Kyle David Bennet reminds us that Christian piety isn't enough, a "personal relationship" with God is only a part of the equation, and that the spiritual disciplines we are taught to practice are particularly focused on our relationships with the people around us. Bennet's reminder presses against Western ideas of a vertical-only relationship, and focuses instead on the importance of our horizontal relationships.

I finished reading this book last week and I must say that I was confronted in some areas of my life. However, there were other aspects that seemed very repetitive. Possibly the author wanted to make his ideas clear.

What is this book about?
Everything turns on how our spirituality is not only about God but also about our neighbor.
Many of us think that all we need is to have good fellowship with God but ignore or despise our neighbor. And that needs to be corrected. This book encourages and provides us with ideas on how to love better.
The book is divided into 9 chapters. In the first chapter we are introduced to how spiritual disciplines can lead us to love and think about our neighbors. From Chapter 2 to 8, we are presented with a series of disciplines that will confront us. Chapter 9 is an exhortation to show love in a world filled with chaos.

Who is the author?
Kyle David Bennett (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is assistant professor of philosophy at Caldwell University in Caldwell, New Jersey, where he also directs the Spirituality and Leadership Institute, a think tank and training center that focuses on spiritual formation and citizenship in North American democratic society. He has taught at Azusa Pacific University, Providence Christian College, and The King's College.

Personally I enjoyed it, but I was a little tired due to the repetitions of ideas in all the chapters. But it is a good book, which encourages us to love in an age where egoism is everything.

Thanks to Baker Academic for the electronic copy of the book for review