English spirituality Book

I am currently re-reading English Spirituality after a hiatus of perhaps two decades. It is a splendid book; my reason for giving it only four rather than five stars is that at this remove, it seems a bit dated:

Not, I hasten to add, in its core content – the English spiritual / ascetical / pastoral tradition, which remains as valid and relevant as ever, but in Thornton's efforts to relate this tradition to the (then-) "current" trends in Anglican (and more broadly, Western) spirituality. While he by no means embraces the spirit of the age, Thornton gives it, perhaps, a deeper bow than it deserves.

That said, this is consonant with one of his basic premises, which is that while the core of the tradition remains, as I say, both valid and relevant to each age and all ages, the way in which it is interpreted and presented must, of necessity, be sensitive to the variations in ethos, outlook, and emphasis which are the inevitable result of social and historic processes.

And now I'm starting to sound too much like an academic, so I shall be more blunt: you've got to reach people where they are, and only then can one hope to lead them to where they ought to be.

This book, with its sibling Christian Proficiency , provides excellent resources and inspiration for accomplishing both of those ends. As well, of course, as being a fascinating historical study for those who are interested in the English school of spirituality, as it has developed over the centuries.

Well worth a read!