Thoughts on "Celebration of Discipline"

Individuals drawn to a deeper relationship with God but lacking a specific plan as to where to start would do well to read Celebration of Discipline. Author Richard J. Foster has crafted a book on spiritual disciplines that is thorough, accessible, and balanced in its exploration of the topic. It has become the preeminent text on spiritual formation since its original publication in 1978.

Modern religion is often a shallow experience for its practitioners. Largely ignorant of the classical expressions of historical Christianity, it too frequently mimics the social mores and values of contemporary culture.

Christians regularly express dissatisfaction towards the status quo, but it is often easier to pinpoint areas of weakness than discern a clear direction forward. Christians organize, strategize, emulate celebrities, learn from experts, and implement programs, but the results of this effort don’t impact the world in a significant way or satisfy the thirst of a parched people of God.

Foster addresses this deficit in his introduction. “Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem. The
desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people.” (1)

Foster proposes the practice of spiritual disciplines as a “means of grace” (7) by which individuals can open themselves up to God’s transforming work. The disciplines themselves are not the transformation. Nor are the disciplines a set of practices that make a person righteous. Spiritual disciplines are simply a method of placing one’s self in a state of receptivity to God. As the author cautions, “We cannot attain or earn this righteousness of the kingdom of God; it is a grace that is given.” (6)

The author organizes the disciplines into three different categories: inward, outward, and corporate. The first two are largely personal. The third involves the entire church in varying degrees.

The inward disciplines are meditation, “the ability to hear God’s voice and obey his word” (17); prayer, “perpetual communion with the Father” (33); fasting, “abstaining from food for spiritual purposes” (48); and study, “perception into the reality of a given situation, encounter, book, etc.” (64) The cultivation of these inward disciplines provides a renewal and liberation of the mind and soul.

The outward disciplines are simplicity, keeping “possessions in proper perspective” (84); solitude, “inner fulfillment” (96); submission, “the ability to lay down the terrible burden of always needing to get our own way” (111); and service, being a humble blessing to people. These outward practices result in the freedom of the individual from a self-centered and greedy culture.

The corporate disciplines consist of confession, “a means of healing and transforming the inner spirit” (144); worship, “to know, to feel, to experience the resurrected Christ in the midst of the gathered community” (158); guidance, “the direct, active, immediate leading of the Spirit” (175); and celebration, “a joyful spirit of festivity” (191). These practices are primarily relational and engage the corporate body of believers.

Spiritual disciplines are to be practiced by everyone in Foster’s thinking. Therefore, his book is written in language that is accessible to the layperson. The tone throughout is heartfelt without ever becoming maudlin. The book’s status as a popular volume rather than an academic tome should not give potential readers the impression that it is a lightweight treatment of the subject in any way. On the contrary, the work is a triumph of rich thought.

The book provides a well-researched history of the inner life, brimming with examples from scripture and excerpts from the great devotional literature of many different traditions. The book is more than a history lesson, though. It is a concise and useful guide to implementing the individual disciplines. Potentially esoteric subjects are explained in common sense terms—an aspect in which the book particularly excels.

Foster shares his own experiences with the disciplines in a straightforward and honest manner. He does not unrealistically portray them as a shortcut to spiritual success. He does not exaggerate his own experiences for comic relief, which has become a crutch to many authors as a way of building rapport with a reader. I, personally, was encouraged by reading the experiences of someone who has “been there” before venturing out on my own with the spiritual disciplines.

This is a book that the reader will most likely reference more than once. Thorough indexes to scripture quotations and topics make this an easy task. An extensive bibliography gives insight into the author’s influences and encourages further reading on the various topics.

The assumption of the book is that the practice of the disciplines brings much-needed clarity to lives continually assaulted by the world, the flesh, and the Devil. The disciplines put individuals in a posture where transformation from God can occur. Foster proves his assumption through scripture and experiences of Christians through history.

The “dark night of the soul” was a topic that I felt could have benefited from a more thorough explanation. I understand that the word dark isn’t meant in the contemporary sense of evil, but why is an extended period of dryness desirable as a work of God? What differentiates “the dark night of the soul” from a depression? I didn’t feel this opinion was supported with enough evidence–the scripture from Isaiah notwithstanding.

Foster repeatedly cautions against our human capacity to change the spiritual disciplines from tools to laws. “Jesus Christ has promised to be our ever-present Teacher and Guide… If we are wandering off toward some wrong idea or unprofitable practice, he will guide us back.” (10-11)

In the section on study, Foster advocates for the reading of great works of Christian literature. It is a testament to his skill as an author that Celebration of Discipline could easily be added to that list of books.