Discipling the Diseased Imagination: Spiritual Formation and the Healing of Our Hearts

How does the imagination affect our spiritual growth and discipleship? Is it possible for our imaginations to cause harm in the world?

In his search to understand how the imagination works and how theology can nurture it for cultural discipleship, Justin Ariel Bailey realized the limitations of common discipleship models: The pursuit of spiritual growth often devolves into information transfer and behavior modification. Bailey argues that imagination is at the heart of discipleship, influencing our choices, behaviors, and beliefs about God, ourselves, and the world. But it needs both healing and training--a diseased imagination can result in harm to self and others.

Bailey examines the imagination’s role in spiritual life, from perception and attention to hope and emotion, while diagnosing its diseases, including hypocrisy, distraction, control, and self-deception. Each chapter ends with an orienting prayer, culminating in a longer prayer that captures the book’s themes.

With theological depth and pastoral wisdom, Bailey invites readers to reclaim their imaginations as a vital part of discipleship, shaping a life of deeper love and justice.

Justin Ariel Bailey (PhD, Fuller Seminary) is dean of chapel and professor of theology at Dordt University in Sioux Center, Iowa. He is an ordained minister in the Christian Reformed Church and has served as a pastor in diverse settings. Bailey is the author of Reimagining Apologetics and Interpreting Your World, and his writing has appeared in Christianity Today. He is a sought-after speaker, host of the In All Things podcast, and an ecclesial fellow with the Center for Pastor Theologians.