The God that we were brought up on is not big enough to be God. To be both religious and spiritual, modernity must be able to absorb the notion of a cosmic and evolving God. This notion redefines the place and purpose of humanity itself. The old notions of who is in charge, who is superior and whose theology is paramount is in a state of flux. Unless, or until, this new vision comes into play, directs our hearts, guides our business, underlies our...

"This simple little book," says Joan Chittister, "touches on four elements of mindfulness that account for all the angst in our society right now-moral maturity, spiritual witness, personal greatness, and universal kinship. These are the things that determine whether we go through life as part of its solution or part of the weight on its progress." These powerful meditations, filled with wisdom gained from spiritual leaders who have inspired Sister...

Very little in this world stays fresh and life-giving for 1,500 years. But when that happens, we should ask ourselves why and what that had to do with us. In this book, The Radical Christian Life: A Year with Saint Benedict, Joan Chittister encourages us to look at that question. In an introductory essay, she examines how the insights and values of the sixth-century Visionary Saint Benedict can illuminate today's search for a meaningful life. Then...

Everyone goes through times of pain and sorrow, depression and darkness, stress and suffering. It is in the necessary struggles of life, however, that we stretch our souls and gain new insights enabling us to go on. Building on the biblical story of Jacob wrestling with God and on the story of her own battle with life-changing disappointment, Sister Joan Chittister deftly explores the landscape of suffering and hope, considering along the way such...

Wise and enduring spiritual guidelines for everyday living –– as relevant today as when The Rule was originally conceived by St. Benedict in fifth century Rome.

This newest treasury of Joan's wisdom explores how God calls each of us to become fully alive. Here she reflects on the myth of perfection, our need for failure, the power of true humility, reverence for the created world, and the search for God. "When God is the 'monos,' the only goal of our lives," she says, "we are living a 'monastic' life, whatever the shape-married, single, or religious-the monastery of my own particular soul-life may be." This...

The psalms are the oldest prayers in the Judeo-Christian tradition. Joan Chittister sees them as a lexicon of the human condition, assuring us of God's caring presence and loving help in every situation. In this beautifully designed book, Chittister provides a favorite psalm for each month and a reflection on the prayer for each day so that the psalm can become a benedition that pulsates in our hearts.

In this beautiful book best-selling author Joan Chittister and celebrated artist John August Swanson together reclaim the ancient story of Ruth as a model for contemporary women seeking a fully spiritual life. In concert with Swanson's rich and evocative art, Chittister's graceful prose explores, through this powerful biblical story, a series of twelve defining moments in every woman's life - moments of loss, change, transformation, aging, independence,...

The Desert Monastics, thousands of monks and nuns who lived in the Egyptian wastelands between the third and fifth centuries, have come to be seen as the Olympians of the spiritual life. Renowned spiritual writer Joan Chittister explores the sayings of the Desert Mothers and Fathers, finding wisdom from that ancient tradition that speaks to your life today. This popular introduction to a powerful source of Christian wisdom can be a companion to your...

Fifty-two readings on living in intentional Christian community to spark group discussion. Gold Medal Winner, 2017 Illumination Book Awards, Christian Living Silver Medal Winner, 2017 Benjamin Franklin Award in Religion, Independent Book Publishers Association Why, in an age of connectivity, are our lives more isolated and fragmented than ever? And what can be done about it? The answer lies in the hands of God's people. Increasingly, today's Christians...