Fr. Shannon has a new book coming out soon, “Come and See: An Invitation to a Radical Encounter with Jesus,” which is a devotional aimed at youth and young adults. We talk about the role of traditional devotionals in shaping young people’s faith, especially how our experiences with devotionals have impacted us. We get into the limitations of these devotionals and their practices, and the importance of understanding how limiting they can be- especially since they often leave out the Bible’s context. Shannon shares his motivations for writing the book, emphasizing accessibility, justice, and the need for young people to engage with scripture meaningfully. This book is aimed for a younger audience, but anyone can engage with this as a means for deepening a personal understanding of scripture and faith.

Takeaways

Devotionals are often seen as a proxy for faith.
Many youth devotionals lack depth and context.
Understanding the Bible requires recognizing its complexity.
Devotionals can reinforce harmful theology if not critically engaged.
There are various ways to engage with spirituality beyond devotionals.
Shannon’s book aims to provide tools for understanding scripture.
The book encourages readers to ask questions and wrestle with faith.
‘Come and See’ is designed to be accessible for young people.
The book includes journaling prompts for reflection and discussion.
Engaging with the Bible can be a communal experience.

Chapters

(00:53) Devotionals: A Personal Journey

(10:36) Alternatives to Traditional Devotionals

(14:05) Introducing ‘Come and See’ Devotional

(17:41) Understanding the Bible: Context Matters

(21:09) Target Audience for ‘Come and See’

Resources:

Pre-order “Come And See: An Invitation to a Radical Encounter With Jesus” by Fr. Shannon TL Kearns
Check out books about faith and the Bible that we recommend
Rituals for Resistance and Resilience
Join our online community at Sanctuary Collective Community

If you want to support the Patreon and help keep the podcast up and running, you can learn more and pledge your support at patreon.com/queertheology

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