Cries from the Wilderness

David Pocta is director of the Institute for the Study of Contemporary Spirituality at the Oblate School of Theology and Director of Leadership Development at CHORD.

Cries from the Wilderness is a plea for evangelical churches to become more gracious in accommodating the experiences of individuals enduring periods of doubt or dryness in their spiritual lives. Pocta uses the term “wilderness” to describe these episodes and suggests they are almost unavoidable in contemporary America. Pocta argues that instead of construing them as signs of spiritual failure these experiences provide opportunities for religious growth and maturation. Citing Paul Ricoeur, he says the end result can be a “second naiveté” of more nuanced faith in God and richer engagement with the larger ecumenical Christian community. Pocta, who self-identifies as an Evangelical, describes how the lives of Macy Halford, Rachel Held Evans, and Davis Gushee exemplify this process. He urges fellow evangelical Protestants to embrace a wilderness style of spirituality, even though evangelicalism’s dogmatism and persistent “tribalism” often precludes it. [Individuals] passing through their own spiritual wilderness may be encouraged by its message. Recommended. Professions and general readers.

• AcknowledgmentsIntroductionChapter 1: The Story of a SoulChapter 2: Macy HalfordChapter 3: Rachel Held EvansChapter 4: David Gushee Chapter 5: Navigating the WildernessChapter 6: What Went Wrong with Their CommunityChapter 7: A Theology and Spirituality of WildernessChapter 8: A Model to Frame "Deconstruction" and CommunityChapter 9: Contextualizing the Contemporary WildernessChapter 10: Reimagining the Church: Some SuggestionsConclusion: Some Final Uncensored ThoughtsBibliography