Celebration of Discipline

Christian spiritual practices are the subject of this abridgment of Foster's 1978 book. The inward disciplines are meditation, prayer, fasting, and study; the outward disciplines are simplicity, solitude, submission, and service; and the community disciplines are confession, worship, guidance, and celebration. With intellectual clarity on par with that of C.S. Lewis, Foster is a wonderful teacher who is accessible as a speaker and in touch with the aimlessness of the modern era. He's also a humble teacher whose personality takes a backseat to his ideas and sensibilities. For anyone turned off by the concept of discipline and religious authority, this conversational audio will open up wonderful possibilities for introducing loving structure into one's life. T.W. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine

Originally written in 1978 by a professor of theology and updated several times since, Foster's book is a well-written exploration of the central spiritual disciplines of the Christian faith. The disciplines are grouped into three types--the inward disciplines of meditation, prayer, fasting, and study; the outward disciplines of simplicity, solitude, submission, and service; and the corporate or community disciplines of confession, worship, guidance, and celebration. All are elaborated with conversational clarity and down-to-earth biblical references. They sparkle with the author's eclectic Christian sensibilities. Delightfully read, the words and tone will please C.S. Lewis fans or anyone looking for a practical and nondogmatic spiritual foundation. T.W. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine

Listeners will be heartened by the gentle wisdom embodied in this classic spiritual guide. With an intellectual clarity rivaling that of C.S. Lewis, the author explains that the tasks of spiritual discipline can be inward (meditation, prayer, fasting, study), outward (simplicity, solitude, submission, service), or community-focused (confession, worship, guidance, celebration). This welcome advice points to what each of us can do to foster inner growth and moral decisiveness. Richard Rohan's pleasant enunciation and ability to connect with the material are put to good use narrating this much needed lesson. His sensibilities and relaxed pace calm the mind into becoming open to the possibilities of incorporating structure into one's spiritual life. T.W. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine