A New Publication on Spirituality

The spirit that moves

Orientation and issues in spirituality
PGR de Villiers, C Kourie, and C Lombaard (eds.)
ISBN: 0-86886-713-6 
196 pp. Published by the University of the Free State
Date of publication: July 2006

This volume is the result of activities by a new association for the study of spirituality, which was recently established in South Africa (SPIRASA). In an introductory article, the history of this new association is briefly sketched, and the volume is introduced. The volume then focuses on the vexing question regarding the nature of spirituality, with two seminal contributions by Kees Waaijman, Director of the Titus Brandsma Institute of Spirituality in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, who is a leading international expert on spirituality as a discipline; and Celia Kourie, Head of Christian Spirituality at Unisa. 
Both contributors address the question 'What is spirituality?' and provide valuable material to shed some light on this burning issue. There are also important contributions on specific and relevant topics, such as contextuality in spirituality, the use of scripture in à Kempis’ Imitation of Christ, and the spirituality of the well-known author on spirituality, Dag Hammarskjöld. The volume also contains an important contribution on Biblical spirituality in general, followed by two specific examples of spirituality in an Old Testament and New Testament context. 
These essays will provide valuable introductory material to people wishing to learn more about spirituality, while the discerning reader will discover many important insights to advance their understanding of spirituality.

Table of contents:

• Introduction and orientation
• What is spirituality? (K Waaijman)
• The 'turn' to spirituality (C Kourie)

Systematic themes

• Conformity in Christ (K Waaijman)
• Spirituality and contextuality (K Waaijman)
• The use of scripture in 'The Imitation of Christ' by Thomas à Kempis (J Huls)
• From theology to mystagogy. The interiorisation of the Protestant tradition by a world citizen: Dag Hammarskjöld (J Huls)
• Spirituality, theology and the critical mind (PGR de Villiers)

Biblical themes

• The Word that moves (H Welzen)
• Genealogies and spiritualities in Genesis 4:17-22, 4:25-26, 5:1-32 (C Lombaard)
• 'Having fellowship with God' according to 1 John: Dealing with the intermediation and
• environment through which and in which it is constituted (DG van der Merwe)

To order

Price (including postage): R120 (South Africa); USD 35 (International orders)

For delivery in South Africa, please send your postal address and a cheque of R120 (made out to the University of the Free State) to the address below:
 
Prof DF Tolmie
Theology
University of the Free State
Box 339
Bloemfontein
9300

Enquiries: Prof DF Tolmie (mailto:tolmief@ufs.ac.za)
T: +27 51 401 2667