Streams of Living Water: Celebrating the Great Traditions of Christian Faith [Hardcover]

Richard J. Foster (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 8, 1998 | ISBN-10: 0060667435 | ISBN-13: 978-0060667436 | Edition: 1st

Richard Foster founded RENOVARE (Latin for "to make new") for the purpose of encouraging long-term commitment to spiritual renewal and growth.Now, in this landmark work, he examines the foundation of Christian experience--six dimensions of faith and practice--and explains the unique contributions of each one.

These great historical movements or "streams," as Foster calls them, are Contemplative, Holiness, Charismatic, Social Justice, Evangelical and Incarnational. Each stream emphasizes a different aspect of life and faith; for example, the Contemplative way is a prayer-filled life, while the way of Holiness is a life of virtue. Foster lifts up the enduring character of each tradition in the midst of constantly evolving faith. He shows how a variety of practices, from individual study and retreat to disciplines of service and community, are all essential elements of growth and maturity.

What Foster ultimately discovers is that while each tradition is capable of providing spiritual growth, the most complete renewal can only come from combining the best from each tradition. Stream of Living Water integrates Foster's work in seeking the most complete, most fulfilling path to spiritual renewal. He identifies the strengths and weaknesses of each tradition and offers practical ways to incorporate these traditions in our daily life--offering his devoted readership a clear and tangible course to authentic Christian experience.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Streams of Living Water is Richard J. Foster's roundup of six great traditions of Christian spiritual practice. His essays on spirituality--contemplative, holiness, charismatic, social justice, evangelical, and incarnational--are grounded in straightforward profiles of biblical and modern characters whom Foster considers exemplars of these traditions. (The prophet Amos and the Quaker abolitionist John Woolman, for example, are featured in the chapter on social justice.) Each chapter ends with a bit of advice about how readers can cultivate new aspects of spiritual life and keep these Christian traditions alive: "Take a bath instead of a shower. Waste time for God," Foster writes, in his chapter on the contemplative tradition. Foster doesn't really break new ground in Streams of Living Water--he's written about most of these spiritual disciplines elsewhere--but this book is a useful and engaging introduction to a fairly broad range of Christian spiritual practices. --Michael Joseph Gross

Review

"...a marvel of a book covering two milleniums of Christian experience. With clarity and restraint, Foster invites the reader to draw from his wells of wisdom as he paints in words the portraits of those who have shaped our rich and varied heritage. His broad brush strokes bring to life the streams of living water that for centuries have nourished our souls. Not only that, he generously gives tangible application to our fragmented lives in the here and now." -- Ingrid Trobisch, author of THE CONFIDENT WOMAN and KEEPER OF THE SPRINGS

"Foster's engaging writing and thoughtful presentation make the book appealing to a broad readership." -- -- Publishers Weekly

"Richard Foster has written another classic." -- Dallas Morning News

"Richard J. Foster has offered the church an exquisite gift in his new book STREAMS OF LIVING WATER. Foster paints a masterful portrait of Jesus... This well-written and immensely appealing book needs tobe read by every individual who is committed to reaching maturity in his or her spiritual life." -- Sojourners Magazine

"STREAMS OF LIVING WATER is educational and inspirational...[it] provides the chart for negotiaiting through the shallows and narrows, the rapids and bays that make up a remarkably diverse and ric body of faith."-Dale Hanson Bourke, Religion News Service --

"STREAMS OF LIVING WATER may well be Foster's most important work yet." -- A Closer Look

"This book is an amazing bridge-builder." -- CBA Marketplace

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: HarperOne; 1st edition (September 8, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060667435
• ISBN-13: 978-0060667436
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #463,731 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

61 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Book for the Warp and Woof of The Christian Life, May 15, 2000

By 

John C. Tittle - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Streams of Living Water: Celebrating the Great Traditions of Christian Faith (Hardcover)

