Taking the Adventure (PB) (2014)

What is the relationship between faith, especially Christian faith, and a lifestyle that respects animals as our neighbors and kin? Why should faith entail a commitment to vegetarianism? Are animals meant to be heirs of the kingdom of God as well as human beings? Taking the Adventure offers answers to these questions in the context of important biblical themes: of Eden and Exodus, of the prophetic imperative, of Jesus as a prophet proclaiming liberty to the oppressed and the captives, of the feast of the kingdom, of the resurrection and life beyond death. It explores imagery from familiar novels such as A Christmas Carol and The Hobbit that deal with cravings, anxiety, and true abundance. It proposes that committing ourselves to live in God-given peace with all living beings, and sharing with others the good news of that peace, is an adventure worth the best we can give--an arduous and painful, yet joyous adventure climaxing in return to the heart of God. ""Weaving a rich fabric of mythic lore and religious motifs with today's pressing issues of animal abuse and liberation, Taking the Adventure enraptures us with its sumptuous banquet of insights, revelations, and connections. Gracia Ellwood has made a significant contribution to the ever-proliferating conversation about our culture's routine mistreatment of animals and its hidden sources and ramifications. Most highly recommended!"" --Will Tuttle, author of The World Peace Diet ""Ms. Ellwood has written a book that is thoughtful and insightful as well as poetic and lyrical. She combines clear-headed analysis of complex philosophical and religious topics with poetry and literature, and she concludes that recognizing the value of nonhuman beings is a crucial step in the universal goal to find peace and harmony in our lives."" --Stephen R. Kaufman, author of Guided by the Faith of Christ ""Taking the Adventure is an apt title for this bracing journey into seeing animals afresh in light of their dignity as unique individuals and fellow creatures of God. From the wilds of Narnia to the fleshpots of exilic Egypt to the manors of Austen's England, Ellwood's master course of literary essays illuminates the unanticipated ways that traversing these environs with fresh eyes can 'open our hearts and hands to the divine Light that is Love which is present in every person, or even every being.'"" --Matthew C. Halteman, author of Living Toward the Peaceable Kingdom Gracia Fay Ellwood has taught English at Evansville University and Religious Studies at California State University, Long Beach. She is the author of The Uttermost Deep: The Challenge of Near-Death Experiences (2001) and editor of the online journal The Peaceable Table, in which the original versions of these essays appeared. She is a member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).