Awakening the Quieter Virtues

Gregory Spencer,
InterVarsity Press, $21.95

The topics covered in this book are discernment, innocence, authenticity, modesty, reverence, contentment and generosity.

These are followed by disciplines such as attentiveness which follows discernment; advocacy which follows innocence; real presence which follows authenticity; timely remembrance which follows modesty; astonishment which follows reverence; Ars moriendi (the art of dying) which follows contentment; and the discipline of compassionate imagination which follows generosity.

Each chapter defines the virtue, explains why it is a worthy virtue to work for and advice on how to achieve it. There are lists of discussion or reflection questions and, most interestingly, some exercises, such as abstaining from all media for 24 hours or praying in six different postures that seem to connect six points on the continuum from fear to joy.

This book would be useful for people looking for a topic for a study group. It is well explained, neatly written and full of points to discuss.

Katy Gerner