The Mystic Way of Evangelism: A Contemplative Vision for Christian Outreach

a tremendous read I chose to read this book after reading another text on evangelism in a contemplative (Celtic) Christian context. Heath's work here is extremely thoughtful and compassionate. She emphasizes the relational nature of evangelism, and she connects holiness with evangelism in a very helpful way. Heath expresses some concern that the organization of her book - into three major sections (purgation, illumination, union) commonly associated with the contemplative path - will distract the reader, but I did not find this structure to be a problem. Heath's concern is for the church, especially the church in the Uni. A Solid Perspective on Evangelism From an Uncommon Angle This fall I had the opportunity to travel to Fayetteville, AR with my wife. While there she attended a conference while I worked on school related projects. She had a tremendous week. One of the first sessions she attended featured Elaine A. Heath, who is the McCreless Assistant Professor of Evangelism at Perkins School of Theology, SMU. She was excited about what she had heard, and believed much of the presentation would resonate with me. Dr. Heath had recently published a book which contained some of the insights she shared at the conference entitled The Mystic Way of Evangelism: A Contemplative Visio. Dr. Heath is a very bright star in the Mtsscholar Dr. Heath is a very bright star in the new wave of theological professionals. We need the connection to our mystical roots in Christianity she affords in this study.

Here is a unique contribution to the discussion on evangelism in our postmodern world."A refreshing and profound contribution. Not many projects ably bridge the distance that can emerge between the study of evangelism and its practice in communities of faith--Heath's does."--Laceye Warner, Duke University Divinity School"Elaine Heath is not afraid to name our demons and release our angels! She shows courage, honesty, and direction for the future in this very readable book. The result is a holistic perspective, offering a corrective to programmatic and consumeristic forms of evangelism so prevalent today. A solution is proposed in the wisdom and contemplative spirituality of the great saints and mystics--people such as Julian of Norwich, Ignatius of Loyola, Phoebe Palmer, Henri Nouwen, and others.This book brings fresh insights to the theory and practice of evangelism by examining it through the lens of the classic threefold path

This thoroughly revised edition includes a new study guide.Praise for the First EditionOutreach Resource of the Year Award Winner"Heath's biographies of the mystics are inspiring, and her emphases on suffering and spiritual depth as the antidote to a prepackaged, method-obsessed, consumer-oriented evangelistic approach are refreshing."--Outreach. Elaine Heath brings a fresh perspective to the theory and practice of evangelism by approaching it through contemplative spirituality

Elaine A. She has authored a number of books, including We Were the Least of These.. An ordained United Methodist minister, she is a frequent retreat speaker and has experience as a pastor and spiritual director. Heath (PhD, Duquesne University) is the dean of Duke Divinity School in Durham, North Carolina