Approaching the Bible that God might use it to transform us, rather than insisting that it cater to our own needs and perspectives — this is exactly the idea behind Life with God, Richard J. Foster’s much-anticipated book on the Bible. Written with Kathryn A. Helmers, Richard claims that God has so superintended the writing of Scripture that it serves as the most reliable guide for Christian spiritual formation.
The Bible is all about human life “with God.” So as we read Scripture, we should consider how exactly God is with us in each story — and allow ourselves to be spiritually transformed. By opening our whole selves — mind, body, spirit; thoughts, behavior, will — to the open page before us, as Foster and Helmers show us to do, we begin to grasp all the Bible has to teach about prayer, obedience, compassion, virtue, and grace — and apply it to our everyday lives to achieve a deeper relationship with God.
With a wealth of examples and simple yet crucial insights, Life with God is an indispensable guide to approaching the Bible through the lens of Christian spiritual formation, revealing that reading the Bible for interior transformation is a far different endeavor than reading the Bible for historical knowledge, literary appreciation, or religious instruction.
Endorsements
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Alluring warmth, empathetic breadth, and twenty-twenty perceptiveness, mild on sin but firm on grace, have together become the hallmark of the Renovare books. This pathway into the “with-God life” is a worthy addition to the study.
J.I. Packer, Professor of Theology, Regent College and author of Knowing God
Richard J. Foster
Richard J. Foster is the innovative pioneer who reintroduced ancient spiritual resources to contemporary Christians, especially among evangelicals and other Protestants. The author of several bestselling books, including Celebration of Discipline and Streams of Living Water, he is the founder of Renovaré, an infrachurch movement committed to the renewal of the Church in all her multifaceted expressions. Having studied at George Fox University and Fuller Theological Seminary, Foster has served as a pastor and taught worldwide on spiritual formation. He and his wife, Carolynn, have two grown children, many grandchildren, and live near Denver, Colorado.
2010