Introduction to the Spiritual Life: Walking the Path of Prayer with Jesus

by Brant Pitre

"A powerful exploration of the biblical foundations, contemplative practices, and spiritual path of Jesus himself-from the bestselling author of The Case for Jesus. The path of following Jesus is an ancient and storied spiritual tradition. Yet many believers are not familiar with the scriptural roots of vocal prayer, meditation, and contemplation, and the three stages of spiritual growth (purgative, illuminative, unitive) that exist to bring them closer to God. In his most personal book yet, Dr. Brant Pitre draws on the riches of the Bible, the words of Jesus, and the writings of mystics across the centuries to shed light on the mystery of the spiritual life"--

Genres: Catholic, Religion, Theology, Nonfiction, Christianity, Spirituality, Faith

320 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 2, 2021

About the author

Dr. Brant Pitre is Professor of Sacred Scripture at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, Louisiana. He earned his Ph.D. in Theology from the University of Notre Dame, where he specialized the study of the New Testament and ancient Judaism. He is the author of several articles and the books Jesus, the Tribulation, and the End of the Exile (Baker Academic, 2005); Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist (Image Books, 2011); and Jesus the Bridegroom (Image Books, 2014). Dr. Pitre is an extremely enthusiastic and engaging speaker who lectures regularly across the United States. He has produced dozens of Bible studies on CD, DVD, and MP3, in which he explores the biblical foundations of Catholic faith and theology. He currently lives in Gray, Louisiana, with his wife Elizabeth, and their five children.

Reviews

[Julie Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a simply excellent book. I thought that Brant Pitre was going to cover the various forms of prayer from easiest (vocal) to most difficult (contemplation and meditation). And there would be some great quotes from Church Fathers along the way. At the most basic, I was correct. However, there is a lot more to it that turns this from an informative book into an inspirational one.

As he loves to do, Pitre is tracing the roots of practices and understanding from Judaism to Jesus to the Christian spiritual classics. This, of course, gives the reader depth and context which in itself is eye opening. However, as each section ends in the classics, we are given solid advice about how to apply ourselves to each particular step of the spiritual life.

That is what this book is all about, after all, the spiritual life. It ranges from forms of prayer, to major temptations, from spiritual exercises to the seven capital sins, from how to meditate on scripture to how to hang on when nothing seems to be working (that's called the dark night of the soul).

All along the way, remedies are offered for all the pitfalls in our way. For example the three major temptations of pleasure, possessions, and pride bring with them discussions of fasting, almsgiving, and prayer. The seven capital sins are each accompanied by a look at the corresponding virtues we can acquire to help in our spiritual struggles.

I found myself unable to put this book down as I recognized my own struggles in the pages and picked up the little tips that already have enriched my prayer life. This is an accessible yet rich book that will reward Christians with many layers for reading and rereading. I can't recommend it highly enough.

[Jeff Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of all of Brant Pitre's books, his online efforts, and his work with others—I was intrigued that he had taken up this subject. I had wondered how he would provide an introduction to a topic so much has been written on.

I was not surprised to find how well his knowledge of the Old Testament and Jewish practices enlightened this book. This is an exciting meld of the discussion of the spiritual life and how to advance in it—mixed in with looking at the development of prayer for the Jewish people. We are given a list of well-selected quotes at the start of a chapter and sometimes also before a significant section in that chapter. For me, there was a lot to highlight and think about.

I especially liked the scriptural exegesis with the source of practices and various etymologies. I find them helpful in seeing past what we have accepted and become immune to when we need to be shaken up and remember what a tremendous gift prayer is - to converse with our very maker.

Most of this book concentrates on the Purgative Way, the first part of the spiritual life. There is a discussion regarding the Illuminative Way and the Unitive Way. Still, this book can be beneficial for beginners and those who want to go deeper into the spiritual life.

I also really liked the various tables showing comparisons in scripture and the parallels that are often intended, but many of us miss. In this regard, his later chapter on "Lectio Divina and Jacob's Ladder" is phenomenal. I was thinking of these comparisons while at Mass, and not in a distracting way.

There are four sections:
- Prayer
- The Spiritual Path
- Vices and Virtues
- Making Progress

I found, for myself, "Vices and Virtues" to be especially helpful with the distinctions made. Some things I had lumped together or not understood became clarified for me.

This is a book that I will return to. I also bought the Audible version, which I have not yet listened to.

