Invitation to Christian Spirituality: An Ecumenical Anthology

Book Overview

Bringing together a wide range of classical and contemporary texts, Invitation to Christian Spirituality: An Ecumenical Anthology addresses the theory and practice of Christian spirituality in the broadest sense. Arranged chronologically, the selections are drawn from all major Christian traditions, from Ignatius of Antioch (d. 117) to Desmond Mphilo Tutu, representing distillations from the formative works of seventy-six great spiritual masters. Issues examined include the church in the world (Diognetus, Las Casas), purity of intention (Kierkegaard, Phoebe Palmer), prayer (Origen of Alexandria, Hannah More), religious affectations (Jonathan Edwards, Martin Luther King), Christian freedom (Augustine, Martin Luther), Christian feminism (Dame Julian, Rosemary Ruether), and the means of grace (Maximus the Confessor, John Wesley). This timely, eclectic collection considers not only the mystical and theoretical aspects of Christian spirituality but also its practice; for example, it includes readings about how to pray as well as notable prayers. Most selections include autobiographical materials from the authors that set the context for their writings. Opening with a theological survey of themes in Christian spirituality, this volume also includes a historical and theological orientation to each major period and a theological/biographical introduction to each spiritual master. Indexed by person, key word, and Bible references, Invitation to Christian Spirituality serves as an ideal text for courses in Christian spirituality, history of Christianity, and introduction to Christianity.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195106377
• ISBN13: 9780195106374
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 496 Pages
• Weight: 1.66 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.4" x 10.0"

Customer Reviews

Tyson's Invitation to Christian Spirituality is a must for serious followers of Christ.

I am currently a student of Professor John R. Tyson. I was so impressed by the readings included in his book, I had to buy one for myself. In this book, you will read, in their own words, the faith of early Christians and the secret of their courage knowing they were soon to face the wild animals of the arena. Following are over 70 more writings of Christians, some well-known, others not. However, each is powerful...St. Augustine, Martin Luther King, Jr., Mother Theresa. Challenge yourself to read the heart-felt responses to the Word of God through these writers from varying Christian faiths.

A required text book

Although I originally purchased this book for my seminary church history class, I find I won't be stopping at the required reading. Tyson does an excellent job of giving enough information on each writer to grasp their beliefs but not enough to bog the reader down in details. Some of his articles are almost a tease, enticing one to want to read more about those writers. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn more about their Christian spiritual heritage.

great read

i'll start by agreeing with the previous review, this book is well written and very interesting to work through. i also had the benifit of having dr. tyson as a professor. he is a great guy who's very intelligent and he has put together a great collection. his intro notes are helpful for getting a grasp on the selections and i think that they would help the novice theologian or even a casual reader interested in just getting their hands on some spiritual writings. i can recommend this with total confidence to anyone looking for some good reading and know that they will be able to get a good look into the mind of the writers and not be left wondering as they are in some of the spirituallity books i've read.

A Review of Invitation to Christian Spirituality

I found the book to informative, and well researched. I would perhaps sugest the author spend a little more time organizing thoughts to help the reader realize when the book is changing reference point. It is written well and interesting, but lets face it; this is a textbook that is used at the seminary level. I need a reference, not a story. P.S. The author is also my Professor here at Houghton College in NY and I do want to say he's an excellent teacher and friend to us all. Good book over all, but I would only suggest it to the diehards out there. This dude is smart! D.C.W.