Spiritual Field Guide, A: Meditations for the Outdoors - Softcover

Brady, Bernard; Neuzil, Mark

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1587431181 ISBN 13: 9781587431180

Publisher: Brazos Press, 2005

Synopsis

At last, an inspiring and entirely fresh devotional reader designed expressly for people who love the outdoors. In A Spiritual Field Guide, Bernard Brady and Mark Neuzil offer up biblical reflections on the natural world, humanity's place in nature, and the role and tradition of "wilderness" in seeking and communicating with God. Each chapter includes a series of prayers, meditations, and quotes drawn from Scripture and history's most observant and devout nature lovers, from St. Augustine to Annie Dillard. Whether you are setting out on a long trek, a short vacation, or a day-long trip-or simply sitting in a garden-this book will be an eye-opening and inspiring companion on the way. A Spiritual Field Guide is for anyone wishing to draw near to God through contemplating the wonders of creation.

About this title

About the Author

Bernard Brady is professor of theology at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is author of The Moral Bond of Community and Christian Love. Mark Neuzil is associate professor and chair of the department of journalism and mass communication at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is the author of Views on the Mississippi and coauthor of Mass Media and Environmental Conflict. Neuzil has worked in journalism for more than twenty-five years. He resides in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Reviews

"A simple walk in the woods is not simply a walk in the woods." This is the fervent hope of Brady and Neuzil, who have compiled a solid and fulfilling collection of writings about nature with a spiritual bent. Most have a Christian context, if not outright expression, but the Christianity here is broad and inviting. It rests comfortably, and with some frequency, alongside secular authors and other sacred traditions. Organized into five chapters, each theme is introduced by an essay that provides the anthologists' philosophy for inclusion, often by way of contributors' biographies. This approach enlivens the material. "Reading Plans" offer thrice-daily options for backyard breaks, daytrips, weekends and weeklong getaways. For example, one day features Wendell Berry, Genesis 1:1-25 and Augustine of Hippo. The variety of voices here is a plus, and any reader who wants a comforting outside companion will find one. Kudos, too, for the charming cover design that recalls a tattered, well-loved field manual. The authors make a compelling final point: "Jesus often went to the sea, up the mountain, or into the desert. Nature was a way through which he entered into prayer and sensed the divine on earth. Each of us would do well to do the same." (May)

Edition details

• Publisher: Brazos Press
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1587431181
• ISBN 13: 9781587431180
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 192