Mighty Stories, Dangerous Rituals: Weaving Together the Human and the Divine

Shaping our journey into the Divine

This moving and enlightening book presents us with a compelling vision of what can happen when we take the opportunity to connect stories and rituals--a vision of individuals and communities transformed through a deeper sense of connection to our loved ones, our communities, and God. Herbert Anderson and Edward Foley reveal how when stories and rituals work together, they have the potential to be both mighty and dangerous--mighty in their ability to lift us up and help us make these connections beyond ourselves and dangerous in challenging us to learn to live with complexity and contradiction.

They show how much more meaningful a baptism, wedding, or funeral can be when liturgy is made to include and recognize the personal stories of those involved. Suddenly, these familiar life-cycle rituals are infused with new life as participants become connected in a narrative web linking past and present, human and divine. Newly created rituals can also help us connect our stories to the divine story, giving meaning to what we experience and bringing us closer to God.

Ministers, worship leaders, and pastoral caregivers can use this approach to storytelling and ritual to find ways to bring together worship and pastoral care.

Herbert Anderson remains active as a Lutheran pastor and has served as a hospital chaplain, pastoral counselor, and seminary professor of pastoral theology and care. He is the author or coauthor of thirteen books and over one hundred articles on dying and grieving, family living, ritual and stories, spirituality, and masculinity. He lives in Sonoma, California.

Edward Foley is Duns Scotus Professor of Spirituality, professor of liturgy and music, and the founding director of the Ecumenical Doctor of Ministry Program at Catholic Theological Union.