Finding Yourself in Chaos Book Cover

Finding Yourself in Chaos

Self-Discovery for Religious Leaders in a Time of Transition

James R. Newby and Mark Minear
ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD
Lanham • Boulder • New York • London

Thank you.

With gratitude to all the participants in our Sacred Chaos seminars who shared their stories of pain and hope. We dedicate this book to you.

“There are two kinds of books. The first kind makes a big splash, but the ripples quickly fade. It leaves no lasting impression, no reservoir of wisdom upon which to draw. The second kind of book sneaks up on us slowly, makes its way into our lives and gradually transforms us. Decades later it is still read, still savored, and still helping. Finding Yourself in Chaos is the second kind of book. I wish this book had been available at the dawn of my ministry and not the twilight.”

-Philip Gulley, author of If Grace Is True, If God Is Love, and If the Church Were Christian

“Newby and Minear offer much excellent advice for finding our way out of spiritual chaos. It could be the genesis of renewal for those sincerely seeking ways forward. In the end, though, the authors comment that one cannot do much better than returning to the spiritual path of loving God and one another. Easier said than done, but Newby and Minear provide helpful signposts along the way.”

“Especially relevant in Finding Yourself in Chaos are the author's observations on the chaos of current religious, social and political realities. Careful analysis is offered of our dysfunctional society, the 'nones' and 'dones' of institutional religious life, the 'great resignation,' racism, gender and sexuality issues, political divisions, and the loss of civility. Along the way, Newby and Minear draw on their own spiritual autobiographies as well as the lives of the Sacred Chaos seminar participants to offer an experiential basis for their observations.”

-Friends Journal (Reviewed by Max Carter)

This book was written to help religious leaders through some of their most difficult life passages, i.e., divorce, mid-life, retirement and in recent times, the pandemic, the tribalization of our society and the religious institutions we serve, as well as dealing with all of the problems associated with the declining influence of religion in our culture.

Help for Religious Leaders

  • Provide religious leaders a way to process their inner pain and recover their ministerial passion.

  • Help religious leaders understand how their self-care is directly related to their effectiveness in caring for others.

  • Help religious leaders address and navigate through the cultural issue of tribalism, mistrust, racism and the declining influence of our religious institutions.

  • Offer a new vision of authentic religious leadership, and a new model of ministry in a time of transition.

Why this book?

Excerpts from Finding Yourself in Chaos: Self Discovery for Religious Leaders in a Time of Transition...

 

Healing our pain is a continuous process of learning how to allow love into our hurting hearts. We will never be free of pain, for it is a basic ingredient of life. Each pain experienced carries a special place in our hearts not to be forgotten. When we process our pain, however, bringing it to speech, sharing it with others by telling and re-telling our stories, forgiving and repenting and recognizing that healing takes patience, we can begin to make the pain bearable.

Religious leaders and religious institutions are in the midst of a whirlwind of chaos and change. History shows that out of every chaotic period in the past, new ideas, new directions, and new life have formed and developed. Religious institutions have prevailed through the darkest times and have historically been like anvils wearing out many hammers. They can be, at their best, and even now, one of the prisms through which the Divine Light passes. And religious leaders, if they can be nurtured and encouraged to be authentic and real in this time of chaos, can emerge with awakened hearts and a prophetic voice.

As one grows spiritually, certain inner changes begin to happen. War will become abhorrent. The physical and spiritual hunger of the poor and destitute will make your own heart ache. What is happening in poor and war-torn countries around the world will haunt your thoughts in the day and your dreams at night. Each time that a cruelty is done to another, each time someone is put down, called names, or bullied to increase the worldly favor of another, your own being will cry out in empathy. To grow spiritually is to see the world and humanity as the God of love sees the world and humanity.

Self-discovery is also God-discovery. And the search for God and an understanding of who we are is forever unfolding. It is a life-long process.

The deadening crust of tradition and the over emphasis upon correct process and procedure need to give way to the fresh winds of God’s transforming Spirit.

The purpose of religious institutions should not be mere survival alone. Jesus did not live and die because the world in which he lived was as good as it gets. Jesus envisioned a new world and a new way of living. If the religious institutions of our day are to thrive in a new, transformative world, the focus question is, “How do we equip our congregations to reach out to a spiritually hungry world more effectively?” Not, “How do we keep our congregations content by maintaining the status quo?”

A profound sense of humility is a mark of a tender heart. Persons with tender hearts do not boast or intimidate. They are not braggarts or bullies. The tenderhearted are not self-righteous or judgmental. They do not insist on their own way, espousing certainties that love and reflective thought have not tested. Humility has been a part of the lives of all who seek to grow in spirit and is an important signpost given us by those who have traveled the path of spiritual growth.

A friend of mine refers to our time as a time of existential trauma. We are not only facing the prospect of a pandemic that never ends, but we also are in a period of great social upheaval and deep social rifts. It is one of those transition periods in history, when everything is open to question, even the most basic spiritual pillars undergirding Western civilization. “We are in a communal collective, global transition...moving from one reality to another that we cannot see. Part of the work, the calling now is to stand really respectfully before how very unsettling and stress-filled this is.” It is, indeed, a time of chaos.

On the whole, the teaching task of the church has been sorely neglected. What passes for Bible study in numerous places is just a time of fellowship when trite phrases are repeated and one’s religious prejudices are recited. A most important task of religious leaders is to help their congregants become self-reflective and think critically.

Pain and loss produce chaos. Chaos can have gentle beginnings, such as an inner tug deep within our souls that awakens us to the realization that the life we are now living is not fulfilling. Chaos can also begin in more dramatic ways--the death of a loved one, divorce, the loss of a job, academic failure, retirement, etc. Whatever the impetus, chaos is uncomfortable. It moves us out of familiar patterns and known ways; causes us to re-evaluate what is important, how our lives are being lived, and, if we heed the signs, sets us on a journey of seeking more of what is missing. Chaos in our personal lives and in our ministry also affects the way we lead. Recognizing it in our lives, and dealing with it, will help us prepare for a new chapter in our personal journeys and in our ministry. Ignoring it or self-medicating the chaos we feel, will eventually lead to emotional and spiritual problems, and a loss of interest and passion in our leadership responsibilities.

“The authors offer solid counsel for all professionals seeking mature advice on how to lead themselves to healthier and more balanced, meaningful, and professionally effective lives against the backdrop of these turbulent times. I commend Finding Yourself in Chaos to all those in need of renewal through inspiration, guidance, and most importantly …. hope!”

— Robert "Chip" Harrod, J.D., M.A., executive director, EquaSion, a broadly inclusive interfaith organization based in Cincinnati Ohio

Previous Publications

  • Gathering the Seekers

    (Alban Institute, 1995)

  • Sacred Chaos: One Man’s Spiritual Journey Through Pain and Loss

    (Continuum, 1998)

  • Reflections from the Inner Light

    (Wipf and Stock, 2019)

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