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STREAMS OF LIVING WATER (Abridged): Essential Practices from the Six Great Traditions of Christian Faith Audiobook
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Helps us to understand what makes our Christian faith so rich and meaningful... Ted W. Engstrom, President Emeritus, World Vision
Richard J. Foster has touched countless lives with his spiritual classic, Celebration of Discipline, which has sold over one million copies since it was first published twenty years ago. Now, with Streams of Living Water, Foster again strengthens and enriches the spiritual lives of listeners everywhere with this unique exploration of the major traditions at the core of Christian practice.
In this landmark work, Foster examines these streams of living water - the six dimensions of faith and practice that define Christian tradition. He lifts up the enduring character of each tradition in the midst of constantly evolving faith and shows how a variety of practices, from individual study and retreat to disciplines of service and community, are all essential elements of growth and maturity.
Each of these great historical movements emphasizes a different aspect of life and faith. The six streams Foster presents are: the Contemplative, or prayer-filled life; the life of Holiness, or the virtuous life; the Charismatic, or Spirit-empowered life; the life of Social Justice, or the compassionate life; the Evangelical, or Word-centered life; and finally, the Incarnational, or sacramental life.
Foster examines the unique contributions of each of these traditions, and offers as examples the inspiring stories of faithful people whose own lives defined these streams.
In Streams of Living Water, Foster seeks a balanced path to a renewal of the spirit. He identifies the strengths and the weaknesses of each stream and offers practical ways to incorporate each of these spiritual dimensions into our daily lives - offering a clear and tangible path to authentic Christian experience. He reveals that while each stream is capable of providing spiritual growth, the most complete renewal can only come from combining the best from each tradition.
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"Richard Foster has the unusual gift of taking difficult-to-understand spiritual principles and bringing them within our grasp. His ecumenical vision is focused on unity and love and takes us to a "source" that is both comforting and foundational to faith."
— Chris (5 out of 5 stars)
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“Richard Foster has written another classic.”
— Dallas Morning News -
“Streams of Living Water may well be Foster’s most important work yet.”
— A Closer Look -
“A marvel of a book covering two milleniums of Christian experience. With clarity and restraint, Foster invites the reader to draw from his wells of wisdom as he paints in words the portraits of those who have shaped our rich and varied heritage. His broad brush strokes bring to life the streams of living water that for centuries have nourished our souls. Not only that, he generously gives tangible application to our fragmented lives in the here and now.”
— Ingrid Trobisch, author of The Confident Woman and Keeper of the Springs -
“Streams of Living Water is educational and inspirational…[it] provides the chart for negotiaiting through the shallows and narrows, the rapids and bays that make up a remarkably diverse and rich body of faith.”
— Dale Hanson Bourke, Religion News Service -
“Richard J. Foster has offered the church an exquisite gift in his new book Streams of Living Water. Foster paints a masterful portrait of Jesus…This well-written and immensely appealing book needs to be read by every individual who is committed to reaching maturity in his or her spiritual life.”
— Sojourners Magazine -
“Foster’s engaging writing and thoughtful presentation make the book appealing to a broad readership.”
— Publishers Weekly
STREAMS OF LIVING WATER Listener Reviews
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" A decent book, but Foster is really long winded. I really dislike chapters that go more than 10-20 pages. Foster's go for about 50 pages. "
— Flip, 2/20/2014 -
" I think this books gives great perspective to the differing expressions of Christ's body over the generations, focusing on how we all need each other and are actually potentially DANGEROUS on our own. "
— Jason, 1/26/2014 -
" I really enjoyed the way this book discussed different types of spirituality, giving examples of people who lived out those paths. "
— Joanna, 1/24/2014 -
" I like Foster, but sometimes he gets a little over emotional and wordy. That was my experience with this book. "
— Lydia, 1/21/2014 -
" Interesting read, full of info, will be good to go back to "
— Knightgina, 1/14/2014 -
" Excellent big picture summary of faith traditions, with many good examples. I cast myself in the Incarnational Tradition. "
— Rick, 12/28/2013 -
" What a way to view church history! Challenging the individual and the church to balance. "
— Bram, 11/28/2013 -
" this is decent but Freedom of Simplicity is much better. "
— Timothy, 11/23/2013 -
" This is a must read for Christians of every stripe. "
— Lauren, 11/16/2013 -
" One of the best books I've read at seminary. Goes through six traditions of Christianity explaining what's valuable about them and what problems the traditions typically run into. Foster writes in a very simple, yet profound way. "
— Danny, 11/12/2013 -
" great overview of Church history. "
— Danielle, 9/17/2013 -
" After reading it it became somewhat forgettable somewhat quickly. What was to be gained identifying various streams and then lightly touching on each. "
— MK, 8/23/2013 -
" One of the few books that really pulled me out of the strictures and confines of my own faith background and opened up whole new worlds to explore "
— Karen, 8/17/2013 -
" This book challenged and expanded my notions of what it means to live out the Christian faith. "
— Eric, 12/16/2012 -
" Don't remember much about it other than it was good for gaining perspective over the differences between different strains of protestantism. "
— Matt, 9/16/2012 -
" Excellent look at the unity of the various Christian traditions with regard to a few basic fascinations. "
— Joshua, 7/30/2011 -
" Wow. This was really an amazing book. I read it while in China. So good. "
— Erin, 5/24/2011 -
" I really enjoyed the way this book discussed different types of spirituality, giving examples of people who lived out those paths. "
— Joanna, 8/17/2010 -
" After reading it it became somewhat forgettable somewhat quickly. What was to be gained identifying various streams and then lightly touching on each. <br/> "
— MK, 4/6/2010 -
" A decent book, but Foster is really long winded. I really dislike chapters that go more than 10-20 pages. Foster's go for about 50 pages. "
— Flip, 3/21/2010 -
" Don't remember much about it other than it was good for gaining perspective over the differences between different strains of protestantism. "
— Matt, 12/20/2008 -
" this is decent but Freedom of Simplicity is much better. "
— Timothy, 12/4/2008 -
" great overview of Church history. "
— Danielle, 4/20/2008 -
" I think this books gives great perspective to the differing expressions of Christ's body over the generations, focusing on how we all need each other and are actually potentially DANGEROUS on our own. "
— Jason, 3/10/2008 -
" Excellent look at the unity of the various Christian traditions with regard to a few basic fascinations. "
— Joshua, 1/30/2008 -
" Wow. This was really an amazing book. I read it while in China. So good. "
— Erin, 12/21/2007 -
" This book challenged and expanded my notions of what it means to live out the Christian faith. "
— Eric, 12/11/2007 -
" Excellent big picture summary of faith traditions, with many good examples. I cast myself in the Incarnational Tradition. "
— Rick, 3/13/2007
About Richard J. Foster
Richard J. Foster, a Quaker, is the executive director of the Milton Center and professor of theology and writer in residence at Friends University. He is the author of Freedom of Simplicity and The Challenge of the Disciplined Life, as well as study guides to both books. He lives in Wichita, Kansas with his wife, Carolynn, and two children, Joel and Nathan.