The Spiritual Practice of Reading Across Differences
reflection by Ashley Brooks
Stories form us from our earliest days. The narratives that we listen to and love become part of our bones, forming who we are, what we believe, and how we interact with the world around us. This formation doesn’t end when we outgrow picture books. We continue to encounter stories in our daily lives: stories told by our family of origin, our pastors and spiritual mentors, news journalists and political figures.
We tell stories because they help us make sense of our world. Yet sometimes, it’s important to question the narrative, examining what stories we’ve been told and discerning whether they point toward love and truth.
One way to engage in stories is, of course, by reading. Literature can be a spiritual practice just as much as Bible study or contemplative prayer. Good writing invites us to enter into the perspective of others, seeing the narratives we hold in new lights. Books can also hold up a mirror to ourselves, casting light on places in our own histories and belief systems that we may have neglected to examine. These outside perspectives can serve as a path to expansive love, deepening our capacity for empathy and our understanding of those who think differently than we do.
One way to explore literature further is to deepen these perspectives by discussing them with others. A reading group with a shared goal of exploration and spiritual growth can offer a safe place for processing complex stories in a new way. By engaging with others around the books we read, we are opening ourselves up to the gifts and insights of others, as well as leaving room to share our own inner wisdom.
The next time you find yourself in a ray of spring sunshine with a book in hand, consider the ways God may be working in you through the author’s words. You may be surprised at the ways the Spirit is moving in you through storytelling.
Join Our Book Discussion Group
If you’re interested in finding a welcoming space to enter into reading as a spiritual practice, we invite you to join us for a new book exploration group. Led by Twin Cities writer Jacqueline White, participants will explore Marilynn Robinson’s linked novels Gilead and Home, as well as Claudia Rankine’s poem “Citizen,”in the context of civil rights, racial justice, and how white spiritual communities can promote racial healing.
There will be a three part online discussion held in May and June. We encourage you to consider this opportunity to enter into stories and engage with community in a new way. Learn more and register here.