Spiritual Theology: A Systematic Study of the Christian Life

by Simon Chan

Academy of Parish Clergy Top Ten Book 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. Spiritual Theology 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. 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. Spiritual Theology is a book for those who care deeply about theology and spirituality, and strive to integrate the two. It is well worth careful reflection and prayerful reading.

Genres: Theology, Spirituality, Christian, Faith, History, Christianity, Textbooks

300 pages, Paperback

First published April 29, 1998

Reviews

[Porter Sprigg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate a book that is both compelling in its academic analysis and also convicting in its spiritual insight. Chan does a great job of blending doctrine and practice in a cohesive way.

[Brian Whited · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chan presents a thorough and scholarly work on the topic of spiritual theology. He goes into great detail describing a multitude of Christian groups and various techniques they have employed to grow in their affections for God. There are many practical insights to devour and practice should the reader desire to do so.

[Brenton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an important book in the developing field of spiritual theology, which bridges systematic theology on the one side and spiritual direction and pastoral support on the other. Simon Chan is able to bring in various parts of the Church's experience, writing to evangelicals but speaking from an East and West dual perspective and drawing upon Charismatic, Protestant, and Catholic traditions.
I don't have much to quibble with the book. It is very straightforward and clear, which is hard when you are forging a discipline. I wish it was more exciting, literary, and inviting, bringing more story in. I don't understand why certain things are chosen to guide the reader and others left out. Mostly, I'm missing solid incarnational, creational, and missional theologies with a deeper biblical theological focus.
I guess I mean I wish it was more like Eugene Peterson's Spiritual Theology series, which is an unfair review. So let the reader of this review beware.

[Ragan Bartholomew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a dark horse in my school reading. I loved it. It bridges the gap between systematic theology and spiritual theology so well. The author explains the theology well and while often cutting to the heart. Wish I had read it sooner!

[Hans Wulffraat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading reflectively the third time. Both theologically sound and thorough, and practical. Love it also because Chan (of course) places ST in the context of Asian Christians as well, and warns Western Christians of unwitting cultural dominance.

[Jared · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simon Chan's "Spiritual Theology" is a tremendous introductory text to what, for me, is something a new field. My seminary training treated theology from an exclusively systematic perspective, largely developed to tracing historical development without offering any value judgments on the developments or noting any real "application" to personal spiritual life.

In that sense, reading Chan's book has been quite a refreshing experience...effectively the "turning inside out" of a topic that I've spent considerable time both studying and teaching. Most importantly, as I read Chan's work, I repeatedly found myself thinking: "Talking about [X theological topic] THIS way makes a whole lot more sense than the way I heard it talked about in seminary!"

I think Chan does a great job of striking the systematic/spiritual balance; this book is, as he explains, a SYSTEMATIC study of Christian spirituality. The importance of that progression becomes clearly obvious in the chapters on spiritual discernment and spiritual direction (at the end of the book).

It will take me a good while to absorb all that I've learned from Chan. But I feel like I've got a good foundation on which I can build, a good overview of the various related areas and key thinkers, and a good set of refined questions that I can take to other texts within the field. And, for me, that's what makes a good book.

[Wayne Alder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simon Chan's Spiritual Theology is a theology of Christian spiritual practice for the intellectually inclined. If you want a deep, well researched, theoretical grounding for Christian spiritual practice start with this book. It answers the "what" and "why" questions, rather than the "how" questions of the Christian's spiritual life (ex: "What are the practices, and why do we do them?" Rather than "How do we engage in those practices?).
Chan is a self-described evangelical, and a Singaporean. Working out his Christian walk mostly outside of western societies may have served him well, giving him a keen eye for lack of spiritual health. One of the delights for western evangelicals reading this book will be his stern and sobering assessment of much of evangelical spirituality. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, and I was happy to take that beating. Though one will only get these comments in passing as he does not intend to offer a culture critique.
If the reader does not want at the moment a detailed and well-rounded theoretical understanding of Christian spiritual practices, but wants to get to the practices themselves (a very sensible desire), this book might be more useful as a reference tool. Having a detailed index, and being organized according to various spiritual practices, it serves that purpose very well.

