Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth [Audiobook, CD, Unabridged] [Audio CD]

Richard J. Foster (Author), Richard Rohan (Narrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 28, 2007

In the twenty years since its publication, Celebration of Discipline has helped over a million seekers discover a richer spiritual life infused with joy, peace, and a deeper understanding of God. For this special twentieth anniversary edition, Richard J. Foster has added an introduction, in which he shares the story of how this beloved and enduring spiritual guidebook came to be. // Hailed by many as the best modern book on Christian spirituality, Celebration of Discipline explores the "classic Disciplines," or central spiritual practices, of the Christian faith. Along the way, Foster shows that it is only by and through these practices that the true path to spiritual growth can be found.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

When Richard Foster began writing Celebration of Discipline more than 20 years ago, an older writer gave him a bit of advice: "Be sure that every chapter forces the reader into the next chapter." Foster took the advice to heart; as a result, his book presents one of the most compelling and readable visions of Christian spirituality published in the past few decades. After beginning with a simple observation--"Superficiality is the curse of our age.... The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people"--Foster's book moves to explain the disciplines people must cultivate in order to achieve spiritual depth. In succinct, urgent, and sometimes humorous chapters, Foster defines a broad range of classic spiritual disciplines in terms that are lucid without being too limiting and offers advice that's practical without being overly prescriptive. For instance, after describing meditation as a combination of "intense intimacy and awful reverence," he settles into such down-to-earth topics as how to choose a place and a posture in which to meditate.

Perhaps most interesting and useful is Foster's chapter on the controversial Christian discipline of submission. According to Foster, submission does not demand self-hatred or loss of identity. Instead, it simply means growing secure in the conviction that "our happiness is not dependent on getting what we want" but on the fulfillment that naturally flows from love of one's neighbors. Such wise and encouraging suggestions have helped many readers to discard the idea that discipline is an onerous duty and to move toward a liberating and simpler idea of discipline--whose defining character, as Foster never forgets, is joy. --Michael Joseph Gross --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

This seminal work on the practice of spiritual disciplines is never outdated. (Relevant Magazine )

If everybody in the country could readand heedthis book, what a difference it would make to the planet. (Madeleine L'Engle )

Foster has challenged us to see Christian faith  as a life of spiritual transformation. (Brian D. McLaren, author of A New Kind of Christian )

Foster has taught me more about prayer and living faithfully than just about any other living author. (Lauren Winner, author of Girl Meets God )

Richard Foster has given us a rare gift... The celebration of each discipline in this book hands us a tool that can be useful in helping us to integrate our inner and outer lives. (Macrina Wiederkehr, O.S.B., author of A Tree Full of Angels )

The best modern book on Christian spirituality..... No other book apart from the Bible has been so helpful to me in the nurturing of my inward journey of prayer and spiritual growth. (Ronald J. Sider, executive director, Evangelicals for Social Action ) --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Hovel Audio; Unabridged edition (February 28, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596444533
• ISBN-13: 978-1596444539
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 5.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #94,280 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #45 in Books > Books on CD > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Will advance your relationship with God, July 20, 2011

By 

Jonathan (working on the humility thing) (Bangkok, Thailand) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth (Audio CD)

I was slightly hesitant to read this book and took a long time to get around to it, mostly because I thought it would be difficult to follow or feel deadening. That was a silly worry. This is a lively, energizing, exciting book. It's the kind of book that you only want to read a piece at a time, because there's so much so start doing with each chapter. And while I recommend reading through the whole book, I think that slowing down a little as you match concrete action with each chapter is really beneficial. In my first reading of the book I was especially blessed by the meditation, fasting, confession, and guidance chapters. But that's just the first reading - before I was even finished I knew that I wanted to start reading it again from the beginning and take it even slower. Of the thirteen disciplines listed I wouldn't have changed a single one. If you take this book seriously, you will be blessed by it.

4.0 out of 5 stars Spiritual Growth, March 10, 2009

By 

Eric G. Moden - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth (Audio CD)

I've been listening to these off/on for the last few months, and really enjoy the message. Would recommend to the daily commuter.