Book excerpt: This reference book, compiled with the help of more than 50 scholars from many denominations, provides a basic guide to Christian spiritual formation through more than 470 entries. It covers such subjects as great spiritual teachers of the past and present, important topics in Christian spirituality, and ways to pray and lead groups in prayer and spiritual growth. Containing enough information to get you started but not so many details as to overwhelm, the entries in this dictionary answer such questions as: What is spiritual formation? What is grace? How does it help me grow? What is centering prayer? How do I do it? Who is Hildegard of Bingen? What did she write? How can I grow in forgiveness? What are Fowler's stages of faith? What are other ways of talking about stages of spiritual growth? This dictionary also includes a chart that compares various Christian spiritual traditions, plus a list of significant spiritual classics by title and author.