Stories of Homecoming

This Advent I want to invite you to join me in reading two books -- The Prodigal God, Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith by Timothy Keller, a Presbyterian; and The Return of the Prodigal Son, A Story of Homecoming by Henri Nouwen, a Roman Catholic.  Both deal with the parable of the man who had two sons, albeit from different lenses.







I will be re-reading both books. Please join me in reading one or both of these books during the next four weeks.  I will offer regular, but not daily, reflections on the themes and insights each author offers.  Both men are well respected pastors with a deep corpus of helpful writings for Christians seeking to deepen their spiritual journey.

I chose this theme for Advent as many in our diocese are preparing for a return from exile. Some have been away from their old church homes for three years now and hope to regain them soon. Others are in whole congregations which exiled themselves from the rest of us. We hope many of them will come home soon, too.

Please join the discussion in the Comments section.

Blessed reading and a joyous Advent to all.

The Rt. Rev. C. Wallis Ohl
Provisional Bishop of Fort Worth

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Suggestions on where to get the books:

The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith, by Timothy Keller

ISBN-10: 1594484023
ISBN-13: 9781594484025
Publisher: Riverhead Books
155 pages

The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming, by Henri Nouwen

ISBN-10: 023252078X

ISBN-13: 978-0232520781

Publisher: Darton Longman and Todd (May 1994)

151 pages

For Episcopalians near Fort Worth, the Barnes and Noble store in University Park at 1612 S. University Drive, Fort Worth, has ordered several copies. Other Barnes and Noble stores will have them, but perhaps not as many copies.

Both also are available at Amazon.com. The Keller book also is available in a Kindle and a Nook edition.

Half.com, an eBay company, has both books.