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The Spirit of the Disciplines : Understanding How God Changes Lives
How to Live as Jesus Lived
Dallas Willard, one of today's most brilliant Christian thinkers and author of The Divine Conspiracy (Christianity Today's 1999 Book of the Year), presents a way of living that enables ordinary men and women to enjoy the fruit of the Christian life. He reveals how the key to self-transformation resides in the practice of the spiritual disciplines,
...morePaperback, Reissue, 288 pages
Published
February 1st 1991
by HarperOne
(first published 1988)
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I realized within the past year (in a way I hadn't fully grasped before) that part of the personal practice of my faith has to involve very intentional study, engaging my mind in the best way I know how, in the pursuit of growth and greater understanding. That is just how I’m built. So, I’ve undertaken to read various books in response to that realization. This year I finished The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives by Dallas Willard; I read it slowly, thoughtfully, mo...more
So this was my June reading. Since I was REALLY WORKING hard at Kijabe Hospital, trying to relearn everything I used to know as a pediatrician and apply it to a totally Kenyan context it was a relief to have someone, my second night there, tell me I was invited to their book study. Since it occured in the living room of where I was staying it worked out great. I have been telling myself I needed to read this book ever since I read Foster's the Celebration of Disciplines a year ago. Perhaps my in...more
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This is a foundational book for me. It's as relevant now as when originally published. It's more about the necessity for Christians being real disciples of Jesus Christ and the need for spiritual disciplines to train disciples whose character and lives resemble those of Jesus than it is about how to practice the spiritual disciplines. The problem addressed by this book is the tendency to equate being a Christian with holding certain beliefs about Jesus Christ rather than seeking to imitate hi...more
Willard's in depth discussion of the role of body in the spiritual life and the need for discipline as part of the secret to grasping the "easy yoke" Christ spoke of was an important foundation for the actually rather brief discussion of each particular discipline. Bonus chapters, especially the one on whether or not poverty is spiritual, hit some long-standing questions for me.
Challenging. Heady. Willard is a philosopher, so you will find all the reason and logic/arguments behind 'why' questions. 'Why' should we do the spiritual disciplines. He offers a 'theology of the disciplines', etc. Willard also offers a lot of great thoughts on other topics such as poverty & holiness, and how to create true & lasting change in culture, society, political & global structures, etc. But, if you want a practical, 'how-to' book on spiritual disciplines, this is not the book. Willard...more
First of all, I am not writing this to argue with all the people that loved it, rather I am reviewing for someone who has not yet read it and want an idea of what they are getting themselves into. I appreciated what this book has to say: Instead of focusing on what Jesus and the Paul did "in the spotlight", more attention should be paid to what they did to prepare for those moments, the Spiritual Disciplines.
However, I felt that was clearly stated in the first chapter, then...more
However, I felt that was clearly stated in the first chapter, then...more
What does it mean to follow Christ? This is the essential question Willard seeks to answer through The Spirit of the Disciplines. Willard makes a powerful case that becoming a Christian, and walking with Christ is more than a simple assent with our mouths and inward posture of our heart. Walking with Christ has to do with actually wanting to do the things he did and become the type of person he was. Willard systematically discusses in depth a practical theology of the Spirit and the Body. H...more
The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives by Dallas Willard, has two main theses. The first point the author tries to establish is that spiritual disciplines are necessary for true spirituality, but not sufficient. In other words, we are made more Christ-like through the Holy Spirit by means of the spiritual disciplines. The author’s second main focus is that the spiritual disciplines allow the Christian to live a victorious life as Jesus and the apostles did. I'm not...more
Dallas is good as usual. I think his chapter on money and poverty is the most insightful and biblical perspective I have ever read on the idea of money. Good read.
Poignant Quotes:
“It costs a man just as much or even more to go to hell than to come to heaven.” – Soren Kierkegaard
A successful performance at a moment of crisis rests largely and essentially upon the depths of a self wisely and rigorously prepared in the totality of its being – mind and body.
...more
Poignant Quotes:
“It costs a man just as much or even more to go to hell than to come to heaven.” – Soren Kierkegaard
A successful performance at a moment of crisis rests largely and essentially upon the depths of a self wisely and rigorously prepared in the totality of its being – mind and body.
...more
This is, to me, the philosophical underpinning for Richard Foster's Celebration of Discipline which it seems more people are familiar with. I recommend it to anyone who might be tempted to view spiritual disciplines as an end in themselves, seduced into a new sort of religious elitism. Nothing could be further from the truth and Willard articulates beautifully and in depth, the reasons behind the practices. Much lighter reading (if Willard ever is) than Divine Consiracy.
