Probably the most important book on my way from being a evangelical Protestant to becoming a Catholic was Richard Foster’s Celebration of Discipline, published way back in 1978 by Harper & Row. Foster, a Quaker from Kansas, opened my eyes to a brave old world of Christian tradition and dispelled my naive notion that Christianity had been invented in the 1960s by Calvary Chapel.
Fast forward 30 years and we find Thomas Nelson announcing its “ground breaking” series on “ancient practices.” Brian McLaren breaks the same ground Foster did—how ancient spiritual practices can enliven faith in a post-Christian era—but lacks Foster’s tidy organization and snappy writing. McLaren spends half the book justifying his interest in tradition. Anyone interested in exploring practices like silence, contemplative prayer or fasting can benefit from McLaren’s readable presentation. Better yet, go online and order a copy of Celebration of Discipline.
