Cries from the Wilderness

This book explores the memoirs of three contemporary sojourners (Rachel Held Evans, David Gushee, and Macy Halford) asking: What postures were common in his or her journey that helped them navigate their spiritual wilderness? David Pocta argues that a primary problem within many faith communities is that members rarely see themselves in the spiritual wilderness. Pocta contends that spiritual communities are often ill-equipped to nurture the spiritual life of disoriented or questioning Christians. By acknowledging their own spiritual journey and drawing lessons from healthy wilderness postures, church communities are better positioned to transform and mature their community while creating a nurturing environment for individual sojourners. In doing so, Pocta addresses one of the most prevalent challenges in contemporary Christianity: navigating the relationship between the individual and their faith community, particularly when the Christian enters spiritually challenging times (periods of aridity, misunderstanding, suffering, or darkness.)