Spiritual Practices of Jesus: Learning Simplicity, Humility, and Prayer with Luke’s Earliest Readers

In this gratifying debut, Wright, associate professor of biblical and theological studies Bethel University, explores the book of Luke as it correlates to Jesus’s foundational practices of simplicity, humility, and prayer. In three sections corresponding to each practice, Wright reframes Luke’s narrative with the intent “not only to inform but also to transform” through a consideration of Jesus’s leadership. For example, Jesus advocates a life of simplicity that is centered on God’s kingdom rather than money, which encourages dependence on God’s provision for daily needs and a willingness to give generously to others. Wright argues humility is the most undervalued virtue in modern times, contrasting this contemporary perspective with past Christian leaders and writers, such as Augustine of Hippo, Cyprian of Carthage, and Cyril of Alexander, who viewed it as a foundational Christian characteristic. She also discusses Jesus’s instructions regarding prayer, and rails against the current lack of “urgent, persistent, and laborious” praying as “the lost art of waiting on God.” Academically inclined Christians and those in church leadership will enjoy Wright’s transformative guide to Jesus’s model of living and leading. [em](Oct.) [/em]