The Upper Room Dictionary of Christian Spiritual Formation

This reference book, compiled with the help of more than 50 scholars from many denominations, provides a basic guide to Christian spiritual formation through more than 470 entries. It covers such subjects as great spiritual teachers of the past and present, important topics in Christian spirituality, and ways to pray and lead groups in prayer and spiritual growth.

Containing enough information to get you started but not so many details as to overwhelm, the entries in this dictionary answer such questions as:

This dictionary also includes a chart that compares various Christian spiritual traditions, plus a list of significant spiritual classics by title and author.

Keith Beasley-Topliffe retired in July 2016 after serving as a United Methodist pastor for 36 years. He holds a BA from Cornell University, an MDiv from Boston University School of Theology, and an MA from The Institute of Formative Spirituality, Duquesne University. Beasley-Topliffe was the editor of The Upper Room Spiritual Classics, a major contributor to The Spiritual Formation Bible, and general editor of The Upper Room Dictionary of Spiritual Formation. He is the author of Surrendering to God: Living the Covenant Prayer (Paraclete Press, 2004).