one encounters God (cf. Genesis 18; Matthew 25:35). Thanks to our limited resources, our generosity becomes an embodied confession of trust in God’s provision. Spirituality is enacted at the table, through shared meals and attentive presence.

A Contextual Theology of the Cross and Resurrection

In the Middle Eastern Christian imagination, the cross holds a central place. It not only a symbol of personal salvation but of God’s identification with a suffering humanity. Ongoing experiences of injustice give weight to a theology of the cross that speaks of God’s presence in pain rather than God’s absence from it. After all, it was in this very land that Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24).

Yet the cross is never separated from the resurrection. Middle Eastern spirituality holds these realities in tension. Resurrection faith does not deny death or loss; it proclaims that suffering does not have the final word. This eschatological hope sustains Christian communities, enabling them to live faithfully in the present while anticipating God’s ultimate restoration of justice and peace. Christology, in this context, cannot be separated from eschatology.

Conclusion

From a Middle Eastern perspective, spirituality is a way of life shaped by incarnation, community, suffering, and hope. It resists privatization and abstraction, insisting instead that faith must be lived within concrete realities. The spirituality I embrace testifies that God is not absent from places of struggle but deeply present within them, and that Jesus’ love should always be at the centre.

In a world increasingly drawn to individualized and decontextualized notions of spirituality, the witness of Middle Eastern Christians offers both a corrective and a gift. It calls the global church to rediscover a spirituality that is embodied, communal, and courageous, one that dares to proclaim hope from the very place where the Word became flesh and continues to dwell among God’s people.

Author Bio: Grace Al-Zoughbi is a Palestinian theologian from Bethlehem whose scholarship focuses on the participation of Arab women in theological education. She served for several years on the faculty of Bethlehem Bible College, including as Head of the Biblical Studies Department (2011–2018), and is currently a faculty member at the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary (ABTS) in Beirut. Grace also serves as the accreditation officer for the Middle East and North Africa Association for Theological Accreditation (MENATE). Through Scholar Leaders, she leads the MENA “No More” regional group, an initiative addressing sexual misconduct within the church and the academy. She earned her PhD in Theological Education from the London School of Theology in 2023.

Pentecostal Spirituality in the Malaysian Context and Its Outworkings in Ecumenism and Practical Public Witness

Eva Wong Suk Kyun

Pentecostal spirituality corresponds with Spirit-empowered and Spirit-led life, ministry, and mission. Pentecostal spirituality, characterised by passion for God and the Kingdom, both corporately and individually, is fueled by the Holy Spirit’s filling and empowerment. The Pentecostal movement worldwide is known for engagement in missions, evangelism, worship, prayer, and spiritual experiences through baptism in the Holy Spirit, glossolalia, and spiritual gifts. When Pentecostalism is contextualised, diversification occurs in expressions and styles, with enculturation and adaptation to different political, economic, and sociocultural settings. In Malaysia, Pentecostals seek to transform society, become faithful witnesses, contribute to national flourishing, pursue unity in diversity, and live harmoniously in a multiethnic, multireligious, and multicultural nation, among Malays, Chinese, Indians, indigenous groups, and foreign immigrants. Raising the next generation of Pentecostal believers in holistic Pentecostal spirituality is crucial for the body of Christ and the world at large.

Pentecostal Spirituality: Passion for God and the Kingdom

The striking essence of Pentecostal spirituality is passion for God and the Kingdom. Pentecostal spirituality affirms the centrality of the gospel and the Bible alongside the Pentecostal distinctives, particularly baptism in the Holy Spirit, glossolalia, and missions. Early Pentecostals were mostly Christocentric and pneumacentric; indeed, still today, the works of the Holy Spirit bring believers to have spiritual experiences, including theophanic encounters of God’s tangible presence that ignite love for God and the kingdom. Over the past century, however, contemporary Pentecostal theologians have emphasised trinitarianism more thoroughly as Pentecostals worldwide joined the Evangelical family.  

Pentecostals believe in the highest authority and inerrancy of Scripture, and at the same time, emphasise spiritual experiences. Therefore, one distinctive of Pentecostal spirituality is baptism in the Holy Spirit. Such baptism enables believers to be filled with and immersed in God’s holy presence and to receive the immense love of God, spiritual gifts, and empowerment for witness to Jesus Christ. Baptism in the Holy Spirit enables believers to be sensitive to the voice of the Spirit in God’s word – Scripture, sermons, songs, and prayers.

