Where God Happens : Discovering Christ in One Another and Other Lessons from the Desert Fathers

by WILLIAMS, ROWANTUTU, DESMOND

• ISBN13: 9781590302316
• ISBN10: 1590302311
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-09-13
• Publisher: New Seeds

Summary

The place "where God happens," according to Rowan Williams's striking new reading of the Desert Fathers and Mothers, isbetween each other. It's a truth that we of the twenty-first century most urgently need to learn in order to heal the experience of alienation that has become endemic to our age, and these odd and appealing ancient figures, surprisingly, hold keys to this healing. The fourth-century Christian hermits of Egypt, Syria, and Palestine understood the truth of Christian community profoundly, and their lives demonstrate it vividly-even though they often lived in solitude and isolation. The author breaks through our preconceived ideas of the Desert Fathers to reveal them in a new light: as true and worthy role models-even for us in our modern lives-who have much to teach us about dealing with the anxieties, uncertainties, and sense of isolation that have become hallmarks of modern life. They especially embody valuable insights about community, about how to live together in an intimate and meaningful way. Williams makes these radical figures, who clearly have a special place in his heart, come to life in a new way for everyone. The book includes an appendix of selections from the teachings of the Desert Fathers.

Author Biography

Rowan Williams, the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury, is an acclaimed theologian, writer, and pastor, in addition to being the spiritual leader of the world's 100 million Anglicans. He was a lecturer at Cambridge University and held the Lady Margaret Chair of Divinity at Oxford University. He has been Canon Theologian of Leicester Cathedral, Bishop of Monmouth in the Church of Wales, and Archbishop of Wales. He is the author of several books, including The Dwelling of Light and A Ray of Darkness.

Table of Contents

Foreword
Archbishop Desmond Tutu	vii
Preface	xi
A Note on the Sources	xv
Introduction
Laurence Freeman	1	(10)
1. Life, Death, and Neighbors	11	(26)
2. Silence and Honey Cakes	37	(32)
3. Fleeing	69	(24)
4. Staying	93	(30)
The Monastic Wisdom of the Christian Desert: A Selection of Sayings
Laurence Freeman	123	(40)
Notes	163	(7)
Further Reading	170	(2)
The World Community for Christian Meditation and the John Main Seminar	172