Self Surrender: Ten Ways to Suffer Well in Union with God and the Rhineland Mystics - Softcover

Bjorkman, Dewey J; Vanden Heuvel, Travis J

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0996942645 ISBN 13: 9780996942645

Publisher: Peregrino Press, 2017

Synopsis

Self-Surrender shows how a theology emerges out of the Rhineland-Flemish spirituality of Meister Eckhart, Johannes Tauler, Henry Suso, the Frankfurt Priest, and John Ruusbroec that shines life-giving light on the mystery of suffering. From the books and sermons of these pastors, Bjorkman developed Ten Ways to Suffer Well in Union with God: surrender, pray, yield, imitate, co-suffer, participate, love, accept, empathize, and unite, which flesh out the meaning and significance of suffering in new and edifying ways. “This book brings together a wealth of insights from history and theology, spirituality and mysticism to face the unavoidable problem of suffering. These teachings are culled from the writings of five Christians who lived along the Rhine in the 14th century. With the benefit of hindsight, one can see how these thinkers look backwards to Albert the Great (teacher of Thomas Aquinas) and forwards to Martin Luther. In ten meditations, ranging from psychology and prayer to approaching God without intermediaries, a journey through suffering, life and grace is sketched.” Thomas F. O’Meara, O.P., Warren Professor of Theology Emeritus, University of Notre Dame (USA), author of 16 books including Thomas Aquinas, Theologian

About this title

About the Author

Dewey J. Bjorkman holds a M.Div. degree from Wartburg Theological Seminary and a Th.M. degree from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (E.L.C.A). As a Lutheran pastor he served parishes in Illinois, Colorado, and Kansas until 1989 when his faith journey led him into the Roman Catholic Communion. Dewey is passionate about the power of the written word and pursued his full-time career in book-selling while writing Striving for Perfect Self-Surrender as a lay person. His vocation includes a commitment to the cause of the life-long catechesis of adult Christians.

From the Inside Flap

"Rare in the academic world are texts that can create a bridge between the serious theologian and the serious novice who desires to plumb the depths of the mystical ocean we call theology. Dewey has successfully accomplished this delicate balancing act in this book. Dewey explores the theology of human suffering through the eyes of five Rhineland-Flemish pastors (Rhineland mystics).

Sparked by a life-altering tragedy from his youth, Dewey introduces us to the pivotal voices that have accompanied him through his journey to understand the problem of human suffering. This journey initially led him to serve as a Lutheran pastor, but then he found himself being drawn to Catholicism, not as a movement of conversion in the popular sense but as a seamless transition, both intellectually and spiritually, through the ecumenical vision set forth by the Second Vatican Council.

I would recommend that this book be read as a private exploration on the meaning of human suffering, and I encourage you to create a community to journey through this text together, entering into a conversation about how we approach human suffering in the light of faith."

Fr. James Kurzynski, STL
Author of God's Canvas

Edition details

• Publisher: Peregrino Press
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 0996942645
• ISBN 13: 9780996942645
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 186
• Editor: Del Ponte Ann, Kurzynski Fr. James