Description

Book Synopsis

Engagingly written by one of the world's leading scholars in this field, this comprehensively revised edition tells the story of Christian spirituality from its origins in the New Testament right up 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
  • Includes new chapters on the nature and meaning of spirituality, and on spirituality in the 21st century; and an account of the development and main features of devotional spirituality
  • Provides new coverage of Christian spirituality's relationship to other faiths throughout history, and their influence and impact on Christian beliefs and practices
  • Features expanded sections on mysticism, its relationship to spirituality, the key mystical figures, and the development of ideas of the mystical'
  • Explores the interplay between culture, geography, and spirituality, taking a global perspe

    Trade Review

    “This volume would be an excellent text for the upper-level or seminary student. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals/practitioners.” (Choice, 1 October 2013)



    Table of Contents

    Preface xi

    1 What is Spirituality? 1

    Origins of the Word “Spirituality” 2

    Contemporary Meaning 3

    What is Christian Spirituality? 6

    Spirituality and Mysticism 7

    The Study of Spirituality 9

    Spirituality and History 11

    Interpretation 12

    Types of Spirituality 15

    Periods and Traditions 17

    Conclusion: Criteria of Judgment 18

    2 Foundations: Scriptures and Early Church 23

    Christian Spirituality and the Scriptures 24

    Scriptural Markers 25

    Spirituality in the New Testament 27

    Spirituality and the Early Church 30

    Liturgy 31

    Spirituality and Martyrdom 32

    Shrines, Devotion, and Pilgrimage 33

    Spirituality and Doctrine 34

    Origen 35

    Evagrius 36

    The Cappadocians 36

    Augustine 37

    Pseudo-Dionysius 38

    Christian Spirituality as Transformation and Mission 39

    Theories of Spiritual Transformation 41

    Conclusion 43

    3 Monastic Spiritualities: 300–1150 47

    The Emergence of Monasticism 50

    Widows and Virgins 50

    Syrian Ascetics 51

    Egyptian Monasticism 52

    Wisdom of the Desert 53

    Monastic Rules 56

    Benedictine Expansion 59

    The New Hermits 61

    The Cistercians 63

    The Spiritual Values of Monasticism 65

    Spirituality and the Conversion of Europe 67

    Local Spiritualities: Ireland 68

    Spirituality in the East 70

    Syriac Spirituality 73

    Conclusion 74

    4 Spirituality in the City: 1150–1450 79

    The Gregorian Reform 80

    Apocalyptic Movements 81

    The Vita Evangelica 82

    Twelfth-Century Renaissance 83

    The Rebirth of Cities 84

    Cathedrals and Urban Vision 85

    The City as Sacred 86

    Universities as Sacred Space 87

    Vita Evangelica and Urban Sensibilities 88

    The Mendicant Movement 89

    Dominic, Francis, Clare, and Bonaventure 90

    The Beguines 94

    Fourteenth-Century Mysticism 96

    Julian of Norwich 98

    Crossing Spiritual Boundaries: The Influence of Islam 100

    Devotional Spirituality 101

    Spirituality and Eastern Christianity 102

    The Renaissance 104

    Conclusion 106

    5 Spiritualities in the Age of Reformations: 1450–1700 110

    Seeds of Reform: The Devotio Moderna and Christian Humanism 113

    The Crisis of Medieval Spirituality 114

    Spirituality and the Lutheran Reformation 115

    John Calvin and Reformed Spirituality 117

    The Radical Reformation: Anabaptist Spirituality 118

    Anglican Spirituality 120

    George Herbert 121

    Puritan Spirituality 124

    Early Quakers 125

    The Catholic Reformation 126

    The New Orders 126