[T.J. Campagna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm someone who generally likes things to be laid out clearly and systematically, in addition to being told unambiguously what to do. Here, Brant Pitre, a favorite of mine, distills a sea of guidance from the Church on the Spiritual Life into a well-organized, well thought-out volume that fit the bill for me exceptionally. It's certainly not exhaustive, and doesn't pretend to be, but it's a great introduction to the Purgative way. I'm looking forward to future volumes, though based on what I've learned from the book, I have a lifetime of work to do first...

[David Glick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read, but with powerful concepts. One of the best entry-level books on the practicals of prayer and the spiritual disciplines that I've read. Pitre is a master at showing the connections between the old and new covenants, and why those connections matter for Christians now.

[Audrey Monahan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Introduction to the Spiritual Life is a great book if you’d like an introduction to spiritual theology but pales in comparison to The Fulfillment of All Desire (I couldn’t help but compare the two the entire time). It is a good book but is not worth your time if you are already deep into spiritual theology and spiritual reading. *Yes, I am aware how dumb it is to be disappointed that the contents of a book are exactly what the title entails…

However, I do appreciate Brant Pitre’s deep knowledge of Scripture from the Jewish perspective (especially the etymological descriptions of words). Perhaps the most fruitful part of the entire book for me was the following insight: “In Hebrew, the word for “face” (panim) and “presence” are the same. “Face to face” thus can also mean “presence to presence.”

Additionally, I learned that sorrow is considered by many to be the eight deadly sin and that patience is the virtue that can be cultivated to combat the temptation to despair in times of distrust in the Lord. I will have to include that in my examination of conscience (one of the spiritual exercises heavily recommended in this book) henceforth.

[Shane Williamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

2024 reads: 24

Rating: 4.5 stars

You may have seen me raving about Brant Pitre’s more academic work, Jesus and the Last Supper. In this volume, however, Pitre has delivered a more personal and lay-level work focused on the spiritual life.

Pitre's approach is particularly unique in that he surveys Jewish backgrounds, the NT, and early and medieval tradition on a number of subjects related to spirituality: prayer, fasting, almsgiving, the seven vices and virtues, difficulty in prayer, as well as the "dark night of the soul."

As a Protestant Baptist myself, Pitre's volume has an evidently Roman Catholic bent. I was however appreciative of his insights and the synthesizing of Jewish, biblical, and catholic tradition into one. Things like fasting and almsgiving, as well as discussions around sloth and gluttony—too often nowhere to be seen in modern, Western churches—are connected to spirituality and how we can grow in virtue and immitation of Jesus.

Introduction to the Spiritual Life was truly encouraging and yet challenged me in many of my practices. Pitre's masterful knowledge as a biblical scholar comes through with beautiful insights that will no doubt provide a balm to many struggling with the 'spiritual life.'

[JD Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is excellent. For many yearning for a deeper experience of prayer, Pitre offers a well-trodden path by putting contemporary readers in conversation with spiritual writers from the Christian tradition as well as the teaching of Jesus.

[Jillian Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is incredibly enriching. The author manages to combine rich theological thought with practicality. Each chapter is arranged in the same way: he introduces a spiritual practice then shares its origins from The Old Testament, ancient/medieval/modern writers, and the words of Jesus. He then explains how to incorporate it in our lives today. I learned so much and felt spiritually encouraged. Highly recommend!

“Even prayer itself is a gift from God. As the encounter of the human heart with the infinite God of the universe, prayer is not just something we choose to do; it is something that God does in us, through the grace of the Holy Spirit.”

[Tiffany Shank · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a spiritually thought provoking, motivating and reflective book. We’re all in constant growth and direction can be really helpful to see where your strengths and weaknesses are. The beginning of the book was hard to “get into” for me, but shortly after that, I didn’t want to put it down . So much for me to improve on and add to my daily life. It’s hard for me to write a big fancy review of a book even if it has huge impact on me. So in short: I Highly recommend reading this.

[Caleb Lankford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! A research professor of the New Testament who was raised Catholic surveys historical mystics, Jewish tradition, and the teachings of Jesus to understand the beginning steps of the Spiritual life. Would highly recommend to anyone searching for an easy-to-read and easy-to-comprehend book on following Jesus

[Caleb Browne · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book I’ve read this year. His detailed description of the seven capital sins and the seven capital virtues to fight against them was a wonderful refresher and encouragement to me. The focus on prayer at the beginning of the book has not only expanded my knowledge of what prayer is but also how to grow in the practices of vocal prayer, meditation, and contemplation. Every believer committed to holiness ought to read this book.

