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This essay assesses the relevance of Søren Kierkegaard's non-pseudonymous, edifying writings for considering themes of desire, detachment, and humility within the religious context of Christian spiritual formation. Building on the argument of recent scholars who identify in Kierkegaard's writings an account of a fundamental desire for God "implanted" in the human being, I explore the influence of this vision on Kierkegaard's depiction of desire and detachment in his "Discourses on the Lilies and the Birds". I then turn to how this relates to the perspective of humility that emerges from Kierkegaard's reflections on the biblical story of "the widow's mite". In each case, these edifying writings aim to stir the reader into a process of interrogating faulty self-perceptions based on arbitrary measures of value. I read this mode of communication as able to initiate a "counter-experience", provoking the reader to reorient her horizon of prior self-valuations so she might come to recognize the hidden significance of things and, ultimately, achieve a more accurate sense of oneself in relation to the authentic source of the self's desire. Insofar as this reorientation of the self informs the practice of detachment or the development of humility, people might experience this same process in diverse ways. In this respect, the relevance of Kierkegaard's edifying writings for reflecting on Christian spirituality is not that they provide a thoroughgoing account of detachment or humility that should replace the insights of various spiritual traditions. Rather, I argue that his discourses—when read alongside these traditions—offer a supplemental resource for reflecting on how our positionalities, dispositions, and proximate contexts will inform the divergent ways we might experience the practice of detachment or the manifestation of humility in each new life circumstance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article considers the significance of John Wesley's experience on 24 May 1738 when his heart was "strangely warmed". It argues against attempts to dilute the evangelical significance of this experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the foundational importance of the Trinity for the Christian life. Considering the teaching of John Owen, and his context in the seventeenth century, helps us see that the great blessing of the Christian life is that we have fellowship with the one true and living God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And, in particular, that we have distinct communion with him as Father, as Son, and as Holy Spirit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of Byzantine hospitals—whether primarily curative facilities or caring hospices—has long intrigued scholars. This paper proposes a third perspective on Byzantine hospitals, suggesting that the Basilian monastic hospitals of the fourth to sixth centuries were not merely philanthropic facilities for the sick and destitute but also centers for ascetics' spiritual growth. Basil of Caesarea incorporated charitable actions by ascetics as essential to achieving Christian perfection within the coenobitic community, developing a theology of compassion that advocated for the purification of harmful passions like anger and pride through the virtue of compassion. In the fifth and sixth centuries, Theodosius the Cenobiarch, who founded a coenobium and hospitals in the Judean Desert, upheld Basil's idea of the purification of the soul through compassion for the sick. Additionally, the nosokomeion (hospital) of the sixth-century Monastery of Seridos in Gaza emphasized the healing of spiritual diseases through compassion for the sick, as reflected in various epistles. Thus, Basil of Caesarea's theology of compassion in pursuit of Christian perfection was a foundational element in the emergence and development of hospital spirituality in Christian Late Antiquity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the thinking of Dallas Willard and his contribution to contemporary Christian spiritual formation. In the first chapter, the author's biography is outlined, addressing his perspectives on discipleship, the Kingdom of God, spiritual formation, and spiritual disciplines. The second chapter examines the paradigmatic crisis in contemporary society, highlighting reactions to Christian spirituality. Willard, through his protoevangelical perspective, emerges as a balanced alternative, transcending social isolation, individualism, and other characteristics of postmodernity. By connecting Willard's ideas to contemporary challenges, his enduring relevance for authentic Christian living is emphasized. In a context where society seeks meaning in a complex and fluid reality, Willard's contributions resonate as a call to deep spiritual formation and an authentic experience of the Gospel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on reevaluating the traditional concept of the link between sin and grace in Christian spirituality, changing the title from "Sin and Grace" to "Grace and Sin" to stress grace as fundamental to human existence. Topics covered include contrasting Catholic and Protestant viewpoints on the existence and function of grace, the role of sacraments and spiritual gifts in spiritual formation, and the implications of these theological positions for Christian practice.

The article focuses on advocating for a nuanced Christian approach to engagement in the public sphere, rejecting both Christian nationalism and complete withdrawal from secular involvement. It emphasizes the importance of integrating biblical principles with cultural engagement and offers theological insights to guide Christians in contributing positively to public discourse on ethics and values.

