Seeds of Faith: Theology and Spirituality at the Heart of Christian Belief - Paperback

by Mark a. McIntosh (Author), Frank T. Griswold (Author)

A spiritual introduction to Christian theology

Christian belief can be understood neither entirely through doctrine nor entirely apart from it. Doctrine is the starting point, the seed of faith, from which springs forth flourishing life in the fellowship of the church. But that growth occurs only when theology and spirituality are held together in a relation of reciprocal influence.

With decades of combined experience in both the church and the academy, Mark McIntosh and Frank Griswold prioritize the life-giving relationship between theology and spirituality in this immersive introduction to the Christian faith. Drawing inspiration and guidance from Christianity's greatest mystical theologians--including Augustine, Maximus the Confessor, Thomas Aquinas, Bonaventure, and Catherine of Siena--McIntosh and Griswold unfold essential doctrines and illuminate the transformative power of Christian belief. The result is a book that propels readers beyond abstract knowledge to an experience of the living mystery who is God.

Author Biography

Mark A. McIntosh (1960-2021) was an Episcopal priest and theologian who was the inaugural holder of Loyola University Chicago's endowed chair in Christian spirituality. He served previously as the Van Mildert Professor of Divinity at Durham University and canon residentiary of Durham Cathedral, UK. McIntosh was the author or editor of several books on the interrelationship of theology and spirituality, including Mystical Theology, Discernment and Truth, The Oxford Handbook of Mystical Theology, and The Divine Ideas Tradition in Christian Mystical Theology.