[Caroline Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really a 4.5 compared to his other books. Picked up steam for me when we got to the section on the 7 capital sins and their corresponding virtues! Thorough and accessible as always :)

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily one of the best overviews of prayer and living a life devoted to Christ. I especially appreciated him calling out that fasting and almsgiving are just as important as prayer, I had never realized that. I loved how heavy he leaned into scripture and supplemented with other amazing, poignant quotes from saints. This is a book I will be referencing back to for a long time and I will be suggesting to anyone who wants to begin or continue changing their life and growing towards a closer relationship with Christ. Super encouraging. I hope I can begin to implement even a fraction of what he suggests, I will be a much better and more loving person if I were to live this way and rely on Christ in this capacity.

[Dominic Muresan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author takes every the main concepts of spiritual theology developed throughout the ages and digs out their biblical roots.

It might sound theological but its far from it, the practicality of the book cannot be denied. Through its simplicity it inspired me, opened a door inside of me. In this sense, the book is more of a guide, a beginner's guide if you want, for a life of prayer, meditation and contemplation.

[Santiago Brunet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been my spiritual guide for the past year. Stopping after each chapter for days, weeks or months testing and trying what Brant Pitre lays down has truly changed my relationship with Jesus, the way I pray, and how I see sin within me.

His casual writing style joined with his profound knowledge of classical Christian authors and the Bible helps illuminate the soul and see sainthood as an actual possibility for all.

[Hanna Richter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very simple, straightforward but quality read that draws from Jewish tradition, sacred scripture, church fathers & the Saints to lay out how to advance in the Spiritual life. Most of it wasn't new to me, but I'd never seen it all laid out so succinctly and cohesively. There were a few *new* things I learned that blew my mind.

[Zach · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title pretty much gives it away. This is a very nice, simple introduction to the spiritual life, though very much introducing its roots in Scripture.

[Madyson Hamling · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is very convicting of prayer and why we are truly living for Heaven- lots of typology!!! So many wild connections!

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Spiritual read

Make it a point to read this book, no matter where you think you are on the spiritual journey. There’s something here for everyone.

[Tiberis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book, Truly Life Changing.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent introduction to the spiritual life. A book that does what it says it will!

In the first section, Pitre walks us through the three major forms of prayer: vocal prayer, meditation, and contemplation. Excellent section, although not my favorite in the book.

In the second section, he talks about repentance being the first step in the spiritual life and the three major temptations: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, pride of life. I don’t know how I’ve made it this far, Catholic since birth, and not known that fasting, almsgiving, and prayer are correspond to those three temptations as remedies! I’ve heard of both those groups of three, but never knew the connection. Time to add more prayer, fasting, and almsgiving into my life!

In the fourth section, Pitre walks us through each of the capital sins and explains the remedy for each. Such a helpful section!

For the last section, we are back to prayer (the section is entitled “making progress”). In this section, I particularly liked the discussion on lectio divina and prayer being a battle.

Overall an excellent book. I love how Pitre connects everything to scripture and shows us examples from the Jewish Roots, as well as from Jesus in the Gospels. It is not dry at all, and incredibly relevant to modern Christian living. Hoping I can renew this at the library so that my husband can read it now that I’m done. I’ve had Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist on my shelf to read for almost a year, also by Pitre, and now I am more excited than ever to read it.

[Monika · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slow and steady read over the past year or two, but rich, readable, and historical.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very solid.