I hate to give this only 4 stars, since everything Dallas Willard writes is totally amazing -- but it's just that The Divine Conspiracy was so much better in my opinion. If you want to read him, start there. He spends too much time in this book defending WHY we would want to have a disciplined spiritual life. I already agreed with that, so felt there was a lot of discussion about nothing -- and then not enough time spent talking about the ACTUAL disciplines, like fasting or solitude.
It's been at least five years since I read this book. Pretty heavy going. Instructive and convicting. Clearest ideas for me seemed to come in the last 20 pages. We've been so focused on winning converts that we've failed to do much in the way of training, sometimes hiding behind phrases like, "People should quickly become self-feeders." Or, "We're not going to do so much hand-holding." Willard really challenges that kind of thinking.
My bright insight is a s...more
My bright insight is a s...more
Willard is a smart fellow, a professor of philosophy at USC, and a uncommonly probing observer of Christianity. This book argues that whoever wants to get closer to God must attend to the disciplines practiced by Christ and the apostles (solitude, prayer, fasting, sacrificial giving, and others), and he makes a compelling case. I wouldn't mind debating a few points with him, but for the most part, he convinced me.
Erika
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Response: Tough to get through, but very motivating as far as understanding the purpose behind the disciplines, not just what they are and how to do them. I feel like I finally have an answer to whether I should stop a devotional practice because I feel like I’m not getting anywhere: not right away.
Response: Tough to get through, but very motivating as far as understanding the purpose behind the disciplines, not just what they are and how to do them. I feel like I finally have an answer to whether I should stop a devotional practice because I feel like I’m not getting anywhere: not right away.
Very good, very enlightening and academic. A bit tough to read because of the advanced vocabulary. I definitely think that this subject is one that is often ignored, but really imperative in the Christian faith. I would suggest this book to anyone, not just for the caliber of writing but even moreso for the importance of the subject.
I fell asleep several times while reading this book. Foster's book is so much better and I still don't know how I feel about his criticisms of monastacism. It seemed like he was constantly trying to get around what scripture is actually saying, that riches make it harder to be close to God.
This is a comprehensive look at how and why to practice spiritual disciplines. It's a call to get back to the basics of the disciplines in order to be transformed and in order to obey God. As Willard puts it, "Jesus calls us to follow him - to follow him now, not after death." I very timely finished this on New Year's Eve - good time to set some resolutions and put some of these disciplines into action for 2010.
Dallas Willard breaks down the disciplines like this:
...more
Dallas Willard breaks down the disciplines like this:
...more
This book is amazing. It is not a quick read. Willard's philosophical, yet practical and challenging approach to the disciplines will cut you to the quick. Take your time when you this book. It is a steak worth savoring.
Loved the practical application. I was referred to this book by a comment from Morley's "man in the mirror". I'm so grateful for the concepts!
Inspired and convicted me on so many levels! It gave me a vision for what life is and can be, how we must train to become virtuous just as we must train to become athletes. I'm eager to make a plan for how I will use the disciplines in my own life.
Dallas Willard truly speaks to the human condition, and gives words to ideas about which I could only manage vague suspicions. In a crazy complex world, he brings clarity. He speaks so practically, with a worldwide and eternal perspective, ...more
Dallas Willard truly speaks to the human condition, and gives words to ideas about which I could only manage vague suspicions. In a crazy complex world, he brings clarity. He speaks so practically, with a worldwide and eternal perspective, ...more
Theology of how God uses spiritual disciplines to mature us in our walks. Very good chapter on Christianity and wealth.
Seeing the disciplines as a yoke that makes the living of the spiritual life easy.
this book profoundly affected my view of God and his transformation in us
I have again read through much of this book that I read a number of years ago. The author does a wonderful job of showing how God has made our bodies and spirits dependent on each other as far as living out our spiritual lives. To ignore the fact that we need to discipline our bodies to help reinforce our relationship with God is to ignore the previous mentioned truth.The author powerfully makes the case for reintroducing the "spiritual disciplines" into our modern lives ... ie. so...more
I love Dallas Willard - have learned so much from him!
Great reading alongside Foster's Celebration of Discipline.
What's our part; what's God's part. Profoundly helpful and practical. Much that I want to put into practice. I may just start the book over immediately. So dense and rich.
This book changed my life!
Deep thinker
Hard to rate as read for study.
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DALLAS WILLARD is a Professor in the School of Philosophy at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He has taught at USC since 1965, where he was Director of the School of Philosophy from 1982-1985. He has also taught at the University of Wisconsin (Madison, 1960-1965), and has held visiting appointments at UCLA (1969) and the University of Colorado (1984).
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“The world can no longer be left to mere diplomats, politicians, and business leaders. They have done the best they could, no doubt. But this is an age for spiritual heroes- a time for men and women to be heroic in their faith and in spiritual character and power. The greatest danger to the Christian church today is that of pitching its message too low.”
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