A Beautiful Year - by Diana Butler Bass (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

One of America's most trusted theologians offers spiritual inspiration for every week of the year

A Beautiful Year: 52 Meditations on Faith, Wisdom, and Perseverance offers an essay for every week in the seasons of the Christian year: From Advent and Christmas to Lent and Easter through the entire calendar.

Other than its major holidays, many people are not familiar with the rhythms of the church year, an ancient spiritual cycle of time.Yet all religions have such calendars -- and they shape our understanding of faith. In the West, we live in tension with the secular calendar (mostly an inheritance from the Roman Empire) and the Christian liturgical calendar, a cycle of sacred stories that compose a larger narrative of love, hospitality, mercy, justice, and gratitude. Bass reclaims and presents fresh perspectives for every biblical text in the church year; from musing on A Wrinkle in Time in Advent, to remembering her father's old-fashioned blue Christmas decorations, and offering a revolutionary reading of the Last Supper.

In the vein of Nadia Bolz-Weber and Sarah Bessey, these are essays to inspire, challenge and comfort, to savor year after year. Beautifully designed, the book is also a perfect gift.

Review Quotes

Praise for Diana Butler Bass

"A brilliant scholar and a wonderful storyteller."--Anne Lamott, New York Times Bestselling Author

"Bass has been synonymous with innovative, thought provoking, spiritually grounded and accessible writing." --Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, President, Interfaith Alliance

"One of the most thoughtful, insightful voices to emerge among us."--Marianne Williamson, New York Times Bestselling Author

"[Bass'] new book will not only help you wake up. It will equip you to be an enthusiastic participant."--Brian D. McLaren, author of Faith After Doubt

"Bass is the gold standard for liberal Christian thinkers in America." --Anthea Butler, Ph.D., Professor, University of Pennsylvania

"Bass is a powerhouse." --The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, author of Love is the Way

"Bass goes more deeply into what it means to be a Christian now, in a moment when many can't summon the energy or the hope required." --Bill McKibben

"I've been grateful for Bass's sharp mind, but upon finishing Grounded, I found myself in love with her mystical heart and gorgeous storytelling."--Glennon Doyle Melton

About the Author

Diana Butler Bass, Ph.D. (Duke University) is an award-winning author of eleven books, a speaker, preacher, and a trusted commentator on religion and contemporary spirituality. Her bylines include The New York Times, the Washington Post, USA Today, CNN Opinion, On Being, and Readers Digest. She has appeared on CBS, CNN, PBS, NPR, and other global news outlets. She currently writes The Cottage, one of the most widely-read Substack newsletters. She lives in Alexandria, Virginia.