Introduction to the Spiritual Life: Walking the Path of Prayer with Jesus

Biblical scholar Pitre (The Case for Jesus) fuses theology and scriptural insight in this well-grounded introduction to Catholic spirituality. “Jesus himself is the supreme teacher of the spiritual life. He is the master and model of all Christian spirituality,” Pitre writes in his examination of techniques (such as prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and meditation) and topics (notably, the seven capital sins and their countering virtues). Throughout, he mines the Bible, especially the Gospels and Psalms, for illustration, drawing broadly on the writings of Christian mystics and other ancient church fathers such as Ignatius Loyola, John of the Cross, and Francis de Sales. For example, in a section on how to “ponder the word of God” through meditative prayer, Pitre cites Loyal’s words that attentive reading can bring faithful into a sense of intimacy: “We should ask God for “an intimate knowledge” of Jesus so that we can “love Him more and follow Him more closely.” This is a solidly traditional, scholarly approach; readers looking for contemporary references should look elsewhere. Those seeking a thoroughly cited classical Catholic thesis will be well served here. (Nov.)