Reclaiming the Body in Christian Spirituality

This small, spirited book examines the role of the human body in the Christian spiritual life. It addresses those who cycle, swim, jog, dance, practice yoga, engage in manual labor, care for the earth, and make love. It reclaims a positive, healthy attitude toward our individual bodies, toward the social body, toward the body of believers who make up the Church, and toward the earthbody of the natural world. Fr. Thomas Ryan, as editor and contributor, leads with an introduction and in two subsequent chapters lays the groundwork for a positive spirituality of the body, providing examples of embodied faith expression in Eastern and Western Christian practice, as well as in the Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, and Jewish traditions. Exercise and rest, fasting and feasting, acts of corporal mercy, the sexual expression of love are lifted up as the body language of faith in daily living. James Wiseman provides a short overview of historical Christian attitudes toward the body. Casey Rock reflects on her own delicate dance with Christianity and yoga. Jim Dickerson challenges us to integrate the social and political dimensions of the gospel into personal prayer practices. James Hall reflects on the embodiment of Christ in the world of matter and how care for the earth is integral to faith. Fitness buffs, outdoor enthusiasts, yoga practitioners, and political activists will resonate with this positive spirituality rooted in the body.