Customer Reviews

Soul Feast : An Invitation to the Christian Spiritual Life

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(4)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

As the author states in her Introduction, this book is primarily experiential and interactive. As such, it is highly usable in both form and function.

The book is DESIGNED with wide margins containing quotations that illuminate the text, questions to contemplate, suggestions for written reflection, and space enough to scribble ones notes.

The CONTENT treats eight disciplines: spiritual reading, praying, worshiping, fasting, examination of conscience, spiritual guidance, hospitality and developing a "rule of life". Thompson concentrates on one practice per chapter, and includes historical, theological, and biblical references, along with practical exercises to "learn" the discipline. Chapters vary in length (13-20 pages) and end with Footnotes. An Annotated Biliography and Group Study Guide complete the book; both are excellent.

The author provides strong, gentle guidance in a voice that is clear and direct. Her approach is inclusive of all Christians, transcending liturgical and dogmatic differences. This ecumenical approach is evident in quotations and works cited.

Another reviewer described Soul Feast as "a watered-down version" of Richard Foster's *Celebration of Discipline. I understand this reviewer's passion for Foster's book; it's excellent and well-written. I use both Celebration and Soul Feast to help guide my spiritual formation. They both cover many of the same disciplines, but treat them differently. And though there are differences, Soul Feast is not derivitive. (For the record, Soul Feast is not "full of footnotes to Foster"; of 92 footnotes, 6 note Foster) Foster includes chapters on simplicity, solitude, submission and service -- each treated separately -- while Thompson integrates them with other practices. Thompson includes a chapter on creating a "rule of life", Foster does not. Soul Feast tends to be more hands-on, something that's reinforced by its format. Foster tends to be more informational, Thompson formational. Thompson's style is strong, Foster imposing. Yin and yang; I like them both. I use them both. Many do.

Countless books have been written on Christian spirituality from a theological, intellectual and historical perspective. All of them have strengths which deepens our appreciation of spirituality. Spirituality, however, is to be lived and practiced in the lives of believers. Thus these books fall short in emphasizing spiritual practice. Soul Feast corrects this by inviting the reader to enter the spiritual through the practice of the spiritual disciplines. It is through these disciplines that we can live out a spiritual life. This is a balanced text which thouroughly integrates theory and practice with a greater emphasis on the latter. Protestants, whose background doesn't include the spiritual discipline will be greatful in rediscovering them. Spiritual direction and hospitality are just a few of them discussed in this valuable work.

Soul Feast is one of the few books I've had to read for a class that really captured and held my interest. I loved it so much I didn't sell it back at the end of the semester. It is wonderful for someone like me who wants to explore a deeper prayer life but is afraid to or doesn't know quite how to go about it. With this book, it becomes easy to explore many different kinds of prayer. I found it to be richly fulfilling, and it is good for reading over and over.

This clearly written and beautifully designed book is an accessible and nourishing guide to spiritual growth. It is an excellent beginner's manual but also has much to offer the more experienced reader. Even its format and layout carry the message that the Christian spiritual life can be graceful, diverse, inviting, and edible in small bites or big chunks, at one's own pace.

I will give this book 5 stars for one chapter alone. Much of what one finds in this book may be found in other locations. However, the last chapter contains the clearest teaching I've ever read on developing a personal Rule of Life. If all of the other pages were blank, this book would be worth the money and worth 5 stars.

Of course, the rest of the pages are not blank. I found myself highlighting many passages.

This is a warm inviting discussion about the spiritual life and spiritual disciplines, which is ecumenical in nature. The format of the book is easy to read and in lay language for the most part. Compared to Richard Foster's Celebration of Discipline, Soul Feast is user friendly and does not read like a research paper out of academia. It is a wonderful book!

Marjorie Thompson, an ordained Presbyterian minister, has written an insightful book entitled, "Soul Feast - An Invitation to the Christian Spiritual Life." The book introduces the reader to the exciting world of basic Christian disciplines. In her preface Thompson defines Christian disciplines as "simply practices that train us in faithfulness" (page xix). Throughout her book, Thompson did an excellent job in helping the reader understand what the disciplines were and gave practical suggestions in how to begin to practice them in a faithful way.

Thompson is not the first person to write such a book. She follows in the footsteps of many spiritual leaders who urged the practice of Christian disciplines down through the ages since the early church fathers. However, she writes with a compelling passion because of her sense that organized religion has become disconnected from modern Western culture. Thompson obverses that "For the first time, people are separating their spirituality from religion. Institutional religion has become a negative phrase" (page 1). She goes on to conclude that "many seekers consider themselves spiritual but not religious" (page 2). Yet there is something inside each of us that seems to realize that this type of spirituality is lacking something. Thompson writes, "We have suffered from the loss of a sense of the sacredness in life" (page 3).

