The Sacred Way: Spiritual Practices for Everyday Life (Emergent YS) (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This book mines the rich history of the church for spiritual disciplines that have been largely forgotten in the practice of Christianity. After introductory material that considers the human longing for spirituality and setting a working definition of the term ("To be enlivened by God’s Spirit is the goal of Christian spirituality."), there is a historical and theological exploration of sixteen different ancient practices.

From the Back Cover

Broaden your spiritual horizons.

How has spirituality changed in the last 500, 1,000, or even 2,000 years? How can ancient approaches to faith help my relationship with God today? In The Sacred Way, popular author and speaker Tony Jones mines the rich history of 16 spiritual disciplines that have flourished throughout the ages and offers practical tips for implementing them in your daily life. Find encouragement and challenge through time-tested disciplines such as: •Silence and solitude •The Jesus prayer •Meditation •Pilgrimage Explore these proven approaches to deepening your faith. As you do, your way of living your spiritual life will never be the same.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan/Youth Specialties (February 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310258103
• ISBN-13: 978-0310258100
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #176,280 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read for all spiritual seekers., November 1, 2005

By	James Mills "Ecclesial Dreamer" (Colorado) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As observers of contemporary culture are keenly aware, the quest for spirituality is everywhere. Supernatural themes in movies, television dramas and talk shows like Oprah, best selling fiction and numerous popular websites reveal that we are on a quest to get in touch with something bigger than ourselves. While many proclaimed Christians shy away from these discussions as being too "New Age," "Pagan," or even Anti-Christian, Tony Jones offers a refreshing alternative. As one who is deeply committed to the historic Christian faith, the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and a deep appreciation for the Church, Tony presents a compelling case that those seeking for deep spiritual meaning in everyday life need look no further than Christianity. The Sacred Way introduces its readers to the Christian roots of many spiritual disciplines and practices that have shaped the faith of Jesus Christ's followers for over 2000 years.

Tony does not back down from the claims from some conservative Protestants that these practices are unorthodox. Instead, with the heart of a pastor, he examines the rich history and deep theology that has surrounded these disciplines as they have developed over the centuries. After laying down these foundations he gently invites the reader to explore them within the comfort levels of their own traditions. No doubt, many readers will learn a lot about their own traditions that surprise them. And this may be one of the biggest strengths of the book. It is only when we understand where we come from that we can intentionally map out where we want to go. When we learn to appreciate the beautiful depths of the diversity of the early Christian faith we may be able to embrace a vision of the future gathering of all the people of God. The disciplines that Tony introduces us to in this book go a long way in making such a generous orthodoxy a reality in the present.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great primer for spiritual practice, January 18, 2006

By	Buck Rogers (Framingham, MA) - See all my reviews

This book was originally published under the title "Soul Shaper," and was intended as a training manual for youth ministers. But the book has just as much, if not more, to offer busy adults looking for ways to practice Christian spirituality. Each chapter offers a highly-readable, yet remarkably detailed survey of the techniques, theology, and history of a particular form of prayer, meditation, or devotion. Jones manages to present his instructions in a casual "how-to" format without cheapening the spiritual topics he discusses or reducing the book to a silly "mysticism for dummies" manual. That's no small accomplishment.

Lisa Hill, the one negative reviewer on this site, points out that this material may be controversial. Many of the spiritual practices discussed in the book have their roots in medieval Catholic and Eastern Orthodox spiritual disciplines. Those raised in fundamentalist Baptist or evangelical Calvinist churches, where spirituality is considered to be primarily an intellectual endevour where one studies the Bible and attempts to deduce its teachings through rational analysis, might find the type of spirituality described in this book to be strange. Those in mainline churches will probably be much more comfortable with this book. It will be interesting to see if the revival of interest in Christian mysticism evident in the "emerging church" movement becomes anything more than a brief fad.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A soon-to-be classic for the contemporary Christian mystic, December 8, 2005

By	S. Pompa (Maryland) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Essentially a reprint of his earlier work, Soul Shaper, Tony Jones spells out the essentials of modern Christian mysticism for the busy person. All the chapters are detailed, yet not overly crowded. He tells you things you might find only in such places as the Philokalia. You can tell he is much more than an observer, but an actual practitioner. Christianity desperately needs to remember its mystical heritage. Most of the great early Church Fathers were mystics. They knew not to separate spirituality from theology. Buy this book to learn about the contemporary way to practice time-proven ways of being "in Christ," not just following Him.