Review:

The good and beautiful God

This book is the first of a trilogy on spiritual formation designed to form a ‘curriculum for Christlikeness’ for both individuals and groups. The aim of the book is to lay a foundation for spiritual formation through considering our understanding of God, discovering where we have false concepts, and then using the life of Jesus to recover a fuller appreciation of who God is and how he works in our lives. Each chapter ends with a ‘soul training exercise’ to root those narratives more deeply into our lives.

The Good and Beautiful God is very well written and contains some wonderful nuggets to be savoured: it’s no surprise to learn that Smith has been mentored by both Richard Foster and Dallas Willard.

My one frustration was its overly individualistic theology: Smith’s explanations of the cross and resurrection, while good in themselves, focused only on their implications for individuals and left gaping holes. Nonetheless, this is a good introduction to spiritual formation for newcomers: a welcome refresher for oldtimers.

HIGH: Integration of practical ‘soul training exercises’ into the discussion.

LOW: Borders on being too ‘me-focused’.

Published by: Hodder and Stoughton