    Ignatius Loyola and Early Ignatian Spirituality 126

    Spirituality Beyond Europe 131

    Carmelite Mysticism 133

    Lay Devotion 135

    Seventeenth-Century French Spirituality 137

    Russian Spirituality 140

    Conclusion 141

    6 Spirituality in an Age of Reason: 1700–1900 145

    Spirituality in the Roman Catholic Tradition 148

    Pietism 150

    Wesleyan Spirituality 151

    American Puritanism and the Great Awakening 153

    Shaker Spirituality 154

    Orthodox Spirituality 156

    Post-Revolutionary Catholicism 159

    The English Evangelicals 161

    The Oxford Movement 164

    John Henry Newman 166

    A Distinctive “American Spirituality” 167

    Conclusion 170

    7 Modernity to Postmodernity: 1900–2000 173

    The Impact on Spirituality 175

    The Prophetic-Critical Type 175

    Charles de Foucauld (1858–1916) 176

    Evelyn Underhill (1875–1941) 177

    Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906–1945) 179

    Simone Weil (1909–1943) 181

    Dorothy Day (1897–1980) 183

    Thomas Merton (1915–1968) 184

    Spiritualities of Liberation 186

    Gustavo Gutiérrez (1928–) 186

    Feminist Spirituality 188

    Spiritualities of Reconciliation 190

    Ecumenical Spirituality: The Example of Taizé 192

    Spirituality and Inter-Religious Dialogue: Bede Griffiths 193

    Eastern Orthodox Spirituality 195

    Making Spirituality Democratic: The Retreat Movement 197

    Making Spirituality Democratic: Pentecostal and Charismatic Spirituality 199

    Conclusion 200

    8 Twenty-First Century Trajectories 203

    Will Christian Spiritualities Survive? 203

    A Globalized World 205

    Cyberspace 206

    Inter-Religious Encounter 208

    Christian Spirituality and Secular Spirituality 210

    Spirituality, Business, and Economics 210

    Spirituality and Healthcare 213

    Spirituality and the Meaning of Cities 216

    The Spiritual and the Spatial 217

    The Spiritual and Urban Virtues 218

    Other Factors? 219

    The Contemporary Turn to Practice 220

    Conclusion 222

    Select Bibliography 223

    Select Glossary 232

    Index 240

Spirituality

    Product form

    £65.66

    Includes FREE delivery

    RRP £72.95 – you save £7.29 (9%)

    Order before 4pm tomorrow for delivery by Tue 7 Jul 2026.

    A Hardback by Philip Sheldrake

      Trusted by thousands of customers. See 2,385+ Customer Reviews

      View other formats and editions of Spirituality by Philip Sheldrake

      Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Ltd
      Publication Date: 22/03/2013
      ISBN13: 9780470673522, 978-0470673522
      ISBN10: 0470673524

      Description

      Book Synopsis

      Engagingly written by one of the world's leading scholars in this field, this comprehensively revised edition tells the story of Christian spirituality from its origins in the New Testament right up 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
      • Includes new chapters on the nature and meaning of spirituality, and on spirituality in the 21st century; and an account of the development and main features of devotional spirituality
      • Provides new coverage of Christian spirituality's relationship to other faiths throughout history, and their influence and impact on Christian beliefs and practices
      • Features expanded sections on mysticism, its relationship to spirituality, the key mystical figures, and the development of ideas of the mystical'
      • Explores the interplay between culture, geography, and spirituality, taking a global perspe

        Trade Review

        “This volume would be an excellent text for the upper-level or seminary student. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals/practitioners.” (Choice, 1 October 2013)



        Table of Contents

        Preface xi

        1 What is Spirituality? 1

        Origins of the Word “Spirituality” 2

        Contemporary Meaning 3

        What is Christian Spirituality? 6

        Spirituality and Mysticism 7

        The Study of Spirituality 9

        Spirituality and History 11

        Interpretation 12

        Types of Spirituality 15

        Periods and Traditions 17

        Conclusion: Criteria of Judgment 18

        2 Foundations: Scriptures and Early Church 23

        Christian Spirituality and the Scriptures 24

        Scriptural Markers 25

        Spirituality in the New Testament 27

        Spirituality and the Early Church 30

        Liturgy 31

        Spirituality and Martyrdom 32

        Shrines, Devotion, and Pilgrimage 33

        Spirituality and Doctrine 34

        Origen 35

        Evagrius 36

        The Cappadocians 36

        Augustine 37

        Pseudo-Dionysius 38

        Christian Spirituality as Transformation and Mission 39

        Theories of Spiritual Transformation 41

        Conclusion 43

        3 Monastic Spiritualities: 300–1150 47

        The Emergence of Monasticism 50

        Widows and Virgins 50

        Syrian Ascetics 51

        Egyptian Monasticism 52

        Wisdom of the Desert 53

        Monastic Rules 56

        Benedictine Expansion 59

        The New Hermits 61

        The Cistercians 63

        The Spiritual Values of Monasticism 65

        Spirituality and the Conversion of Europe 67

        Local Spiritualities: Ireland 68

        Spirituality in the East 70

        Syriac Spirituality 73

        Conclusion 74

        4 Spirituality in the City: 1150–1450 79

        The Gregorian Reform 80

        Apocalyptic Movements 81

        The Vita Evangelica 82

        Twelfth-Century Renaissance 83

        The Rebirth of Cities 84

        Cathedrals and Urban Vision 85

        The City as Sacred 86

        Universities as Sacred Space 87

        Vita Evangelica and Urban Sensibilities 88

        The Mendicant Movement 89

        Dominic, Francis, Clare, and Bonaventure 90

        The Beguines 94

        Fourteenth-Century Mysticism 96

        Julian of Norwich 98

        Crossing Spiritual Boundaries: The Influence of Islam 100

        Devotional Spirituality 101

        Spirituality and Eastern Christianity 102

        The Renaissance 104

        Conclusion 106

        5 Spiritualities in the Age of Reformations: 1450–1700 110

        Seeds of Reform: The Devotio Moderna and Christian Humanism 113

        The Crisis of Medieval Spirituality 114

        Spirituality and the Lutheran Reformation 115

        John Calvin and Reformed Spirituality 117

        The Radical Reformation: Anabaptist Spirituality 118

        Anglican Spirituality 120

        George Herbert 121

        Puritan Spirituality 124

        Early Quakers 125

        The Catholic Reformation 126

        The New Orders 126

        Ignatius Loyola and Early Ignatian Spirituality 126

        Spirituality Beyond Europe 131

        Carmelite Mysticism 133

        Lay Devotion 135

        Seventeenth-Century French Spirituality 137

        Russian Spirituality 140

        Conclusion 141

        6 Spirituality in an Age of Reason: 1700–1900 145

        Spirituality in the Roman Catholic Tradition 148

        Pietism 150

        Wesleyan Spirituality 151

        American Puritanism and the Great Awakening 153

        Shaker Spirituality 154

        Orthodox Spirituality 156

        Post-Revolutionary Catholicism 159

        The English Evangelicals 161

        The Oxford Movement 164

        John Henry Newman 166

        A Distinctive “American Spirituality” 167

        Conclusion 170

        7 Modernity to Postmodernity: 1900–2000 173

        The Impact on Spirituality 175

        The Prophetic-Critical Type 175

        Charles de Foucauld (1858–1916) 176

        Evelyn Underhill (1875–1941) 177

        Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906–1945) 179

        Simone Weil (1909–1943) 181

        Dorothy Day (1897–1980) 183

        Thomas Merton (1915–1968) 184

        Spiritualities of Liberation 186

        Gustavo Gutiérrez (1928–) 186

        Feminist Spirituality 188

        Spiritualities of Reconciliation 190

        Ecumenical Spirituality: The Example of Taizé 192

        Spirituality and Inter-Religious Dialogue: Bede Griffiths 193

        Eastern Orthodox Spirituality 195

        Making Spirituality Democratic: The Retreat Movement 197

        Making Spirituality Democratic: Pentecostal and Charismatic Spirituality 199

        Conclusion 200

        8 Twenty-First Century Trajectories 203

        Will Christian Spiritualities Survive? 203

        A Globalized World 205

        Cyberspace 206

        Inter-Religious Encounter 208

        Christian Spirituality and Secular Spirituality 210

        Spirituality, Business, and Economics 210

        Spirituality and Healthcare 213

        Spirituality and the Meaning of Cities 216

        The Spiritual and the Spatial 217

        The Spiritual and Urban Virtues 218

        Other Factors? 219

        The Contemporary Turn to Practice 220

        Conclusion 222

        Select Bibliography 223

        Select Glossary 232

        Index 240

      Recently viewed products

      © 2026 Book Curl

        • American Express
        • Apple Pay
        • Diners Club
        • Discover
        • Google Pay
        • Maestro
        • Mastercard
        • PayPal
        • Shop Pay
        • Union Pay
        • Visa

        Login

        Forgot your password?

        Don't have an account yet?
        Create account