Living Spiritual Praxis
Foundations for Spiritual Formation Program Development
by Eric J. Kyle
Imprint: Pickwick Publications
Christian ministers working in congregations and with nonprofits seek to discern what it is that God has been doing and where it is that the "Spirit" might be leading them. In Living Spiritual Praxis Eric Kyle looks to address the lack of resources on the work and dynamics of Christian spiritual formation that actually develop a specific process for spiritual formation programs. Kyle strives to provide a guide for spiritual formation by using the "praxis-oriented" fields of action research and practical theology. He explores a process for understanding the nature and dynamics of a situation, discerning specific formative interventions, assessing various approaches, and continually assessing and modifying these understandings and approaches. Living Spiritual Praxis will be an invaluable resource for all Christians, leaders and laity alike, who are challenged by the spiritual formation of church members, communities, groups, and individuals.
Eric Kyle is Assistant Professor of Theology and Director of the Service-Learning Program at the College of Saint Mary in Omaha, Nebraska. His research focuses on the systematic study and practice of spiritual formation.
"Eric Kyle has the mind of an engineer, the heart of a pastor, and the spiritual stamina of an underground cartographer charting the precise coordinates that 'pave the path to light.' The field of spiritual formation has never seen such systematic attention to the methods by which programs are discerned, crafted, and assessed to better participate with God's transforming activity in people's lives. Informed by case studies from a seasoned practitioner, a wealth of knowledge about the dynamics of spiritual formation, and a precise attention to both detail and the big picture, Kyle offers a comprehensive map of how to develop formation programs. This book will serve both the practitioner who yearns for a flowchart to guide the way through the caverns of spiritual program development, and the scholar who longs for the map that outlines what's hidden in the dark. Spiritual formation methodology has found its Thomas Aquinas, led through the wilderness by the likes of Lewis and Clark."
--Frank Rogers Jr., author of Finding God in the Graffiti
"The language of spiritual formation has become more and more central to how religious educators and spiritual leaders describe the heart of their work. But what exactly is 'spiritual formation'? Eric Kyle provides clear, vital answers to that question. He gives us a common language and a shared understanding--but more than that, he shows us how to expand and deepen the quality of spiritual formation we offer those we serve."
--Andrew Dreitcer, author of Beyond the Ordinary