An introduction to the Anglican heritage. The early chapters explore the Anglican consciousness, authority within the Church, and how Anglicans read the Bible. Other chapters cover Anglican understandings of the Incarnation, sacraments, liturgy, the Episcopacy, pastoral care, spirituality, mission, church and state, and prophetic witness.

"Our goal is the Kingdom, the completion of God's creative vision, and we are God's hands in bringing that vision to pass, " wrote Urban Holmes in Spirituality for Ministry, originally published in 1982. But, Holmes warned, ministers who are not rooted in the intimate knowledge of God will have a hard time being God's hands and serving the congregation well.

This timeless and still timely book examines the spiritual base that allows ordained clergy to be interpreters of God's message and symbol-bearers of God's presence in their congregations. Based on interviews with clergy from many denominations, Holmes explores the role of spirituality in the vocation of the ordained, the classic virtues of poverty, chastity, and obedience, the place of worship, prayer, and parish piety, and finally the necessity of spiritual companionship in the life of the clergy.

The new Library of Episcopalian Classics features works by American Episcopalian authors whose books are timeless, prophetic, or of historical importance for the Church. Covering a wide variety of fields -- history, spirituality, church management, and more -- this series makes available to a new generation the books that helped shape the Episcopal Church as it is today.

This modern classic explores the key concepts and people who have shaped our Christian spiritual heritage. At the time it was first published, the author wrote, "This book is the result of finding nothing to recommend to my students as an introduction to the wide variety and great richness of the Christian spiritual experience. The texts available are either too detailed, too unbalanced, or both." This situation remains the same today, more than twenty years later.

Now this concise and very readable introduction to Christian spirituality is available for a new generation of readers. Holmes begins with the Jewish antecedents, and proceeds through the New Testament period, monasticism, the Middle Ages, Byzantine spirituality, and the modern period. He ends his overview with key contemporary figures such as Simone Weil, Thomas Merton, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Brief bibliographies of the books written by each notable figure are included for those who wish to read more extensively.

A History of Christian Spirituality is the perfect book for introductory classes at the M. Div. level, for diaconate programs, lay people or parish study classes of all Christian denominations, and for any reference collection. This is a unique and invaluable learning tool and reference for readers, students, or teachers who want a quickexplanation of the significance of a person or idea, or who are interested in a broad overview of the entire field.