While seeking the best, we may actually encourage the worst: inhumane religion.
Bartlett believes that some qualities and disciplines Christians have valued in the past have proven to be unhelpful in the present. Bartlett seeks to shape Christian spirituality in light of Christ's humanity. He claims that if we do this, "we will be more fully alive, more merciful, more humane" (xiii). This is preferable to "a Church that is hostile to human desires and careless about human dignity" (10).
For one, we need to embrace a more material spirituality. Creation is good and will be redeemed. One expression of our sinfulness is our "unwillingness to accept our identity as material creatures, whether that is seen in the modern quest for endless youth or our arrogance towards the dignity of the rest of the created world, and towards God" (24). God is renewing our humanity, not replacing it. Some ancient Christian teaching seems to so denigrate the enjoyment of creation that it denies how Jesus actually lived: "the good things in life are given by God to be enjoyed - whether it is the taste of good wine or singing and dancing... Jesus himself was a party-goer and parties are not free. I want to say that it is alright to party" (49).
This book is full of provocative challenges to ancient spiritual disciplines - seeking to find what is good in each one, but also recognizing that if the ancient spiritual disciplines are not filtered through the person of Jesus, they may prove more oppressive than liberating.
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