Inner Way: Eastern Christian Spiritual Direction

This persuasive study of spiritual direction, based on its origin in the Eastern Christian tradition, calls for the rebirth of the discipline as a specific ministry in the life of today's church. Allen demonstrates how the vital but neglected practice of spiritual direction speaks to our contemporary spiritual needs.

Allen, a product of the Eastern Orthodox tradition, presents a much-needed book on the history, theology, psychology, and ministry of spiritual direction. With the blossoming of holistic health centers and New Age treatments of disease, the emergence of spiritual direction as an option for both religious and lay people has become increasingly apparent. Allen discusses the spiritual physician whose job is to reconcile the client with God and neighbor. He looks at characteristics of this ministry and at methods that enable the direction to take place. Finally, he presents practitioners of spiritual direction and discusses how they integrate the various elements needed. Allen's writing is direct and insightful. His criticisms of various psychological methods are competent and sometimes surprising. A good introduction for those who are interested in spiritual direction as a ministry or those who seek to find the place of religion in psychological counseling. Mary Deeley