In his book The Gospel-Driven Life, Prof. Michael Horton addresses how the Gospel in its fullness is materially sufficient for all of life. After addressing the Purpose Driven life paradigm, Horton continues to briefly address the issue of contemplative spirituality, especially as promoted by the Quaker mystic Richard Foster.

Horton starts off by mentioning Foster’s disclosure of his “spiritual formation agenda” in “a recent Christianity Today article”. In that article, Foster is quoted as lamenting the lack of growth in Christians because “having saved by grace, these people have become paralyzed by it” (p. 146). The suggested solution to such spiritual apathy accordingly is to

… “do all we can to develop the ecclesiola in ecclesia — ‘the little church within the church,’ ” referring to the examples of Lutheran pietism’s collegia pietatis, John Wesley’s “holy clubs,” and the “inner mission” of the Norwegian pietists. As Foster observes, these Protestants movements have their roots in the heritage of Catholic spirituality, identified especially with Francis of Assisi, Theresa of Avila, John of the Cross, and Thomas à Kempis. (cited in p. 146)

Horton states however that he is not going to “tackle the question of spiritual discipline [per se]” here in this book. “Rather, it is to interact with the paradigm of sanctification (the Christian life) as chiefly the imitation of Christ” (p. 147).

Horton starts off by commending Foster’s worry about the Antinomianism present in the church and the eclipse of the holiness of God therein. Also,

… Foster is right that there is also a kind of “cheap grace” that fulfils the fond dreams of the antionomian who comforts himself with the syllogism: “God likes to forgive, I like to sin: what a great relationship!” Even if we eschew antinomianism, there is a kind of laziness that does not revel equally in the “already” of new life in Christ and the “not yet” of its consummation. (p. 147)

That having being said, Horton tackles the fundamental errors of the “spiritual formation agenda” in its view of the Christian life: namely confusing works and grace, and justification and sanctification (thus committing the same error as Rome).

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