
Quest for Spiritual Community
Reclaiming Spiritual Guidance for Contemporary Congregations
Angela H. Reed(Author)
T.& T.Clark Ltd (Publisher)
Published on 25. April 2011
Book
Paperback/Softback
208 pages
978-0-567-03883-8 (ISBN)
Description
This title is a guide to how to revitalize ancient spiritual practices for the life of the local church. Many churches recognize the importance of the genuine spiritual hunger in our time and are attempting to bridge the gulf between traditional religious institutions and the contemporary spiritual quest by revitalizing and retooling ancient spiritual practices. This book suggests that it is possible to relish the spiritual quest while honoring tradition and theological inquiry through practices such as spiritual guidance. It presents a sociological analysis of contemporary spirituality, case studies of congregations with spiritual guidance ministries, and reflection on historical practices and Protestant theological roots to explore the strengths and pitfalls of nurturing the contemporary spiritual quest in the average congregation. The resulting vision for congregation-based spiritual guidance incorporates practices that attend to person, community, and mission.
Reviews / Votes
Angela Reed has done churches a monumental favour by reminding us that the ancient practice of spiritual guidance is not just for mystics and monks. Reed places spiritual guidance in the middle of congregations, and moves the task of Christian discernment straight to the top of the list of tasks confronting postmodern congregations. Chock-full of practical strategies and concrete examples, Quest for Spiritual Community re-imagines Christian leadership - not as a source of therapeutic or moralistic advice - but as conduit for practical wisdom, wonder, and awe. All I can say is: it's about time. -- Kenda Creasy Dean, Author of Almost Christian: What the Faith of Our Teenagers Is Telling the American Church (Oxford), Professor of Youth, Church and Culture, Princeton Theological Seminary, USA. Angela Reed honors the contemporary phenomenon of spiritual seeking as a sign of genuine hunger for encounter with the Divine. She claims that historic Christian practices like spiritual guidance can help churches connect seekers to the unfolding mystery of God's presence and activity in the world. Drawing on Scripture, the history of Christian spirituality, and empirical research Reed develops a sound practical theology of spiritual guidance and offers concrete examples of how guidance is practiced in everyday congregational life. Most welcome is her emphasis on the integration of interior and exterior growth, as she demonstrates how spiritual guidance promotes the flourishing of the individual, the community, and the church's mission. This is a wonderfully helpful and insightful book. -- Timothy Hessel - Robinson, Brite Divinity School, USA Professor Angela Reed offers a unique contribution to the field of spiritual formation studies by making a compelling case for locating spiritual guidance ministries squarely in the midst of congregational life. Though she values (and practices) one-with-one spiritual direction, her deepest passion is for communal formation. Given the stresses and fractures of contemporary life, nothing short of a vibrant community of spiritual practice will satisfy the longings of our hearts and shape the image of Christ in people of faith today. Though many studies in spiritual formation draw upon the rich tradition of Roman Catholic resources, Reed takes the less traveled route by focusing especially on Protestant history and perspectives - mainline, evangelical and Anabaptist-Mennonite streams. Extensive biblical reflections, in-depth exploration of Jurgen Moltmann's theology of formation, as well as on-the-ground research support her vision. Perhaps one of the most unusual features of the book is its exploration of a widely disparate group of spiritual guides - the Apostle Paul, Julian of Norwich, Susanna Wesley, Maria Frelinghuysen Cornell, and Dietriech Bonhoeffer - in search of a sturdy framework for communal formation. Reed demonstrates her own thesis that an improvisatory approach is needed for the future. Pastors and other spiritual leaders will need to be light on their feet - able to read their contexts, draw from deep wells of wisdom and practice, and be open to the Spirit's fresh guidance in order to shape Christians who will authentically be and do God's mission in the world. Practical theologians like Angela Reed give me great hope for the church. Her gentle wisdom, luminous clarity, and passion for the church will guide both congregations and academic institutions into a faith-filled future. -- Marlene Kropf, Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, USA. Quest for Spiritual Community is no mere research report... Rather than laying out a rigid programmatic agenda, Reed offers a way to understand the congregation as God's primary locus for spiritual guidance... she is a trustworthy guide who helps us ponder how cultivating spiritual guidance in our congregations might cause spiritual maturity to flourish. -- Christian Century Reed's continual integration of the real-life experiences of the participants in congregational spiritual guidance helped make the text more personal... -- Journal of Spiritual Formation & Soul Care By tackling a myriad of complex and intriguing questions, Baylor University professor Angela Reed attempts to place the growing interest in spiritual direction firmly within the context of the local church while simultaneously curbing some of the individualistic strains within the movement as Protestants seek to rediscover the ancient art of spiritual direction/guidance...by seeking to bring the spiritual direction conversation home to its proper resting place in the church, Reed provides a welcome contribution and a much-need corrective to the on-going practices of spiritual direction. -- Jason A. Carter, University of Edinburgh * The Expository Times *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Edinburgh
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
1 illus
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 11 mm
Weight
301 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-567-03883-8 (9780567038838)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Angela H. Reed
Quest for Spiritual Community
Reclaiming Spiritual Guidance for Contemporary Congregations
E-Book
04/2011
1st Edition
T.& T.Clark Ltd
€30.99
Available for download
Person
Angela Reed is a certified spiritual director and a PhD candidate at Princeton Theological Seminary. She has served as a pastor in the Mennonite Church and is the author of Sacred Search: Encountering God during Lent. Angela lives in Princeton, N.J.
Content
Introduction:; Chapter 1: Understanding the Contemporary Spiritual Search: Spirituality for Communities in a Culture of Individuals.; Chapter 2: Hearing their Stories: Spiritual Guidance Practices in Congregations; Chapter 3: Historical Models of Spiritual Guidance: Uncovering Practices of Soul Care for Persons and Communities; Chapter 4: A Protestant Theology of Spiritual Guidance: Insights from Jurgen Moltmann and Miroslav Volf on the Trinity and Christian Community; Chapter 5: The Pastor as Spiritual Guide: Becoming a Spiritual Leader of a Congregation.; Chapter 6: Toward a Congregation-Based Model for Spiritual Guidance: Pragmatic Suggestions for Churches Seeking to Address the Contemporary Spiritual Quest; Conclusion:.