Reading the Christian Spiritual Classics: A Review
Goggin, Jamin and Kyle Strobel (eds.). Reading the Christian Spiritual Classics: A Guide for Evangelicals. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2013. 332 pp. (paperback).
Have you ever tried to read a “Christian classic,” only to walk away confused? Perhaps your complaint was that the text was difficult to read and understand, or boring, or just plain weird. Or perhaps you understood it fine; you just couldn’t comprehend why it has received so much attention through the years.
Sometimes we have difficulty with a Christian classic because we can’t appreciate the context in which it was written—whether cultural, historical, theological, or other. Fortunately, IVP Academic has released Reading the Christian Spiritual Classics to help us wade through some of these difficulties. In a sentence, this book gives us the intellectual, categorical tools we need to make sense of these classics, thereby enabling us to understand and appreciate them.
Book Summary
Compiled by editors Jamin Goggin and Kyle Strobel, Reading the Christian Spiritual Classics is broadly divided into four parts. These four parts are comprised of fourteen chapters, each written by a different author. Below I will offer a summary of them, and then analyze strengths and weaknesses of the book.
a. Part 1: “Approaching Spiritual Classics” (Chapters 1-3)
In many ways, Part 1 serves as an extended introduction for the book. In chapter 1, Steve Porter begins by asking why we should read spiritual classics in the first place, offering several theological rationales. This chapter serves as an apologetic for why the Christian classics are, not simply a worthwhile pursuit, but a biblical pursuit for any person identifying him/herself as a Christian:
[T]he classics are a peculiarly fitting means of the Spirit’s illumination of his transformational presence and Word. The classics of Christian spirituality offer reflections on a biblical understanding of Christian holiness as well as contextualized examples of living out such holiness, and thereby extend to us the opportunity to engage the body of Christ across the centuries [1].
In chapter 2, John Coe warns readers about various temptations that may accompany the reading of spiritual classics. One example he gives is intellectual vice, by which he means that some could develop an intellectual pride, or a tendency to learn knowledge simply for knowledge’s sake. Coe warns readers against such temptations. Finally, Betsy Barber considers the value of spiritual classics in “soul care” in chapter 3.
b. Part 2: “The Spiritual Classics Tradition” (Chapters 4-6)
In chapter 4, Evan Howard surveys over twelve schools of Christian spirituality through the church’s history: everyone from the early church desert fathers to modern evangelicalism. As this chapter is only about 15 pages long, this is truly a broad, introductory overview. But it is a helpful one that sets a good context for reading in these various areas. In chapter 5, Greg Peters gives an historical overview of “spiritual theology,” which he defines as “the living out of the gospel of Jesus Christ” [2]. He then traces what this looked like for representative figures through the church’s history.
Finally, James Houston discusses the genre and use of classic Christian literature, as well as the value in engaging it, in chapter 6. While he offers warnings regarding certain abuses that may be shown toward the classics, he also offers several affirmative points. For instance, he points to what he dubs the “logocentric” characteristic of the great Christian tradition; that is, this tradition is rooted and mediated in the Word Who became flesh and dwelt among us (cf. Jn. 1:14).
c. Part 3: “Reading Evangelically” (Chapters 7-9)
Part 3 is of particular importance for evangelicals who may be interested in the Christian classics, as it offers warnings and helps in reading various types of Christian classics. For example, Bruce Demarest gives attention to catholic spirituality in chapter 7, while James Payton Jr. considers orthodox spirituality in chapter 8. Each offers examples of wisdom that we can gain from these areas of spirituality, giving attention to particular authors and themes, and even making suggestions for further reading.
