Emotionally Healthy Spirituality – Book Review

Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: Updated Edition by Peter Scazzero – Book Review

What does it take for people to become disciples of Jesus Christ?

According to Peter Scazzero, the traditional approach to discipleship consists of providing people with helpful classes, engaging small groups, and providing people with ample opportunities to serve, but the overall impact of the level of change in people’s lives with this approach tends to be minimal.

Instead, Peter’s pastoral experience has led him to believe that individuals cannot become spiritually mature while they remain emotionally immature. In the updated edition of Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, Peter writes:

Christian spirituality, without an integration of emotional health, can be deadly – to yourself, your relationship with God, and to the people around you.

Emotionally Healthy Spirituality invites us to take an honest look at ourselves and evaluate where we stand in terms of the Top Ten Symptoms of Emotionally Unhealthy Spirituality (examples of these include ignoring anger, sadness and fear – denying the impact of the past on the present – and doing for God instead of being with God).

Once you’ve completed that process, he invites you to journey with him along seven biblical pathways of emotionally healthy spirituality that Peter says will help you to better understand both yourself and God.

This updated edition serves as the core text for The Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Class as well and will be of particular interest to those who are interested in personal and spiritual growth and those with a pastoral heart.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.