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Beyond the Quiet Time: Practical Evangelical Spirituality
Theologian Alister McGrath encourages harried believers to move beyond their hurried quiet "To be use to God in the world, it is necessary from time to time to withdraw from that world, and seek refreshment." These five studies help readers make their way toward that refreshment. They show how to quiet the heart and allow Word and Spirit to move. They can be used by individuals or a study group to renew fundamental beliefs and fervent faith.
111 pages, Paperback
First published October 12, 1995
About the author
Alister E. McGrath
459 books506 followersAlister Edgar McGrath is a Northern Irish theologian, priest, intellectual historian, scientist, and Christian apologist. He currently holds the Andreas Idreos Professorship in Science and Religion in the Faculty of Theology and Religion at the University of Oxford, and is Professor of Divinity at Gresham College. He was previously Professor of Theology, Ministry, and Education at King's College London and Head of the Centre for Theology, Religion and Culture, Professor of Historical Theology at the University of Oxford, and was principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, until 2005. He is an Anglican priest and is ordained within the Church of England.
Aside from being a faculty member at Oxford, McGrath has also taught at Cambridge University and is a Teaching Fellow at Regent College. McGrath holds three doctorates from the University of Oxford, a DPhil in Molecular Biophysics, a Doctor of Divinity in Theology and a Doctor of Letters in Intellectual History.
McGrath is noted for his work in historical theology, systematic theology, and the relationship between science and religion, as well as his writings on apologetics. He is also known for his opposition to New Atheism and antireligionism and his advocacy of theological critical realism. Among his best-known books are The Twilight of Atheism, The Dawkins Delusion?: Atheist Fundamentalism and the Denial of the Divine, Dawkins' God: Genes, Memes, and the Meaning of Life, and A Scientific Theology. He is also the author of a number of popular textbooks on theology.
Aside from being a faculty member at Oxford, McGrath has also taught at Cambridge University and is a Teaching Fellow at Regent College. McGrath holds three doctorates from the University of Oxford, a DPhil in Molecular Biophysics, a Doctor of Divinity in Theology and a Doctor of Letters in Intellectual History.
McGrath is noted for his work in historical theology, systematic theology, and the relationship between science and religion, as well as his writings on apologetics. He is also known for his opposition to New Atheism and antireligionism and his advocacy of theological critical realism. Among his best-known books are The Twilight of Atheism, The Dawkins Delusion?: Atheist Fundamentalism and the Denial of the Divine, Dawkins' God: Genes, Memes, and the Meaning of Life, and A Scientific Theology. He is also the author of a number of popular textbooks on theology.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 16, 2017
McGrath approaches spirituality as something we do rather than just a theory. This motivates an attempt to make his book practical, calling the reader to pause and reflect regularly throughout the book. His goal is to walk the reader through life as a follower of Christ to provide some foundations upon which they may build a life committed to Christ.
While he rightly focuses on the grace of God and God’s care for us, he does not explain the holiness, righteousness, and justice of God as he could. This is most pronounced in the chapter on “Being Lost,” where he explains the idea of being lost, in debt and trapped. These paradigms are accurate, but they don’t capture the significance of our lost state. The closest he gets is on page 33 when he explains that “Sin is rebellion against God, in which we choose to go our own way, and disregard his advice and guidance.” If we are to more fully know our lost state, we would be better served by focusing on the majesty and glory of God to magnify His mercy and grace. McGrath attempts to do the latter without adequately capturing the former.
Because McGrath emphases the more gracious characteristics of God, the book is weaker. Rather than considering the awe of Christ as revealed in Isaiah’s vision (Isa 6), or the heavenly throne room (Rev 4-5), or even the miracles of Jesus (e.g. Luke 8:22-25), many of McGrath’s exercises, especially in the early chapters are on how the reader would feel in certain circumstances (e.g. debt on page 30). The real question is how would we feel as sinners standing before the judge of the world? The answer to questions like this can be seen in Isaiah’s response. Isaiah’s response is not only a sense of wonder at the mercy and forgiveness of the Lord, but it also motivates him to service, a subject not explored by McGrath.