In an effort to help a modern world reconnect with that sense of the sacred, Thompson writes her book to tell a new generation what ancient Christians already knew. "Spiritual disciplines . . . help us consciously develop the spiritual dimension of our lives." (Page 10). She lists the disciplines as: Spiritual reading, prayer, worship, fasting, self-examination, confession and awareness, spiritual direction and hospitality. She suggests that a person experience these various disciplines one at a time and not try to rush into them all at once.

Thompson began her examination of the individual disciplines with a look at what she called spiritual reading. It is much like the "quiet time" that I was taught to have as a teenager. However, she suggests that a Christian might also read poetry or other inspiring works and gain spiritual insight from that as well as the Bible. She says, "Spiritual reading is a meditative approach to the written word. It requires unhurried time and an open heart" (page 21).

Thompason gave many practical ways to keep prayer fresh and exciting in our lives. I was particularly impressed by her statement that the "real task of prayer is to attune ourselves to the conversation already going on deep in our hearts. Then we may align our conscious intentions with the desire of God being expressed at our core" (page 33). I seldom attain that type of prayer, but it is sweet when I do!

Thompson also warned that "Prayer is not a substitute for actions: it is an action for which there is no substitute" (page 44).

Thompson also had great insights on the discipline of worship. She listed three ways to "take responsibility for our own experience" (page 65). They were: "preparing in advance for the Sunday service; by engaging worship itself with a different quality of awareness; and by taking the initiative to speak with worship planners . . . about how we experience worship" (page 65). I found these suggestions practical and I think they will be very helpful. I have been trying to do them myself since reading that chapter.

The chapter on fasting was challenging. Too many modern Christians are too wrapped up in themselves to even consider taking a day to fast and focus on spiritual things. Thompson claims that what keeps most modern Christians from fasting is rampant consumerism. Western society has become overwhelmed with this rampant consumerism. Thompson defined the consumer mentality as being something we "enjoy while useful and stimulating, [then] discard when no longer satisfying" (page 82). I thought this was one of the better definitions of consumerism that I have heard. The chapter also helped me gain a clearer understanding of the purpose of fasting. Thompson writes, "Fasting is not primarily a discipline through which I gain greater control over my life, but one through which God gains access to redirect and heal me in body, mind and spirit" (page 84).

As the book drew to a close, Thompson urges the reader to consider adopting what she called a "rule of life." Her rationale is that "We need structure and support. Otherwise our spirituality grows only in a confused and disorderly way" (page 145). This rule of life is not meant to chain us into some ritualistic type of spirituality. "A rule of life gives us a way to enter the lifelong process of personal transformation" (page 147).

Overall, I found this book to be very helpful.

In Soul Feast: An Invitation to the Christian Spiritual Life, Marjorie J. Thompson, an ordained Presbyterian minister and director of the Pathways Center for Christian Spirituality, provides a compact and well organized exploration into seven significant disciplines of the spiritual life. Originally published in 1995, the 2005 edition contains the original Foreword from her spiritual mentor, the late Henri J. M. Nouwen, and a new Prologue that does well to humbly explain both the success of her title and the movement toward increased spiritual awareness in today's culture.

Marjorie notes her purpose "is to help people of faith understand and begin to practice some of the basic disciplines of the Christian spiritual life...(with the aim of engaging the) mind and heart together in seeking nourishment for our spiritual hunger." She also intends for her work to be "used, not simply read" and offers suggestions on how to work through the subject matter in an intimate and meditative fashion.
Soul Feast is divided into nine chapters; the first and last chapters serve as wonderful book ends, with the former introducing the disciplines and the latter providing counsel on how to apply the seven basic spiritual disciplines of her work, which are: Spiritual Reading, Prayer, Worship, Fasting, Self-examination/confession/awareness, Spiritual Direction, and Hospitality. The bookend chapters, The Spiritual Yearning of our Time and Developing a Rule of Life, package this book into one of the most important expositions I have read on maintaining an intentionally, spiritually directed life amid a growing society of increased stress and non-spiritual preoccupation.

Spread throughout Marjorie's work are a plethora of wonderfully placed quotations, from Scripture, those heralded in spiritual formation life, and words of guidance from Marjorie herself; each snippet encourages the reader to stop for a moment and reflect on the section currently being read. In all, nearly one hundred reflections are collected to complement her challenges. Far from forming a reader distraction, the delicate placement of these quotations provide rest and reflection. Within the first pages, it is clear that an immense amount of time and thought has been placed into the preparation and organization of Soul Feast. In the Acknowledgements, Marjorie mentions she was afforded the privilege of having eight readers advise and help guide the development of her book.
Additionally, Marjorie includes nearly thirty pages of back material; a Group Study Guide, a Notes and Reference section providing sentence descriptions of each referenced work, and a Select Bibliography organized into nine sections, one section for each chapter. The back material is an invaluable resource for engaging in further exploration in the issues covered and assists the reader in using the book in its intended format--to be used and not just read. This section alone is worth the purchase of Soul Feast.

