J. Dana Trent Upper Room Books, 112 pages Thomas Merton once said all Christians should be content with being beginners. Life is beginning again and again. Those in the Reformed tradition might call this sanctification: the life-long process of growing in Christ that is only complete in our death. The author of this very practical manual begins with her own experience coming to the practice of meditation as a skeptic, wary of gimmicks. She describes how she moved through reluctance to acceptance that led her to regular discipline. Few of us can escape the rattle of a noisy culture and only the wisest know the perils of a noisy world. In such noise it is nearly impossible to hear the still, small voice of God — let alone the voice of our own longing for peace and participation in God. Dana Trent has developed this manual to help Christians distinguish between prayer and meditation. She skillfully guides readers through 40 days of experimentation with five forms of meditation: lectio … [Read more...]

Amy-Jill Levine & Sandy Eisenberg Sasso, illustrated by Denise Turu Flyaway Books, 32 pages In recent years Amy-Jill Levine and Sandy Eisenberg Sasso have taken to writing children’s stories based upon biblical texts. This wonderful pair and is enhanced by illustrator Denise Turu who provides delightful illustrations. In this telling of the familiar story, the Blues and the Yellows are people who never mix. They live in fear of one another and make a habit of avoiding each other. That begins to change when one of the Blues is in an accident. What happens after that, of course, is what makes this tale so delightful for families and children. In re-casting the story of the Good Samaritan, the authors (both Jewish) provide an opportunity to consider the meaning of friendship. What happens when neighbors who are strangers actually become friends? Children learn from their parents about how to engage those who are different from them. This book can be a great asset for parents who … [Read more...]

Marilyn McEntyre Eerdmans, 160 pages When asked what advice he would give to pastors, Eugene Peterson said, “Read more poetry.” He may have received and passed on that advice from Marilyn McEntyre, surely a kindred spirit who continues to probe the relationship between language and faithful practice. Her testimony to the power of words to form life is well-known from previous books, including “Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies.” In “When Poets Pray,” McEntyre attends specifically to the poets whose poems bear a remarkable resemble to prayers. Like the Psalms, they can be called prayer-poems. She has selected poets that together make a rich, diverse feast of voices: Denise Levertov, Wendell Berry, Mary Oliver, Robert Frost, Scott Cairns, Hildegard of Bingen, George Herbert and TS Eliot, among others, make an appearance. The poems would be a feast enough, but there is more. McEntyre is a skilled poet herself and a faithful Christian with a deep heart. She brings a subtle, … [Read more...]

Holly W. Whitcomb Eerdmans, 160 pages Seekers get a lot of attention these days. Religious surveys track their movements and motivations. Churches design services just for them. One could easily assume that if you are not seeking, then you are lazy or unusually satisfied. That’s a self-defeating assumption, says Holly Whitcomb. There is more to life than seeking. It is built upon scarcity and creates a form insatiable longing. Whitcomb beautifully describes a different way: the way of finding. This way assumes abundance and it leads to gratitude. There is always enough. The question then is: How does one discover this abundance that is present at all times? The author is a minister, spiritual director and retreat leader who draws upon her own formation in the art of finding to guide her readers. “When we engage in finding, we recognize with humility and wonder that the universe contains possibilities beyond our power to imagine.” It may be a bit of a cliché to speak of gratitude as … [Read more...]

Mary Gordon Shambhala Press, 160 pages The renowned novelist Mary Gordon has done what few people can do: say something new about Thomas Merton. She begins by announcing the paradox: A monk vowed to silence produced more words than most writers. Though Merton was dedicated to solitude as a Trappist hermit, nevertheless an international company of seekers, celebrities, writers and activists were drawn to him for guidance. Thus the paradox: solitude gives birth to community — a community that continues 40 years after his death. Silence brought forth the written word akin to a tsunami. Gordon explores the paradox that is Merton, choosing selections from his writings that give insight into him not only as a monk, but as a writer. We learn that Merton was forever chafing under the strictures of his monastic life, especially the demands placed upon him by his superior to write for an audience that would be drawn to Catholic spirituality. What kind of writer would he be? That is a … [Read more...]

Stephen R. Haynes Eerdmans 213 pages Stephen Haynes is the author of “Bonhoeffer for Armchair Theologians” and theologian-in-residence at Idlewild Presbyterian Church in Memphis. He is also a scholar-on-a-mission to correct the record about the famous Lutheran pastor-theologian who bravely resisted the Nazi regime.  One might wonder why this is necessary. Isn’t Bonhoeffer well known for his courageous call to discipleship against all cheap grace? Unfortunately, the answer is much more complicated and Haynes points out why, in the age of Donald Trump, Bonhoeffer is being used for purposes he would never recognize much less approve. He describes how the evangelical world adopted Bonhoeffer with some appreciation for his courageous witness but not as much for his theology. After surveying Bonhoeffer in the Bush and Obama years, Haynes turns his attention to the current appropriation. He takes aim particularly at Eric Metaxas’ award-winning biography as a distortion of Bonhoeffer and a … [Read more...]