Keeping faith : a skeptic's journey / Fenton Johnson.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Johnson, Fenton

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Johnson, Fenton.

Spiritual biography--United States.

Spiritual biography.

United States.

Genre:

Autobiographies.

Physical Description:

xii, 324 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 2003.

Summary:

"Keeping Faith explores the depths of what it means for a skeptic to have and to keep faith. Johnson grew up with the Trappist monks but rejected institutionalized religion as an adult. While living as a member of the Gethsemani community and the Zen Center, however, he learned to practice Christian rituals with a new discipline and studied Buddhist meditation, which brought him a new understanding of the deep relationship between sexuality and faith, body and spirit. Changed in profound ways, Johnson ultimately turned back to his childhood faith, now inflected with the accumulated wisdom of his journey. Johnson interweaves memoir, the personal and often shocking stories of Buddhist and Christian monks, and a revealing history of the contemplative life in the West. He offers lay Christians an understanding of the origins and history of their contemplative traditions and provides the groundwork needed to challenge orthodox understandings of spirituality. No matter their backgrounds, readers will find Keeping Faith a work of great power and immediacy."--Jacket.

Contents:

1. In Search of the Unfound 3

2. The Gethsemani Encounter 8

3. Crossing the River 26

4. Origins of the Contemplative Life in the West 41

5. A Profound Silence 59

6. The Most Fearful Place: A Gethsemani Retreat 63

7. Way-Seeking Mind 84

8. Antony, Athanasius, and the Rise to Power of Western Christianity 107

9. God Alone 120

10. Being in Doing 140

11. A Marriage Made in Heaven: The Coupling of Jewish Ritual and Greek Philosophy 156

12. Solitude 167

13. Desire 170

14. Union 183

15. Augustine of Hippo and John Cassian: Grace or Will? 207

16. Cultivating the Heart 223

17. Beyond Belief 243

18. The Rule of Benedict and the Rise of Compassion 250

19. A Member of the Community: Abbey of Gethsemani 265

20. Facing East from California's Shores 285.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 317-324).

Lambda Literary Awards - Spirituality, Winner, 2004

ISBN:

0618004424

9780618004423

OCLC:

50441051

Online:

Contributor biographical information

Publisher description