We now live in a post-denominational world. Technology has moved us all into a global community. We find ourselves daily exposed to the rich cultures and perspectives of the world. Our provincial and limited expressions have expanded exponentially because of this. Today we have the freedom to draw from past and present traditions to shape and enrich our faith and world-view. People are more open to discussion and interaction than ever before. In keeping with this new reality, Richard Foster has done us a wonderful favor by applying this to our spirituality. No longer do we have to be limited to our own particular denomination or upbringing. We can keep our own spiritual background and identity, but also add on and incorportate different streams of Christian expression to enrich our approach to God and practice of faith. And so Foster paints a broad picture of the Christian faith for us to gaze upon. We don't have to take sides. Foster persuades us that the issue at hand is not either/or, but both/and. Like a mosaic each Christian can incorporate the living streams of the contempletive, holiness, social justice, evangelical, charismatic, and incarnational traditions to the "warp and woof" of life, as Foster likes to phrase it. This approach will make our lives into a unified, yet diverse work of art. He illustrates so clearly each "stream" by using historical examples of those who practiced each style particularly well. First he uses Biblical characters that emphasized each approach. Then he shows how Christ perfectly fulfilled each tradition of the faith. He clearly spells out the strong points and the dangers of each tradition. And finally Foster helps us put into practice each of them from his own perspective and experience. I appreciate how Foster has helped introduce church history to mainstream Christianity. However, some portions of his point by point explanations in the book get a bit tedious. But that must not stop us from drinking deep of this book. Foster shows how practicing a well-rounded faith will protect us from being prideful, narrow-minded, or falling into a spiritual rut. If we follow Foster's beckoning we will also be more unified as the body of Christ. Foster is right that our unity is one of the most powerful testimonies to the world that God is alive and well. This book has opened my eyes to areas of my faith that need to be cultivated more. Foster has inspired me to draw from the wells of the living streams of Christian expression throughout the ages and nations. Any serious 21st century believer should slake his or her spiritual thirst with "Streams of Living Water" by Richard Foster.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another in the Series, February 11, 2004

By 

R. Kirkham "jrkirkham" (Rushville, Illinois USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Streams of Living Water: Celebrating the Great Traditions of Christian Faith (Paperback)

PLOT: Like some other Renovare' books, this one deals with 6 traditions of Christianity: contemplative, holiness, charismatic, social justice, evangelical, and incarnational. For each tradition (stream) Foster introduces us to Christians from Scripture, history, and modern times who serve as examples of that stream.

PROBLEMS: There was nothing wrong with the examples Foster selected, but they didn't grab me as much as other Renovare books have. Perhaps I'd rather read each person's own words than read about that person's life. Also, the binding on my book broke. I don't know if that is a problem or just happened to me.

POSITIVES: For me, the joy of this book was in the appendix and extra material. Foster gives us one appendix of critical turning points in church history and another of notable figures and significant movements in church history. He begins each chapter with a chart from the time of Jesus to present that lists significant people, movements, and dates related to that tradition.

CONCLUSION: The extra material is easily worth the cost of the book. The chapters are just the added bonus on this one. I've returned to these charts for reference time and time again.

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the most important books you will ever read, October 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Streams of Living Water: Celebrating the Great Traditions of Christian Faith (Hardcover)

Foster's "Streams of Living Water" emphasizes a MUCH needed piece of the Christian faith: acknowledging and embracing the fact that the followers of Christ approach Him in different ways. Not only are other Christian traditions valid, but they each provide an important piece to living the whole Christian life.

The book is not deeply theological, but does provide a broad outline of the history, characterizations, benefits and perils of each of the six major Christian traditions. While a more theologically reflective work would be helpful, Foster's is extremely accessible reading and lays a great foundation.

Of the books a person ought to read in their lifetime, this has made number three on my list (after the Bible and Bonhoeffer's "Cost of Discipleship"). It is a must read for any Christian who's perspective on the faith is pidgeon-holed into his or her own tradition.