The Sabbath Experiment: Spiritual Formation for Living in a Non-Stop World

Are you are a busy Christian trying to navigate the demands and values of a culture moving at hyper speed? Then this book is for you. This is a book for those who long for something more . . . or something less. Sabbath spirituality attends to that longing. The ancient practice of Sabbath contains within it incredible riches waiting to be rediscovered. But is a spirituality rooted in Sabbath realistic in our fast-paced world? Why is the idea of Sabbath even worth considering today? By bringing together stories, Scripture, and theological reflection, we will wrestle with these and other questions related to living the Sabbath in our nonstop culture. Sabbath is about rest, celebration, and relationships, but it is also about so much more. We will see how Sabbath leads us to wrestle with the gods of Consumerism, cage the animal of Technology, and pursue God’s justice on behalf of all people. Throughout this book you will be invited to ponder and embrace specific weekly choices in relation to a rich understanding of Sabbath. From these choices emerges a Sabbath spirituality that comes to wonderfully color the other six days of the week as well. ＂＂The Sabbath Experiment invites readers to discover the place Sabbath can have in contemporary culture. Claiming Sabbath-keeping is both a discipline and a gift, Muthiah opens up this countercultural practice biblically, historically, theoretically, and personally. Each chapter elegantly articulates one aspect of the practice while offering the opportunity to slow down and reflect on one’s life . . . [T]his book is accessible, well-written, practical, and a gift to the church.＂＂ --Terri Elton, Associate Professor of Leadership, Luther Seminary; Secretary/Treasurer, Academy of Religious Leadership, Journal of Religious Leadership ＂＂In a culture that honors busyness, the accumulation of stuff, and homage to personal preferences, Sabbath is not just anachronistic, it is a threat. So maybe it’s God’s gift, aimed at converting us toward lives that are relationally, ethically, and spiritually graced. Muthiah lures us into experiments, Bible narratives, personal reflections, and church conversations so that we can be disciplined into freedom and freed into new capacities for contentment, generosity, and love.＂＂ --Mark Lau Branson, Homer Goddard Professor of Ministry of the Laity at Fuller Theological Seminary; author of Memories, Hopes and Conversations and (with Juan Martinez) Churches, Cultures and Leadership Rob Muthiah is Professor of Practical Theology at Azusa Pacific Seminary. He and his family are members of Pasadena Mennonite Church, Pasadena, California. He is the author of The Priesthood of All Believers in the Twenty-First Century: Living Faithfully as the Whole People of God in a Postmodern Context (Pickwick, 2009).

Rob Muthiah is Professor of Practical Theology at Azusa Pacific Seminary. He and his family are members of Pasadena Mennonite Church, Pasadena, California. He is the author of The Priesthood of All Believers in the Twenty-First Century: Living Faithfully as the Whole People of God in a Postmodern Context (Pickwick, 2009).