A Brief Book Notice from Books At a Glance
What is spirituality? For some, it means nothing more than vague self-improvement pulled from the latest best-selling self-help book. For others, it refers to some generic religious practice. Shedding life-giving light on what often remains ill-defined and unclear, this book sets forth a vision of biblical spirituality—“a renewed sense of the momentousness of being alive in God’s world as God’s people are led by God’s Spirit through God’s Word unto godly, Christlike character.” With careful exegetical work and theological reflection, the contributors—pastors and scholars such as Christopher W. Morgan, Paul R. House, Nathan A. Finn, and Gregg R. Allison—address spirituality from the perspective of the Bible, exploring topics such as the Trinity, divine sovereignty and human responsibility, the “already” and “not yet,” and the church. This book also addresses practical questions about spirituality related to the workplace, disciplines of the body, and more.
About the Author:
Christopher W. Morgan (Ph.D., Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary) is a professor of theology and the dean of the School of Christian Ministries at California Baptist University. He is the author or editor of over twenty books, including several volumes in the Theology in Community series.
Endorsements:
“As people created in the image of God and called to be like him in holiness, it is imperative for us to align how we live with what God has revealed and his purposes for us. Therefore, the gospel and the biblical witness should be the starting point for any understanding of spiritual formation. This volume does a superb job of grounding spirituality in the full range of biblical teaching. It lays an indispensable foundation.”
―Clinton E. Arnold, Dean and Professor of New Testament Language and Literature, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University
“For some, spirituality is driven by technique; for others, it is the pursuit of direct and unmediated connection with the divine; for still others, it is a label that covers experiences of the ill-defined numinous. Indeed, today’s ‘take’ on spirituality perfectly reflects the personal autonomy found in Judges: everyone does that which is right in his or her own eyes. To think clearly about spirituality as it emerges from serious Bible study, however, is to enter a world where one really does grow in knowledge of the living God, but by the means God has ordained, by the power of the Spirit, with transformed conduct the inevitable result. Christopher Morgan and his colleagues have enriched our grasp of biblical spirituality by their biblical, theological, and historical probings.”
―D. A. Carson, Emeritus Professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; Cofounder, The Gospel Coalition
“Spirituality is a contemporary buzzword. Surprisingly, even some atheists speak of their spirituality. There is even a book with the title A Little Book of Atheist Spirituality. How important, then, is this book which presents a biblically based, theologically deep, historically informed, and practically helpful Christian examination of spirituality. A galaxy of fine scholars take the reader through the Old and New Testaments, great themes such as holiness, and the heritage of evangelical spirituality, and explore the practical implications of biblical spirituality. A rich feast!”
―Graham A. Cole, Dean, Vice President of Education, and Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; author, He Who Gives Life and The God Who Became Human
“Humans are deeply spiritual beings. It’s why we seek out a greater sense of purpose and the meaning of our existence. All around us today, people are pursuing spirituality. Chris Morgan has compiled a timely and essential guidebook to true biblical spirituality that can only be found with Christ at the center. This is not an easy journey, but it is essential if we are to live a life that brings glory to God.”
―Kevin Ezell, President, North American Mission Board, The Southern Baptist Convention
“There are many books on spirituality, but this one stands out because it takes in the entire range of the biblical canon. Written with scholarly depth and a practical bent, this volume is a great addition to the growing literature in the field. I highly recommend it!”
―Timothy George, Research Professor, Beeson Divinity School, Samford University; general editor, Reformation Commentary on Scripture
“As Francis Schaeffer taught us, the Lord’s work must be done in the Lord’s way. In every generation, therefore, we face no more urgent question than the meaning of true spirituality. The excellent team of scholars writing in Biblical Spirituality combines academic gifts with personal wisdom to show us, from the whole of the Bible, how God has put his glory on the whole of life. Is there a more wonderful reality for us to consider together?”
―Ray Ortlund, Lead Pastor, Immanuel Church, Nashville, Tennessee
“This is a biblical theology of biblical spirituality. And it’s the best I’ve read. As a bonus you get a survey of various forms of spirituality in the Christian tradition, especially within evangelicalism. If you want to see how biblical theology works and what biblical spirituality is, read this book.”
―Donald S. Whitney, Associate Dean and Professor of Biblical Spirituality, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; author, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life and Praying the Bible
“As one who has spent my life helping people with the practical side of spiritual growth, I am deeply grateful for a strong and clear guide to the theology of growth! Your own growth and the growth of those you lead will be strengthened by the truths in Biblical Spirituality.”
―Tom Holladay, Teaching Pastor, Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, California; author, Putting It Together Again and The Relationship Principles of Jesus