Introduction to the spiritual life - Brant James Pitre

A compelling exploration of the biblical foundations, contemplative practices, and spiritual path of Jesus himself-from the bestselling author of The Case for Jesus

"What happens when a biblical theologian explores classicspirituality? This book. Pitre's students have asked, Why have we never heard this before? The reader wonders the same."-Dr. David Fagerberg, author of Liturgical Mysticism

The path of following Jesus is an ancient and storied spiritual tradition. Yet many believers are not familiar with the three major forms of prayer and the three stages of spiritual growth that exist to bring them closer to God.

In his most personal book yet,BrantPitre, PhD,draws on the riches of the Bible, the words of Jesus, and the writings of mystics across the centuries to shed light on the mystery-and wonder-of the spiritual life.

Starting with the age-old belief that the path of prayer is not only informative but transformative, Dr. Pitre explores

the scriptural roots ofthe major forms of prayer:vocalprayer, meditation, and contemplation
the purgative, illuminative, and unitive stages of spiritual growth
the spiritual exercises of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving
the Jewish roots of the Lord's Prayer
Lectio Divina: how to pray with the Bible
seven vices and their seven opposing virtues
the battle of prayer: how to deal with difficulty and distractions
the "dark night of the soul" in the Scriptures

Full of sacred truths, contemplative insights, and practical steps, Introduction to the Spiritual Life is abiblicalroad map of the spiritual landscape that enables us to follow Jesus as our primary guide.