The Art of Spiritual Direction: Giving and Receiving Spiritual Guidance (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: Upper Room Books (September 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0835809838
• ISBN-13: 978-0835809832
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #749,367 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good intro that occasionally loses focus, October 20, 2006

By	Christopher Tessone (Durham, NC USA) - See all my reviews

A good intro, but a little scattered. Sometimes the author is focused on the topic at hand, but other times he's delving into details about Methodism or hymnology that are not terribly relevant. However, Jones is clearly good at direction and has a lot of useful advice for both directors and directees (but mostly directors). I especially liked his comment that communities that shy away from doing serious direction for fear of secular concerns like lawsuits need a "theology of risk" to get them back to doing what the church is called to do! (Pace "Frightening!", Jones is actually rather clear about what he thinks secular counseling can achieve and what it cannot. But sometimes there is no clear line between clinical needs and spiritual ones.)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Rejoinder to Frightening!, September 10, 2006

By	Another Reader (Grand Rapids, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews

The above entry entitled "frightening" is as hollow and unsubstantiatied as it is vague. I have never written a review before. But I fear that the above review may actually be believed or taken by someone as sufficient cause not to purchase this book. And what a shame that would be! Jones' book is a well-spring: of wisdom, depth, insight, literary brilliance, ecumenical spirit, practical suggestions, and more. I found it illuminating, refreshing, paradoxical, and altogether Spiritual-- and I am not a professional spritual director. In any event, I highly recommend it.

19 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Frightening!, May 16, 2003

By A Customer

Having expected a solid approach to spiritual direction I was frightened to read of the continual overlap of significant clinical issues 'treated' in direction. This book could be useful for a trained professional Christian counselor, but it does a serious disservice to anyone seeking to learn about spiritual direction. The boundary issues alone would relegate this book to a class on lawsuits in the ministry! Using this book as a resource for both information and practice on spiritual direction does a great disservice to the many trained directors who recognize and maintain the boundaries between clinical work (treatment) and direction.