[Thomas Brunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

When we talk about the Christian life, the Spiritual aspect is a big part of it. Unfortunately, many have tried to divorce that part from the religiousness of the faith. Both are necessary aspects to knowing the Christian God of the Bible. If you're familiar with Brant Pitre, it should come as no surprise his wealth of knowledge of Ancient Judaism and early Christianity. Being a fan of his works, naturally I was interested, in seeing what he'd have to say about a topic that's been so widely covered. But he delivers, here I'm glad to say.
I mostly found what I expected in this one: A comprehensive review of the Christian Spiritual life, and prayer life with a little spiritual warfare. With a title like this, I expected to experience something of a virtual mental tour through Pitre's words and our Lord Jesus, through him. I expected to live vicariously through them, to experience a mental retreat of being at a monastery. I'm glad to say, for the most part I did! It's not the lightest read ever, there is some Latin-Greek word study, and Mystic Saint quotes throughout it. But Pitre, being the educated scholar he is, does a good job of making sense of things even probably for the average laymen.
With that being said, at the same time, it's not so hard to understand. I think these things are pretty easy, concept wise to understand and intellectually. We are reading Brant Pitre, a scripture scholar, afterall! But I've definitely read books that were harder to grasp than this. Pitre does a great job, as usual at breaking the things of 'high theology' down. One of the things this book does so well, satisfyingly and succinctly in explanation, is that the explanations at the end of the chapters show how "small" sin can lead to "bigger" (Mortal) sin. When writing about the potential for living a life of virtue and spiritual faithfulness to God, and resting temptation, then to use Saint quotes and scripture relating to the topic is only appropriate. As Christians we desperately need the Godly inspiration and encouragement of the holy lives of the Saints, and of course the Sword of truth, the Sword of the Spirit, which makes us strong and able to withstand Satan's onslaughts, God's two-edged sword (Heb 4:12-13,) for our protection in spiritual warfare, the Bible. If you want an open Bible, or device to use the Bible app while you read it, you may find that helpful. Some people may have thought the text-boxes were distracting, however I personally found the use of these text-boxes very helpful and useful, as throughout the book there were numerous scripture parallel boxes he uses. I found they helped me, personally and are a nice and creative way to add more information instead of just normally filling the pages ad nauseam with just more plain text. I think the boxes add a cooler look, that gives you a bit of a "classroom, theology textbook" type of experience to it. If you're a Theology nerd like me, check out at the end of the book, there is a pretty lengthy notes section. These go more in depth than in the chapter where they are originally referenced. It is interesting to read Pitre's thoughts more fleshed out on some of the notes. The author's emphasis to frequently refer to the Old Testament scriptures as the "Jewish Scriptures" are to a certain degree, appreciated by me insofar as it helps remind us, Culturally far removed Western Christians where our faith originally came from. But at the same time, it's a little annoying. I get it, he wants to emphasize the ancientness of the historic roots of ancient Judaism in order to show us how and where Christian spirituality took shape and originated. Brant Pitre is very educated in ancient Judaism and how it shapes into Christian theology. When it comes to understanding and translating ancient Judaism into the Christian Catholic faith, few are better at eloquently explaining the faith like a diamond and its many facets than he is. Brant is a joy to read or listen to, and a book like this on spirituality is a joy to the soul.

[Robert Suarez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say right upfront that I knew nothing of this author before I bought the book. I only knew I wanted to be read something to feed me spiritually and would at least further educate me in the ways of faith generally ... and in the ways of prayer specifically.

I did not know what to expect. Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised to find the book rather engaging. Not at all what I was expecting. It is possible that I was expecting something dry and boring. Or worse yet, spouting hopelessly nonsensical theories and philosophical musings - which is not necessarily the fault of the author, but more likely the fault of my own personal short comings.

More to the point - this book is organized in four main sections. I found the first 3 sections to be the heart of the matter. The fourth section, "Making Progress" did not fit in well with the first three sections. It contained information and techniques that I was well aware of and not particularly interested in. Others, may find it more useful and helpful than I did. At least I hope so.

Never the less, I found the first three sections well worth the price of the book. I found these sections, "Prayer", "The Spiritual Path", and "Vices and Virtues" to be quite illuminating and interesting.

I found the author's knowledge of the Jewish roots and traditions on each specific topic concerning prayer to be very impressive and helpful. Furthermore, the author also presented the explanation of the Christian traditions involved. In effect allowing one to understand how the Christian (Catholic) traditions evolved out of the Jewish understanding of the specific topic. I found this to be quite enlightening and helpful.

I read the book rather slowly and re-read a couple of sections as I needed. This is not a book to speed read or breeze through. At least I do not think so. In the end I found it "informative and transformative".

Perhaps, this book struck a chord with me because it reinforces my belief that "Judaism is pre - messianic Catholicism and that Catholicism is post - messianic Judaism". And that IS transformative.

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the last two years, I've read nearly every book by Brant Pitre. He has a unique voice, inspired by ancient Judaism and the Old Testament. That said, this was the weakest of his books. Perhaps it's just my own preferences – I read to learn new things, but this sometimes felt more motivational than informational. But I think the real problem is Pitre's writing style.

