Synopses & Reviews
Praise for Soul Graffiti
"Encouraging readers to become apprentices of Jesus, Scandrette provides stories of ordinary people struggling to follow Jesus, and offers spiritual practices for those who want to do likewise. The book's focus on the responsibility of each Christian to be part of the "genesis-vision" of Godin other words, to be a co-creator with Godwill speak to contemporary readers who find Jesus more compelling than the institutional church. They will also appreciate its eclectic mix of ecology, social justice, biblical theology and a smattering of wisdom from other faith perspectives..."
Publishers Weekly
"Through Mark's rich insights and reflections, and especially through his stories... about Jack, Richard, Gary, Caroline, Emperor Arcadia (you'll never forget him!), Michelle, Beryl, and many others, you'll get an honest and inspiring view of what 'the emergent conversation' is really about, and what it's for."
Brian McLaren, author/activist (brianmclaren.net)
"Soul Graffiti is not so much a book as it is an encountera deadly serious encounterwith a Christianity that is urban, American, un-institutionalized, and now. If you truly like your own Christian walk just the way it is, you definitely should not read this book."
Phyllis Tickle, religion analyst and compiler, The Divine Hours
"Mark Scandrette guides us in this beautifully written and brilliantly illustrated book along a path towards actualized spirituality in a postmodern world. The book provides new avenues to ancient truths."
Tony Campolo, professor of sociology, Eastern University
Synopsis
In
Soul Graffiti ? Mark Scandrette—writer, poet, and leader in the Emergent church movement—uses vivid stories of his own life and the lives of the many people he has encountered in his home in the Mission District of San Francisco to explore what "good news of God" might mean for our particular time and place. He seeks to answer the central question:
"How can we be about making a life in the way of Jesus?" Soul Graffiti is a simple and lyrical exploration of the essential message of Jesus as it relates to the experiences of contemporary spiritual seekers. He integrates theological insight with awareness of human psychology, culture, and daily life. Written to appeal to the sensibilities of those who inhabit a post-Christendom milieu, Mark Scandrette's deepest hope is to give readers greater motivation for, and a fuller sense of what it means to make a life in, the way of Jesus.
About the Author
Mark Scandrette is the executive director and cofounder of ReIMAGINE, a center for spiritual formation in San Francisco. Mark is a founding member of SEVEN, a monastic community devoted to holistic and integrative Christian spirituality. With extensive experience leading churches and community-based organizations, Mark has been a minister, writer, and spiritual teacher for 15 years. Mark is also a senior fellow with Emergent (www.emergentvillage.com), a growing generative friendship among missional Christian leaders.
Table of Contents
Emergent Visions Series Foreword
Foreword
Acknowledgments
Preface to the paperback edition
Introduction: Graffiti Punctuating the Silence
PART ONE: HEARING THE MESSAGE OF JESUS IN THE HERE AND NOW
1 Curiosity and the Ghosts of the Past
2 Rabbi and Revolutionary
3 Community: The Path of a Companion
4 Experiments in Truth
PART TWO: EMBRACING LIFE AS A GIFT AND SACRED TRUST
5 Darkness and Light: The Scandal of Eternity
6 Our Eyes as Windows on the World
7 Living and Telling the Story of Your Life
8 Creativity: The Path of an Artist
PART THREE: THE GREATER WHOLENESS OF GENESIS-VISION
9 The Tiny Seed and the Big Tree
10 Bread and Wine and the Deeper Magic
11 Compassion: The Path of a Healer
12 Beryl: A Semiprecious Jewel
PART FOUR: IMAGINING AND INHABITING THE WAY OF LOVE
13 Contemplation: The Path of a Mystic
14 Dancing into the Circle
15 Enter the Jesus Dojo