Sitting With Sufis: A Christian Experience of Learning Sufism

by Mary Blye Howe

The sequel to A Baptist Among the Jews is another spiritual journey, this time into the Sufi traditions, including the mysteries of the sema, which is the meditation movement that made Rumi famous. Original.

Genres: Religion

124 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2005

Reviews

[Magdelene (Ambria) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary Blye Howe achieves the one thing many other works along this vein lack: balance. As a Christian, Howe delivers a comprehensive view into the internal angst that arrives when religious belief has become too restrictive to allow spiritual growth. Her exploration of Sufism is a manual for any spiritual seeker wanting to dive into a deeper connection with God. Perhaps Sufism might not ultimately be your path, but her courage here will certainly inspire your own journey.

[Matt Friedman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read widely as well as deeply in the writings of the Sufi tradition, and am also a follower of Jesus. I have often been challenged by the hunger for God expressed in the writings of the Sufi tradition, and I have integrated some of the ideas and vocabulary of Sufism with my own spiritual understandings where I see these as having a common understanding in the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek Scriptures.



That having been said, however, I was somewhat disappointed by this volume. There are flashes of great beauty and brilliance of a sort that I've encountered elsewhere. This is set, however, in the midst of what strikes me as being a bit too muddled a bit of syncretism.

[John Fredrickson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a curious mix. I enjoyed the general sense of spirituality that permeates the book, as well as the presentation of sufism. What felt curious or disconcerting to me was to the amount of time spent on not only Christianity but also Judaism. Thee focus is not necessarily on Sufism, but on mysticism in general.

[Cassandra Carico · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book, to be sure. I enjoyed the author's very unique take on a spiritual practice that definitely draws my attention.