This article delves into the intricacies of human defences in various domains, including the biological and psychological responses to protect oneself, and the abstract concept of sacrificing one's life to uphold ethical, moral, religious, and spiritual values. While physical, psychological, and moral values have been attended to in counselling, regard for the religious and spiritual aspects is still developing. As the author writes from a Christian perspective, Christian faith and values are considered. It is posited that a study of human nature, as presented in the Christian Bible, can facilitate a profound comprehension of human defences. The paper scrutinizes the correlation between "human defences" and "Christian spirituality" through a Christian lens on human nature. Furthermore, it introduces the idea of "spiritual defence" and how it is related to a spiritual awakening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scientific claim that psychedelic drugs like psilocybin reliably occasion mystical experiences was justified using the Mystical Experiences Questionnaire (the MEQ), a survey first developed in the 1960s by Walter Pahnke using W.T. Stace's Mysticism and Philosophy. Scholars in Christian mysticism reject the adequacy of Stace's work for Western theistic mysticism, especially Christianity. One objection is that Stace follows William James in focusing on intense and unusual moments of mystical experience rather than the somewhat more ordinary mystical life. A greater concern is that Stace more adequately reflects non-Western traditions than Western theistic traditions like Christianity. For Stace, mysticism centers on the concept of union with external reality or with the absolute, a union in which the human creature is absorbed or fused. Christian mysticism, by contrast, involves a sense of presence rather than union, experienced in a most intimate relationship as a felt loving closeness with the divine, but not as fusion or absorption into the divine. While love of God is central to the Christian view, it is ignored in Stace and the MEQ30. Finally for Christianity, mysticism is not found in the momentary experience, but in the lifelong interpretation that leads to transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examined the role of biblical interpretation amid the world’s water crisis. It aimed to make biblical texts accessible to non-specialist readers by using several methods of interpretation. The methods used were a combination of biblical interpretation, revisionist ecological hermeneutics and empirical research in the form of interviews with young adults in the Anglican Church in South Africa. This combination was applied to the role of water in Ezekiel 47. It showed that while traditional biblical interpretation is important for understanding the biblical context, revisionist ecological hermeneutics can help in understanding the ecological aspect of the text. This combination fitted the interview results, in which interviewees shared how learning about ecological aspects helped to make the Bible more relevant in today’s ecological crisis. A deeper biblical understanding, a combination of traditional interpretation and ecological hermeneutics, could lead to more awareness and responsibility among Christians to care for creation. This form of hermeneutics could be applied to other Bible texts to grow awareness. Contribution: Interviewees argued that there is a lack of awareness in their environments about the causes and consequences of the ecological crisis. One of the main consequences of this crisis is related to water, with floods and droughts already becoming more severe. While this is often overlooked, the Bible could be of use in the water crisis in today’s world. This article has made a beginning in showing how biblical interpretation can effectively create climate awareness among churchgoers by speaking to their spirituality.

This study provides an analysis of the impact of Mami-Wata spirituality on an understanding of the place and fate of Christianity in Africa today. A section of the Christian population negotiates their Christian beliefs through the prism of their traditional African religious cosmology and worldviews. This new Christian African spirituality is generating waves of faith crises. While previous scholarship has investigated the crises of African Christian faith from the dominant point of view of African culture and context, from Christian-Muslim interaction, or from the influence of Western elements, there are no works that show the multidimensional impacts of Mami-Wata spirituality on Christians and their faith, identity, and theological discourses. Departing from past works, the present work investigates how rudimentary constructs of African spirituality have engaged Christianity on several fronts, from the problem of faith crisis and the engagement of the Mami-Wata deity to how some African Christians wrestle with their devotion to the Virgin Mary vis-à-vis the traditional Mami-Wata deity. This analysis also demonstrates the indispensability of the female divine in spiritual and religious discourses, and it provides a pathway to construct a theology that is both truly Christian and grounded in African realities. [End Page 157] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many ways, the cascading effects of the age of the Anthropocene have accelerated life as we know it towards a certain kind of reckoning, which has only been exacerbated amidst the global inequities present within the COVID-19 pandemic. Trauma studies, as an interdisciplinary field, has recently been linked to the experience of despair at both personal and collective levels. Yet, trauma scholars are increasingly amenable to diverse forms of spirituality and its perspectives as core to the work of addressing suffering in the world, especially for marginalized communities as ways to access the wisdom of bodies, thoughts, emotions, and cultural/spiritual longings. Moving further in this direction, a practical theology which bridges trauma studies with Christian spirituality (and the emphases on spiritually rooted social action and the centrality of the Holy Spirit as the Paraclete: helper, counsellor, advocate, and comforter) is timely. This paper imagines how contemporary trauma care approaches might be supported by emergent forms of Christian spirituality enabling greater posttraumatic growth and resiliency and subsequently how this can renew the practice and study of Christian spirituality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reunification of the Catholic and the Orthodox churches was one of the major objectives in the life and work of the Russian religious philosopher Vladimir Soloviev. It inspired virtually all of his writings, and also marked deeply his own religious discernment with regards to the universality of the Christian body – the church. This text surveys the question of Soloviev’s ecclesial affiliation both on the level of his theological ideas on the status of the relation between Catholicism and Orthodoxy and in the sphere of the steps in his personal history concerning his membership in either of Christian denominations. As the study points out, Soloviev’s ecclesial affiliation needs to be interpreted in inclusive rather than exclusive terms.

