| Soul Care: The Lenten Model Contributor(s): Sweers, Carolyn J. (Author) |
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ISBN: 1946801054 ISBN-13: 9781946801050 Publisher: Toplink Publishing, LLC OUR PRICE: $7.19 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: April 2017 |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Religion |
| Physical Information: 0.19" H x 6" W x 9" (0.30 lbs) 92 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Soul care, said Socrates, was the most important activity a human could do. It was far more important than such common human concerns as the desire for money or honor ("likes" on Facebook?).
Socrates demonstrated by example what he meant by soul care: 1) a realistic attitude about death, 2) the importance of an examined life, 3) recognition of the limits of human understanding, and 4) the responsibility of being a good citizen. As this book tries to show, these Socratic themes are very similar to the three Lenten practices: fasting, almsgiving, and prayer.
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday--a stark reminder of mortality and the importance of focusing on things that really matter. Fasting, though traditionally associated with food, has a broader meaning of refraining from any and all impediments to spiritual development. Almsgiving is a practice made necessary by the interconnectedness of the human community. Prayer is the practice of recognizing what I call the "framing Mystery" of our lives.
Though nothing in the book is inconsistent with the Christian practices as I have understood and lived them, the intent of the book is to describe the essentials of soul care in such a way as to engage the reader. It is hoped that this engagement will lead to the sort of examined life that Socrates said was so essential. Come. See for yourself |
Contributor Bio(s): Sweers, Carolyn J.: - I grew up on an Iowa farm and there experienced my first moments of wonder and a powerful, mystic connection to the Transcendent (aka "God"). In college, where I first encountered philosophy, I came to recognize that unless I could find some intellectual framework for these early experiences, I needed to leave them behind. A long and often frustrating search began. In the process of that search, I encountered the insights of world religions, Hinduism and Buddhism in particular. For most of my adult life, I have been a teacher. For many years, I taught an introduction to philosophy course at a distinguished public high school. Currently, I teach in a variety of older adult programs in the Milwaukee area. When I teach, I do not lecture. I try to present material in a way that engages participants and brings about a dialogue with the insights of ancient thinkers and writers. That is what I have tried to do in this book. In ancient times, philosophy was regarded as a way of life. It exposed people to life's most important and abiding questions: Who are we? Where are we? What should we be doing? There is no single or simple answer to those questions. But the quest for answers enriches as well as challenges, as I myself know from long experience. |