In chapter one, The Spiritual Yearning of our Time, Marjorie suspects that our culture is witnessing a resurgence in the interest of spiritual discipline and describes the movement as being close to that of the Great Awakening. The rhymes and reasons of this advance, as she phrases it, are cultural factors, such as technological advances, superficiality, and fear, personal factors, such as suffering and tragedy and dissatisfaction with the traditional church model, and spiritual factors. The remainder of chapter one is spent introducing significant terms that will guide the following chapters, such as spirituality, spiritual formation, and spiritual disciplines, followed by a plea to embrace the need of making oneself spiritually well in a holistic manner. She offers,

The Spirit of God is the depth dimension of all that we know as life. The spiritual life is not one slice of existence but leaven for the whole loaf. It is the broadest, most encompassing dimension of who we are, embracing in its mystery what we call physical, mental, emotional, and volitional aspects of life. Nothing that we do, think, or imagine is without its impact on our spiritual life, and the spiritual life influences every other dimension of our being. Spirituality is naturally holistic. (15)

Chapter two, The Nature and Practice of Spiritual Reading, immediately dives into the importance of incorporating a steady and meditative diet of Scripture reading. Marjorie describes spiritual reading as having "as much to do with the intention, attitude, and manner we bring to the words as it does with the nature and content of those words. Spiritual reading is reflective and prayerful. It is concerned not with speed or volume but with depth and receptivity" (20). In our current society, where volume and quantity are often valued more highly than quality, this is a difficult practice to maintain. She continues by offering a wonderful analogy of Scripture, as an immensely deep lake that has never fully been plumbed, and speaks of the process where one moves from reading Scripture to having the Scripture actually read the person, becoming a judge to one's thoughts and heart. She concludes this chapter by giving attention to the ancient, and resurfacing, practice of Lectio Divina; Lectio approaches Scripture reading as a four part process that includes reading, meditation, response, and contemplation.

Marjorie begins chapter three, Approaches to Prayer, by simply saying that our "real task in prayer is to attune ourselves to the conversation already going on deep in our hearts. Then we may align our conscious intentions with the desire of God being expressed at our core" (33). She provides several valuable sections in this chapter; prayer as communication (listening and speaking), various approaches to intercessory prayer, practical exercises and methods for successfully preparing oneself for prayer, and a section on contemplative prayer.
Chapter four, Our Common Worship, addresses the need of living a life actively engaged in the constant worship of God. Approached in part to speak against the highly individualistic society we are becoming, Marjorie exposes many benefits in gathering corporately for the worship of God, while also offering healthy suggestions for maintaining one's personal and private worship. One section that I feel should have seen extended was on recapturing the discipline of the Sabbath, a practice that seems to have nearly left our culture. Perhaps the most helpful section of this chapter is Marjorie's advice on how to remain engaged during corporate worship, even when we feel disconnected to some portion of the service. She provides ten wonderful exercises to help remain engaged despite preoccupation or distractions due to a particular worship approach or style. Marjorie concludes the chapter with a few pages directed to ministry leaders, in which she provides ways the pastors may benefit as well from the service.

Chapter five, Rediscovering the Fast, is the shortest of the seven middle chapters; it provides the expected guidance toward fasting from food, drink, and activity, but also offers an invaluable and rarely mentioned section on other forms of fasting non-related to bodily nourishment. Marjorie's approach to fasting is both refreshing and challenging and offers many practical ways to implement the practice into our every day spiritual life. Marjorie approaches fasting from the standpoint of withholding from distractions and becoming more spiritually aware of the things we take for granted.

