In Conversation: Rowan Williams and Greg Garrett

by Rowan Williams, Greg Garrett

Overview

• Second volume of the In Conversation series
• Insights into the art of listening from former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams and author Greg Garrett

How is God speaking into our lives today? How do Christians discern what they’re being called to do? How do literature and culture intersect with the Scriptures and our tradition? And what might the work of the artist teach us about both spiritual practice and the vocational tasks of preaching and teaching? Be a fly on the wall and listen in as dear friends—one who happens to be the past Archbishop of Canterbury, the other, “one of the Episcopal Church's most engaging evangelists” (Barbara Brown Taylor)—discuss their longtime passions and shared interests. In this new volume of the “In Conversation series,” Rowan Williams and Greg Garrett talk about friendship, the Church, the gift of great novels, the importance of Shakespeare, the art of writing poetry and fiction, the preaching event, engaging popular culture, the relationship between faith and politics, the practice of prayer, and the necessity of sacred community, modeling for us in the process both the vanishing art of conversation and an active engagement with faith, culture, and real life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781640651302
Publisher:	Church Publishing
Publication date:	05/17/2019
Series:	In Conversation
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	128
File size:	202 KB

About the Author

Rowan Williams, the 104th archbishop of Canterbury, spent much of his early career as an academic at Cambridge and Oxford universities. After retiring as archbishop, he became chancellor of the University of South Wales and master of Magdalene College, Cambridge. Williams now resides in Cardiff, Wales.

Greg Garrett, PhD, has written more than twenty books of fiction, nonfiction, memoir, and translation, including My Church Is Not Dying: Episcopalians in the 21st Century. Professor of English at Baylor University and Theologian in Residence at the American Cathedral in Paris, he has appeared internationally on radio and television and regularly preaches, gives readings, and leads workshops and retreats. He lives in Austin, Texas.

Table of Contents

Foreword Greg Garrett 1

Conversation 1 7

In Which Rowan and Greg Discuss: Friendship

Being Archbishop of Canterbury

The Practice of Prayer

Intention and Attention

Celtic Christianity

Welsh and Celtic Writers

Being Present

Cooking and Singing as Spiritual Practices

Conversation 2 22

In Which Rowan and Greg Discuss: Cooperation and Community

The Creative Process

Writing the Novel

Meeting Characters

Reading and Empathy

Trollope and Dickens

Marilynne Robinson

Everyone's Story Matters

Characters and Redemption

Story Endings

Sequels

Doubting Thomas

Augustine and R D. James

Conversation 3 41

In Which Rowan and Greg Discuss: Why Shakespeare Matters

Live Drama

The Preaching Event

The Danger of the Live Event

Shakespeare on the Theatrical

Shakespeare on Politics and Power

Writing Plays

The Unity of Creative and Theological Writing

Good and Bad Christian Writing

Writing Redemption

Story and Embodiment

Literature as Theology

Conversation 4 57

In Which Rowan and Greg Discuss: Writing Poetry

Writing Short Stories

Differences between Long Forms and Short Forms

The Last Temptation of Christ

Writing Practice

Poetic Technique

Shakespeare's Language

Faulkner

Poetry's Task: To Make You See

The Pastoral Value of Poetry

Conversation 5 70

In Which Rowan and Greg Discuss: The Preaching Event

Preaching Styles

Preparing to Preach

Theology of Preaching

Preaching Influences

The Sermon and the Short Story

Preaching and Healthy Self-Disclosure

The Sermon in the Context of Worship

Imagining the Lives of the Listeners

Theology and Popular Culture

Archetypal Myths in Pop Culture

Culture and Community

Embedding the Gospel in Culture

The Gospel According to Doctor Who

The Parables

Evangelism

Conversation 6 95

In Which Rowan and Greg Discuss: Faithfulness in Political Life

Bonhoeffer's Ethics

Immigration in the States

A Faithful View of Humanity

Political Tribalism vs. Faithful Engagement

Abortion

Rights vs. Responsibilities

Failure as Humane

Guns

MLK

The Hope of the Christian

Conversation 7 114

In Which Rowan and Greg Discuss: The Church at This Time

Institutionally and Relationality in the Church

Church as Every Day

Welsh Community

Hope for the Church

The Shifting Manifestation of the Church

Sacraments

What Is Saving Your Life Now?

Afterword Rowan Williams 122

Editorial Reviews

"This dialogue comes across as refreshingly unstaged and genuine, and offers a smorgasbord of riches to enjoy and ponder."
--Publishers Weekly

"The entire Gospel is conversation. Life is conversation. Conversation is something the human spirit is constantly seeking. Without it, we know, one can go mad. The importance of continuing to converse is crucial for the health of the soul and the health of our church and nation. This may be truer, and more needed, today than it has been in quite a while. These conversations between two people I love dearly are sure to set off some of your won. If so, the book will have succeeded in making this world a bit gentler and perhaps a bit more understanding, too."
--The Rt. Rev. Gregory H. Rickel, VIII Bishop of Olympia

"Theology, it is often said, is best done in conversation. And in this wonderful book, we find one of the most remarkable Anglican theologians of recent times engaging in some truly sparkling conversations that touch on church, politics and culture, through to poetry, prose and art of writing. Greg Garrett's conversations with Rowan Williams offer a banquet of theological riches served in a warm and relaxed mode - yet always shining with the wisdom and penetrating spiritual insight we have come to expect from a theologian of Williams' stature. This is a book crafted out of friendship and mutual respect, offering insights and illuminations into how theology can shed light on some of todays' most pressing challenges. This is a wonderful book to treasure and return to - indeed, like all good conversations."
--The Very Revd Professor Martyn Percy, Dean of Christ Church, Oxford

"This book is a remarkable conversation between two good friends who also happen to be exceptional theologians and thinkers. Whether the topic is prayer, poetry, politics, or pop culture, their insights are illuminating and their friendship is infectious. Reading, In Conversation with Rowan Williams and Greg Garrett is like being a fly on the wall as two great minds plumb the depths of art, culture, and faith."
--The Very Reverend Randolph Marshall Hollerith, Dean, Washington National Cathedral

From the Publisher