Longing for God: Seven Paths of Christian Devotion

This book is an excellent overview of spiritual formation over the centuries. Certainly one of the best books I have read on this subject. Both deep and devotional, each chapter takes one deeper into the reality of spiritual formation as seen through the eyes of different famous Christians and their writings and practices.

I loved both Spiritual Classics and Devotional Classics (Foster & Smith), so this offering was a pleasant journey back to many of those authors, but with the added benefit of helping me draw closer to God . . . to continue the renovation of heart work begun with the help of Foster, Willard and others previously. To be sure, there are authors with whom my heart rings truer than others, (Pascal and Teresa of Avila to name just a couple), but "it's all good" as popular youth vernacular would say. I have suggested the book to our Spiritual Formation Team at church for future classes and for individuals seeking the "higher" communion with God (our mysterious Trinitarian Savior). I am about to read it all over again, this time more slowly and with pen and highlighter in hand. Much in this book will no doubt trouble and perturb church leaders and the church, as it should. Christ followers, of which this book gives the stories of many, have been troubling and perturbing the church and its leaders since He ascended and sent the Spirit to reveal all things. Hopefully, the challenges and conviction contained within this book will prompt the "work" of spiritual renewal/formation . . . renovation of the heart (to take from Willard)? Hopefully, one day, the church . . . Christians and Christianity . . . will reflect Christ more visibly in this world. Make me more like you Lord, make me more like you.

Among some Christians, there is little, if any, attention paid to church history or those who have gone before. In some cases, the writings and thoughts of past luminaries may be disregarded or frowned-on because of their religious tradition, or because some of their teachings are considered controversial or unorthodox. Our tendency to write people off that we disagree with is tragic. We end up losing out on whatever we might have learned from them and may diminish their significance in the eyes of others. I'm not suggesting that we embrace false doctrine. When we encounter teaching that may not be correct, one noted Bible teacher of the past likened it to eating fish: "eat the flesh and spit out the bones." This is an approach that I favor, one that requires us to become mature, able to distinguish between right and wrong. This is the broadminded way that Richard Foster and Gayle Beebe take in Longing for God: Seven Paths of Christian Devotion. They serve-up the best from twenty-six different historical figures who in some way have contributed to our understanding of experiencing God. The book is divided into seven major sections. These consist of the seven primary paths to God that have been recognized throughout Christian history. The authors summarize them as: The spiritual life as the right ordering of our love for God The spiritual life as journey The spiritual life as the recovery of knowledge of God lost in the Fall The spiritual life as intimacy with Jesus Christ The spiritual life as the right ordering of our experiences of God The spiritual life as action and contemplation The spiritual life as divine ascent The three or four individuals selected for each section were chosen "because of the way their witness to Christ has endured over time and guided people through the ages." The mature perspective, the ability to place individuals and events in their historical context, the expert synthesis of each individual's thought and major writings, plus the simple but profound practical applications at the end of each chapter, combine to make this an outstanding resource. One slight drawback might be that you don't get much of each person's own words, but it would be hard to adequately represent their teachings through quotations in such short chapters. Some of these original writings can also be difficult to read. But if that's what you want, each chapter gives you the titles of major writings. The book serves as a fine introduction to many of the brightest lights in church history. This is easy to read and the chapters are short enough that you can read one a day as a devotional. The content is deep enough to provide much to think about. Richard Foster, who writes the "Reflecting and Responding" sections in each chapter, wisely chooses to keep his applications simple. Some of the thought is complex and as helpful as it may be, it's important not to get overwhelmed or to try and copy the experience of someone else. We never want to lose

When it comes to growing in-depth in one's spiritual life, Richard Foster is one of the first authors to whom you should turn. Founder of Renovare in Denver, Colorado and author of many books --- including the classic CELEBRATION OF DISCIPLINE: The Path to Spiritual Growth --- he has long been known for challenging followers of Jesus to reflect more of God in every area of their life. In his latest book, Foster teams up with Gayle D. Beebe, president of Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California, on a project that has taken three years to develop and write. LONGING FOR GOD: Seven Paths of Christian Devotion, is well worth the wait. The book is based on the idea that throughout history, both individuals and societies have taken different paths to become alive to God. Once these spiritual awakenings occur, a hunger for God's habitual presence often lingers. So how do we encounter God's love in a way that stirs up the spiritual longings inside of us? Foster and Beebe believe there is no cookie cutter answer. Rather, our own capacity to receive and respond to God's love needs to be cultivated. We must be intentional about Christian spiritual formation. They observe: "Today there is a growing awareness, reflected in an important body of literature, that we have destroyed the main centers of meaning and value to such an extent that we are left with few resources to cultivate and sustain our common life. At the same time a significant chorus of writers is seeking to recover the rich spiritual resources that once guided us morally, sustained us spiritually and satisfied our deep longing for God." LONGING FOR GOD explores the seven primary paths to God that have developed throughout Christian history: right ordering of our love for God, journeying with God, recovering knowledge of God lost in the Fall, intimacy with Jesus, right ordering of our experiences with God, action and contemplation, as well as divine ascent. Each of the seven sections highlights three or four spiritual writers who illuminate this path of the Christian life. For example, in right ordering of our love for God, the lives and teachings of Origen of Alexandria, Augustine of Hippo, Bernard of Clairvaux, and Blaise Pascal are all explored. While the authors uncover the principles of each person's journey and teachings, they do it in a quick but thoughtful way. As a result, the material throughout the book is not only accessible but also enjoyable. Along the way readers will come across Christian classics that they may not have heard about, or aspects of writers and thinkers of which they were unaware. Some of the familiar names, including Francis of Assisi, John Wesley and Teresa of Avila, are still given a fresh look and provide rich insights. As a result, the book is part devotional, part lesson in church history, and part challenge for deeper spiritual growth. Reading the pages is a rich reminder that we are not alone in our journeys of spiritual formation --- God is with us,

Richard Foster has opened up the field of the diverse approaches to spiritual growth, historically considered, for a wide public. This volume, co-authored with Westmont College President Gayle Beebe, introduces seven approaches ("Spiritual Life as a Journey," "Action and Contemplation," etc.). Each one is accompanied by three or four examples from Christian history, from Augustine and Benedict to Thomas Merton. Each example may be read in a single sitting. Without dumbing down the thought and practice of these great figures, the authors communicate effectively to a general audience. The book will make many readers want to go deeper - which is no doubt the authors' intent. An excellent volume.