In Growing in Love and Wisdom, Susan Stabile draws on a unique dual perspective to explore the value of interreligious dialogue, the essential spiritual dynamics that operate across faith traditions, and the many fruitful ways Buddhist meditation practices can deepen Christian prayer. Raised as a Catholic, Stabile devoted 20 years of her life to practicing Buddhism and was ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist nun before returning to Catholicism in 2001. She begins the book by examining the values and principles shared by the two faith traditions, focusing on the importance of prayer--particularly contemplative prayer--to both Christianity and Tibetan Buddhism. Both traditions seek to effect a fundamental transformation in the lives of believers, and both stress the need for experiences that have deep emotional resonance, that go beyond the level of concepts to touch the heart. Stabile illuminates the similarities between Tibetan Buddhist meditations and Christian forms of prayer such as Ignatian Contemplation and Lectio Divina; she explores as well such guided Buddhist practices as Metta and Tonglen, which cultivate compassion and find echoes in Jesus' teachings about loving one's enemies and transcending self-cherishing. The heart of the book offers 15 Tibetan Buddhist practices adapted to a contemplative Christian perspective. Stabile provides clear instructions on how to do these meditations as well as helpful commentary on each, explaining its purpose and the relation between the original and her adaptation. Throughout, she highlights the many remarkably close parallels in the teachings of Jesus and Buddha. Arguing that engagement between religions offers mutual enrichment and greater understanding of both traditions, Growing in Love and Wisdom shows how Buddhist meditation can be fruitfully joined to Christian prayer.

About the Author
Susan Stabile is the Robert and Marion Short Distinguished Chair in Law, University of St. Thomas School of Law, Minneapolis. She is also a spiritual director, trained in the Ignatian tradition.

Reviews
"A gentle gift to the work of interreligious existence in the 21st century... Stabile faithfully and reasonably steers a course between with this lucid, welcome offering. Growing in Love and Wisdom embodies for us the insights of Nostra Aetate in action -- rejecting nothing that is true and holy, and regarding with sincere reverence those practices of Buddhist meditation that reflect the Truth which enlightens all humanity... This rich resource can be of profitable use in an undergraduate classroom considering interreligious matters, or in a broad introduction to spirituality. Highly recommended for personal, parish or academic use." --Catholic Books Review "In the growing crowd of books on Buddhist-Christian dialogue, this one is different. It's a 'hands-on' book. Susan Stabile's intent is to help Christians learn from what Buddhists do, rather than from what they believe. In practical, step-by-step instructions on how Christians can use Tibetan techniques of meditation, she opens new possibilities of clarifying and deepening Christian experience. This is a book for those who what to practice before they preach, or are preached to."--Paul F. Knitter, Paul Tillich Professor of Theology, World Religions, and Culture, Union Theological Seminary, New York "Stabile's very readable book lucidly presents similarities in values between Christianity and Tibetan Buddhism. Her clearly-explained prayer suggestions for Christians, which make up most of the book, are adapted from Buddhist practice and are mainly discursive in nature. They offer a rich variety of ways in which their Christian spiritual life can be enriched by Eastern teachings."--Mary Jo Meadow, author of Christian Insight Meditation: Following in the Footsteps of John of the Cross "A new standard for the possibilities in authentic, deeply rooted inter-religious dialogue... the book is beautifully written, in a simple yet clear style, making its deft navigation of interaith ideas ring with clarity." --Carl McColman, carlmccolman.com



Book Information
ISBN 9780199862627
Author Susan J. Stabile
Format Hardback
Page Count 272
Imprint Oxford University Press Inc
Publisher Oxford University Press Inc
Weight(grams) 386g
Dimensions(mm) 140mm * 211mm * 28mm