The Study of Spirituality

Rating:
Summary: Spirituality; people, themes, and traditions in space & time
Review: "God is spirit,and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth," John 4:24

Spirituality:
Why read a Study of spirituality? For many obvious reasons, out of religious curiosity, or even 'esoteric speculation'. Spirituality is a word that means many things to many people, with whom we all share the need for the Divine touch that gives the mystical meaning for our lives, though 'Mystical' is more problematic to define!
Spirituality: These are some cyberspace responses; 'How connecting with Spirit improves lives and the world'; 'Advanced or just starting, there is something here for you to learn'; 'Supports your spiritual growth no matter what your path is.', and 'Make the deepest possible spiritual connection through Infinite Being.'
Herein after is what you really need to read, venture, enjoy, and share with an informed, enlightened, and diversified roaster of contributors, yet united in their Christian belief.


Book & Study Review:
A comprehensive concise study guide of Christian spirituality, in space and time, its theology, Biblical and philosophical roots and history, from the early fathers to our world of modern times. This outstanding study is an enormous editorial effort, to coordinate the privileged spiritual knowledge of some sixty experts from various traditions. The orderly and logical progress in three parts includes a fairly concise treatment of pastoral spirituality, with an epilogue by Geoffrey Wainwright culminating a radical orthodoxy of Christ contra Mondum, in Athanasian terminology and spiritual theology. The smoothly flowing compilation of essays by participating authors relates their scholarly as well as personal convictions with reference to milestones of spirituality: Origen, the Desert Fathers, Pseudo-Dionysius, and his Syriac contemporaries and European disciples, a good bibliography follows for each chapter. The writings are in clear plain English, yet quietly stimulating. Starting with a variety of devotional aspects of theology of spirituality reviews liturgical, mystical, and personal practices, amended with social milieu and media impacts.
This excellent treatise although invaluable reference for scholars, is creatively inspiring for the lay as well as students and seminarians. Relatively elaborating and concise on most major issues, it touches the lives of the readers through those who imitated their only master , the Christ. One Amazon.com reviewer has felt and wrote; "I thought that it was a bit dry and sometimes hard to read through. There were also some selections that I thought were unnecessary while I found myself wishing that others had been included"

Contributing Writers & Editors:
The great success in spite of the resultant editorial burden, follows the thoughtful selection of the study surveyed topics, lies with the selection of some of the most qualified 'peritos' of which I need to mention a few; Sebastian Brock, Andrew Louth, Alexander Schmemann, Benedicta Ward, Kalistos Ware, and the contributing editors themselves.
The editors who took over the hard task are well known to those who encountered them in their first project; "The Study of Liturgy." When I first read Wainwright's "Doxology," I was amazed how Catholically Orthodox are the expressions of devotion of this Methodist Pastor and teacher, likewise Jones and Yarnolds will amaze you again.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent, comprehensive, deep, but fascinating read.
Review: If you need a comprehensive overview of spirituality throughout the world, especially with an in-depth treatise of the practice of spirituality in the Judaeo-Christian tradition, this book is a must! It is a compilation of essays by many authors with a detailed bibilography for each chapter. The writing is clear and deeply stimulating. It is, of course, theological in nature, but excellent for the lay person as well as clergy.

Rating:
Summary: it's been done better elsewhere
Review: this was a worthwhile book to have, it hits on most major points in the lives of the subjects and does a decent job but i thought that it was a bit dry and sometimes hard to read through. there were also some selections that i thought were unnecessary while i found myself wishing that others had been included. but overall it is a good book to have on the shelf and nothing is poorly done so it gets three stars from me. but i would recommend 'invitation to christian spirituallity' by john r tyson. i'm probably biased because he was one of my professors but i still just feel that it is better written.

Rating:
Summary: it's been done better elsewhere
Review: this was a worthwhile book to have, it hits on most major points in the lives of the subjects and does a decent job but i thought that it was a bit dry and sometimes hard to read through. there were also some selections that i thought were unnecessary while i found myself wishing that others had been included. but overall it is a good book to have on the shelf and nothing is poorly done so it gets three stars from me. but i would recommend 'invitation to christian spirituallity' by john r tyson. i'm probably biased because he was one of my professors but i still just feel that it is better written.