Nature as Spiritual Practice

by Steven Chase

Overview

Steven Chase’s innovative On Earth As it Is uses a compelling blend of theological, scriptural, historical, and cultural discussions to reclaim the role of nature in the formation of Christian spiritual and moral identity. His thought-provoking “creation practices” will lead readers into more profound knowledge of themselves and their Creator, guide them to greater compassion for their neighbors, instill in them reverence for and companionship with nature, and awaken in them a greater commitment to creation care. · Encourages Christians to read the Bible, pray, and worship out of doors. · Demonstrates the power of nature to soothe and heal the soul. · Advocates “befriending” God’s creation as a crucial element in Christian growth. · Show how the Bible is full of natural images — and how nature itself can function as a holy text, testifying to the glory of God. Offers stories, anecdotes, research, scriptural tie-ins, practical advice, and contemplative exercises to help readers experience God in nature.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780802840103
Publisher:	Eerdmans, William B. Publishing Company
Publication date:	05/01/2011
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	294
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Steven Chase is resident scholar at the CollegevilleInstitute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research andpresident of the Society for the Study of ChristianSpirituality. His recent books include Contemplationand Compassion: The Victorine Tradition and TheTree of Life: Models of Christian Prayer.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Preface: How to Use This Book xi

Introduction: On Earth as It Is

1 "Thy Will Be Done, on Earth as It Is..." 3

2 "Definitions and intentions 16

Section 1 Sacramental Ecology

3 The Sacred Matters 31

4 A Covenant with Mystery 42

Section 2 The Book of Nature

5 The Grammar of Nature 57

6 The Sacred Idiom of Nature 74

Section 3 Creation Contemplation

7 Nature as Liturgy and Prayer 93

8 Hovering and Hazelnuts as Contemplative Prayer 110

Section 4 The Dark Night of the Planet

9 The Dark Night: Miseries and Signs 125

10 Darkness: Consenting to Creative Love 146

Section 5 Nature as Spiritual Guide

11 Nature as Belonging 163

12 Nature as Healing and Solace 174

Section 6 The Moral Senses of Nature

13 Spiritual Practice as Moral Response 195

14 Transforming Perspectives and Earth Insights 206

Conclusion The Green Beatitudes Wisdom and the Green Beatitudes 225

Appendix A What Are Christian Practices? 247

Appendix B Multiple Intelligence Inventory 249

Appendix C The Meaning of "Nature" 253

Bibliography 257

Index of Names 265

Editorial Reviews

In Nature as Spiritual Practice Steven Chase invites us to seek God in nature’s own liturgy, to mourn with nature within the earth’s dark night, and to be transformed by a deepened attention to the world all around. Step outside, Chase tells us. Our desire for God is a desire we share with the earth itself.”
— Stephanie Paulsell
Harvard Divinity School
author of Honoring the Body: Meditations on a Christian Practice

“A wonderful mix of insights from classical spiritual teachers and nature writers, woven into a series of contemplative and active practices that echo the work of Joanna Macy and Bill Plotkin. Full of riches both thoughtful and practical!”
— Belden C. Lane
Saint Louis University
author of Ravished by Beauty: The Surprising Legacy of Reformed Spirituality

From the Publisher