In addition to baptism with the Holy Spirit, growing in Pentecostal spirituality requires the disciplines of abiding in an intimate relationship with the triune God, reading Scripture, and a faithful prayer life. Dwelling in God’s presence and living a life of obedience to God are key in Pentecostal spirituality.   

An Indispensable Distinctive of Pentecostal Spirituality

One indispensable distinctive of Pentecostal spirituality is glossolalia. Often, through Scripture and the spiritual exercise of glossolalia in prayer and worship, with the Spirit’s discernment, believers can have direct communication with God. Through glossolalia, whether spoken, sung, or prayed, believers can be more attuned to the Spirit’s voice and can receive revelations from God. These revelations may take the form of promptings, burdens, prophecies, dreams, and visions that often lead to a heightened sensitivity to God’s Kingdom purposes.

In order to express glossolalia, Pentecostal spirituality involves a special yielding of oneself to the Holy Spirit, who helps us to pray according to God’s will in every circumstance. As the Apostle Paul stressed, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:26-27, ESV). As individual believers and corporately, Pentecostals often pray in tongues or pray in the Spirit, reaching a deeper spiritual dimension in God’s presence, as the Holy Spirit helps believers to intercede beyond intelligible words. This spiritual discipline keeps believers’ hearts tender before God, in that humble posture of surrender to God’s will.

Lived Implications of Pentecostal Spirituality: Ecumenism and Public Witness

Although Malaysian Pentecostals do hold distinctives in spirituality, they have participated vigorously in ecumenical efforts in Malaysia. Being salt and light, pursuing the Great Commission, sharing the love of God, seeking unity in diversity, and peacekeeping are missional priorities for all Malaysian Christians. In Malaysia, churches from all denominations are united at the national level in ecumenical bodies, namely the Christian Federation of Malaysia, the Council of Churches of Malaysia, and the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship. These ecumenical organisations represent the Christian community, fostering official relationships with the government and other religious bodies. Within these formal relationships, the Malaysian body of Christ is united in prayers, fellowships, and missional collaborations.

In a multireligious and Muslim-majority context, Pentecostals and other Christians are active in social concern ministries and have contributed practically to society in many ways that have involved collaborations across denominational lines. Christians have established drug rehabilitation centres, children’s homes, special needs schools, learning centres for refugees, gambling rehabilitation centres, homes for delinquent teenagers, ministries to single mothers, homes for the elderly, kidney dialysis centres, and ministries to prostitutes, among many others. Christians pursue the good of the nation through their vocations, wherever they find themselves. Thus, Pentecostal spirituality in Malaysia involves relationships with the larger body of Christ; together, Christians from many groups contribute to the well-being of Malaysian society.  

Even so, Christians are a minority in Malaysia as 9.4% of the country’s population. So they must live peacefully among other religions. To this end, at the national level, Christians are part of an interfaith initiative, the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Taoism (MCCBCHST). This religious body represents multiple non-Muslim faiths in the country and fosters communication with the Malaysian government.    

Conclusion

Pentecostal spirituality is practised in the Malaysian Church and in the lives of individual Malaysian believers. Through their spirituality, Malaysian Pentecostal Christians integrate with broader Christian communities and serve society alongside members of other faiths.

Rev. Dr Eva Wong Suk Kyun, PhD in Theology/Pentecostal Studies (Oxford Centre for Mission Studies/Middlesex University, UK), is the director of Malaysia Pentecostal Research Centre, editor of Malaysian Pentecostal Journal, and faculty member of the Bible College of Malaysia. She is a member of the Scholar Leaders Women’s Peer Leader Forum and co-leader of the Women Thriving Impact Team of the International Council for Evangelical Theological Education (ICETE). She also serves as the Vice President of the Asia Pentecostal Society. Her newly published book by Langham Publishing, UK, is entitled Malaysian Pentecostalism from Classical to Contemporary.

Resilient Witness on the Margins: Pakistani Women’s Spirituality in a Muslim-Majority Context

Gloria Calib

Introduction

Christians in Pakistan are a minority living within a Muslim-majority society. As a result, their spirituality is defined by resilience, devotion, and service. It is shaped by missionary legacies and by the ongoing challenges of life on the margins. Within this narrative, Pakistani women’s spirituality emerges as a vital dimension. Women embody faith not only through prayer and worship but also through witness and relationships enacted in caregiving, education, and leadership across formal and informal spaces. Their experiences show how spirituality functions both as empowerment and as survival in contexts shaped by marginalization, discrimination, patriarchy, and the dynamics of shame and honor culture. This essay reflects on Christian spirituality in Pakistan, with particular attention to how women’s spirituality redefines faith and resilience in this unique setting.

