Christian Spirituality : An Introduction

by McGrath, Alister E.

• ISBN13: 9780631212805
• ISBN10: 0631212809
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1991-01-16
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Summary

This text fills the need for a clear, informative, helpful and well-written introduction to Christian spirituality. It introduces this area of Christian theology as a serious and exciting field of study to those encountering it for the first time. It builds on the huge success of earlier texts in the area of Christian thought and practice by the same author, and is based on seven years' experience of teaching its themes. Written in a clear and accessible manner, and tested in the classroom, this text: bull; bull;Adopts the highly-praised educational approach embodied in other bestselling texts by the same author. bull;Avoids a purely historical approach to the subject which students might find unrewarding. Encourages active engagement with primary sources through worked case studies. bull;Includes a major analysis of the relationship between theology and spirituality, focusing on five major themes. bull;Offers complete coverage of the Christian spiritual tradition, including Catholicism, Orthodoxy, Protestantism and Evangelicalism. bull;Includes a guide to resources in spirituality available on the Internet. bull;Can be used for private study or taught courses.

Author Biography

Alister E. McGrath is Principal of Wycliffe College, Oxford. His previous publications include Science and Religion (Blackwell Publishers, 1998), The Foundations of Dialogue in Science and Religion (Blackwell Publishers,1998), An Introduction to Christianity (Blackwell Publishers, 1997), Christian Theology: An Introduction, Second Edition (Blackwell Publishers, 1997) and The Christian Theology Reader (Blackwell Publishers, 1996), amongst many others.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	ix
How to Use this Book	x
Introduction	1	(7)
Defining ``Spirituality''	1	(1)
Defining ``Christian Spirituality''	2	(3)
Clarifying Terms: Mysticism and Spirituality	5	(3)
Types of Christian Spirituality	8	(17)
Spirituality, Theology, and Personality	9	(4)
Theological variables	10	(1)
Historical variables	10	(1)
Personal variables	11	(2)
Denominational Considerations	13	(6)
Catholicism	14	(2)
Orthodoxy	16	(1)
Protestantism	17	(2)
Attitudes to the World, Culture, and History	19	(6)
Christ against culture	20	(1)
The Christ of culture	20	(2)
Christ above culture	22	(1)
Christ and culture in paradox	23	(1)
Christ the transformer of culture	23	(2)
Theological Foundations for Spirituality: Basic Issues	25	(10)
The Nature of Theology	26	(1)
The Relationship of Theology and Spirituality	27	(8)
Positive aspects of the relationship	28	(3)
Negative aspects of the relationship	31	(4)
Theological Foundations for Spirituality: Case Studies	35	(47)
Creation	36	(5)
Explanation	36	(3)
Application	39	(1)
Illustration	40	(1)
Human Nature and Destiny	41	(6)
Explanation	41	(4)
Application	45	(1)
Illustration	46	(1)
The Trinity	47	(7)
Explanation	47	(4)
Application	51	(1)
Illustration	52	(2)
Incarnation	54	(7)
Explanation	54	(5)
Application	59	(1)
Illustration	60	(1)
Redemption	61	(8)
Explanation	61	(6)
Application	67	(1)
Illustration	67	(2)
Resurrection	69	(5)
Explanation	69	(2)
Application	71	(2)
Illustration	73	(1)
Consummation	74	(6)
Explanation	74	(4)
Application	78	(1)
Illustration	79	(1)
Conclusion	80	(2)
Biblical Images and Christian Spirituality	82	(28)
The Bible as a Resource for Spirituality	82	(6)
Biblical Images and Spirituality	88	(21)
The feast	88	(3)
The journey	91	(2)
Exile	93	(1)
The struggle	94	(2)
Purification	96	(3)
The internalization of faith	99	(2)
The desert	101	(2)
Ascent	103	(1)
Darkness and light	104	(3)
Silence	107	(2)
Conclusion	109	(1)
Faces, Places, and Spaces: Visualization and Spatialization in Christian Spirituality	110	(25)
The Visualization of the Divine	111	(8)
A problem? The challenge of idolatry	111	(2)
Visualizing God: the incarnation	113	(1)
Visualizing God: the creation	114	(1)
Visualizing God: the sacraments	115	(1)
Christian symbolism: the cross	116	(2)
A corrective: the apophatic tradition	118	(1)
Telling the Story: Faith in Life	119	(5)
The Rhythm of Faith: Structuring Time	124	(6)
The Christian week	124	(1)
The Christian year	125	(3)
The monastic day	128	(2)
Spiritual Geography: Structuring Space	130	(5)
Holy spaces: spirituality and architecture	130	(1)
Holy places: the place of pilgrimage	131	(4)
Christian Spirituality: Engaging the Tradition	135	(40)
Spirituality and History	135	(3)
Interrogating the Text	138	(2)
Classic Texts: An Engagement	140	(33)
Gregory of Nyssa	141	(2)
Augustine of Hippo	143	(3)
Anselm of Canterbury	146	(3)
Francis of Assisi	149	(2)
Hugh of Balma	151	(2)
Ludolf of Saxony	153	(2)
Julian of Norwich	155	(3)
Martin Luther	158	(2)
Ignatius Loyola	160	(2)
Teresa of Avila	162	(3)
Charles Wesley	165	(2)
John Henry Newman	167	(3)
James I. Packer	170	(3)
Conclusion: Where Next?	173	(2)
Christian Spirituality: Internet Resources	175	(3)
Glossary of Terms	178	(13)
Sources of Citations	191	(7)
For Further Reading	198	(4)
Index	202