Invitation to Christian Spirituality

Description

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.

Table of Contents

1. The Ancient Church:
Ignatius of Antioch (d. 117)
Didache (c. 130)
Epistle to Diognetus (c. 130)
Vibia Perptua (c. 181-203)
Tertullian of Carthage (c. 160-220)
Irenaeus of Lyon (c. 130-202)
Clement of Alexandria (c. 150-216)
Origen of Alexandria (c. 185-251)
Ephrem the Syria (c. 306-373)
Athanasius the Alexandria (c. 296-373)
Macrina the Younger (c. 327-379)
Basil the Great (c. 330-379)
Gregory of Nyssa (c. 335-395)
Jerome of Bethlehem (c. 348-420)
Augustine of Hippo (c. 354-420)
John Cassian (c. 365-435)
Egeria's Pilgramage (c. 404-417)
Benedict of Nursia (c. 480-550)
Pseudo-Dionysius (c. 500)
Maximus the Confessor (c. 580-662)
John of Damsascus (c. 674-749)
2. The Medieval Church:
Anselm of Canterbur (c. 1033-1109)
Bernard of Clairvaux (c. 1090-1153)
Hildegard of Bingen (c. 1098-1179)
Bonaventure (c. 1271- 1274)
Francis (c. 1182-1226) and Clare (c. 1193-1254)
Mechthild of Magdeburg (c. 1212-1297)
Thomas Aquinas (c. 1225-1274)
Meister Eckhart (c. 1260-1327)
Catherine of Siena (c. 1347-1380)
Julian of Norwich (c. 1342-1423)
Thomas a` Kempis (c. 1380-1471)
3. The Reformation Era:
Catherine of Genoa (c. 1447-1510)
Martin Luther (c. 1483-1546)
Desuderuys Erasmus (c. 1466-1536)
Michael Sattler (c. 1490-1527)
John Calvin (1509-1564)
Bartholome de Las Casas (1474-1556)
Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556)
Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556)
Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
John of the Cross (1542-1591)
4. Modern Spirituality:
Johnanna Arndt (1555-1621)
George Herbert (1593-1633)
Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667)
Blaise Paschal (1633-1662)
Philip Jacob Spener (1635-1705)
Jeane (Madame) Guyon (1648-1717)
Brother Lawrence (1611-1691)
John (1703-91) and Charles (1707-88) Wesley
John Edwards (1703-1758)
Hannah More (1745-1875)
Charles Finney (1792-1875)
Phoebe Worral Palmer (1807-1884)
Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855)
Horace Bushnell (1802-1876)
Threse of Lisieux (1873-1897)
Walter Rauschenbusch (1861-1918)
5. Contemporary Spirituality:
Rudolph Otto (1869-1937)
Evelyn Underhill (1875-1941)
Karth Barth (1886-1968)
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945)
Simone Weil (1909-1943)
A.W. Tozer (1879-1963)
Howard Thurman (1900-1981)
C.S. Lewis (1898-1963)
Karl Rahner (1904-1984)
Thomas Merton (1915-1968)
Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968)
James H. Cone (1938--)
Mother Teresa (1910-1997)
Richard Foster (1942--)
Gustavo Gutierrez (1928--)
Rosemary Radford Ruether (1936--)
Desmond Mphilo Tutu (1931--)