[Fasil Tafesse]

Spiritual renewal process is depending on what we read and what we listen throughout the day. If you want go far please Read the WORD of GOD!!!!!!!this book of Spiritual theology can help us to develop our reading and meditation capacity of the NT books, rather than others.
I know some systematic and Practical theology books. But, like Rev. Chan’s, Spiritual Theology is book is very rare book. Finally, I Thank God about the author of the book Simon Chan. Who is makes a clearly line between Systematic theology and Spiritual theology.

[Jasonlylescampbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is really good to, but also very difficult to read. It seems that it is so scholarly that and expansive (while remaining under 300 pages) that it can only be suggestive ... so far anyway. I am almost half-way into it, but am now taking a break to read the Liturgical Theology.

[Donner Tan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simon Chan's book is a very edifying read. A unique book of a kind that marries theology and spirituality almost seamlessly. He sets a good theological basis for our understanding of God, church, salvation and sin before drawing out an 'ascetical'(spiritual disciplines) program, that is accessible even to novices. His discussion on sin is very well distilled. The radical nature of sin is well expounded, which helps one see the genius of such doctrines as 'justification by faith'. He then helps us see how that can be lived out in a way that is both congruent and effective, thus healing what Lovelace calls 'the sanctification gap'(between being declared holy and becoming holy).

His writing is peppered with various quotations, making it easy for me to know where he is coming from and pointing to sources for further reading. In so doing, he does not go over grounds which other writers have trodden and yet stands on the shoulders of such giants of the Church. He focuses his insightful comments on specific issues that confront the church today,especially in the context of Asian churches that are swept by such forces as individualism and globalization. His analysis of differences between Western and Eastern thinking helps one to do theology with greater discernment and sensitivity to the pecularities of one's culture. Much more can be said about the book but it certainly serves as a wonderful resource for anyone committed to 'living unto God'.

[Phillip Nash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Came across Chan’s book at a book sale and bought it for $5. An absolute bargain. Clear, sensible, challenging, balanced - he presents a pathway to spiritual maturity seldom heard of today. Drawing on the whole range of Christian traditions from orthodox to Charismatic, he highlights strengths and weaknesses in each in their approach to spiritual growth. Bringing an Asian perspective also highlighted the dominant Western mindset that’s so often assumes the whole world thinks the same. A book to refer back to often as one develops a rule of life.

[William Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started a little slow and I was skeptical. Particularly with Chan's integration of charismatic theology. However, he was fair in the things he discussed. It wasn't the easiest read, though much of the language was similar to much of what I read during my doctoral studies in biblical spirituality. As the book progressed, I began to see the greatest landscape and enjoyed it. The prayer section was great! I appreciated mentions of Edwards "Affections" as well as Calvin. Chan also has the goal of helping Asian Christian culture, which was good for me to learn about.

[Olivia Jones-Hatton · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fine. Not great, but good enough. I found that the structure of the book and organization wasn’t as high quality as I would’ve expected. He seems to jump around and makes some cultural assumptions that are slightly off… There were some part, though, that I thought were really solid and well written. Those parts just felt a little few and far between for the rest of the book, even though it’s not a very big book. I’d read his other writing for sure, but when comparing it to the other writers I was reading in conjunction with this book, it just fell a little short.

[Ike Unger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simon Chan brough a great perspective to this topic. This is not an easy book to understand.
His chapter on The Church As The Community of Saints was very eye opening and timely. The western world has become so individual focus, and although many of our church functions and programs could be defined as building church community, they tend to still be individualistic in nature.

[Anne Geddert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was not an easy read for me and not one I would have chosen for myself, but in the end I was glad it was required reading for a class.

[Flip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chan does a very good job putting in technical terms what "fluff" books have long attempted to do: describe the praxis of the Christian spiritual life.

[Jeremy]

This book was much more academic a work than I was looking for.