Reading the Christian Spiritual Classics: A Guide for Evangelicals
"Collections of essays around a common theme can be a grab bag and too often uneven in quality--both in terms of content and writing style. Happily, the writings found in Reading the Christian Spiritual Classics are uniformly excellent: informative, thorough, well written. This will be a valued collection for evangelicals just encountering the spiritual classics for the first time and a helpful and insightful resource for those already familiar with these rich treasures of the church." (Christopher Hall, Eastern University, associate editor of the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture)"Here you have an absolutely unrivaled mapping by experts of the whole church's rich, smorgasbord heritage of Christ-centered, sanctification-focused devotional writing, most of which will be unknown to most of us. What to do with it? Take it as your tour guide and start reading its recommended texts. You will be glad you did, I promise you. Wealth awaits." (J. I. Packer, professor of theology, Regent College)"Savvy travelers rely upon guidebooks to prepare for trips to unknown destinations. The wisdom that is found among those who have 'been there, done that' is invaluable. Goggin and Strobel have assembled a team of well-traveled experts to help us make sense of the unfamiliar world of Christian spiritual classics. Of course, among Catholic and Orthodox Christians--as well as those familiar with Reformed, Wesleyan and Pietist traditions--reading spiritual classics must feel like home. But the rest of us need reliable guides to give good advice as we visit these strange worlds we've heard so much about. Sensible, balanced, hospitable and inspiring, this collection of essays not only provides the 'how-tos' of reading the classics for spiritual formation, it places the writers of this great tradition in historical context to help us appreciate the diversity of our shared faith. A must-read for those who are ready to branch out beyond the familiar environs of their favorite Christian authors." (Rodney Reeves, Southwest Baptist University)"The vistas of the Christian tradition open up wide in this volume on the Christian classics, with rich rewards for those searching for insight, reading for wisdom and aiming at the glory of God. This introduction to the writings of Christian spirituality is a gem, as it combines solid evangelical grounding with genuine generosity of spirit." (Hans Boersma, Regent College, Vancouver)"This volume is a very worthwhile contribution to the growing body of literature being produced by evangelical scholars who are attempting to make known to a wider audience the rich resources of the history of Christian spirituality. The contributors are largely successful in avoiding the dangers, on the one hand, of theologically uncritical and eclectic readings of Roman Catholic and Orthodox texts, or on the other hand, of dismissing such texts and not allowing them to speak in their own voices. This book should prove to be a valuable resource and point of reference for pastors, seminarians, campus workers and those engaged in ministries of spiritual formation and direction." (John Jefferson Davis, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary)"This collection of essays is in every sense of the word an introduction to the Christian classics for evangelicals. It gives all the right reasons for reading the classics, pointers on how to do it and a handy map to navigate through various genres and traditions. The beginner will not be disappointed while the more advanced may still pick up some useful tips from these seasoned guides." (Simon Chan, Trinity Theological College, Singapore)