Four out of six - a new book in the 'stable'

I have been blessed to write 4 books of my own since 2001 (although the little book of prayers for exams was a colaboration with Roger Prentice in Canada). There are two further projects on the way (the final text for 'Methodism in Southern Africa - a celebration of Wesleyan mission' went to the publisher today, and I am finalising the text for 'What we are thinking', a compilation of essays on issues ranging from same sex relationships and the Church, to issues of justice, feminism, worship, postmodernism, and the environment).

Today the paper copies of my own most recent book (see the green cover on the right) was delivered. It came out so well! Manfred from AcadSA does such great work!! The book is entitled 'An uncommon spiritual path - the quest to find Jesus beyond conventional Christianity'. I so enjoyed writing this book! It is much more adventurous. As I gain confidence I am learning to write with greater freedom and a much more accessible feel - both make for a more engaging read! Here's an excerpt from the introduction of the book:

I have long held the conviction that people cannot be whole unless they have an active and deep spiritual life. One of the great shortcomings of many contemporary western cultures is that they lull us into believing that we can find peace, joy, and fulfilment in what we own, or in what we do. Sadly, many people have come to discover that the pursuit of wealth, power, and recognition by one’s peers, are shallow and meaningless against the backdrop of what it means to be truly alive. When one considers that a human person has physical, psychological and spiritual needs, the pursuit of true and ultimate meaning becomes all the more important in a world that seems so increasingly devoid of depth.

This book charts a different course to the norm. It examines a way of life that may seem quite austere and strange to most of us. However, it will be shown that it is not the spiritual methodology, nor even the content of this particular spiritual path, that bring blessing and peace. Rather, it is passing beyond methods, ideas, and even doctrines, that brings us into the presence of the God who gives and sustains true life; the kind of life Jesus speaks of in John's Gospel (John 10:10).

My prayer is that you will approach this book with an open mind, and an open heart. As you read about the life and spirituality of Henri le Saux (commonly known as Abhishiktananda – which means 'the bliss of Christ') consider what you could gain by moving beyond the trappings of religion, to the power of true faith itself. I am fairly certain that there may be some aspects of this spiritual approach, and its theological content, that will be unsettling to some – it is radical, and certainly not what most of us have come to associate with Christian spirituality, particularly not the kind of spirituality that is common in many sub-urban western churches.

Please don't give up on this journey, and on what you may discover, because of a theological or methodological difference. Moreover, I would encourage you not to get hung up with trying to fathom some of the more complex notions that arise from the interaction between Hindu and Christian philosophy and theology. As we shall discover, even these concepts will need to give way to the mystery of the God they seek to express, at some point.

The Pastor and theologian Brian Mclaren comments in one of his books that his grandmother told him that when you’re eating fish you shouldn't worry too much about the bones, rather enjoy the meat, once that’s done you can always come back and see if there is anything left that you want to reconsider or savour. Please treat this book in the same way. If you don’t understand something at first, skip it! It probably doesn't matter much in the big scheme of things anyway! However, when you feel the need to go a little deeper come back to a paragraph, a phrase, or a concept in order to gain a fuller understanding of it.

At the end of the day my desire is not that you will come to think, or act, as Abhishiktananda did. Nor is it that you will think or act as I do. Rather, my prayer for you is that you will have the courage to break through the pressure to conform to common expressions of Christian spirituality. Moreover, I pray that you will work with courage to quench your thirst for truth, and satisfy your hunger for God by charting a path that may not have been taken by any other person. That, in my opinion, is what makes Abhishiktananda's spirituality so unique, valuable, and special. It is his courage to go against convention that makes him so worthy of study.

So, while his method and approach are suited to his particular context, his courage and desire to live for truth and discover God beyond the mere forms and symbols of religion are values that we can all share.

May you come to find that you, and all of creation, are contained within the Bliss of the Triune God.

The other books in the picture are:

An introduction to Wesleyan Spirituality (2001)
A guide to prayer for use during examinations (2007)
Christ at the centre: Discovering the cosmic Christ in the spirituality of Bede Griffiths (2007)
(and then the 'new kid on the block')

All of the books can be ordered on my website http://www.dionforster.com (please follow the 'books and resources' link).

On a final note, all of my own books are 'open source' - by that I mean that I would rather have people read them and use them, than simply sell them! So, please email me if you would like an electronic copy of any of my books - I have PDF copies of the Prayer book for use during examinations, Christ at the centre, and An uncommon spiritual path.

Technorati tags: postmodernism and Christianity, Jesus beyond the Church, Dion Forster, New Christian Book, emergent Christian, Publish

Comments

[Charlene & John]

Well Done D!!