A Little Guide to Christian Spirituality: Three Dimensions of Life with God

by Glen G. Scorgie

Navigating the contemporary spiritual maze is a challenge. This book will help readers: • Think clearly about Christian spirituality • Understand its basic dynamics, and • Utilize classic and contemporary resources with discernment Join Glen on his sabbatical pilgrimages to Iona Abbey in Scotland, spiritually significant sites in Italy and Turkey, and renewal centers in North America. Listen as he provides brief profiles of memorable people and places from the rich history of Christian spirituality. Consider his rediscovery that Christian spirituality is about living all of life before God in the transforming and empowering presence of his Spirit. This biblically informed book traces the contours of such an encompassing spirituality. It offers a simple yet comprehensive model with three dimensions: • A relational dimension (Christ with us) • A transformational dimension (Christ in us), and • A vocational dimension (Christ through us) It is not meant to replace any of the devotional classics or a single one of the many helpful contemporary treatments of Christian spirituality. It is a companion volume to the rest—a modest-sized but reliable guide to the whole field.

Genres: Spirituality, Christian Living, Christian, Theology

192 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2007

Reviews

[Summer Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

My copy of this book is marked up on every single page. I not only found this layman's book to be great for understanding what Christian Spirituality is, I found it to be great for understanding who I am.
"Left alone in our sinful state, we tend toward narcissism. We become, in Paul's indicting phrase, lovers of ourselves (2 Tim 3:2). But once we open ourselves up to God, things begin to change. The life of God, which is characterized by self-giving love, turns out to be infections. God draws us out of ourselves and "into the grand objective realm of the NOT MERELY ME. God's love, Paul recalled, jas been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us" Romans 5:5. This new experience creates a general disposition of openness, so that our souls now have a capacity to connect with, plus an inclination to embrace rather than to exclude, other human beings. Love for God and love for neighbor are two expressions of the same divine impulse." Glen G. Scorgie

[Glen]

This is a solid overview of three key dynamics in our spirituality: relational dynamics, transformation dynamics and vocational dynamics. These distinct domains of our spiritual journey are meant to compliment our maturity in a holistic manner.

Scorgie offers an excellent argument for why we must focus on the totality of our inner lives. He demonstrates that relational dynamics include not only God but our community. He makes a powerful observation that transformed living is what keeps us from empty religious efforts. Lastly, he makes an impassioned polemic for maturing spirituality in our lives that is manifested through an awareness of others and our willingness to serve them.

[Jesusito B. Baylon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful and Helpful

This book is simple but full of practical insights regarding spiritual formation. I love how the author connects the readers with other writers who also wrote about the same themes in each chapter. Very helpful.

[Jonathan Huggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic little book. Another one where you must not let the poor title deter you! If you've never studied much about Christian spirituality, this is a great place to start.