Biblical Foundations of Spirituality: Touching a Finger to the Flame

by Barbara Bowe

Biblical Foundations of Spirituality is a timely and important book that invites readers to 'touch a finger to the flame' of the sacred text of the Bible by offering guidance on what to read, how to read, and why to read the Bible as a source of spiritual nourishment. It begins by exploring the nature and meaning of that all-too-difficult word spirituality and then leads readers through the entire Bible--from Genesis to Revelation--to develop a biblical spirituality that can serve as a guiding light in this age of spiritual seeking. Informed by the latest scholarship, this book makes the Bible more intelligible and 'user friendly' for contemporary audiences by stressing the spiritual dimension of the search for God evident in our biblical ancestors and showing how the Bible can be a friend and companion in our search for God today. It illustrates the continuity of the Old and New Testaments and the progression of faith and insight about God--the turns and dead-ends, the mistakes and successes, the struggles and challenges--that reflect in some way our own contemporary experience and search for God. By showing readers that the biblical authors were real people who struggled with life's puzzles and challenges in the same way that we do, Biblical Foundations of Spirituality reveals the rich treasure of spiritual wisdom that the Bible contains and connects the wisdom and witness of Scripture with everyday life and spirituality. Complete with a historical chronology, reflection questions, a glossary, and extensive notes and bibliography, this book is ideal for classroom and parish use as well as for individual readers.

Paperback

First published October 1, 2003

Reviews

[Patti Clement]

Sr. Barbara was a wonderful scripture scholar that I had the privilege of meeting when she was the scripture scholar who led my retreat in the Holy Land in 2008. Never in my life have I ever met a person who could take something so complex and embody it and humbly exude Christ's whole being in her whole being. Rest her soul, she is no longer with us, but this book I think beautifully does what she did for me and others in the Holy Land. It invites us to encounter the sacred text of the Bible in a deep and profound way. Barb would always give us the theological foundation of whatever place we visited and the corresponding biblical text, then invite us to reflect on how the wisdom and witness of Scripture might have meaning in our everday life. I like how she follows the order of the canonical texts beginning with Genesis and ending with Revelation affirming the continuity of the Christian message with the tradition of its Jewish roots and embracing and claiming Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of Jewish hope and expectation.

[David Pocta]

I am a PhD student studying Christian Spirituality. I came from a strong Bible-oriented tradition.

This book is unique in the field.

The academic discipline of spirituality, the study of the lived experience, has been primarily driven by the Catholics. While the Protestants and Evangelicals were consumed with scripture study and historical-critical methodology, many Catholic scholars continued to study spirituality. I had yet to discover many books that captured both streams of thought.

This book combines brilliant scripture study (good biblical theology) and insight with proper definitions and approach from the field of spirituality. It is a wonderful combination.

Well done Barbara Bowe.

[Katarzyna Balutowski]

Good overview. Her weakest chapter is on the gospels. All others are very relatable. Book is also a good example of post Vatican II 1970s and 80s theology of the intellectual trying to bridge the gap between theology and the common experience.