I Live, No Longer I
Paul’s Spirituality of Suffering, Transformation, and Joy
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“To me, one of the more profound questions is: how do the inevitable suffering, loss, and death we experience interconnect with life and the divine?”
How do the dark moments of suffering which we all encounter at some point in our lives connect with the divine? The words of Paul the Apostle offer an answer to this universal question in the vibrant figure and pattern of Jesus Christ, expressed eloquently in the Philippians Christ Hymn. It is in moments of loss, moments of experience of creation and community, and moments of transformative unity with God that we discover our deep connectedness to God and one another. Laura Hogan weaves the truth of these three moments of divine-human relationship together with Paul’s undivided trust in divine effectiveness; that is, that the paradox of the cross reveals that God, no matter how dire the circumstance, is supremely effective to accomplish his will. Paul’s words encourage us to express the pattern of Jesus Christ in our words, actions, and very lives, a singular expression of Christ in our time, place, identity, and circumstances. This daily living of the Christ pattern, which this book explores in lives past and present, gives rise to a true joy in God as we become increasingly aware of our relationship with the divine in all moments, from the darkest to the brightest. Available to order from Wipf & Stock, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop, and other bookstores. |
2018 Catholic Press Association Book Awards:
Winner of four First Place awards for Spirituality (Hardcover and Softcover), Theology, and Scripture
2018 Illumination Book Awards: Winner of the Gold Medal for Spirituality
2017 American Book Fest Best Book Awards: Winner of category Religion: Christianity
“The first major statement of Pope Francis was his exhortation following the 2010 synod on Evangelization entitled “The Joy of the Gospel.” Here, too, is found, as in Paul’s life and teaching, this sure conviction that the heart of Christian spirituality is found in a personal and abiding relationship with Jesus …. Readers of Laura Reece Hogan’s work whose title reveals its fundamental thesis--I Live, No Longer I: Paul’s Spirituality of Suffering, Transformation and Joy—will find the same depth of understanding, the same eloquent and inspiring language, and the same profound grasp of the biblical message. Those who want to find the heart of Paul’s dynamic spirituality and meaning for our own lives of suffering and joy can turn to the pages of this beautiful book.”
—Donald Senior, C.P., President Emeritus, Chancellor, Professor of New Testament Studies, Catholic Theological Union, General Editor of The Bible Today