Pitre writes as a teacher, rather than a motivator. But most of this information isn't new to people – we already know we're supposed to pray, fast, abstain from sin, etc. As a result, I felt informed but not motivated. I was quite excited for his chapter about anger, because that's something I struggle with. But I didn't walk away with a practical solution to my problem. Pitre says the solution to anger is mercy, but what exactly do I do with that?

In another example, Pitre writes about how important fasting was to the ancient church, and he gives lots of verses about it, but so what? Everyone knows fasting is important – that's not the reason we don't do it. And this book went on like that discussing various disciplines, the seven (eight?) deadly sins and their antidotes, etc. But I didn't feel especially motivated to change my behavior because, once again, that's not Pitre's writing style.

That said, sometimes people just need gentle reminders. And if you're feeling sluggish in your faith, this book will help. I felt like I got some practical ideas for increasing my faith.

If you like this book, I highly encourage you to read any of Pitre's other books. He's a brilliant leader in the Church.

[Meagan | The Chapter House · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've started to explore the spiritual classics this year, and really appreciate this introduction--both to the classics themselves, and to how they're rooted in Scripture and Jewish tradition.

Being a nondenominational Protestant myself (who grew up in the Presbyterian church and still misses its liturgy and practice of--for example--quiet self-examination and confession prior to Communion), I often feel the classics are underutilized in my (non-)denomination. I'd love to see them incorporated more, and feel that this read provides a solid base for how to start that--as well as to see, again, the biblical and traditional roots.

Biblical Hebrew and Greek are such rich languages; English translations of the Bible often only capture one facet of the original texts' meaning. Pitre often goes back to the original text and provides further context and scope--truly fascinating.

Anyone curious about prayer of any type, including Christian meditation and lectio divina; Christian tradition and classics; and resources for further study will find much to enjoy here.

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Bicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn’t decide between 3 and 4 stars.

I appreciate Pitre’s methodical nature and careful explanation of the behaviors and attitudes God wants for us, citing examples from the Old Testament, the New Testament, and early Christian writers for each. And I particularly found value in the way he prescribed specific practices as an antidote to specific vices one may carry in his or her heart. That was helpful to remember how the our hearts respond and change when we commit to practices God has given us to put ourselves aside. I had never thought of some of the connections Pitre points out.

However, his writing style made the spiritual life feel clinical and devoid of emotion… 2-dimensional, even. He shares nothing of himself, and he writes as passively as an outside observer about topics that could offer more connection, such as how Jesus waits for us at the well, or the way prayer is sometimes a struggle. Isn’t Christianity is a relationship, not merely a religion? Because of this, I ultimately went with 3 stars for my review. I did learn some practical ideas, but I was left feeling empty.

[Rich Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides a powerful introduction to the first stage of spiritual growth, the purgative way.

Here are my three biggest takeaways.

Vocal prayer, meditation and contemplation are deeply biblical. We need a balance of all three. As we move from vocal prayer to meditation to contemplation, we plunge deeper into the bottomless, depths and layers of an amazing God who loves us and has much to teach us. This is exciting and great news!

It is vital to go within and examine these seven vices: 1. Pride 2. Envy 3. Anger 4. Avarice (a.k.a. greed) 5. Lust 6. Gluttony 7. Sloth. Which one(s) do I struggle with? How can I partner with God to attack them head on?

“By perseverance in prayer, our hearts become gradually more and more conformed to the will of God—whatever it may be.” My job is to show up. Trust God. Do not judge my prayer session. Each time I sit with God, God works in me to align my will with God’s will. I am free to act from my true self! Who is my true self? It is the person God wishes me to be. It has no endpoint. It is a life-long journey.

[Douglas Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have found this book a fantastic encouragement and practical guide to spiritual growth. Brant Pitre walks the reader through the spiritual disciplines of prayer, meditation, fasting, almsgiving, and much more. Each practice is traced through Jewish Scripture and tradition into the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament and on into the life of the Church. This book is rich with Scripture and the voices of faithful saints from throughout the history of the Church. The writing is accessible and practical - each practice and teaching is made clear and doable! At each point and with each practice I felt encouraged and empowered to put what I read into practice. I will reread this book and it will be a key reference for me to guide others on the path of the Spiritual life. If you are looking for a grounded, clear, practical book on the Spiritual life and disciplines of fath, then this is the book for you. Recommended without reserve or hesitation.