A Brief History of Spirituality - Softcover

Sheldrake, Philip

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1405117710 ISBN 13: 9781405117715

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell, 2007

Synopsis

A Brief History of Spirituality tells the story of Christian spirituality from its origins in the New Testament to the present day.

• Charts the main figures, ideas, images and historical periods, showing how and why spirituality has changed and developed over the centuries
• Draws out the distinctive themes of Christian spirituality, exploring the historical and cultural events and experiences that changed people’s attitudes and practices
• Coverage extends right up to the modern day, exploring the huge changes in spirituality in recent years and the way it is nowadays often contrasted with ‘religion’
• Written by a leading commentator on spirituality, and published in the popular Brief Histories of Religion series

About this title

Book Description:

A Brief History of Spirituality charts the development of the Christian tradition of spirituality from its origins in the New Testament to the present day. Author Philip Sheldrake, a leading figure in the development of spirituality as an academic subject, suggests that Christian spirituality can only be understood in terms of a series of dialectical tensions : experience and practice; interiority and external engagement; personal and collective; this-worldly and future-oriented. Begining with a brief discussion of the importance of history when approaching spiritual traditions, this book then, working within a broad chronological framework, goes on to draws out the distinctive themes and emphases of Christian spirituality and show how and why different styles of spirituality have emerged at different points throughout history. Finally, an epilogue explores major shifts in the understanding of spirituality in the last part of the twentieth century and suggests some critical trajectories for the coming decades.

From the Back Cover:

A Brief History of Spirituality tells the story of Christian spirituality from its origins in the New Testament to the present day. Moving through the main figures and historical periods, the author shows how and why spirituality has changed and developed over the centuries.

Philip Sheldrake, a leading commentator on spirituality, draws out the distinctive themes of Christian spirituality, exploring the historical and cultural events that changed people’s attitudes and practices. The major spiritual teachers are described, along with the ideas, images and experiences that so strongly affected those around them. Coming right up to the modern day, the book explores the huge changes in spirituality in recent years and examines the way it is often contrasted with “religion.”

About this edition

• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 1405117710
• ISBN 13: 9781405117715
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 272