A Liminal Locus: On Threshold Places

I’m working right now on a piece entitled Liminal Locus: On Threshold Places, (liminal = liminus = threshold; local = locus = place) that addresses the reality that while all space can become a threshold of encounter with God, there is a reality evident in all spiritual history that places carry history, significance and even theological importance.

For now, I believe in spaces that are “set apart” for certain activities, one of which is the intentional expression of worship through symbolic action, shared encounter and community engagement. However, I do not believe in the concept that all “sacred spaces” and “non-sacred spaces” should be utterly disconnected.

Platonic dualism in Western civilization (and theology) has corrupted our ability to see all of life, and human activity, as a forum for sacred activity. I.e. The ground underneath our feet is holy as we walk with God – but some ground is designated specifically for encounter with God (i.e. Jesus and the Temple – “My house shall be called a house of prayer….”).

Just seeding the thought, for input as I move ahead with the idea.

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Sheltering Mercy: Prayers Inspired by the Psalms

Sheltering Mercy, along with its companion volume, Endless Grace, helps us rediscover the rich treasures of the Psalms—through free-verse prayer renderings of their poems and hymns—as a guide to personal devotion and meditation.

The church has always used the Psalms as part of its prayer life, and they have inspired countless other prayers. This book contains 75 prayers drawn from Psalms 1-75, providing lyrical sketches of what authors Ryan Smith and Dan Wilt have seen, heard, and felt while sojourning in the Psalms. Each prayer is a response to the Psalms written in harmony with Scripture. These prayers help us quiet our hearts before God and welcome us into a safe place amid the storms of life.

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