By Way of the Heart: Toward a Holistic Christian Spirituality

by S.J. Wilkie Au

A contemporary guidebook for the spiritual journey, steeped in the Christian tradition and rich in psychological insight. †

Genres: Religion, Theology

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[Bernice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love this book. A good friend sent it to me last fall in a season of darkness and I read a chapter a week on my sabbath. He blends Catholic spirituality with stories and illustrations from other traditions. He even quotes Alice Walker. I got a kick out of a Chinese Catholic priest quoting Alice Walker. This was one of the right books at the right time of my life.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an Ignatian look at spiritual and psychological development toward holiness and wholeness. I read it over several months with a group of peers and then finished it on my own. It generated great discussion and I could see many correlations between the author's teaching points and my life.

[Gilbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very thorough primer on how to pray as a well-rounded Christian would want to pray. It does take specific Catholic examples to provide some insight, but any Christian would appreciate the depth this book provides on its topics: (paraphrased) Speaking to God, Healthy Habits, Chastity, Praying about Vocation and the Will of God.

I had this author as my professor and I remember being impressed by its thoroughness, yet had to skim some large parts of it due to time constraints. SO VERY GLAD I kept this book and reread it. But I would happily send this book to anyone interested in it.

[Maria Hrickova · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.7

[Johnny Mettlach · Rating 5 out of 5]

If SHALOM and holiness via WHOLENESS is one's purpose, this is a goldmine. Written by a former Jesuit priest for decades, now married, his writing is the most insightful and INTEGRATED look at Christian spirituality I've ever read; Au ties together so many things I once thought in conflict (or as isolated, unrelated fragments/compartments) but rather are actually Kingdom paradoxes and complementary such as: prayer, humor, sexuality, being formed in Christ's image, etc. Helped me digest my struggles with the dichotomies of the West and the unitive and thus scriptural nature of the East, Middle East, & the majority world or Global South (non-West) where I lived at least 7 years, and (in 2011 to 2017) among those who are now my MI neighbors, students, housemate/s (for 3 years), and the majority populations by far. If you like this book, consider the ACADEMY OF SPIRITUAL FORMATION (5 day ones, and the 2 year program which had the author Au as one of our 8 one-week presenters and his books as part of our readings)