A Just Passion: A Six-Week Lenten Journey

by Ruth Haley Barton (Contributor), Sheila Wise Rowe (Contributor), Tish Harrison Warren (Contributor)

A Collection of Lenten Devotions from IVP Authors Injustice is rampant around us. It is also present within us. To better confront oppression in the world, we must own that reality and look to Christ our liberator. Lent is the opportune time for this as we contemplate his suffering together. With selections from a diverse range of IVP books, A Just Passion has been curated to hold in tension the immense weight and hope of the Lenten season. This collection of short readings, breath prayers, and Scripture passages from the First Nations Version guides readers through a six-week journey of repentance, lament, worship, and healing.

Genres: Faith, Nonfiction, Theology

80 pages, Paperback

Published November 8, 2022

About the author

Ruth Haley Barton (Doctor of Divinity, Northern Seminary) is founding president/CEO of the Transforming Center, a ministry dedicated to strengthening the souls of pastors and Christian leaders, and the congregations and organizations they serve. For over twenty years, she has ministered to the soul care needs of pastors and leaders based upon her conviction that the best thing we bring to leadership is our own transforming selves. Trained at the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation and the Institute for Pastoral Studies Loyola University Chicago, Ruth is a seasoned retreat leader and spiritual director. A sought-after speaker and preacher, she has served on the pastoral staff of several churches and teaches frequently at seminaries and graduate schools. Ruth is the author of numerous books and resources on the spiritual life, including Invitation to Solitude and Silence, Sacred Rhythms, Longing for More, Pursuing God's Will Together, and Life Together in Christ. She continues to share her thoughts and perspectives on soulful leadership through an online resource called eReflections as well as a podcast entitled Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership.

Reviews

[Brandi Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely wonderful! Each day’s reading was small but powerful a perfect thing to read alongside an already established devotional practice or to start one.

The only draw back is that it will add to your TBR as you meet authors whose words you want to go further with. But if you are a goodreads person I’m guessing you are rather comfortable with a long TBR.

[Jeanne Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Lenten devotional reminding us of suffering, oppression, and justice. Only in Christ can we make a difference because he changes us.

[Graydon Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very simple way to incorporate deep, daily reflections for Lent!

[Lisa Hoffman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd say this book would be best as a glorified works cited resource. The couple paragraphs each day out of context from different authors is not the best devotional. I was expecting purposeful entries each day, but instead got 1-1 1/2 page previews of many different books, some of which I'll pick up, but this book as it's own thing was *meh*.

[Corella Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of excerpts

While many of the excerpts were inspiring and well written, the book as a whole felt like one big promotional text. I didn’t find the challenge or benefit of it I expected since each day was disjointed from the next. Overall, disappointing.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: A six week Lenten devotional consisting of brief excerpts from works by InterVarsity Press authors, scripture readings, and breath prayers, considering how, in the passion of Christ, we lament the injustices of the world, find healing in the redemptive work of Christ, and enter into Christ’s heart for justice for the oppressed.

Lent is a season of fasting (except on Sundays), where we begin by remembering that we will die, we lament our sins and those of the world and the impact of these on others. It is a time of repentance and drawing close again to Christ, walking in the way of his passion and anticipating the hope of Easter Sunday. For many, some form of Lenten devotional reading is a part of their practices from Ash Wednesday through Holy Saturday, the forty days of Lent.

A Just Passion follows in that tradition, offering readings for the forty days of Lent (Sundays excepted because Sunday is a feast and not fast day). The readings are drawn from the writings of InterVarsity Press authors, each reading of two short pages of reading. Among those included are Ruth Haley Barton, Tish Harrison, Warren, Eugene Peterson, Esau McCaulley, Sheila Wise Rowe, Dominique DuBois Gilliard, John Perkins, Tara Beth Leach, and Soong-Chan Rah, just to give you a sense of the stellar lineup represented here.

