A leading spiritual writer recovers "The Desert Way of Believing" -- the spiritual pathway discovered by early Christian monks who lived in the Egyptian desert that is still relevant to Christians today. Alan Jones distills the elements that made this fully orthodox way of inner transformation a unique and important part of the early church. Refreshingly readable and filled with rich insights, Soul Making draws together the spirituality of modern literature and elements of psychology. Jones shows how the desert way can become for any spiritual seeker a soul-stretching means of experiencing the "wonder, mystery, and awe" at the heart of the Christian faith.
| ||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Alan W. Jones, Ph.D., is the dean of Grace Cathedral (Episcopal) in San Francisco, California. He was formerly the director of ascetical theology at General Theological Seminary in New York City. Born and education in England, Jones was also on the staff of Trinity Institute of Wall Street's Trinity Church. He is well known as a speaker and retreat leader and is also the author of Journey into Christ, Exploring Spiritual Direction, and co-author of Living in the Spirit.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
35 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Profound insights for those who seek them,
This review is from: Soul Making: The Desert Way of Spirituality (Paperback)
My minister spoke with me last September of the "gift of tears" mentioned in one of the chapters of this book. These tears "soften the heart and open the soul". At the time I was beginning treatment for clinical depression and was spending quite a bit of time excercising this "gift" and was sure that these tears were signs of my lack of faith in God. He helped me to see that the ability to cry for the world is fundamental to the Christian soul. Nine months later, I discovered this book from which that term derived.Jones has written a challenging and spiritually inspiring guide to our progress through such questions as "Who is God? Who am I? What is the meaning of my life?" The resonance of his prose, the depth of his understanding, the richness of his literary references is phenomenol. If you are on a journey, seeking to discover the "soul" within you, you will find this book quite enlightening. I cannot reccommend this book highly enough! It is not easy reading, but the answers to life and faith are not easy ones. This is a book to be savored, pondered, and returned to again and again as we continue in the life long process of "soul making".
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thought-provoking and insightful.,
By meyana00@pop.uky.edu (Kentucky) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Soul Making: The Desert Way of Spirituality (Paperback)
"I want to be a believer with passion and intelligence - and that longing always leads me into a desert place, a place of emptiness and death. And it is there that I begin to learn how to love" (quote from SoulMaking). Jones' book offers soul-food for the spiritual seekers. He explores the dark night of the soul that all believers experience; the times without like-minded fellowship where spirituality is defined solely by intimacy with God.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding and in depth exploration of living christianity,
By A Customer
This review is from: Soul Making: The Desert Way of Spirituality (Paperback)
This is a book which draws you slowly to investigating the truth at your own core regarding your living of Christianity. It soars above individual church politics and invites you to truly discern your path. Not easy but compelling. A book to be read over time and savored as you grow .
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
Inside This Book
(learn more)
First Sentence:
When Teresa of Avila described the soul as an interior castle which most people explore, she was stating truth we needed Freud and Jung to demonstrate. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
desert believer, fiftieth gate, desert tradition, third conversion, stopping the world, desert way, second conversion, soul making, first conversion, threefold way Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Father Quixote, Jesus Christ, Don Juan, Graham Greene, Brother Leo, John of the Cross, Holy Spirit, Carol Bly, Kingdom of God, Sister Death, Walker Percy, Anne Sexton, Bottomless Abyss, Father Garrigou-Lagrange, Harry Williams, Janet Malcolm, Things Invisible, William Golding, World War, Anne Carlisle, Body of Christ, Catherine of Siena, John Mortimer, Morton Kelsey, North Wind New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
When Teresa of Avila described the soul as an interior castle which most people explore, she was stating truth we needed Freud and Jung to demonstrate. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
desert believer, fiftieth gate, desert tradition, third conversion, stopping the world, desert way, second conversion, soul making, first conversion, threefold way Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Father Quixote, Jesus Christ, Don Juan, Graham Greene, Brother Leo, John of the Cross, Holy Spirit, Carol Bly, Kingdom of God, Sister Death, Walker Percy, Anne Sexton, Bottomless Abyss, Father Garrigou-Lagrange, Harry Williams, Janet Malcolm, Things Invisible, William Golding, World War, Anne Carlisle, Body of Christ, Catherine of Siena, John Mortimer, Morton Kelsey, North Wind New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 94
books:
See all 94 books this book cites
24
books
cite this book:
See all 24 books citing this book
- World to Come by Don Cupitt on 5 pages
- The Rebel Angels (Cornish Trilogy) by Robertson Davies on 4 pages
- Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger on 4 pages
- Monsignor Quixote by Graham Greene on 4 pages
- Henry and Cato by Iris Murdoch on 4 pages
See all 94 books this book cites
- Sacred Companions: The Gift of Spiritual Friendship & Direction by David G. Benner in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
- The Word in the Desert: Scripture and the Quest for Holiness in Early Christian Monasticism by Douglas Burton-Christie on page 26, page 209, and Back Matter
- The Seeker's Way: Cultivating the Longings of a Spiritual Life by Dave Fleming on page 31, and page 57
- Soul: An Archaeology--Readings from Socrates to Ray Charles by Phil Cousineau in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- The Solace of Fierce Landscapes: Exploring Desert and Mountain Spirituality by Belden C. Lane in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
See all 24 books citing this book
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
So You'd Like to...
|
|