Yet, McGrath recognizes that man is more than mind, and seeks to use the mind to evoke the emotions. The focus of the subjective side of McGrath’s spirituality is the sense or feeling of confidence and assurance resulting from being rescued from sin. He doesn’t put this together with transformation explicitly, but he does assert that transformation is the “subjective side to faith” in the introduction (p16). This suggests that he regards Christian spirituality as the idea of taking in and submitting our hearts to the objective truth of faith, while allowing it to transform us subjectively, resulting in assurance or confidence. It would have been helpful if he had been more explicit about what transformation is, as understanding about this seems to be assumed in the introduction.
Overall, this is a helpful book, but I feel the things noted above weaken it somewhat.
While he rightly focuses on the grace of God and God’s care for us, he does not explain the holiness, righteousness, and justice of God as he could. This is most pronounced in the chapter on “Being Lost,” where he explains the idea of being lost, in debt and trapped. These paradigms are accurate, but they don’t capture the significance of our lost state. The closest he gets is on page 33 when he explains that “Sin is rebellion against God, in which we choose to go our own way, and disregard his advice and guidance.” If we are to more fully know our lost state, we would be better served by focusing on the majesty and glory of God to magnify His mercy and grace. McGrath attempts to do the latter without adequately capturing the former.
Because McGrath emphases the more gracious characteristics of God, the book is weaker. Rather than considering the awe of Christ as revealed in Isaiah’s vision (Isa 6), or the heavenly throne room (Rev 4-5), or even the miracles of Jesus (e.g. Luke 8:22-25), many of McGrath’s exercises, especially in the early chapters are on how the reader would feel in certain circumstances (e.g. debt on page 30). The real question is how would we feel as sinners standing before the judge of the world? The answer to questions like this can be seen in Isaiah’s response. Isaiah’s response is not only a sense of wonder at the mercy and forgiveness of the Lord, but it also motivates him to service, a subject not explored by McGrath.
Yet, McGrath recognizes that man is more than mind, and seeks to use the mind to evoke the emotions. The focus of the subjective side of McGrath’s spirituality is the sense or feeling of confidence and assurance resulting from being rescued from sin. He doesn’t put this together with transformation explicitly, but he does assert that transformation is the “subjective side to faith” in the introduction (p16). This suggests that he regards Christian spirituality as the idea of taking in and submitting our hearts to the objective truth of faith, while allowing it to transform us subjectively, resulting in assurance or confidence. It would have been helpful if he had been more explicit about what transformation is, as understanding about this seems to be assumed in the introduction.
Overall, this is a helpful book, but I feel the things noted above weaken it somewhat.
January 27, 2020
McGrath is clear that this book is written for those who are finding that they need something different from a 'traditional' quiet time of bible study and prayer, who have found that the 'Bible study' part of this time has been too narrowly rational - learning about God rather than meeting with God.
After a substantial introduction setting out what he sees as the strengths and limitations of the traditional approach, McGrath offers a series of exercises to help the reader (alone or in a group) to engage with God through scripture in a variety of ways, using imagination, empathy and creative writing. There is material in here for several sessions of reflection in each chapter.
I read this as part of studying patterns of daily prayer in different traditions, and found it to be more a manual for use and prayer than a descriptive book. I think it has stood the test of time, and would be happy to recommend it to anyone beginning to explore imaginative approaches to the Biblical text.
After a substantial introduction setting out what he sees as the strengths and limitations of the traditional approach, McGrath offers a series of exercises to help the reader (alone or in a group) to engage with God through scripture in a variety of ways, using imagination, empathy and creative writing. There is material in here for several sessions of reflection in each chapter.
I read this as part of studying patterns of daily prayer in different traditions, and found it to be more a manual for use and prayer than a descriptive book. I think it has stood the test of time, and would be happy to recommend it to anyone beginning to explore imaginative approaches to the Biblical text.
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April 17, 2009Beyond the Quiet Time: Practical Evangelical Spirituality by Alister E. McGrath (?)
September 30, 2015
I was expecting a heavier read and now wish I read it years ago. it is simple, well written and guides you through the study.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews