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Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth
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Average Rating:  out of 120 Reviews
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Price: $23.95
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Sale: $9.79
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Manufacturer: HarperSanFrancisco
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EAN (European Article Number): 9780060628390
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Number of Items: 1
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Binding: Hardcover
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Author: Richard J. Foster
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Publisher: HarperSanFrancisco
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Edition: 3rd
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Dewey Decimal Number: 248.4896
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Publication Date: 1998-10-01
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Reading Level: 248
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Description: When Richard Foster began writing Celebration of Discipline more than 20 years ago, an older writer gave him a bit of advice: "Be sure that every chapter forces the reader into the next chapter." Foster took the advice to heart; as a result, his book presents one of the most compelling and readable visions of Christian spirituality published in the past few decades. After beginning with a simple observation--"Superficiality is the curse of our age.... The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people"--Foster's book moves to explain the disciplines people must cultivate in order to achieve spiritual depth. In succinct, urgent, and sometimes humorous chapters, Foster defines a broad range of classic spiritual disciplines in terms that are lucid without being too limiting and offers advice that's practical without being overly prescriptive. For instance, after describing meditation as a combination of "intense intimacy and awful reverence," he settles into such down-to-earth topics as how to choose a place and a posture in which to meditate. Perhaps most interesting and useful is Foster's chapter on the controversial Christian discipline of submission. According to Foster, submission does not demand self-hatred or loss of identity. Instead, it simply means growing secure in the conviction that "our happiness is not dependent on getting what we want" but on the fulfillment that naturally flows from love of one's neighbors. Such wise and encouraging suggestions have helped many readers to discard the idea that discipline is an onerous duty and to move toward a liberating and simpler idea of discipline--whose defining character, as Foster never forgets, is joy. --Michael Joseph Gross
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Customer Reviews
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Review Summary: One of my All Time Top Five Christian books! |
Date: 2008-11-22 |
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Details: In 2003, my associate pastor at Richmond, Virginia's First Baptist Church, Steve Booth, gave to me at my request a list of his twenty
favorite Christian books. Believe it or not, I read every one...
and to this day resting in my Top 5 reads of my life is this now more than 25-year-old masterpiece. I have read it over and over...and each time I do something new and valuable is gleaned. I simply ADORE this book and have recommended it to dozens of friends and co-workers in the fairly expansive (I don't mean this in a self-agrandizing way) wedding photography world of Christian Carswell. This has been a spiritual guide for so MANY "baby Christian"...which is exactly what I was in 2003.
Steve Booth recommended it so highly that it was the very first book out of his list of twenty that I read...while on a relaxing vacation on the beautiful island of St. John. I was so touched deep, deep in my heart and soul that I immediately read it AGAIN...BEFORE proceeding to other fairly influential works such as "The Cost of Discipleship" by Bonnhoeffer, "Practicing His Presence" by Brother Lawrence, "The Jesus I Never Knew" from Phillip Yancey, "The Divine Conspiracy" by friend and protege Dallas Willard, and many more. If you just happen to have heard about this legendary, classic piece (maybe a friend or co-worker or clergy member suggested it) and are here reading some reviews before buying....let me assure you that Richard Foster's book is the P-E-R-F-E-C-T starting place for a newly-minted believer !!! |
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Review Summary: Useful But Lacks Theological Framework |
Date: 2008-09-15 |
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Details: Celebration of Discipline is a primer on the subject of spiritual disciplines which Foster describes generally as those practices that are historically central to Christianity.
Foster seems to understand that intimacy with God is the main objective when considering the spiritual disciplines. He accurately states that "we have only one thing to do, namely, to experience a life of relationship and intimacy with God." Foster also recognizes that human willpower is insufficient to secure spiritual success. With these admissions, I was looking forward to an analysis of how the practice of spiritual disciplines relates to human effort and fulfilling the Greatest Commandment. But Foster does not attempt to provide a theology of spiritual disciplines or any biblical exegesis. I think this is unfortunate. The argument that disciplines cannot be employed as a formula to encounter God needs to be addressed. Understanding the causal relationship between the spiritual disciplines and encountering the Holy Spirit is critical information.
We should be fascinated by the practice of spiritual disciplines because they are associated with knowing God better. They remain a mystery in the sense that practicing them is not a formula for encountering God, yet history and experience have demonstrated that those who encounter God seem to employ them. Although Foster leaves important questions unanswered, the value of Celebration of Discipline is to demonstrate we are not limited to the mundane when seeking God. Foster invites us to consider the creativity of those who have gone before us in employing the spiritual disciplines.
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Review Summary: Celebration of Discipline |
Date: 2008-08-23 |
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Details: This is a excellet book for people of faith. It helps review various stages of belief and faithful living. |
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Review Summary: The place to start for spiritual disciplines |
Date: 2008-07-06 |
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Details: Foster lays the foundation for cultivating a life marked by the spiritual disciplines. He touches on the major aspects of all the basic disciplines--prayer, fasting, journaling, silence, meditation, etc. While he doesn't give a thorough treatment of each one (as this was not his goal), he shows readers the path to developing these vital spiritual habits of the heart. Highly recommended for all looking to deepen their relationship with Christ. |
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Review Summary: Classic Overview |
Date: 2008-06-23 |
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Details: A classic overview of spiritual disciplines, Foster's book offers an understanding of Christian growth through prayer and discipline. A good book for beginners. |
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