Spiritual Theology

<P><B>Academy of Parish Clergy Top Ten Book</B></P><P>Theology is the doctrine of living unto God wrote the Puritan theologian William Ames. Unfortunately post-Enlightenment theology has tended to divorce doctrine from living unto God. And to the degree that this split has been deepened and perpetuated both theology and spirituality have been impoverished.</P><P><I>Spiritual Theology</I> is a rare book. In it Simon Chan surveys the little-explored landscape where systematic theology and godly praxis meet highlighting the connections between Christian doctrine and Christian living and drawing out the spiritual implications of particular aspects of systematic theology. Allowing rational formulations to drop into the background he brings the mystery of the faith to the fore.</P><P>Chan begins with the principal doctrines of God sin salvation and the church. He then progresses to a reflective consideration of the practice of the spiritual life from prayer to spiritual direction. Unabashedly evangelical and truly ecumenical Chan grounds his exploration in the sources of the Protestant Catholic and Orthodox traditions. His work is well abreast of contemporary theological currents and crossculturally conversant from an Asian perspective.</P><P><I>Spiritual Theology</I> is a book for those who care deeply about theology <I>and</I> spirituality and strive to integrate the two. It is well worth careful reflection and prayerful reading.</P>