Also included in each week’s readings are a lectionary reading drawn from the First Nations Version of the New Testament, an English translation for indigenous peoples of North America, whose lead translator is Terry M. Wildman. One day each week includes a “breath prayer” in which we breathe in a short invitation or supplication to God and breathe out a line of response or release. For example, the breath prayer of week one is (breathe in)”Blessed are those who hunger” and (breathe out) “They will be filled.”

The readings focus on the inextricable link between the passion of Jesus and the pursuit of justice. They begin with Tish Harrison Warren reminding us that on Ash Wednesday, the ashes are to remind us that we are dust, that we die, and to hold on to what is real. John Perkins reminds us that Jesus was love incarnate, a mission of reconciliation his son Spencer died pursuing, and that he continues in West Jackson. Mark E. Strong tells the story of a young boy who has nothing for the offering and climbs into the basket, offering himself, which is truly the living worship of every Christ follower. Bethany H. Hoang, director of International Justice Mission, speaks of the exhausting work of fighting injustice, work that only can be sustained if begun in prayer. Christ outpoured in our lives is the beginning of our pursuit of justice.

Each reading gives the author and book from which it is sourced and an index by days gives more complete publication information. Not only is this a wonderful “sampler” of the authors who write for InterVarsity Press, this is a well-conceived and substantive collection that helps us enter into Christ’s passion while calling us into the pursuit of justice. Vice President of InterVarsity Press Cindy Bunch introduces the collection, offering specific practices we might consider in the pursuit of justice. If you are still looking for a Lenten devotional, this one is well worth your consideration.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher.

[Christina Bohn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the idea of this, and I love so many of these authors and was grateful to get a feel for some I haven't encounter before. However, I found a different reading every day a little bit jarring and many of them didn't seem like they fit in with the theme of Lent. The thing I enjoyed the most was the readings from the First Nations translation, but even the selections weren't consistent with the lectionary. Further, every week there was a breath prayer in place of one of the readings - having a breath prayer every day with each of the readings instead of as a "one-off" could have really unified the flow of the devotional. Overall, I liked having a consistent devotional for Lent but am confident that I wouldn't use this again in future years.

[Glenn Harden · Rating 3 out of 5]

My church used this Lenten devotional for a book group this year. The devotional is very accessible with short but meaningful readings from a diverse group of thoughtful authors. The readings have a justice theme (that is, shalom) and are grounded in scripture and the experiences of the marginalized and oppressed. This is in no way a Christian nationalist devotional. I appreciated being introduced to some authors with whom I was not familiar, as well as the First Nations translation of the New Testament.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

InterVarsityPress collects pieces from about 30 writers who have published books through IVP. The Scripture is from the First Nations: An Indigenous Translation of the New Testament. The writers are diverse and express a deep faith and passion for justice in our world and on our planet. It is a book of healing for those who are broken-hearted during the Lenten season of repentance. Good words to read and follow.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you want a sampler of books published by InterVarsity Press and representing a diverse group of authors, this is great (I definitely am adding some books to my TBR based on the provided excerpts).

But if you are interested in a cohesive Lenten devotional, this is not the book for you.

I was disappointed that it is basically a marketing tool. But I guess that’s on me.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a compilation from several authors. Many entries were amazing and some just ok. They didn't always seem to flow together cohesively as a Lenten devotional but overall, I truly enjoyed it. I think I may have enjoyed it more had it been a more directed flowing devotional series.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of Lenten devotions written by authors seeking justice, passages from the First Nations Version of the New Testament, and short breath prayers. The stories and insights were good discussion starters in my weekly spiritual group, who always seek ways to confront injustice in our world!

[Beverly Ann Beauchamp · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book to read during Lent was just right for me. I was able to stay on track and follow what the various authors were sharing. I appreciate learning the names of new authors, that contributed to this collection to look towards for future readings.

[Jamie Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always love reading IVP. This book was no different. A compilation from several of my favorite authors. Good stuff. And Happy Easter. Christ has risen. The tomb is empty.

[Connie Maier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great resource to focus on justice for Lent. Loved the diverse contributors.

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful journey through Lent.