Reading the Christian Spiritual Classics

A Guide for Evangelicals

Jamin Goggin, Jamin Goggin, Kyle C. Strobel

• Publisher: IVP Academic
• Year: 2013
• eBook ISBN:
  9780830895496
• Print ISBN:
  9780830839971
• Topic: Teologia e religione

• 2014 Best Book of Spirituality—Academic, from Byron Borger, Hearts and Minds Bookstore

Ever since Richard Foster wrote Celebration of Discipline in 1978, evangelicals have hungered for a deeper and morehistoric spirituality. Many have come to discover the wealth of spiritual insight available in the Desert Fathers, the medieval mystics, German Pietism and other traditions. While these classics have been a source of life-changing renewal for many, still others are wary of these texts and the foreign theological traditions from which they come.The essays in this volume provide a guide for evangelicals to read the Christian spiritual classics. The contributions fall into four sections. The firstthree answer the big questions: why should we read the spiritual classics, what are these classics and how should we read them? The last section brings these questions together into a brief reading guide for each of the major traditions. Each essay not only explores the historical and theological context, but also expounds the appropriate hermeneutical framework and the significance for the church today. Together these essays provide a comprehensive and charitable introduction to the spiritual classics, suitable for both those who already embrace them and those who remain concerned and cautious. Whether you are a newcomer to historic spirituality or a seasoned reader looking to go deeper, you will find this volumeto be a reliable resource for years to come.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Part One Approaching Spiritual Classics
• 1 Why Should We Read Spiritual Classics?
• 2 Temptations in Reading Spiritual Classics
• 3 The Value of Spiritual Classics in Soul Care
• Part Two The Spiritual Classics Tradition
• 4 The Schools of Christian Spirituality
• 5 Spiritual Theology
• 6 Engaging Classic Literature
• Part Three Reading Evangelically
• 7 Reading Catholic Spirituality
• 8 Reading Orthodox Spirituality
• 9 Reading Spiritual Classics as Evangelical Protestants
• Part Four How to Read the Spiritual Classics
• 10 The Church Fathers and Mothers
• 11 The Desert Fathers
• 12 The Medieval Traditions
• 13 The Reformation Traditions
• 14 The Puritan and Pietistic Traditions
• Notes
• Suggested Reading
• List of Contributors
• Subject and Author Index
• Metamorpha Ministries
• About the Editors
• Endorsements