Amazon.com Review
There is a movement in Christianity toward assimilating certain practices and attitudes of Eastern thought, which though sometimes present in nascent form in Christianity, really come to a full flowering in Hinduism and Buddhism. What We Can Learn From the East grew out of an invitation to speak to a pan-sectarian group of Christian retreat leaders who wanted to know what they could learn about spiritual development from Eastern traditions. Bruteau delivers the goods, elucidating Eastern concepts and drawing insightful parallels with Biblical passages. Her thorough grasp of Christianity as well as the Eastern traditions inspires confidence and attention.
From Booklist
The impetus for this book was a request from a group of Christian retreat directors who wanted to know what they could learn from Eastern spiritual traditions. Bruteau's response was a series of five easily accessible, nontechnical reflections on various aspects of Hinduism and Buddhism offered generally as interpretations of Christian practices or texts. Here, she has added two additional essays, "Gospel Zen" and "The Immaculate Conception, Our Original Face." Both continue the interpretive application of Eastern traditions to Christian texts. The book's popular style is both a strength and a weakness; it is accessible to a broad audience but generally scratches only the surface of the Eastern traditions it introduces. Bruteau's interpretations of Christian texts, however, are often insightful and may spark further exploration and dialogue with the East. Steve Schroeder
