The Seasons of Life

by Paul Tournier, John S. Gilmour (Translator)

In the light both of the Bible and of modern science we are confronted not with an abstract and generalized man, but with men who are concrete and personal. They are always in their context, in a certain relationship to the world, to others, and to God. They are always changing. This changing is made up of seasons, stages in their lives, each of which has its own characteristics and peculiar laws.

It is in this life story that God's plan may be accomplished. This is what is intimated by the title The Seasons of Life: a man in movement, continually undergoing change, a man living in history, unfolding from his birth until his death. The very movement implies meaning in life.

Genres: Christian, Psychology

63 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1964

About the author

Paul Tournier was a Swiss physician and author who had acquired a worldwide audience for his work in pastoral counselling. His ideas had a significant impact on the spiritual and psychosocial aspects of routine patient care, and he had been called the twentieth century's most famous Christian physician.

Reviews

[Shanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this at a library sale, just a short little 60-something pages, but it's by Paul Tournier so I grabbed it. Tonight I read it cover to cover and really enjoyed it! For anyone who tends to think about the meaning of life a lot, ahem, you will not regret picking this up. Tournier walks us through the human process of maturing, from childhood simplicity to adult commitments and fruitfulness to old age and eventually the winter of death.

He pulls in an anti-dualism Aquinas reference at the beginning (fun because The Great Recognition I'm reading about Charlotte Mason goes into great detail about this) and emphasizes the human condition is not spirit vs flesh but whole man, real man, the full picture... And to be human is to be always changing.

The final pages were so heartening and reminded me of a sermon series on Ecclesiastes I heard several years ago. Essentially: to be human is to want a life of meaning. A life of meaning comes from one place: knowing God and being known by Him. Yes.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is no secret on why Paul Tournier wrote this book. He is in his 60’s at the time of the writing and seeks to give understanding on the phases of our life. This is not a clinical book, nor a self-help book, nor a revealing book. But Tournier reminds us of things we know and things we care about and then organizes them into our seasons.

I am 55 when I read this book. It’s a time of looking ahead; a time to reflect on what I have done and what more am I capable of. Consequently, I reading this book to help give me insight.

The point which came to me personally is where Tournier says as we go from our adult active life to being aged—the Fall of our lives—we turn from doing and having to being. It is like our choices which we have made over the past 40 years culminate into who we are.

For more on this book, see my blog.t

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was delightful and insightful, deep enough, but not too long.
Tournier, a Swiss psychiatrist, interacts with others in his field as he proposes the idea in his title. There is a proper way to live as a child, adult, and senior, and we need to accept the phase that we are in. His many examples from his years of experience are also quite helpful.
I think the author provides good perspective, and touches on big issues like the need for fulfillment and the meaning of life. He also explains how Christianity freeze people to be their fullest and best selves. The self denial preached in the New Testament is only the necessary prerequisite to receiving a new and better life both now and forever.

[Martha Highfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

An encouraging view of the integrated person in less than 100 pages. Highly recommend

[Kirsten Elsa]

Recommended by Tim Morgan

[Aaron Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is the idea of God's plan which every man bears in his soul, even if he is an unbeliever. In this case, he will be careful not to call it God's plan. But the concept remains the same, like the plan of God: An apple tree will bear apples and not pears. It is the idea that life is a gift which implies responsibility, that God—be he known or unknown— expects something very definite of us, and not just anything.


It is the pressing need to find meaning for one's life, to subordinate the whole of life to that meaning. It is this need, this inner aspiration, which is from God. All the ideologies, doctrines, and formulas drawn up by men will pass; every ideal, too, grows old in turn. Only the true and living God remains.

C.f. “What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind! I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭1‬:‭13‬-‭14‬

[Covenant Presbyterian Springfield Ohio]

Call Number: 155.6 TOU-8

Available.