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Tânjirea După Dumnezeu. Şapte Căi Ale Devoţiunii Creştine (2009)

by Richard J. Foster(Favorite Author)

3.89 of 5 Votes: 5

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Casa Cărţii

review 1: Written jointly by Beebe and Foster, Beebe did most of the writing, while Foster wrote the reflection pieces that ended each chapter. The book divides spiritual devotion into seven (never discrete) paths and examines three or four different figures from the Christian past who pursued God in that way. As such it provides a small glimpse and opening into particular saints, offering their life and thought as challenges to our day and practice. The summaries pick particular aspects of thought (hard to contain Aquinas, Calvin, or even Francis in 6-12 pages) and encourage a pursuit of God. I liked dipping into it and was encouraged to reread figures I had read before. The division between the writers in the chapter could have been better handled - Beebe's work was academic ... more(not a criticism, at least from me), while Foster's more breezy/pastoral, with room for application.
review 2: Beebe and Foster write an interesting book about the history of Christian paths of devotion to God. They come up with seven based on the lives and intimate experiences with God of over two dozen people:One: The Right Ordering of Our Love for GodTwo: The Spiritual Life as JourneyThree: The Recovery of Knowledge of God Lost in the FallFour: Intimacy with Jesus ChristFive: The Right Ordering of Our Experiences of GodSix: Action and ContemplationSeven: Diving AscentThe appendices briefly mention another six dozen or so people.Here's what they conclude: "These 'paths,' of course, are not exclusive of one another. No one path is "right" and the others "wrong". Indeed, they overlap and intertwine and mingle with each other. Likely, we will find ourselves on one path or another at different seasons of our life."And, "Only one thing is essential for us to move forward in this life with God."I found the descriptions of the life and work of these nine dozen people to be very interesting, some I had heard of others I had not. I have been ignorant of most of the essence of what these people emphasized. What I find amazing, is the way that Beede can summarize the belief systems of so many folks WITHOUT CONDEMNING OR DE-VALUING. He seems to give his most accurate assessment of their lives and beliefs about God. Foster does come closer to putting value judgments on some of these folks but again, from a layperson's growing perspective, I found some of these folks --- how do you say --- wacky, hard to swallow.Beedee and Foster seem to be able to have a high tolerance for acceptance and the ability to 'take the meat and leave the bones.' It actually stretched me in that way, to have a greater patience to come to understand differing spiritual experiences and theological understandings.I'd read this book again in a few years, maybe. less

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