Sabbath: The Hidden Heartbeat of Our Lives

by Nicola Slee

Acclaimed poet theologian Nicola Slee reflects on and wrestles with questions of how to practice the scriptural principle of Sabbath in a church and world that have become compulsively driven, competitive and workaholic, obsessively activist and outcome-oriented. Slee’s rich and inspiring exploration is rooted in her own poetry and that of Wendell Berry, in particular his profound Sabbath poems. Ideal reflective reading for Christians wishing to resist the materialistic pressures of the world.

Chapters An introduction to Sabbaths; The invitation ‘into the woods’; The invitation to cessation; The invitation to encounter; The invitation to fear; The recovery of vocation; ‘Coming out of the woods’.

Genres: Spirituality

160 pages, Paperback

Published November 28, 2019

Reviews

[Martyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting exploration about Sabbath, and how we can benefit from withdrawing and contemplating where we are at.

[Sam McBratney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I began this book because I realised how little I observe a 'sabbath' in my own working life. As clergy, Sunday has been a working day for me for 30+ years and, though we are supposed to take an alternative day of rest, the fact that it is a day when the rest of the world works means that it has never been that restful. I am coming to see now the importance of Sabbath and the need to boundary it and keep it sacrosanct for my own health and wellbeing.

Nicola and I were colleagues for five years at the Queen's Foundation in Birmingham at a time when this book was being written. I recognise the busyness she describes and the struggles to keep body and soul together in the midst of constant demands. I'm not sure I succeeded and, looking back, can clearly see how burnt out I became trying to do the job of at least two people. A decade on, I am so grateful for this book to enable me.to reflect on that time, to recognise my own limitations and to chart a better path in the future.

I recommend this book to all clergy I know, most of whom overwork and fail to keep a sabbath of any kind. And to all who have been sucked into never-ending cycles of work and worry, believing that to do lists can ever be finished or that we are indispensable. This book will remind you that you are more than what you can do or be for others.

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Really helped me think behind the whole Sabbath thing. Very helpful in thinking about the retreat I run, Treargel. We also read it as a group which went well too, using her questions at the end of each chapter.

[Carol Solman-Repton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointed
Sabbath or Shabbat is a ceasing of regular doings but this book seemed to be about doings.
It was too wordy so became hard reading for me

[Neil Glover · Rating 5 out of 5]

superb

Absolutely love this book. Great thoughts. Reading it was a sabbath. Beautiful interaction with Wendell Berry. Very good on the restlessness of Church culture.

[debbie-anne Hogarth · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone looking to create meaningful Sabbath, it's a good book to start with.

[Starla Gooch · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely, thoughtful devotional-type text on Sabbath. Slee offers a multi-model engagement with Sabbath, incorporating memoir, discussion with others’ work, poetry, journaling, and reflective questions. The quality of questions alone are worth the purchase. Would rate 4.5 stars if I could.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best books I’ve read this year. A beautiful book which gently strips away excuses and learned patterns of busyness and invites us into a vulnerable rhythm of rest and transformation. A must read.