It's not often that I'll reread a book within the same week, making Slow Theology by A.J. Swoboda & Nijay K. Gupta a new favourite for me. It's the exact pace I needed this season, where there's enough thoughtful content to chew on while providing broad encouragement to seek God more closely.
Many thanks to Baker Publishing Group for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Book Synopsis
Why slowing down is the secret to spiritual strength
In our fast-paced world of outrageous headlines and knee-jerk reactions, we struggle to hear God's voice amid the noise. Despite constant connectivity, our lives lack true spiritual connection and depth.
A. J. Swoboda and Nijay Gupta offer a practical theology guide for building resilient faith through Christian discipleship. Addressing spiritual deconstruction and doubt with honesty, they show how to fortify your faith against cultural challenges through eight transformative spiritual practices, including:
- taking your time in prayer and Bible study,
- building patience for your spiritual journey and faith formation,
- slowing down your thinking and decision-making process,
- finding peace with unanswered questions rather than demanding easy solutions, and
- facing spiritual difficulties head-on instead of avoiding them.
This Christian living book helps weary believers reconnect with God and neighbor through intentional spiritual growth. With a foreword by Glenn Packiam, it's perfect for devotional reading, small group study, or anyone seeking authentic faith formation.
Source: Amazon
Book Thoughts
Even if this book is about pursuing theology in a slow manner, I read it rather quickly twice in one week as there was so much to glean from it. Each of the eight practices that the authors cover in approaching theology from a more deliberate pace are worth delving into at a deeper level, and I found that going through it again in rapid succession (how ironic!) only enhanced my experience of the book. Bringing in examples from the Bible, Christian history, and life today, it's a book that serves as both an introduction to topics such as the Sabbath, pain, and communal theology, and a meatier work to chew on as perseverance and complexity drive many of the insights that are provided.
I appreciate the call to resist fast and easy answers when trying to understand matters beyond human understanding, such as the Trinity, and the reward of walking with God as opposed to just figuring Him out for our own purposes. Undergirding this book is a sense of desiring to abide in Christ as the chief aim in wanting to know Him better; thus, this would make an excellent book for discipleship purposes. If readers are looking for a theology book that infuses life and spirit into why we choose to study God and how we can add to our knowledge about Him, Slow Theology is a vibrant guide to experiencing God that extends beyond our minds.
Book Summary
- Format of book: 📱
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Recommendation: 👍
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