Soul Friend: The Practice of Christian Spirituality

In 1977 the first edition of Soul Friend was published, a book that has since become a classic in the field. Now Kenneth Leech has revised it, removing noninclusive language, and adding some material that relates to the changes in our society since that time. Scholarly, yet accessible, Leech's book explores the range of issues that concern both directors and those who seek the history of spiritual direction, the relationship between director and directee, the practice of prayer in the Christian spiritual tradition, and the role of the spiritual director, not just for the individual but in the larger society. Using contemporary theories in the field of psychology and spiritual practice, Leech never loses sight of the richness of ancient understandings. As Michael Ramsey, former Archbishop of Canterbury said of Leech's first "At last we have a work on the cure of souls which understands the trends of the present day and at the same time draws upon the deep tradition of Christian spirituality in the work of counselor, confessor, and spiritual director."