The article emphasizes the importance of gratitude as a fundamental spiritual practice, tracing its roots from biblical teachings to contemporary reflections. It explores how gratitude shapes our relationship with God and others, illustrating through examples from scripture and theological perspectives. It also discusses the transformative power of gratitude in shaping a humble and spiritually rich life.

The article explores the life and writings of Nilus of Ancyra, emphasizing his role in early monasticism and spirituality during the fourth to fifth centuries. It discusses his works on asceticism, moral philosophy, and monastic training, highlighting his influence despite historical ambiguities about his life. It also examines the broader context of philosophical influences on early Christian thought and contrasts Nilus' contributions with other prominent figures of his time.

The author of the article comments on a letter regarding certain aspects of Christian meditation issued by the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on December 14, 1989. They note both the advantages - such as the support for a revival of interest in the study of Christian spirituality and prayer traditions, the acknowledgment of the importance of studying Buddhist and Hindu traditions, and the encouragement for dialogue with the teachers of these meditation traditions - and the shortcomings of the document - including an inadequate understanding of Christian prayer, overly schematic and selective presentation of Eastern traditions, and excessive suspicion towards the apophatic or negative path. The author reminds us that the document primarily has a theological nature and focuses on the theological assessment of both Christian meditation and the incorporation of other methods into one's practice. There remain extensive areas that need to be addressed not only within theological discussion but also from a pastoral and historical perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a contribution to the Common Knowledge symposium "Caroline Walker Bynum across the Disciplines," this essay traces the origins and development of Bynum's interest in the material artifacts of late medieval Christian spirituality. The author narrates these evolutions through analyses of a single object, the Louvain beguine cradle from the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The essay begins by treating Bynum's research from the 1980s to the early 1990s as moving toward a "visual theology" and then charts her movement from an interest in matter to an interest in materiality over the second half of the 1990s and first decade of the twenty‐first century. Finally, the author uses the Louvain cradle's appearance in Bynum's most recent book, Dissimilar Similitudes, to articulate and reflect upon her contribution to material culture studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article points to the plight of man in the 21st century and his intimidating spiritual and axiological confusion. The 2020 COVID pandemic, the 2022 war in Ukraine and high economic inflation have exposed the lack of stable ethical values and lasting references for Europe. On the one hand, many EU citizens live today in uncertainty and fear, falling in line with populist slogans, and on the other hand, strong xenophobic and fundamentalist currents have emerged in the Catholic Church. Europe is arguably not so much in need of a return to over-institutionalized Christianity, but rather of a search for new forms and systems that would express the ideas of Jesus of Nazareth in innovative ways. Postmodernity with its characteristic elements, i.e., pluralization, mercantilization and rapid change, seem to be completely incompatible with the conventionally accepted Christian understanding of God, the concept of man and the world around him. Therefore, this is a great challenge to all Christian theologians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article addresses the issue of faith in the life of consecrated persons. Its aim is to state in what sense - in the light of the thought of Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI - faith is the foundation for the renewal of the life of those consecrated to God. The article points out that their task is to strengthen the faith; it explains what consequences this mission entails. Benedict XVI emphasises that only a consecrated life lived in faith does not fail to live up to its essence. He expects persons totally dedicated to God to live a profound faith, an intense and living personal relationship with Christ, in a dynamic of constant search for the Face of the Lord, and the renewal of their lives depends on the concrete realisation of these attitudes. The analysis of the Pope's thought allows us to draw important conclusions that point the way out of the crisis situation in which consecrated life finds itself today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the notion of ecotheology, its origins and the conceptual framework of meaning, particularly within Christian theology, in order to establish its relation to the notion of ecospirituality. The article researches how ecological theology may ground an ecological spirituality. Then, it uses both notions to (1) analyze Pope Francis' Encyclical Letter Laudato sí, (2) identify what models of ecotheology are used in his approach, (3) trace significant ecotheological dimensions, proposals, practices and lifestyles conveyed, (4) investigate if it is possible to identify the presence of an ecospirituality, concluding affirmatively. Finally, it asks whether Laudato sí's ecospirituality is only meaningful and operative within a Christian spiritual framework or if, in many respects, it may be also inspirational and significant beyond a Christian realm of meaning. It concludes that Laudato sí's ecological spirituality offers common ground for synergies with other religious, non-religious and secular ecospiritualities which can be synergic contributors to the creation of networks of action and meaning that can be implemented in order to develop a common passionate and effective protection of our world on environmental matters. The methodology used is a critical and hermeneutical