Description
Book SynopsisLife has its ups and downs, and it can feel like we're always in the middle of a transition. Whether it's a painful end or a joyful beginning--or even an uncertain middle--theologian and minister Amy Davis Abdallah has found something that helps: rituals. In Meaning in the Moment, she shows why we need rituals to help survive and even thrive through various seasons of life. Starting with the foundation that rituals are a core, and underexplored, part of Christian practice, Davis Abdallah draws from theology, psychology, and personal experiences in creating rituals for herself and others. She offers practical guidance for readers to create their own meaningful rituals, including three types requiring varying levels of planning and participation: right now, with friends, and at church. Readers will emerge with fresh ways to bring their faith to life for themselves, their families, and their church communities--and ready to experience the transformative power of rituals. The book includes a foreword by W. David O. Taylor.
Table of ContentsContents
Introduction: Ritual Matters
Part 1: Why Do We Ritualize?
1. Ritual Transforms and Embodies
2. You Already Ritualize (You Just Don't Call It That)
3. How Rituals Help and Unite Us
Part 2: How Do We Ritualize?
4. Avoiding Powerless Rituals: Ritual "Don'ts"
5. Pursuing Powerful Rituals
Part 3: What Do We Ritualize?
6. Ends
7. Middles
8. Beginnings
Conclusion: Making Ritual Matter
Appendix: Exploring Our Sources