The very idea of intentionally being without (food) for even a day may threaten some of the unconscious assumptions on which our lives are built. In a more tangible, visceral way than any other spiritual discipline, fasting reveals our excessive attachments and the assumptions that lie behind them. Food is necessary to life, but we have made it more necessary than God. How often have we neglected to remember God's presence when we would never consider neglecting to eat! Fasting brings us face to face with how we put the material world ahead of its spiritual Source...We will comprehend little of how we are nourished by Christ until we have emptied ourselves of the kinds of sustenance that keep us content to live at life's surface. (77)

In her section on additional forms of fasting, Marjorie mentions removing from our days the background noise of the radio and television and instead being gently guided by the natural sound of our silent surroundings. She also speaks to our addiction of receiving acknowledgment in our deeds and encourages anonymity in charitable actions to help fast from the need of personal recognition. Largely related to abstinence, fasting encourages the person to examine what it is being done in excess. "Fasting is not primarily a discipline through which (one gains) greater control over (one's) life, but one through which God gains access to redirect and help (one's) body, mind and spirit" (84). As a quote from Macrina Wiederkehr expresses, when women and men move away from their appetites for food, recognition, and other temptations, new hungers arrive in their place, such as hungers for justice, goodness, and holiness.

Chapter six, Self-examination, Confession, and Awareness, encourages the reader to face God, rather than the self, by committing to consistent spiritual evaluation and confession. Marjorie provides a helpful section on how to perform a Life Review and examines the spiritual fruits discovered in better knowing one's self. This chapter leads seamlessly into chapter seven, The Gift of Spiritual Direction, where Marjorie speaks to the importance of seeking a spiritual mentor or guide along the daily path of spiritual living. With helpful examples of spiritual direction during early Christianity, the general role and various styles of a director, and how to choose a director, this chapter is invaluable when it comes to applying the concepts of spiritual health and accountability. Providing samples of various spiritual direction settings, Marjorie offers vivid demonstrations of the benefits incurred during the process. "Spiritual companionship in the Christian life is a precious grace. Our journeys are not meant to be utterly solitary. Trying to be fruitful to God can be a lonely and trying path. We need each other. We grow best in community" (123-4).

In chapter eight, The Spirit of Hospitality, Marjorie begins her discussion with the ways in which God first demonstrated hospitality, through creation itself, and secondly, post-fall, through the Incarnation. These two immense acts of hospitality are to serve as the catalyst for our own actions to sisters and brothers today. Our first act of hospitality, therefore, is to receive from God his glorious acts of creation and redemption. This demonstration to God is further carried out and expressed "in our intentions and actions toward every creature God loves. We are not permitted to separate our love for God from our love for others" (133). Marjorie provides several wonderful sections on applying hospitality holistically--in our home, our workplace, our neighborhood, and in our churches. She concludes beautifully,
Our hospitality is rooted and grounded in God's hospitality to us in Christ. Until we know this love deep in the core of our hearts, we will have neither courage nor trust to share hospitality with others in more than superficial ways. Christian hospitality is a risk taken in faith. It is an act of sacrificial joy offered in the full light of the risen Christ, a light that transforms our perspective on everything. (143, emphasis mine)

The final chapter, Developing a Rule of Life, brings the seven discussed disciplines together by providing practical approaches of application and a warning against trying to implement each of these practices immediately, again stressing Marjorie's deliberate approach to quality over quantity. She refers to a rule of life as the spiritual structure required to achieve spiritual growth; it is structure that supports and encourages our freedom to grow in faith. This concluding chapter provides examples of historical rules that helped guide such towering figures as Pope John XXIII, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Dorothy Day.
Marjorie's final words are an appeal to the reader to remain accountable to one's self, to take seriously one's spiritual well-being, and to be considerate in the careful application of the spiritual disciplines discussed. For, it is "far better to commit to a single practice and stick with it than to take on five and quit altogether because you cannot keep up. The spiritual life is not a heroic achievement. It is a matter of gradual growth in faithfulness. Realistic commitment is an expression of humility" (151).

Soul Feast: An Invitation to the Christian Spiritual Life is a highly recommended resource for those interested in moving beyond shallow faith and dip their feet in the deep, deep waters of spiritual formation. Marjorie's wise, sincere, and practical advice guides the reader through the complicated and yet urgent command to resemble the image of Christ more and more each day.

Marjory Thompson's "A Soul Feast" is not only instructional, but it is inspirational. I purchased the book for an Introduction to Spirituality class. Although she does explain spirituality and forms of prayer, Ms. Thompson's writing does not allow the book to become a dry academic read. The text was alive and filled me with joy as well as the desire to practice new ways of praying to God. That desire manifested itself while I read the text...and after I was finished reading. The book is appropriate for all Christian denominations and it makes sense that members of other faith traditions could benefit from "Soul Feast," also.

While this book was read for a discussion group and did elicit some group discussion, it was a difficult read for many including myself as leader. At times, it felt as though it were written for those seeking to spend time in lengthy spiritual retreat--perhaps in a monastery or convent. Some sections and ideas put forth could easily be applicable to the common lay person seeking a deeper faith relationship with God but there were so many instructions for following the disciplines that it seemed overwhelming and impossible to accomplish. Probably a great read for divinity students.