documental analysis by means of reviewing significant literature in this area of knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The spiritual growth of God's people at Gereja Kristen Setia Indonesia (GKSI) Sanggau, West Kalimantan, is urgently needed. Christian educators serving at GKSI Sanggau have an important role to play in guiding the spiritual growth of the people. To realize the spiritual growth of God's people at GKSI Sanggau, Christian educators need to play a proactive role in conveying the truth of God's word, teaching the truth of God's word, conducting evangelism, carrying out counseling, and make visits to all God's people in their homes so as to share the truth of God's word. The problem posed is that some of God's people have not experienced spiritual growth, so Christian educators are needed to carry out their role well in overcoming various problems faced by God's people. The issues include doctrinal problems or teaching God's word at all, personal problems with families related to inheritance, problems of laziness to attend worship to God because they prioritize traditions or customs and traditional beliefs more, close their hearts when God's word is preached in the form of teaching, some do not have good habits in reading God's word, are less effective in praying, and may often tend to prioritize their interests rather than glorifying God's name. This study aims to interrogate the role of Christian educators in guiding the spiritual growth of God's people at GKSI Sanggau, West Kalimantan so that God's people can experience spiritual growth according to the truth of God's word. This research uses qualitative methods through data processing of interviews and relevant literature. The findings of this study are that the more serious Christian educators are in guiding the spiritual growth of God's people, the more their spirituality will take root, grow, and experience significant life changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jackson Hlungwani is a locally recognised South African artist and he is internationally acclaimed with a considerable amount of literature written about his life and work, highlighting his uniqueness distinct rural style (Leibhammer & Nel, 2022) and commercialised value (Lauwrens, 2007: 121-124). He was born around 1923 (according to his grandmother, it was during the time of the Kaiser's war) (Burnett, 1989: 4). Having acknowledged his contribution to the arts, this paper analyses the man and his work from a different viewpoint, focusing on three aspects of his life namely the human, spiritual and artistic. However, these three aspects should not be considered three independently functioning sides of this man's existence but three tightly interwoven elements. The research investigates how Hlungwani's physical pain was embodied in his religious activities and wooden creations and how his suffering, caused by a chronic condition of damaged body tissue, was faced, accepted and assimilated to become a source of spiritual strength supporting his religious ideology and artistic inspiration guiding his remarkable creativity. This study highlights how this South African-born artist dealt with his chronic, somatic condition and turned it from a supernatural condemnation into a source of spiritual strength and creative inspiration. Therefore, through a comparative approach, the study uses relevant published and unpublished biographic material, justified critics and preserved manuscripts in libraries, the media, art museums and exhibitions to unpack the theme of physical pain as a source of spiritual and artistic inspiration in Jackson Hlungwani's work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The motives for a 20-year project on the Gospel of John, and the approach taken, are described. Then three major contributions to the twenty-first century are explored: first, the essentials of a Christian worldview; second, who Jesus Christ is, and his presence to readers of the Gospel now; and, third, the spirituality of Christian discipleship as one of learning, loving, and praying, encouraging daring improvisation in the Spirit now. The culmination is the potential of John's wisdom and pedagogy of desire for a wide range of twenty-first century challenges, and an invitation to a Johannine Renaissance today, shaped through the double simplicity of trusting testimony and habitual rereading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotions appear to be self-evident common sense; however, our understanding of 'emotions' carries a history of ongoing debate that persists to this day. This article provides a concise history of emotions, from biblical times to modern-day affective neuroscience. It describes how passions and affections of the soul became emotions of the body, excluding theology in the process. Modern affective neuroscience has yet to yield a universally accepted definition of emotions or a description of their physiology. These historical shifts have resulted in lost knowledge from the Judeo-Christian tradition concerning the soul, will, and love, leaving inadequate guidance for transforming the emotions in Christian spiritual formation. An interdisciplinary approach is suggested, and Dallas Willard's model of transforming the emotions by cultivating the conditions of love, joy, and peace is presented. A case study on love is given. Christian spiritual formation offers unique and essential knowledge to the study of emotions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses two recent scholarly works on the hymnody and spirituality of Isaac Watts, a prominent London dissenting minister and influential author in the British Atlantic world. The first book, "A soul prepared for heaven" by W. Britt Stokes, examines the relationship between Watts's theology and his piety, locating him within the Puritan tradition. The second book, "Studies in the hymnody of Isaac Watts" by David W. Music, provides a detailed analysis of Watts's hymns and psalms, demonstrating their significance in Evangelical piety. Both books contribute to the understanding of Watts's theology and hymnody, highlighting his unique contributions to eighteenth-century religion. [Extracted from the article]

