The God Who Draws Near
An Introduction to Biblical Spirituality
by Michael Haykin
GoodBookStall Review:
Dr Michael Haykin is a professor of church history at Toronto Baptist seminary. This is a short but thorough book, though 'an introduction to evangelical spirituality' would be a more accurate title. The book has 9 chapters. Professor Haykin begins by reminding us that 'spirituality' is to be understood in its biblical sense as that which is to do with the Spirit of God, and he examines it under three aspects of God-centred, cross-centred and Spirit-centred spirituality. He then goes on to consider prayer, meditation, spiritual friendship and mission.
As an introduction to evangelical spirituality I found it informative and helpful - but despite the opening assertions that evangelical spirituality is often held to be shallow and needs redeeming, I didn't find that the book did this. Shallow Professor Haykin certainly isn't; but the many (biblical) dimensions of the Spirit-filled life which crowd the pages of the Old Testament - joy, lament, poetry, wisdom, wonder, love, the celebration of beauty - are noticeable by their absence. And many aspects of New Testament spirituality, understood in the terms defined by the book that which is bound up by the Spirit and his work, were not mentioned - healing, prophecy, tongues for example. For me, it made for an interesting read, but didn't leave me wondering how I could get more.
Reviewer: Alison Morgan (17/02/10)
Dr Michael Haykin is a professor of church history at Toronto Baptist seminary. This is a short but thorough book, though 'an introduction to evangelical spirituality' would be a more accurate title. The book has 9 chapters. Professor Haykin begins by reminding us that 'spirituality' is to be understood in its biblical sense as that which is to do with the Spirit of God, and he examines it under three aspects of God-centred, cross-centred and Spirit-centred spirituality. He then goes on to consider prayer, meditation, spiritual friendship and mission.
As an introduction to evangelical spirituality I found it informative and helpful - but despite the opening assertions that evangelical spirituality is often held to be shallow and needs redeeming, I didn't find that the book did this. Shallow Professor Haykin certainly isn't; but the many (biblical) dimensions of the Spirit-filled life which crowd the pages of the Old Testament - joy, lament, poetry, wisdom, wonder, love, the celebration of beauty - are noticeable by their absence. And many aspects of New Testament spirituality, understood in the terms defined by the book that which is bound up by the Spirit and his work, were not mentioned - healing, prophecy, tongues for example. For me, it made for an interesting read, but didn't leave me wondering how I could get more.
Reviewer: Alison Morgan (17/02/10)