At the same time, neither is unaware of the dangers that accompany the reading of catholic and orthodox spirituality for evangelicals. And so each author warns against certain themes that curious readers will no doubt come across. Then in chapter 9, Fred Sanders, who has written a recent biography on John Wesley (Wesley on the Christian Life), gives similar advice as these previous two authors. Sanders offers this principle: “first open, then cautious” [3].
d. Part 4: “How to Read the Spiritual Classics” (Chapters 10-14)
Finally, having provided an approach to Christian classics, given an overview of the spirituality of Christian classics, and offered several nuggets of help and caution in Parts 1-3, Part 4 concludes with each author focusing specifically on a different period of church history. In surveying their respective eras of church history, each author considers the historical circumstances, theological context and assumptions, genre types, and hermeneutical framework of their given time period. They also review representative figures and texts, offer practical uses for the church today, and recommend suggested readings. What follows is the chapter and author lineup for these chapters:
– Chapter 10: The Church Fathers and Mothers (Michael Glerup)
– Chapter 11: The Desert Fathers (Gerald Sittser)
– Chapter 12: The Medieval Traditions (Greg Peters)
– Chapter 13: The Reformation Traditions (Timothy George; see our interview with him)
– Chapters 14: The Puritan & Pietistic Traditions (Tom Schwanda)
Book Analysis
What are the strengths and weaknesses of this book? On the whole, Reading the Christian Spiritual Classics accomplishes what it sets out to do—namely, to provide a guide for evangelicals who are interested in pursuing the Christian spiritual classics. As such, this book will not and cannot give an analytical, in-depth treatment of any one subject. While it does offer some analysis, it is necessarily limited.
That said, it is a helpful primer both for the introduction to and continuation of the reading of Christian classics. In the hands of the novice, this book will prove an invaluable resource. Without much of the groundwork of context, hermeneutics, caution, and so forth, those new to the Christian classics could quickly find themselves lost. In the hands of someone well versed in the classics, this book can serve as a reference book, as it disseminates a great deal of information for just 332 pages.
As Reading the Christian Spiritual Classics is a guide for evangelicals (broadly conceived), the multiplicity of authors includes both men and women from distinct evangelical traditions. This could be a strength or weakness, depending upon a reader’s perspective. In my opinion, this is a helpful feature, as it broadens one’s exposure to ideas, and offers fresh takes on familiar subjects.
If there were one thing that I would say critically about this book, it would concern its organization. At times it is a bit repetitive and even choppy, as different authors touch on similar, if not identical themes. That said, the strengths far outweigh the weaknesses.
Book Recommendation
Should I read this book? If you are at all interested in or curious about the Christian classics, I say “yes,” for at least three reasons. First, this book is a good introduction to many of the classic Christian texts of church history. Part of the HSF’s mission statement is to “encourage all Christians to engage with the entirety of the greater Christian tradition.” And this book certainly helps accomplish that. In fact, one of the book’s most helpful features appears at the end in a section called “Suggested Reading.” This is a nearly-30 page bibliography strictly on primary and secondary sources for those interested in Christian spiritual classics—highly practical, highly useful, and highly recommended. This list alone is worth the price of the book.
Second, by familiarizing ourselves with the Christian classics, we are better able to see past our cultural and generational blind spots. As Barber puts it in chapter 3, “We are no more commonly aware of our cultural assumptions than we are of our eyewear or of the air that we breathe” [4]. By exposing us to more, the Christian classics help us transcend our narrow perspectives. This book helps us do that.
Third, by reading the Christian classics, and books on the Christian classics, we place ourselves in greater communion with the Church—that is, our family. “The spiritual classics,” writes George, “help us to find our place within the wider body of Christ” [5].
In conclusion, this volume is a helpful, practical introduction to the world of the Christian spiritual classics. As for the classics themselves, while they are by no means easy to understand or quick to read necessarily, they are highly recommended and worthwhile.
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[1] Steve Porter, “Why Should We Read Spiritual Classics?,” Goggin, Jamin and Kyle Strobel (eds.), Reading the Christian Spiritual Classics: A Guide for Evangelicals (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2013), 30.
[2] Greg Peters, “Spiritual Theology: A Historical Overview,” Reading the Christian Spiritual Classics, 79.
[3] Fred Sanders, “Reading Spiritual Classics as Evangelical Protestants,” Reading the Christian Spiritual Classics, 149.
[4] Betsy Barber, “The Value of Spiritual Classics in Soul Care,” Reading the Christian Spiritual Classics, 54.
[5] Timothy George, “The Reformation Traditions,” Reading the Christian Spiritual Classics, 268.
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