Reading the Christian Spiritual Classics

- 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.

Jamin Goggin (M.A., Talbot School of Theology) is the director and cofounder of Metamorpha Ministries. He also serves as youth pastor at Aliso Viejo Church of the Cross in California.

Kyle C. Strobel (PhD, University of Aberdeen) is associate professor of spiritual theology and formation at the Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, where he teaches in the Institute for Spiritual Formation. He is the author of several books, including Jonathan Edwards: An Introduction to His Thought, Jonathan Edwards's Theology: A Reinterpretation, and Formed for the Glory of God: Learning from the Spiritual Practices of Jonathan Edwards.