Christian Spirituality in Pakistan: Historical and Theological Foundations

Christian spirituality in South Asia traces its roots to the apostolic witness of Thomas in the 1st century, which affirms Christianity’s indigenous presence in Asia. Catholic missionaries later reinforced this heritage through service, while Protestant missions under British colonial rule emphasized education, health care, and social transformation. After the 1947 Partition, Pakistani Christians carried forward this legacy through schools, hospitals, and charitable institutions. Shaped by both Catholic and Protestant traditions, their spirituality embodies hope amid discrimination and persecution. This incarnational spirituality, living out Christ’s presence through compassion, has contributed significantly to national development, as Christians bear witness to God’s love through acts of perseverance and service.

Today, Christians in Pakistan live as a marginalized minority, comprising only 1.5–2% of the population. Their spirituality centers on biblical devotion, prayer, fasting, and worship, often nurtured within small, close-knit communities and extended, intergenerational family networks.

Women’s Spirituality in the Pakistani Christian Context

In Pakistan’s patriarchal shame and honor culture, Christian women’s spirituality often carries meanings that respond to negative cultural expectations, economic challenges, and social marginalization. Their worth is frequently tied to family reputation and honor, and Christian spirituality can offer a counter‑narrative – though Christian women must also navigate layers of discrimination within the community of faith as well. Still, rooted in the conviction that they are created in God’s image, Christian women embody a counter-narrative to societal marginalization, asserting their worth and leadership in both church and society. In a variety of ways, women cultivate strength to affirm their dignity and transform marginalization into honor.

First, women in Christian communities often assume visible but informal leadership in prayer meetings, worship services, Sunday school classes, and small groups. So, for many, practicing spirituality becomes a practical avenue for exercising authority in contexts where formal church leadership remains male-dominated. Furthermore, through public testimonies of divine intervention via healings and provision, women articulate their experiences in ways that strengthen their agency, amplify their voices, and legitimize their leadership within the community. As a result, in a broader context in which women must navigate survival amid marginalization, the Church itself becomes a space of empowerment.

Second, women in Muslim-majority contexts often confront systemic barriers such as limited access to education, economic precarity, and social discrimination tied to their Christian identity. Yet practices of spirituality can become sources of hope and solidarity. For example, during prayer meetings and single-gender fellowships, women collectively process their suffering, share advice and resources, and encourage one another to persevere. The Church’s emphasis on the Holy Spirit’s empowerment affirms their dignity, reassuring them that their lives matter and that God is actively present in their struggles.

Third, women’s spirituality often finds expression in service. Christian women embody an incarnational faith through hospitality and caregiving in their homes, schools, and hospitals. Because hospitality is both a central Pakistani cultural value and a deeply biblical practice, it becomes a particularly rich expression of faith. By welcoming others, by offering food, shelter, and presence, women transform ordinary spaces into places of grace, belonging, and spiritual witness. This hospitality extends beyond daily life into moments of communal need, such as funerals or weddings. In addition, Christian women have been prominent in Pakistani society historically as teachers, nurses, and social workers. These vocations allow them to extend compassion beyond their families and churches into public spaces. Their inward- and outward-facing ministries, rooted in everyday acts of nurturing, make Christ’s love visible.

Fourth, as women participate in the sacraments, worship, and fellowship, these repeated activities give them a sense of belonging to God, to the local community, and to the global body of believers. By cultivating rituals shared across local and international contexts, spirituality allows women to feel recognized beyond their contexts of marginalization and deprivation. Thus, spirituality functions as a form of resistance to invisibility. It lets Pakistani women insist, in the face of local cultural challenges, that they are valued.

Obstacles to Women’s Spirituality

Despite its empowering role, women’s spirituality in Pakistan faces entrenched obstacles. Formal church leadership is often male‑dominated, and social norms bar women from public leadership and confine spiritual life to domestic or informal spaces. Widespread economic hardship can distract women from spirituality by requiring that their attention and effort go to supporting their families. In fact, many women must serve as domestic workers, which exposes them to exploitation and discrimination. These pressures are compounded by religious persecution, which makes Christian women particularly vulnerable to harassment and violence and turns faith into both refuge and coping mechanism.

