Rest: A Theological Account

Why are we so restless? This perennial question ultimately arises as we navigate life as finite creatures. All of us have limits and bounds, and the universal responsibility of navigating them can produce restlessness. But what if finitude is a gift? What if God intended for his creation to be limited in order that they might live with him and within the created world more fully?

In Rest, Euntaek David Shin addresses the crisis and condition of restlessness by constructively engaging historical and contemporary philosophical and theological voices and ultimately some surprising places in Christian Scripture. Viewing finitude as a gift, Shin relates rest to key facets of human life--place, action, time, and ultimately the triune God--and examines how the divine economy sets limits in our relation to these facets of life. On this account, a restful life flows from living in sync with the divine economy through faith, love, and hope.

Shin’s exposition holds together manifold tensions--such as how our present rest cannot be completely free from restlessness; how the personal experience of rest always incorporates some communal fulfillment; how rest is not static but dynamically involves deliberation, action, and reflection; and how we find restfulness in both created goods and the ultimate Good. Connecting theoretical reflection with concrete illustrations, Rest contributes to an understanding of who we are and how we should live--inviting us to reflect on and recalibrate our approach to everyday living.

Euntaek David Shin is Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow at Baylor University.