More Good Stuff Found by Norm, THE book on Christian spirituality for today. . .on Gene Veith’s blog
I found this on Gene Veith’s blog where he asks for reviews of the book. While I haven’t had a chance to read the book, I’ve heard only good things about it and based that and the comments on Veith’s site, would heartily recommend it. He mentions that he is going to be posting excerpts from the book on his blog from time to time, so it would be worth your while to monitor his site.
THE book on Christian spirituality for today. . .has to be Grace Upon Grace: Spirituality for Today by John W. Kleinig. Dr. Kleinig is an Australian theologian, Bible scholar, and Lutheran seminary professor who is one of the most illuminating teachers I have come across. Many Christians today have gotten interested in “spirituality,” with some exploring Eastern meditation and arcane mysticism without ever being introduced to the distinctly Christian approach to the spiritual life. This book explores the unique “receptive spirituality” that is the life of the Gospel of Christ. Christian spirituality find its expression in prayer, the Word, the sacraments, struggle against Satan’s temptations, and VOCATION. It has to do above all with receiving “grace upon grace” in Christ.
I can hardly express you just how good of a book this is. You may think that you know what there is to know on this subject, but you would be wrong. It’s one of those paradigm-shifting, life-changing books. It deserves the treatment we gave Lars Walker’s book–buying it on Amazon so as to boost its ranking (currently #227,924) so as to attract more attention to it and help propel it to bestsellerdom. If that should happen, we would see a revival of true Christian piety.
Have any of you read this already? If so, I’d welcome your testimonial about Dr. Kleinig’s teaching.
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I’ve been doing bible class on this book this fall at our congregation. This book is amazing. Dr. Kleinig also taught the last session of Doxology in Naperville, some of which overlapped with this book, some of which was new. It was amazing. I have never heard, for instance, spiritual warfare explained so clearly and in a manner so clearly applicable to the types of struggles we commonly have in our congregations and families.
I read this wonderful book over a year ago and plan on reading it again. It falls into that category of “few good books” that commend themselves for repeated reading. Dr. Kleinig presents the receptive spirituality of Christianity in a convincing way, leading the reader to greater to devotion to the classical Christian spiritual disciplines by revealing them to be just as practical and beneficial for us today as they always have been. Showing how the Spirit works through the Word, Kleinig teaches Christians how they can grow in sensitivity to God’s will, be more trusting in His work, and realize the fullness of fellowship we have with God in Christ Jesus.