Subversive Spirituality: Transforming Mission Through the Collapse of Space and Time (Princeton Theological Monograph) [Paperback]

L. Paul Jensen (Author), Wilbert R. Shenk (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2009 | Series: Princeton Theological Monograph (Book 113)

Subversive Spirituality links the practice and study of Christian spirituality with Christian mission. It develops a twofold thesis: grace, spiritual disciplines, and mission practices are inseparably linked in the mission of Jesus, of the early church, and of several historical renewal movements, as well as in a contemporary field research sample; and amidst the collapse of space and time evidenced by our culture's increasingly hurried pace of life, more time and space are needed for regular solitary and communal spiritual practices in church, mission, and leadership structures if Christian mission is to transform people and culture in our time. This requires a subversion of the collapsed spatial and temporal codes that have infected our Christian institutions. Jensen employs methods and approaches from a variety of academic disciplines to explore both spirituality in terms of space and time and mission in terms of deed and word. Specifically, Jensen examines the spirituality and mission of Jesus, the early church, the apostolic fathers, Origen, the Devotio Moderna, the early Jesuits, David Brainerd, and several women in 19th century Protestant missions. He considers the spirituality and mission that have arisen within the postmodern generations born after 1960. Based on the theological, historical, cultural, and field analyses of this study, a model for spirituality and mission is proposed. The model addresses the contemporary collapse of space and time and appears to have widespread applicability to diverse cultures and eras. Jensen's model is applied to the pluralistic and postmodern milieu of North America with recommendations for spirituality and mission in church, mission, and educational structures. A derivative model for teaching and practicing spirituality and mission in the academy, which also has application for non-formal leadership development structures, is also proposed. (James Clarke & Co 2011)

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Jensen (leadership and Christian formation, Fuller Theological Seminary, California) argues that various complex factors have conspired to disconnect Christian mission from spirituality, and describes what God is doing to reconnect them. Among the conspiring factors, he counts fascination with spiritualities other than Christian and the opportunity to be connected instantly with them through the Internet, the recognition that Western culture represents a cross-cultural challenge to mission, the hurried pace of life that separates outward mission from inner spirituality, and the disappearances of spaces and places conducive to meaningful relationships and community. The theme of rhythm ties it all together." Book News Inc., Reference - Research Book News - October 2011 'The highlights of the book are his treatment of the early church and modern examples of subversive spirituality ... Jensen [provides] a helpful sketch of the spiritual pursuits of young people who are the future of the church. He concludes that the church desperately needs increased space and time with God until He fills us with love and joy. Jensen hopes that readers will come away from Subversive Spirituality with a renewed passion for 'Communion, Community and Ministry' - the prescription for the hurry sickness of our culture.' Craig Stephans in Theological Book Review Vol. 23, No. 2, 2011 --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

L. Paul Jensen is founder and director of The Leadership Institute, in Orange, California, which offers non-formal training in spiritual formation, spiritual direction, and leadership development. He is Assistant Professor of Leadership and Christian Formation as well as an Assistant Professor of Spirituality in Contemporary Culture at Fuller Theological Seminary. He has authored articles on discipleship and spirituality, including several entries in the Encyclopaedia of Christian Civilization. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 369 pages
• Publisher: Pickwick Publications (August 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1606081543
• ISBN-13: 978-1606081549
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,056,046 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An important message for today's church, December 31, 2009

By 

Robert Fretz "High school teacher" (Edmonds, Washington) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Subversive Spirituality: Transforming Mission Through the Collapse of Space and Time (Princeton Theological Monograph) (Paperback)

This book is fantastic! I ate it up! I have never read anything like it. I love how Jensen compares the life of Jesus, the disciples, the early church and today, then links rhythms of spiritual practices to spiritual strength and renewal over the past 2,000 years. What Jensen has to say is very important for today's church.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Cutting-Edge Study with Myriad Implications/Applications, August 13, 2009

By 

Ramírez Luna - See all my reviews

This review is from: Subversive Spirituality: Transforming Mission Through the Collapse of Space and Time (Princeton Theological Monograph) (Paperback)

Dr. Jensen's counterintuitive wisdom and first-rate research allows us to see God's mission in many fresh, if unexpected, new ways. In this book, he basically argues that, 1) the significantly decreased amount of time and space--a by-product of postmodern cultural developments--has rendered a type of Christian leadership characterized by an inadequate inner spirituality and, consequently, a deprived (and/or inappropriate) missional engagement; 2) that in order to revert this situation, the church, on the one hand, must not accommodate to the space-time reduction and, on the other, must offer a renewed, deeper spirituality by streamlining new (i.e., suvbersive) ways of being a counter-cultural community, which will involve the making of unprecedented spaces for God as well as a rediscovery of the historic Christian spiritual disciplines and practices.

This book will speak loudly and prophetically to churches, educational institutions, and mission organizations that have been seduced by the strong, modernistic drive to be successful, productive and manageable that characterize corporate business but that, in the spirit of the gospel, should never define the mission of the church in the world.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Rallying Cry to the Church, September 28, 2011

By 

C. Stephans - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Subversive Spirituality: Transforming Mission Through the Collapse of Space and Time (Princeton Theological Monograph) (Paperback)

Marc Antony stirs the crowds of Rome in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar telling them, "I only speak right on; I tell you that which you yourselves do know." L. Paul Jensen's Subversive Spirituality also speaks right on emphasizing to readers what we know to be true. Jensen shouts to Christians that effective Christian mission depends on spiritual fullness flowing from God's grace.

Jensen's rallying cry exhorts us to return the time and space of our lives to God. Sadly, our culture sees anything standing in the way of instant gratification as a remnant of a passing, repudiated era. The goal of subversive spirituality is restoring the disciple's commitment to follow Jesus' way of life in what must become an heroic acceptance of God's grace and presence in this world of hurry.

Jensen has trolled Scripture, early church Fathers, exemplars from modernity and patterns of post-modernity for the rhythms of Christian spirituality that lead to empowered engagement in the Missio Dei. He finds that when the church is close to its source myriad solitary and communal spiritual disciplines characterize the lives of Christians. These practices correlate to transformative outgoing ministry. The result is the expansion of the church community.

Jensen's book retains the methodology of a dissertation with an excess of charts and organization. The highlights of the book are his treatment of the early church and modern age examples of subversive spirituality. In dealing with the post-modern age, he personifies and seems to over generalize x and y generations. Jensen provides a helpful sketch of the spiritual pursuits of young people who are the future of the church. He concludes that the church desperately needs increased space and time with God until he fills us with love.

Jensen hopes that readers will come away from Subversive Spirituality with a renewed passion for "Communion, Community and Ministry"--the prescription for the hurry sickness of our culture.