Souvenirs of the Holy
Encountering God By means of On a regular basis Objects
By Laurie M. Brock
Broadleaf, 198 pages, $22.99
Broadleaf’s publicity web page for Souvenirs of the Holy says it’s “within the type of Tish Harrison Warren’s Liturgy of the Extraordinary.” That comparability units the bar very excessive, as Warren’s ebook was Christianity As we speak’s E-book of the 12 months in 2018, and offered over 200,000 copies.
The Rev. Laurie M. Brock’s writing type is accessible and readers who select Souvenirs of the Holy will certainly anticipate a message concerning the Episcopal priest’s non secular journey. Brock has a robust religion, and she or he communicates that all through the ebook.
She additionally demonstrates that remark of on a regular basis life and objects can improve our data of God and the non secular realm, which is especially necessary to contemplative individuals. How remodeled would the trendy tradition be if we acknowledged the holy in on a regular basis locations aside from church?
Brock writes of breadcrumbs, “God, like a superb cook dinner, has a sample of recognizing the price of these issues which might be miniscule, seemingly unimportant, and that we too typically dismiss or solid apart.” She writes of calendars, “Our fashionable calendars are sometimes closely laden with the practical and slight on the holy. … We fill our days with to-do and compulsory celebrations that drain the holiness from historic days of solemnity and reflection.” And he or she equates quilts with redemption: “Redemption is the miracle that takes the shreds and items of life that we people tear asunder and transforms them into one thing precious, helpful, and worthwhile.”
But whereas Brock usually does effectively in relating on a regular basis objects with our relationship with God and others, a few chapters made me surprise. The chapter on forged iron appeared to say that each one of our experiences combine collectively and type a phenomenal life. Individuals who have skilled extreme trauma would possibly hear that their horrible damage was despatched from God.
I’m assured that was not Brock’s intention, however such a studying would possibly additional injure those that are notably susceptible. And in Chapter 7 Brock writes, “Roads aren’t issues that we deem deeply non secular.” However Scripture and our spiritual heritage have repeatedly used phrases like the best way, your non secular journey, and your stroll with God, which all sound like allusions to roads (or paths).
The ebook is efficacious for contemplatives, in addition to for these eager to strive an accessible contemplative observe. Brock demonstrates how on a regular basis objects could also be used to attach us to God, others, and ourselves. She ends with 4 forms of meditative practices that will likely be useful to make use of alone or in small teams.
