The Church in an Age of Secular Mysticisms - Why Spiritualities without God Fail to Transform Us

How Do You Minister to People Who Are Spiritual but Not Religious?In a secular age that offers a buffet of spiritualities focused on the self and on personal transformation, Andrew Root demonstrates the difference between these reigning mysticisms and an authentic Christian view of transformation."Root playfully illustrates how we have become trapped in the present by way of the past, and neither heroics nor introspection nor ourselves will save us. Instead, he posits an enticing, ancient transformation in confession and surrender to something beyond ourselves. A balm for those guilted by Instagram and self-help, Root's book is both illuminating intellectual history and an essential guide for spiritual leaders navigating secular mysticisms."--Erin Raffety, Princeton University and Princeton Seminary"A theological gem. This book is a primer on spiritual theology and philosophical theology that inspires readers to recover and reconsider traditions of confession and surrender. Root balances wit and humor with intellectual depth. This thought-provoking book is an important read that challenges mainline pastors and congregations striving for relevance in the secular age."--Kermit Moss, Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary"A gifted practical theologian, Root invites us to wrestle with the nature of historical and contemporary mysticism in the Western world so that we might resist a spirituality that essentially ends in the self and respond to the transformative invitation to Christ-centered relationships. Ministry leaders will benefit greatly from Root's practical wisdom."--Angela Reed, Truett Seminary, Baylor University"Root's final book of the Ministry in a Secular Age series passes on a legacy: the mystery of how a theology of the cross paradoxically offers a path for transformation of the self. At the end of his secular pilgrimage, Root becomes a mystical guide, pointing passionately at how transcendence may be found in the receptive life--a life of passive surrender and confession."--Bård Norheim, NLA University College, Norway; coauthor of The Four Speeches Every Leader Has to Know