In An Unhurried Life: Following Jesus' Rhythms of Work and Rest Alan Fadling contends many of us are suffering from hurry sickness, and that it is not only detrimental to our bodies but also to our souls. We are going too fast to hear God, too fast to grow deeply, too fast to discern the temptations that lead us astray. He begins by painting a picture of the frenetic life that characterizes modern life. He contrasts this with the idea of apprenticeship with Jesus, the unhurried learning with him. He argues from the … [Read more...] about Review: An Unhurried Life
spiritual formation
Book Review: Discovering Lectio Divina
Editor's note: In response to Bob's review of his book Kneeling with Giants: Learning to Pray with History's Best Teachers, Gary Neal Hansen commented that this Lent he's trying to engage in a more serious lectio divina. For those desiring to learn more about this spiritual practice, Discovering Lectio Divina: Bringing Scripture into Ordinary Life by James C. Wilhoit[1] and Evan B. Howard[2] (InterVarsity Press, 2012) provides helpful insight. Lectio divina is an ancient practice of reflective reading and … [Read more...] about Book Review: Discovering Lectio Divina
Book Review: Kneeling with Giants
As a young Christian, I thought there was one way to pray. I learned the ACTS acronym (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) and thought this was THE way. Only later did I discover that even within scripture, people prayed in widely different ways. In Kneeling with Giants: Learning to Pray with History's Best Teachers, Gary Neal Hansen[1] chooses ten saints and their recommended ways of praying to expose us to the breadth of ways God's people have prayed. We have Benedictine liturgy, Luther's teaching … [Read more...] about Book Review: Kneeling with Giants
Book Review: Imagining the Kingdom
Imagining the Kingdom: How Worship Works is the second in a series of three books on cultural liturgies. Click here for a review of the first in the series, i.e., Desiring the Kingdom. In this volume, James K.A. Smith elaborates the ideas he developed in the first book, that we are desiring creatures and that Christian formation should take this into account through the development of "thick" Christian practices that shape our desires and perspective. In this book, he plunges deeply into the work of Pierre … [Read more...] about Book Review: Imagining the Kingdom
Returning to Graduate School – Thoughts by Michael Stell (3)
Part Three: Should I Attend Grad School? Or What was I thinking? What counsel would I give someone who is considering grad school? First, think about it in terms of vocation. If your vocation, or expanding your vocation requires you to attend grad school, then I think it is definitely something that should be considered. There are some vocations which by their very nature require more education or advanced degrees. While it might seem like these are artificial constraints which are intended to keep people out of … [Read more...] about Returning to Graduate School – Thoughts by Michael Stell (3)