|
As a minister who simply cannot say no, Stevens (Find Your Way Home), an Episcopal priest in Nashville, suddenly and unexpectedly finds herself officiating at the funeral of a woman she knows nothing about. Beginning with her initial decision to accept and ending as she leaves the grave site, the book progresses through a clear narrative structure. Stevens's personal meditations, memories and musings on such an uncommon opportunity shape themselves into more than simply an inspirational memoir. It is also a parable with two themes, using the framework of the funeral to illuminate two difficult steps on the journey of belief: confronting the inevitability of death and finding compassion for the strangers around us. Each brief chapter offers a precise perspective on either theme, sometimes musing on the funeral itself but more often drawing from the author's past experiences, the voices of others and biblical theology.As a minister who simply cannot say no, Stevens (Find Your Way Home), an Episcopal priest in Nashville, suddenly and unexpectedly finds herself officiating at the funeral of a woman she knows nothing about. Beginning with her initial decision to accept and ending as she leaves the grave site, the book progresses through a clear narrative structure. Stevens's personal meditations, memories and musings on such an uncommon opportunity shape themselves into more than simply an inspirational memoir. It is also a parable with two themes, using the framework of the funeral to illuminate two difficult steps on the journey of belief: confronting the inevitability of death and finding compassion for the strangers around us. Each brief chapter offers a precise perspective on either theme, sometimes musing on the funeral itself but more often drawing from the author's past experiences, the voices of others and biblical theology.
|
