True Spirituality

by Francis A. Schaeffer

Book Overview

Francis Shaeffer had been serving as a pastor for over a decade when he began to wonder if Christianity really made a difference in people's lives. True Spirituality , a twentieth-century spiritual classic, outlines the result of his effort to "start at the beginning" and re-examine his faith. The book is a treasure trove of wisdom for Christians trying to discover what true spirituality looks like in everyday life. Includes a foreword by Chuck Colson...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0842373519
• ISBN13: 9780842373517
• Release Date: September 2001
• Publisher: Tyndale Elevate
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.6" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

borrowed from a library

disappointed with the book. not the same as advertised , older edition with a library stamp on it. sorry but 2 stars. lol

Getting Back to the Basics

Of all of the religious books I have read about the Christian faith, this by far, has been the most refreshing! It takes the believer back to the basics, back to their first love. The author reestablishes for himself as much as for the reader what true unadulterated Christianity should really be about. He strips away the imprisonment of "works" and restores the freedom to worship and love the Lord without fear of condemnation or the heavy burden of guilt. It is a pleasant book to read and I recommend it for anyone, whether a believer or not!

The forefront of confronting theology and life

Francis Schaeffer was a Prebyterian pastor who moved to Swiss Alps in 1948 and started the L'Abri Fellowship. God gave him vision and insight into the centrality of the gospel in living that has helped countless others to better understand the truth now. Schaeffer died in 1984, but the depth of wisdom that he was given continues to live through his writings.True Spirituality is a book that God has used in a way to greatly change the paradigm of my thinking. Dr. Schaffer's thoughts and teachings on grace and the facets therein aide in clarifying how the Christian life might be lived more effectively and freely. By no means do I desire to set forth that Schaeffer was an advocate of antinomianism, he was not, but he was provided a great understanding of the sweet blessedness of salvatory grace. Schaeffer leads us back to the understanding that God does change the entire man when He makes us into new creations. The healing that we experience goes far beyond superficial and abstract concepts and shows itself to be something greater than we ever hoped or dreamed. The reality of man being complete by the sovereign grace of God is epitomized in realizing that grace is effectual in the spiritual, mental, and physical aspects of who we are. Salvatory grace is not left for a mere longing for something that has yet to be seen while we wait behind the fortressed walls of a church on a Sunday morning. Francis Schaeffer is a man who, like Christ, confronted the culture that he was in by verbalizing and living profound truths of a godly nature. Francis Schaeffer was a man, but he was a man who has been used by God to reach countless others to help the understanding of the depravity of our sinful selves being saved purely by grace for the sake of the glory of God. Without a doubt, this book has had one of the most lasting and profound affects on my life.

True

The Lord has used this book to revive me two separate times. Schaeffer examines the Bible lived in post-modern society. He obviously put a lot of thinking and analysis into this book at his own time of "re-thinking" or personal crisis. This book was written at a time when he had to reconsider his whole position from square one. If we are honest about the intellectual struggles of living in this modern world we are likely to encounter difficulties and apparent contradictions. What bothered Schaeffer also bothers me--that what I see in the Bible I do not see in the lives of modern Christians.What was especially useful to me recently was his discussion of the tenth commandment and thankfulness. Romans 1 tells us that the lack of thankfulness and acknowledging God as our creator is the root of all perversion. Schaeffer explains how Paul was seized by his own sinfulness when encountering "Thou shall not covet." If we are honest with ourselves we can see that this envy and covetousness is at the root of all sin. We are selfish and not content--not thankful. Yet when Paul confronts his sinfulness in this regard his reaction is correct. "Who will deliver me? Thanks be to God through the Lord Jesus Christ!" (Romans 7)This is a thinking person's book. The more education you have had to endure the more you will benefit. I get more out of Schaeffer now than I did as a young man. This is a sensitive person's book. If you care and hurt about the way things ought to be, if you struggle with living a life pleasing to God, this book will comfort and encourage you.This book is about faith and forgiveness and daily new starts. It is not about being justified by following a set of arbitrary rules, but going beyond those rules to live by faith. Schaeffer has helped me to meditate on the depths of my forgiveness and the complete renewal that is possible by faith at any moment.The thread of Schaeffer's philosophy runs through the book as well. God is there in time-space history. We do not create God or our reality in any sense. He created us. We did not evolve. For the unbeliever reading this book, there will be a good deal of unwinding of presuppositions to understand. Modern religious people often use the same language, but mean something entirely different from a literal interpretation of the Bible and a Christ whose cross you might have got a splinter from if you were there to witness. The book is also a challenge to live by faith continuously. You cannot live on yesterday's faith. You must daily bear the cross.This is true spirituality.

A Classic Christian book for a Post-modern age

What is the meaning and essence of true Biblical Christian spirituality? It was in wrestling with such basic questions that Theologian/Philosopher Dr. Francis Schaeffer developed the Biblical material that became focus of his lectures at L'Abri. Dr. Schaeffer describes "True Spirituality" as the written form of those L'Abri studies. In "True Spirituality" Schaeffer expounds the meaning of Christ's finished work for Christian living in this life, and the freedom that truth brings to the believer in terms of substaintial personal healing and in substantial restoration of relationships with other people. Faith is not just a "once for all" experiance, but an on-going, moment by moment trusting in Christ and His Word. It is in Christ, and Him alone that we have a security and acceptence that is sure and firm. It is in that security and acceptence we can grow in love to Him, and give of ourselves in service to God and to others. This book is not for someone looking for a quick "how to" formula, but for the patient and persistent reader, willing to expend the time and work, there is profit to be gained. I could only read one chapter at a setting, and then re-read that chapter several times before going on to the next. It is one of those classic books that needs to be read every few years or so. In an uncertain world at an uncertain time, we as Christians do well to meditiate often on the ultimate security and acceptence we have in the Gospel of Chirst, instead of looking to the idols of this world; that is those things we consciencsly or un-consciencsly keep wanting to put in in our lives in that place only He can fill.

Essentially Classic

Schaeffer does a superb job in True Spirituality examining the many facets of what it means to be a Christian in the depths of our beings.As if turning a diamond while holding it up to the light, he allows the reader to see the life of a Christian and what it relaly means, as opposed to possible misconceptions and false impressions that Christians and non-Christians often find themselves believing.His exploration of the internal and external implications of the Ten Commandments, and the way he gets into the commandments to show how they expose the heart, is crucial for Christians today.The book is a call to really allow God to be God in all aspects of life, a recurring theme for Schaeffer: lordship. This book is foundational in a similar way that C.S. Lewis' "Mere Christianity" is foundational. While the two books are vastly different in their style and approach to examining Christianity, they both lead readers on critical paths of thought."True Spirituality" is a thinking man's / woman's book, but not too cerebral as to be professorial. It will encourage you to really think, and that's something rare among Christian books these days.