While previous scholarship has shown that the rhetorical figure of the "heretical woman" was important in Jerome's slandering of male rivals, this article argues that the "orthodox woman" played a just as important role in his self-presentation as an orthodox teacher. The "orthodox woman" is characterized by true asceticism which, according to Jerome's ascetic theology, implies that she transcends her sex. Rather than being a "woman", in the ordinary sense of the word, she is an angelic being with a supernatural understanding, which allows her to discern the spiritual meaning of the Scriptures and to distinguish between orthodoxy and heresy. It is argued that the presentation of the "orthodox woman" as very learned, independent and strong-willed makes her the direct opposite of Jerome's "heretical woman", and that such a portrayal suited Jerome's purposes, as his great reliance on women readers called for a defence of female spiritual authority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay presents a transcultural and transhistorical case that exhibits the impact of everyday language use in the practice of Christian spirituality, which stems from the biblical sermo humilis of late antiquity Christians, across and throughout the history of Christian mission and evangelism. In the specific case of Yi Suni, a Korean female martyr, I argue, this manner of sermo humilis kindles such Spirit-led influence in a mission field without a Western missionary's intervention, as the Christian message spreads through the raw language of ordinary people. Even though there has been some research on Yi Suni's in-between identity as an ordinary Confucian woman and a Catholic individual subject, there has not been enough attention to how her manner of speech in her letters reflects her struggles in the liminal space of her transcultural context. Her letters written in the real voice of Korean vernacular ǒnmun exhibit the rawness of the impact of the appropriated Catholicism in the everyday life of a Korean Confucian woman and her family. This rawness of her language, along with the core biblical message, I suggest, is the hallmark of Christian spirituality that Yi Suni revealed without direct influence from any Western missionary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldviews of Christian practice across society globally inevitably revolve around Christianity's mainstream sense of patterned spirituality. Christian spirituality is such a diverse practice, though, that researchers have decided spirituality itself is unable to be quantified as one segmented behavior. Christian spirituality is neither merely a hierarchical ladder nor simply something designed to attain ultimate spirituality. Patterns of glorifying private Christian spirituality become the locality of Miroslav Volf's criticism as both philosopher and theologian. The data collected here represents qualitative research utilizing interview techniques recorded on smartphones. The recordings were processed into verbatim transcripts as a medium for gathering narratives related to the subjects' experiences. We conducted qualitative research through interview techniques, as Christian life and the practices of society and self are closely related to the subjects' lives and their social engagement. The results showed that spirituality is both a tension and a celebration of diversity within Christian practices in everyday life. Spirituality within the research context of the Christian youth congregation in Palangka Raya Church exists within responsibilities, appreciations, mutual learnings, and becoming immersed within social axioms as Christian citizens in and through life in all of its complexities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempts to deal with an essential dimension of the process of discernment as Francis develops it, namely, the narrative. The paper treats the imaginative discernment exemplified in his use of storytelling, metaphors, and symbols to open a creative forum for discerning sacred truths in our personal lives. To justify the appropriateness of Francis's use of imagination in discernment, the first part of the paper analyzes Ignatius's use of the imagination, especially in the Rules for Discernment of Spirits. The second and lengthier part of the paper turns to Pope Francis's skilled narrative use of metaphors and symbols. He adopts the Ignatian imaginative style with metaphors that appeal to contemporary seekers. The various metaphorical twists that he incorporates into this experience have a privileged place in his spiritual pedagogy of accompanying, discerning, and walking together with people during difficult times. The metaphorical style of Ignatius and Francis allows for a comprehensive understanding of the role that imagination can play in the discernment of spirits. Besides enriching our understanding of discernment, this style can facilitate a Christian spirituality that enhances the search for and discovery of meaning within our contemporary lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This contribution investigates the spiritual position of a Christian congregation in urban contexts of gentrification and de-churching. A project in Amsterdam will serve as a case to explore crucial issues for shrinking congregations in 'up-and-coming' neighbourhoods, who aim to transcend the insider/outsider dichotomy between the congregation and its (urban) context. The project at hand shows a shift from exclusively Christian congregations to communities of people with various outlooks of life and from professional structures to cooperation between professionals and volunteers. Using the work of the French theologian Michel de Certeau as a city guide, and his understanding of the empty tomb as a key theological concept, the paper reflects on epistemological and methodological questions brought about by these shifts. After that, issues closely connected to the observed shifts are discussed: the questions of language (how to deal with different ways to express and interpret experiences) and ownership (who is in control in situations of plurality). The article argues for an urban Christian spirituality based on an epistemology of not-knowing and otherness, informed by methodologies of receptivity and desire, leading to practices of multilingualism and open ownership-structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The history of Christian spirituality emphasizes the difference between the active and contemplative life. This has caused a problematic division between spirituality and practice of the Christian Church. Augustine of Hippo was among the first theologians who addressed this issue. The study explores Augustine’s answer to this issue based on textual research of the Augustinian corpus and presents it as an early Christian symbiosis of contemplation in action that has not yet been explored in the history of spirituality.

