A Resurrection Shaped Life is a deceptive little book. It's only six chapters, each with a set of reflection questions at the end, that give the reader the opportunity to mine deeply the truths contained within. But those six chapters pack so much transformation! Like a beautiful Burial Office service, Owensby bookends the difficult, but rewarding, work of redeeming grief and shame through the power of the resurrection with a stunningly powerful prelude and postlude. If you're prone to skipping the prologue and epilogue of a text, take note that these seem to be intentionally named differently in order to invite you in to an experience of the Holy. In that same vein, Owensby does a masterful job of taking commonly used theological words and concepts and turning the crystal on them in unique and solidly orthodox ways. He has keen ability to make what is old new again. Just to name a few, he offers crafty redefinitions of compassion, forgiveness and reconciliation.
Preachers who care about such words will find A Resurrection Shaped Life filled with insights about the nature of Christian faith in the real world -- and in that way will find their preaching and pastoral care enlivened. Because what really draws me to this little book is Owensby's way of weaving together Scripture with his own personal narrative in a way that makes me shout, "See, this stuff will preach Good News!"
To get us to take resurrection living seriously, Owensby takes us through those moments of holy week living that so many of us know on a daily basis. In that way, there's redemption for the shame and grief we all know but don't know how to name.
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I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review here.