Spirituality: A Brief History

I purchased it for a gift, but he says the book is very good.

I think this is very good comprehensive introduction in the history of the Christian spirituality. It also provides with substantial autobiography for further reading.

This diachronic presentation of Christian spiritualies, in its former edition, served well as a text for several years in my undergraduate theology class in a Catholic university. Students respond well to it as a guide. The new edition keeps the same faithful perspective and rich selection of material, with a nod to developments brewing in the 21st century.The best thing, I suppose, is that it now has a contemporary copyright date and makes some adjustments to time language. Maybe that will give it new staying power, which is a good thing.

No issue, as my non-urgent order is delivered on time

nothing terribly compelling or terribly terrible. he does leave out CS Lewis, probably one of the most prominent theologians/apologists of the early twentieth century. you might notice other omissions.

Sheldrake writes with clarity about a wide time line of spiritual history

The book delivered on its title. Easy to read. Helpful timelines at the beginning of each chapter. It is an overview, not in depth on any one person or spirituality.

Very nice

So it is not the fault of the book. it is a history book after all. But reading a brief history on so many of these great spiritual traditions without tasting the unique charisms of those traditions seems like watching an animated movie of walking through a forest ... no smells, feeling the cool damp, complex sound, no perspective, no depth, no texture and detail within the metastructure, with sky tantalising beyond. And why are some left out ... well, the book has to end. But some of those are the ones that help me be what I am today!! In a world that often treats religion as a valuing of ideas (or dogma) over the experience, I feel the flatland effect on beauty and wonder. All the same, there is a lot of good summarising and interesting analysis.

Very thorough and readable book on Christian Spirituality!

It's not a big book, but there's a huge breadth of information and lots of depth inside.

great book, arrived quickly