This article is a book review of "Research on the Letter to the Galatians 2000-2020" by D.F. Tolmie. The book provides an overview of research on the Letter to the Galatians from 2000 to 2020, covering various topics such as authorship, translation issues, interpretative approaches, and theological issues. The review notes that while the book does not provide evaluations of the research, it presents the information in an accessible manner. It is recommended as a helpful resource for researchers studying the Letter to the Galatians. [Extracted from the article]

The article is a book review of "From the Shores of Silence: Conversations in Feminist Practical Theology" edited by Ashley Cocksworth, Rachel Starr, and Stephen Burns. The book is a collection of essays written in honor of poet-theologian Nicola Slee. The contributors, including academics, clergy, and creative writers, explore various topics such as poetry, faith and feminism, practicing Christian faith, and spirituality. The book emphasizes the importance of relationships and addresses issues such as violence against women, worship, prayer, leadership, and race. It would be of interest to those interested in practical theology, feminist theology, and the poetic and spiritual languages of faith. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses a new book about the Romanian artist Marin Gherasim, written by Alexandru Davidian and published in 2019. The book is a comprehensive monograph of 440 pages, featuring texts and images that highlight Gherasim's significant contributions to Romanian art. Gherasim's work was deeply influenced by his Christian spirituality and his opposition to the oppressive communist regime. The book also explores Gherasim's activities as an essay writer and publicist, shedding light on his relationships with other artists and intellectuals. Overall, the book serves as a tribute to Gherasim's artistic legacy and his resistance against both the communist and consumerist systems. [Extracted from the article]

In the following paper on the ecofeminist dimension of the considerable work of the feminist theologian Rosemary Radford Ruether, I will limit myself to questions and themes that are not purely theological, but which at the same time resonate with the themes and questions addressed in contemporary (eco)feminist philosophy, which revolve around issues of structural inequality and structural or systemic violence on the one hand, and the interdependence of lives, precariousness, and vulnerability on the other. Of the classic questions of systematic theology, two seem to me particularly relevant in this regard, namely the question of structural sin and the very understanding of who God/dess is. Structural sin is the subject of the first part of this paper. God/dess in an ecofeminist perspective is the subject of the second part. The third part focuses on theological ethics and specifically on the articulation between the ethics of the 'preferential option for the poor', based on liberation theology, and the ethics of ecological sustainability. Finally, I devote the fourth and final section to examples of the concrete everyday spiritual practices of lived Christian ecofeminist spirituality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the author's experiences in pastoral ministry, engaging in spiritual conversations with people of various ages and backgrounds. It mentions the importance of listening carefully, helping individuals articulate their spiritual desires, and encouraging them in their relationship with Jesus through prayer and attentiveness.

The article discusses interfaith spiritual conversations and their implications.Topics include the importance of hospitality and respect in such conversations, the challenges of encountering the unknown, the need for active passivity and openness to divine grace, and the power of conversation as a tool for learning and understanding.