The Cultivated Life - by Susan S Phillips (Paperback)

About the Book

Sociology professor and spiritual director Susan Phillips walks us through our circuslike cultural landscape to invite us into a cultivated life of spirituality and attentiveness. God extends to us an invitation to live in the garden of grace, and these pages unfold the spiritual practices that can lead us into a new and delightful way of living.

Book Synopsis

Dallas Willard Center Book and Research Award Finalist

Hearts Minds Bookstore's Best Books of 2015, Spirituality and the Devotional Life

"This is a book written specifically for those of us who are assigned the task of developing an imagination for living the Christian faith with insight and skill in and for a society that is disconnected from the biblical revelation and the Jesus incarnation," writes Eugene Peterson in the foreword of The Cultivated Life. "But it is equally useful for all of us who are committed to following Jesus with our families and coworkers and neighbors."

Sociology professor and spiritual director Susan Phillips walks us through the "circus" of our cultural landscape to invite us into a cultivated life of spirituality. If we want to accept the invitation to return to the garden, then we must face down the temptation to live life as spectators of the circus that plays on around us. We want to be rooted and grounded in Christ, but are pushed toward constant work, alternating between performance and spectacle. Cultivation requires a kind of attentiveness that is countercultural to our age of distraction.

These pages unfold the spiritual practices that can lead us into a new and delightful way of living. Are you ready to leave the circus?

Review Quotes

"The Cultivated Life is filled with gifts of a generous, transparent spirit. Reading this insightful book and reflecting on its profound questions invite us to taste the life Susan Phillips lives. . . . When I reached the end of The Cultivated Life I returned to the beginning to soak in the words, insights and prayers that arose. Thank you, Susan, for giving us a glimpse of wholeness by offering gifts of spiritual direction through your writing."

--Jeannette A. Bakke, author of Holy Invitations

"The Cultivated Life reads like the cool evening breeze at the end of a blazing hot day in the desert. . . . It is also a prophetic clarion call--a warning to a generation trapped in the meaningless rat-race of twenty-first-century existence, suffocated by the demands of addictive consumerism, obsessed with the lifeless toys of modernity, while the breath of heaven who is only a prayer away eagerly waits to share with us the real joys of living. This book is a timely gift to the community of faith to be treasured and shared. More than that, this is essential survival reading for every true pilgrim seeking after the pearl of great price."

--Ivan Satyavrata, senior pastor, Assembly of God Church, Kolkata, India

"Phillips' academic exploration of cultivating Christian spirituality is told through great stories and vivid word pictures of life in a circus versus a garden atmosphere. She concludes each chapter with a reflective study and provides extensive guidelines for practicing contemplative living, Sabbath living, lectio divina, finding a spiritual director, and cultivating friendship."

--Donna Watson, CBA Retailers + Resources, July 2015

"Susan Phillips, a noted sociologist, not only challenges us to 'leave the circus' of fast-paced mainstream culture, she offers a compelling vision of how we can begin to embody the rich joy and attentiveness of Jesus."

--Relevant Magazine, July/August 2015

"Susan Phillips's The Cultivated Life is a remarkable work on so many levels. Her insightful and sophisticated analysis is able to synthesize both the theoretical and practical in profound and compelling ways. Her skills as a creative theologian and biblical interpreter, a wise and insightful spiritual director, and one grounded in the common-sense particularities and complexities of human experience and history makes her work an extraordinary contribution in so many arenas of pastoral and theological practice. The breadth of her sources and insights--from literature, psychology, philosophy, theology, ecumenical and religious history, and personal history, among others--make this a must-read for scholars, students and practitioners alike. Phillips's style is accessible, engaging and invitational. . . . I recommend Susan Phillips's book with great enthusiasm for all audiences--for all who are searching."

--James A. Donahue, president, Saint Mary's College of California

"The book is a helpful resource for an adult education class. The appendix, in particular, is a hands-on resource for the how-to of developing these navigational tools. I could see this book being used at my own church in an eight-week study on Christian practices with the goal of helping folks in my community navigate their way into the garden while living in the circus. Thank you, Susan Phillips, for such a practical and fresh look at ancient practices."

--Emily Berman D'Andrea, The Presbyterian Outlook, August 31, 2015

"We all struggle in the circuslike culture of contemporary society, which often causes difficulties in attention and healthy attachment in the midst of yearning for the spiritual life. Susan Phillips provides us with ways to cultivate the contemplative life by examining spiritual practices within the Christian tradition such as spiritual direction, lectio divina, listening and friendship. I believe the author's use of stories-- stories that have emerged from her practice of attentive listening--will affect readers deeply."

--Jung Eun Sophia Park, assistant professor of religious studies and philosophy, Holy Names University

About the Author

Eugene H. Peterson (1932-2018) was a pastor, scholar, author, and poet. He wrote more than thirty books, including his widely acclaimed paraphrase of the Bible, The Message; his memoir, The Pastor; and numerous works of biblical spiritual formation, including Run with the Horses and Traveling Light.

Susan S. Phillips (PhD, University of California, Berkeley) is executive director and professor of sociology and Christianity at New College Berkeley. She is a sociologist and trained spiritual director. Phillips is the author of several books, including Candlelight: Illuminating the Art of Spiritual Direction. In addition to lecturing internationally and leading retreats for churches and organizations, Phillips also teaches at Regent College in Vancouver, Canada, and Fuller Theological Seminary.