The idea of wilderness as a place of deep spirituality is not new at all. If we delve into Old and New Testament roots of spirituality in the wilderness, we see that many – if not all – of the major figures in the Bible sought quiet time in the wilderness to confront, deepen, or … More Wilderness as the Forgotten Place of Spirituality
Hello Readers! After taking the last several months off to complete two first-draft manuscripts, I’m back to blogging. Now that I’ve come up for air, I’m delighted to report that I’m also back to reviewing new books and sharing my thoughts and recommendations. I know many of my followers are Episcopalians, and I want to … More New Books on Christian Living and Spirituality
Many of you reading this either work for the Church or attend regularly and enthusiastically. But you know, deep down, that the number of people attending church in the US continues to drop. A recent report on Knoxville’s WBIR announced that 80% of Knoxvillians either identify as having “no religion” or are “done” with religion … More Done With Church – Listening & Understanding Why
My new book, Considering Birds & Lilies, is now available in paperback and Kindle editions at this link: http://amzn.to/2rjWSnU. “The kiss of the sun for pardon, The song of the birds for mirth, One is nearer God’s heart in a garden Than anywhere else on earth.” From “God’s Garden,” Dorothy Frances Gurney How many of … More Considering Birds & Lilies – An Excerpt from my new book
Sometimes, we need a field guide when discovering or exploring a new feature of the natural world. In my book, “Wild Faith,” I’ve tried to provide a practical, “hands-on” field guide to exploring the deep connection between spirituality and nature. … More Wild Faith – About This Book
In my book Wild Faith, I encourage people to get out in the woods to work on their spiritual lives. Seemingly, this is a rather new idea. In my years of teaching Christian formation, most programs I encountered involved “programs” set up inside church buildings. With the exception of church camp programs, the idea of … More Spirituality in the Wilderness – A Practice of Early Christianity, More Relevant Now Than Ever Before
One of the busiest and most stressful times of the year fast approaches. Christmas shopping, parties, children’s holiday programs, and numerous other end-of-the-year gatherings make the holiday season fraught with running around, anxiety, and feeling pulled in six different directions. A great way to take time out from all these busy-ness is to spend a few … More Preparing for Advent: Favorite Resources
As I have struggled with my own hard questions about faith (and often finding myself on the fringe of the institutional church), I’ve found the following books most helpful in letting me know that others struggle and question and sometimes feel on the fringe, too. These books might also be helpful by showing us how … More Favorite Books on Faith
Sycamore Cove 