Abbey Bookshelf

January 9, 2008 · by Christine

Last week I received a call asking me to step in and take over a weekend intensive class at the School of Theology and Ministry that begins this weekend.  I’ve taught the class before and am scheduled for the spring, but not in this weekend intensive format and I have to use the books ordered by the previous professor.  So I have been spending lots of time reading and integrating the material into my notes. This on top of a terrible cold I came down with on Sunday means I haven’t had a lot of time for other reading. 

But in reading for this course, I have really been enjoying The Active Life: A Spirituality of Work, Creativity, and Caring by Parker Palmer. It’s one of those books that has been sitting on my shelf and I haven’t made time to read until now.  Palmer is a Quaker and roots his writing in Christian tradition, but also weaves in stories from other traditions and offers a spacious image of God that resonates with me deeply.

Two meaty quotes from Palmer about God:

“If reality is a continual process of co-creation between ourselves and God, as I believe it is, then God is not a fixed quantity in some cosmic equation. Instead God experiments, succeeds, fails, changes, learns, suffers, enjoys, and grows—just as we do.”

“I know that God acts. But I believe that God can only act incarnationally through the various forms of embodiment that God takes on earth, including our own human form.  There is no way for God to act if we, and other created beings, are unwilling or unable to give substance to God’s yearnings, God’s energies, God’s will. We must discern the gifts God gives us, accept them, employ them, pass them along. Without our active cooperation, God’s abundance remains in the realm of potential, always there, always available, but forever untapped.” 

Another book by Parker Palmer that I have really enjoyed is Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation. A slim volume packed with wisdom about listening for your gifts and living into them.

As for other reading recommendations, make sure to go visit this week’s Poetry Party!  There is always an abundance of beauty and poetic wisdom to be found there offered up by you wonderful readers and this week is no exception.  And if you feel inspired, leave your own poem in the comments to be added to the post and you might win a little prize at the end of the week.

-Christine Valters Paintner @ Abbey of the Arts

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