Studying Christian Spirituality

Studying Christian Spirituality proposes a framework to discover how spirituality can be understood beyond the conventional boundaries that religions have established.

Its nine chapters discuss a wide variety of issues and questions, which include: definitions of spirituality; the impact of models of God; human-spiritual development; the importance of context; historical criticism; anthropology; interpretation of texts and art; and examples of spiritual practice. David B. Perrin clearly explains the traditional relationships between Christian spirituality and theology and history. He also proposes greater connections with the human sciences, such as philosophy, psychology, phenomenology, and sociology, and reshapes the classical approaches to Christian spirituality, its texts, practices, and experience.

This interdisciplinary volume is an essential reference for scholars and students at all levels who desire to develop a deeper understanding of Christian spirituality’s research methods, and its relevance to the world today.

David B. Perrin is a former President of St. Jerome’s University, Waterloo, Canada, a former Dean of the Faculty of Theology of Saint Paul University, Ottawa, Canada, and is a former President of the Society for the Study of Christian Spirituality. He currently co-chairs the Christian Spirituality Program Unit of the American Academy of Religion.