Although these days there seems to be a decline in the number of people going to Church, there are many people who would claim to be 'spiritual'. There is a great thirst for the spiritual, but this so often takes the form of an interest in the New Age spiritualities, or in meditation practices influenced by the oriental religious traditions. People who are at least culturally Christian find in these spiritualities something exotic, exciting and new. Many people seem under the impression that Christianity has little to offer.
As Christians we would wish to challenge this notion. In our own Catholic tradition, there is a wealth of material on the spiritual life, and some of the spiritual writers are amongst the most revered saints of the Church. Over the centuries, Britain has been blessed by a wealth of writers who were concerned with the spiritual life. Yet how many of us can say that we know anything about this rich heritage? Recovering our Christian spiritual heritage in Britain is perhaps an important way of revitalising our faith, and of offering something inspiring to those who are seeking to experience the Divine in their own lives.
Over the coming months, we shall attempt to offer summaries of some of the most influential spiritual writings that have come from people in Britain over the centuries. We hope to show that their teachings have a perennial freshness and a relevance that make them enriching for us now in the twenty-first century.
Your website has been a real blessing to me, reinvogorating my faith and educating me. I look forward to these new posts with great pleasure, knowing that they will be bringing me closer to the Lord.
ReplyDeleteBe very proud (in the best way!) of your work in the vineyard of the Lord.