Timothy L. Carson – författare

Recent and current crises in health, ecology, society and spirituality have lent the whole arena of liminality a new urgency and relevancy. Those who traverse the great transitions are rediscovering new ways of interpreting life through the liminal lens, a way to make sense of the great voluntary and unchosen transitions that characterize modern life. This anthology provides a unique overview of liminality as it gathers a diverse coterie of authors, disciplines, and contexts to explore its many facets. Distinct in its interdisciplinary approach, The Liminal Loop serves as an important source book for general readers, teachers, students, artists, counselors, spiritual guides, and social transformers. From liminal poetry and musical traditions to the strange vertical world of the rock climber, The Liminal Loop explores the swirling chaos on the other side of critical thresholds and suggests a pathway through the daunting middle passages of the in-between. With what can only be described as courage, the many authors of this collection dare to look uncertainty in the eye, knowing that this is a necessary journey, and that it is better to travel with a common band of pilgrims than to go it alone.

This book explores what has been called 'liminal' reality through the categories of anthropology, sociology, history of religions, theology, history of Christianity, neurology and psychology. Liminal reality is that state of being found at the transitional edges of individual and collective experience. It may be found in predictable form, such as the multifarious rites of passage, or in unexpected external or intrapsychic changes. In this book, exterior transitions are correlated with their corresponding intrapsychic movements and potential transformation. Special attention is given to the identity of the liminal person and dynamics which are at work in the liminal domain. The practical dimensions of this book relate to the role of ritual leaders and religious professionals as they guide persons and groups passing through liminal time and space. This includes pastoral care givers in a variety of settings, teachers, and liturgical leaders. The role and identity of the liminal guide is itself addressed and this contributes to an expanded understanding of the complex dimensions of religious leadership.