A History of Christian Spirituality: An Analytical Introduction

This modern classic explores the key concepts and people who have shaped our Christian spiritual heritage. At the time it was first published, the author wrote, “This book is the result of finding nothing to recommend to my students as an introduction to the wide variety and great richness of the Christian spiritual experience. The texts available are either too detailed, too unbalanced, or both.” This situation remains the same today, more than twenty years later. Now this concise and very readable introduction to Christian spirituality is available for a new generation of readers. Holmes begins with the Jewish antecedents, and proceeds through the New Testament period, monasticism, the Middle Ages, Byzantine spirituality, and the modern period. He ends his overview with key contemporary figures such as Simone Weil, Thomas Merton, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Brief bibliographies of the books written by each notable figure are included for those who wish to read more extensively. A History of Christian Spirituality is the perfect book for introductory classes at the M. Div. level, for diaconate programs, lay people or parish study classes of all Christian denominations, and for any reference collection. This is a unique and invaluable learning tool and reference for readers, students, or teachers who want a quick explanation of the significance of a person or idea, or who are interested in a broad overview of the entire field.