The Reading List

While we were home for Christmas break several people requested my reading list for school. Since I am not in class right now, I have the time to oblige you. Happy reading! My annotations are in red.

Fall Semester

Intro to Spiritual Formation

Invitation to a Journey: A Road Map for Spiritual Formation by M. Robert Mulholland Jr. (InterVarsity Press) This is a great introduction to the subject. A good place to start.

The Deeper Journey: The Spirituality of Discovering Your True Self by M. Robert Mulholland Jr. (InterVarsity Press) His follow up book to further discuss the importance of the dual knowledge in Spiritual Formation, which is to say that it is equally important to increase in knowledge of one's self along with the knowledge of God and vice versa. John Calvin said, "True and sound wisdom consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and ourselves."

Opening to God by Thomas Green (Ave Marie Press) A primer on opening our hearts to God in prayer and offers techniques that ready the soul to encounter God.

Weeds Among the Wheat by Thomas Green (Ave Maria Press) A fantastic book on the practice of discernment. I don't think I have begun to apprehend the richness here. It is a discussion on Ignatius' formula for discerning. I plan to read it again.

The Way of the Heart by Henri Nouwen (Ballantine Press) His discussion on the practices of Solitude, Silence, and Prayer and their importance for us today.

Neurosis and Human Growth by Karen Horney (Norton) Not an easy read. Written by a well-respected researcher and therapist to her fellow therapists. If I might oversimplify, she is discussing the dual nature of a person, how we all have our own Dr. Jekel and Mr. Hyde inside of ourselves. The book focuses mostly on treatment concerns.


History and Theory of SoulCare

The Study of Spirituality by Cheslyn Jones et al (Oxford Press) Honestly, this book was drudgery to read but it does give a thorough survey of the history of spirituality.

Spiritual Direction and the Care of Souls ed by Gary Moon & David Benner (InterVarsity Press) This presents you with a survey of how Spiritual Direction is used in the major denominations. It also provides you with a helpful discussion on the similarities and differences of the Spiritual Director, the Counselor/Therapist, and the Pastoral Counselor, which was very helpful to me.

Spiritual Direction: Beyond the Beginnings by Janet Ruffing (Paulist Press) Probably written more for the Spiritual Director with instruction on things to watch for in doing direction with others.

Praying With Martin Luther by Peter Bastien (St. Mary’s Press) This book as well as the next three were the choice presented to us for use in a prayer project. I heard from my classmates that they enjoyed this book but thought that it tried to pack too much in at a time, so if you choose to go through this book feel free to break up the exercises into more manageable pieces.

The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle (Doubleday) One of a three book series encompassing all of the seasons. I chose this book for my prayer project. It is designed to echo the monastic practice of praying at certain times of the day every day and using prewritten prayers. As a newlywed, I was a little naive about my new living situation and the time and discipline this practice takes. I learned the importance of doing disciplines that fit in your life at the time.

Celtic Daily Prayer by the Northumbria Community (Harper Collins) This book is also designed to help you engage in praying the hours as it is called. There is also a cd that accompanies the book that really blessed some of my classmates.

A Do-It-At-Home Retreat by Adre Ravier (Ignatius Press) My classmates said this one was intense. If you are familiar with the four week Ignatian Retreat, you know what I am talking about. The author is trying to give the experience of the Ignatian Retreat in more manageable pieces to fit into daily life as most people can't take four weeks off to receive this retreat at a monastery.


Personal Foundations of Spirituality & Retreat

Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ by Dallas Willard (NavPress) You can't get far in any modern reading on Spiritual Formation without running into references to this book. So if you are interested in the subject, this is an important one to read. Willard promotes his model of the whole person and how it's different parts interact with each other, e.g. how does the mind interact with the spirit? He addresses how he conceptualizes transformation happening in each of a person's parts.

For our 48 hour retreat we had the option of using any of the following books:

A Seven Day Journey with Thomas Merton by Esther De Waal (Servant Publications)

Practicing Your Path: A book of Retreats for an Intentional Life by Holly Whitcomb (Innisfree Press Inc)

A Vacation with the Lord by Thomas Green (Ave Maria Press)

The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius trans by Louis Puhl (Vintage Books/Random House)

Wilderness Time by Emelie Griffin (Harper Collins)

Spring Semester

Developmental Spirituality/ Contemplative Prayer

Collected Works of St. John of the Cross (rev) trans by Kavanaugh & Rodriguez (ICS Publishing)

When the Well Runs Dry by Thomas Green (Ave Maria Press)

Fire Within by Thomas Dubay (Ignatius Press)

Ascent to Truth by Thomas Merton (Harcourt Brace)

St. John of the Cross: Doctor of Light and Love by Kieran Kavanaugh (Crossroad)

Drinking from a Dry Well by Thomas Green (Ave Maria Press)



Intensive Journey Inward & Retreat

Wilderness Time by Emelie Griffin (Harper Collins)

Going on Retreat by Margaret Silf (Loyola Press)

Letting God Come Close by William Barry (Loyola Press)

Weeds Among the Wheat by Thomas Green (Ave Maria Press)



Personality Development and Psychopathology

Reclaiming Your Story by Merle Jordan (Knox Press)

Object Relations Theories & Psychopathology by Frank Summers (Analytic Press)

Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology by Ronald Comer (Worth)