Noticing the Divine: An Introduction to Interfaith Spiritual Guidance

by John R. Mabry

An essential textbook for beginning spiritual directors. Noticing the Divine utilizes wisdom from the religions of the world to teach the basic skills needed to offer spiritual direction to people of all traditions. It introduces the foundational concepts and techniques needed to responsibly and professionally practice the art of spiritual guidance. Among the religious traditions covered are Judaism, Christianity, Taoism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.

Genres: Religion, Spirituality

182 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2006

About the author

I've been writing ever since the third grade, when I produced my first short story. I am a United Church of Christ pastor, and teach world religions and spiritual direction at the Chaplaincy Institute (an interfaith seminary in Berkeley, CA). I also sing for two progressive rock bands, Mind Furniture and Metaphor. My wife Lisa Fullam and I live in Oakland with our two lovely dogs Judy and Sally. I don't write heavy, academic books. I write books for regular folk like you and me who want to explore their spirituality and get closer to God. In my fiction, I want to show people of faith as they actually are—screwed up, insecure, and often bumbling—but still usually trying to do the right thing.

Reviews

[Maggie Obermann · Rating 4 out of 5]

High 4. This was an exceptional book and one I believe can be constructive not only for spiritual guides but for anyone interested in relating to inter-spirituality. I really appreciate the format of the book which included a very informative outline to each faith tradition, focusing on a specific aspect/value/practice anyone can glean from, followed by a discussion of how spiritual guides (but really anyone) can employ this for spiritual understanding and growth. I learned a lot from these discussions, and they made me very curious to learn more about each tradition and others not included. I took a great amount of notes. This will be a book I will definitely return to in the future. I find John Mabry inspirational for his open and compassionate approach and his vast knowledge of faith traditions and spiritual guidance practice.

[Deidre Combs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Practical book for Spiritual Direction

John brings decades of study and experience to this practical book for interfaith spiritual guidance. You learn not only helpful tips about direction in each chapter, but also more about spiritual traditions you may encounter. This is an inviting read and a helpful resource.