At the same time, there are notable exceptions: Some women occupy key leadership positions in public institutions through which they can shape Pakistani education, healthcare, and social services. My own leadership at Forman is one example. These instances of formal authority, alongside grassroots ministries, demonstrate how women’s agency can both resist marginalization and transform communal life. Inspired by the stories of Deborah, Esther, Ruth, Mary, the Samaritan woman, and Phoebe, Christian women in Pakistan draw courage from Scripture to stand firm amid discrimination.

Reflection on My Personal Journey

My own journey illustrates these dynamics. Having grown up in the Pentecostal tradition, I experienced firsthand the power of Spirit-led worship, speaking in tongues, healing, and community. Pentecostal spirituality taught me to expect God’s active presence through the Holy Spirit in daily life, whether through prayer meetings, testimonies, deliverances, or vibrant worship in house churches. At the same time, I observed the restraints that Pentecostal communities often place on women in order to preserve holiness, such as discouraging secular singing and dancing, watching movies, or avoiding jewelry and makeup. These practices, while sometimes restrictive, were understood as ways of safeguarding integrity.

For the past two decades, however, my spiritual journey has been shaped by my role as a pastor’s wife in an interdenominational international congregation on a university campus. This congregation leans more evangelical. This role has broadened my perspective, deepening my appreciation for structured discipleship, scriptural grounding, leadership development, church planting, missions mobilization, and global engagement. In my experience, evangelical spirituality emphasizes the authority of Scripture, the centrality of Christ, and the call to cross-cultural missions. Living within this tradition has enriched my understanding of faith, complementing the charismatic vibrancy of my Pentecostal roots with theological depth and cross-cultural sensitivity. Together, these streams of spirituality have shaped me into someone who values both experiential encounters with the Spirit and the disciplined, missional witness of faith in Pakistan’s restricted context.

As a senior woman leader at a large university, I have also experienced how spirituality provides strength for navigating cultural expectations, professional challenges, and leadership pressures. My faith has empowered me to serve, to witness, to teach, and to lead even in contexts where women’s voices are often silenced. It has given me resilience in the face of challenges and joy in the experience of God’s presence.

Conclusion

Certainly, spirituality in Pakistan is diverse, but for Christians it is shaped by minority identity, resilience, and service. For Christian women, spirituality offers means of empowerment and resilience. As women pursue their spirituality, they work within the confines of patriarchal and religious marginalizations while finding ways to bless their churches and the society. Lived through informal church leadership, small group fellowships, service that includes hospitality and public activity, and practices of prayer, worship, and study that tie them to the global Christian community, women’s spirituality sustains them and enables them to witness to and to extend the Kingdom of God.

Author Bio: Dr. Gloria Calib serves as the Associate Vice Rector for Academic Affairs and Assistant Professor at Forman Christian College University (FCCU), where she oversees US accreditation, strategic planning, international academic partnerships, and student academic affairs. With over 20 years of Christian ministry alongside her husband, who is the Senior Pastor of International Christian Fellowship Lahore, she focuses on leadership development, church growth, and mission mobilization. Dr. Calib holds a PhD in Missiology (London School of Theology, Middlesex University) and received the Best PhD Award from SPCK in 2017 for her research on mission engagement in Pakistan.

A True Spirituality: The Battle Against Legalism

Sofía Quintanilla

Spirituality

I believe it is important to start by defining what true spirituality would be: How does it look and how does it feel? In 1 Corinthians 13 and 15, Scripture speaks of spiritual gifts; these are abilities that the Father gives us through the operation of the Holy Spirit for the benefit of the body of Christ and for the glory of His Name. These gifts and their outcomes—whether healings, prophecies, preaching, teaching, or good administration—are not necessarily the experience of a healthy spirituality. 1 Corinthians 13 makes it clear that the greatest gift is love, a love that forgives all things. 

In Galatians 5 and 6, Paul speaks of spiritual people versus carnal Christians. Carnal people are those who allow themselves to be led by the works of the flesh—anger, bitterness, fornication, etc.—while spiritual people are mature individuals who display love, patience, and humility. Furthermore, 1 Corinthians 2:12-16 speaks of spiritual thinking; that is, having the mind of Christ and discerning things through the Spirit to exercise wise judgment about our surroundings. 

Jesus speaks of worshipping in spirit and truth, for these are the worshippers the Father seeks. This conversation occurs in John 4 with the Samaritan woman, a great missionary, as many in her village believed because of her word (Jn 4:42). Jesus reveals Himself to her, helping her understand that worship is not about a place, a mountain, or a temple, but about a sincere heart that seeks the Lord. 

