Question: How can I go about loading a Spring context with my own `ClassLoader` instance?

Answer: 
```
    final ClassLoader properClassLoader = YourClass.class.getClassLoader();

    appContext = new ClassPathXmlApplicationContext("application-context.xml") {

        protected void initBeanDefinitionReader(XmlBeanDefinitionReader reader) {
            super.initBeanDefinitionReader(reader);
            reader.setValidationMode(XmlBeanDefinitionReader.VALIDATION_NONE);
            reader.setBeanClassLoader(properClassLoader);
            setClassLoader(properClassLoader);

```

See here if you are doing this for OSGI purposes: [How do I use a Spring bean inside an OSGi bundle?](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/8039931/how-do-i-use-a-spring-bean-inside-an-osgi-bundle)
The `org.springframework.context.support.ClassPathXmlApplicationContext` class is here for you.