The Wisdom of Stability: Rooting Faith in a Mobile Culture

In whatever place you live, do not easily leave it. -Abba Anthony

In an age where we might email a friend in Africa, skype a co-worker in Brazil, and

teleconference with people in different time zones-all in one day-the sheer speed of life can be dizzying. Like children stumbling off a merry-go-round, says Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, we are grasping for something to anchor our lives in a sea of constant change. In The Wisdom of Stability, Wilson-Hartgrove illuminates the biblical and monastic understanding of why staying in one place is both a virtue, and good for you. For the Christian tradition, he writes, the heart's true home is a life rooted in the love of God. When we cultivate an inner stability of heart - by rooting ourselves in the places where we live, engaging the people we are with, and by the simple rhythms of tending to body and soul - true growth can happen. The Wisdom of Stability is a must-read for pastors, leaders, and anyone seeking an authentic path of Christian transformation.

"Although commitment to the traditional Christian virtue of stability isn't easy, it is the best way to encounter both the God who invites humans into community — and, for the faithful, to do battle with the personal and societal demons that keep them from deeper faith. Cofounder of the 'new monastic' community Rutba House in Durham, N.C., and author of God's Economy, Wilson-Hartgrove argues candidly that his aim is to persuade readers to 'reprogram your default settings' from mobility to stability. Drawing deeply upon the work and witness of Benedictines both ancient and modern, the writer also roots his argument in Scripture and snapshots taken from the economically poor community where he and his family have chosen to live. In a fortunate coincidence, this slim volume advocating the virtue of 'growing where you are planted' appears at a time when more are inclined to challenge the necessity and advantage of multitasking. Wilson-Hartgrove tends to repeat his main point, but he does it in such an engaging and passionate way that readers will go away well-informed, if not converted." Publishers Weekly (Copyright PWyxz LLC)

In "The Wisdom of Stability," Wilson-Hartgrove illuminates the biblical and monastic understanding of why staying in one place is both a virtue, and good for you. "For the Christian tradition," he writes, "the heart's true home is a life rooted in the love of God." When we cultivate an inner stability of heart - by rooting ourselves in the places where we live, engaging the people we are with, and by the simple rhythms of tending to body and soul - true growth can happen. "The Wisdom of Stability" is a must-read for pastors, leaders, and anyone seeking an authentic path of Christian transformation.