So, while the word “spirituality” is not found in Scripture, based on these biblical references, we could affirm that spirituality is about a close relationship with Jesus, a desire to hear and do His will, and a willingness to reflect and act on what God asks of me. Spirituality includes kindness, humility, loving Christ, absolute surrender, walking one day at a time, and vulnerability. 

The Latin American Context

From my context in Latin America, I can affirm that evangelism is growing in our countries, but I want to clarify that this does not necessarily mean there is always healthy spirituality. Our cultures are framed by systems of shame, which can mean that certain spiritual behaviors can be more about maintaining appearances—indeed, can be expressions of legalism. Persecution is also growing in some areas. This is significant because, alongside the spread of the gospel, there are difficulties; if people do not understand what true spirituality is, they might become discouraged, thinking something is wrong with them when they are just facing adversity because of the Word (Mat 13:21). 

In addition, unfortunately, the prosperity gospel has grown significantly in our countries. In this false doctrine, spirituality is measured by material possessions because it is believed that God blesses you economically if you walk uprightly. Yet that is not necessarily how the life of faith looks. Spirituality can also have a face of simplicity and few assets. 

Guatemala and Nazaret Central Church

Guatemala is my home right now. Here, cultural diversity is vast. For example, indigenous peoples tend to preserve their own customs—to wear colorful clothing and to speak their own languages (among what they call Mayan groups alone, there are nearly 23 different languages). In some of these groups, gospel preaching has been well-received, and there are vibrant churches with lively praise and an intense search for the movement of the Holy Spirit. 

Overall in Guatemala, denominations like the Pentecostals and Assemblies of God show strong, sustained growth. According to one study, 40% of the population defines itself as evangelical, a figure that continues to grow, reaching up to 50% in low-income populations. 

The church I attend is called Iglesia Nazaret Central, which has existed for 80 years. Originally, it was very traditional; however, in the last 30 years, it has shifted toward a more charismatic tone, seeking a balance between solid Christ-centered preaching and lively praise that exalts the name of Jesus. They intentionally seek to reach young people, and Sunday services are joyful; one feels freedom to worship and freedom from the oppression of the evil one. There are physical healings and, at the same time, a message that values the believer facing trials. (Again, against the prosperity gospel, I must emphasize that physical healings and faith in God’s power can coexist with a clear understanding that the Christian path will not always be easy or without obstacles.)

The church’s teaching seeks to address issues that arise from our Latin American cultural context—but issues that are in fact common to Christians everywhere. In November 2025, we had a church conference on the book of Galatians. For four nights, we gathered to celebrate, sing, and listen to the pastor’s messages. The teaching was clear: We must fight against legalism because believers have the freedom to seek God’s will and decide a course of obedience without having to maintain appearances. Being spiritually mature means refusing to live for the external; instead of trying to “look the part” for those around us, we must focus on aligning our lives with God’s purposes.

As I saw in this conference, our challenge is to embrace a spirituality of freedom, finding our complete identity in Christ. Because we possess the righteousness of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, we are already fully accepted by God without having to earn it. It is a mistake to think that only sin opposes spirituality; religiosity and legalism are just as contrary to it. Sin distances us from the Father but so does the “false righteousness” of self-sufficiency. Thus, spirituality does not (only) mean a certain set of “righteous actions” but rather a deep posture of the heart.

Personal Reflection

In my own search for true spirituality, I feel there are three important passages I would like to share:

1. Psalm 119:160: “All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.” Reading the Word gives me internal strength, helping me hear God’s voice. This verse teaches me the importance of the balance of the whole counsel of God—not just one book or one doctrine, but seeking Him in all of Scripture. 
2. Psalm 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God.” In these tumultuous times, we can easily lose our way or overfill our schedules. But in stillness, silence, rest, and sincere prayer, we can know Him. God is in the sweet sound of nature and the gentle breeze. 
3. Psalm 51:10: “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” The Hebrew uses the word bara, the same word used in Genesis to describe God’s creative work. For this verb, the only subject is the Lord. Therefore, we must recognize that a clean heart can only be the creative work of Jesus. Only He can fill us, change us, and turn our mourning into dancing. 

We give thanks to God that, while we were still sinners, He died for us, and that he still loves us. He can lead us on the path of healthy spirituality. 

Author Bio: Sofía Quintanilla, PhD, is originally from Costa Rica. She now lives in Guatemala.