Twelve-step programs, based on psychological and spiritual development, serve all who desire spiritual growth. Using a twelve-step approach, author Grant Schnarr presents readers with a path to freedom, away from destructive tendencies, toward a life of greater awareness of others and self, a deeper relationship with God, and greater joy. Filled with practical advice for incorporating the twelve steps into life.
Grant Schnarr is an author, teacher, and pastor. He started a progressive church in Chicago for the young at heart in 1984. There he developed one of the first twelve step programs for anyone who would like a more fulfilling and spiritual life. This preceeded the twelve-step phenomena that swept North America in the 80's. His first book UNLOCKING YOUR SPIRITUAL POTENTIAL: A TWELVE STEP APPROACH, published by Abbey Press, was one of the first books to bring the 12 Steps to everyone, and this particular book, which has now been revised and reprinted with the new title, SPIRITUAL RECOVERY, has been translated into several languages and has been used by recovery groups on five continents.
Grant was one of the first to offer programs and support groups for men and men's issues in the early 90's, and was a trailblazer in new ritual and process work in this area. He and therapist Lyle Keller developed a twelve week course devoted to initiating men into mature adulthood, offering insights into the masculine soul and identity. These programs led to the development of men's spirituality weekends in the woodlands of Wisconsin, and are the basis for today's SWET (Spiritual Warfare Effectiveness Training) weekends for men and boys in the Moosic Mountains of Pennsylvania, and also now available in different forms for both women and men. Grant is also the co-founder of the Bryn Athyn Men's Gatherings, now recognized nationally as a powerful constituent of the men's movement, and has shared the podium with Robert Moore, Robert Bly, John Lee, and others. He has also presented at the Annual Chicago Men's Conference, and the Mankind Project and Woman Within International Conference. Grant was invited to Fort Hood, Texas to honor the fallen soldiers from the 4th Infantry brigade. His book, ART OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE, based on Sun Tzu's Art of War, published by Quest Books, has been published by independent publishers in both American and Indian English editions, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, and several other languages, and has been read by everyone from military generals to rock stars.
Grant graduated with a Masters in Divinity in 1983 from the Academy of the New Church theological school, and was ordained into the priesthood of the New Church (Swedenborgian). He, like his colleagues, is a biblical scholar and expert in the doctrinal teachings of the eighteenth century scientist and theologian Emanuel Swedenborg. His book, You Can Believe: An Introduction to the New Christianity, is a Swedenborg Foundation Best Seller. Swedenborg's influence on modern spiritual thought can be traced down many paths, including the twelve step program, new thought philosophy, near-death experience research and thought, Suzuki's teachings of Buddhism, Burnham's design of the city of Chicago, Helen Keller, Jung and James, as well as many writers and poets such as Emerson, Blake, Borges, Yeats, Browning, Coleridge, and Balzac. Swedenborg's teachings are expressed in WAY OF WISDOM, a book of Swedenborg's most striking quotations put together with commentary by Grant Schnarr and Erik Buss. Swedenborg's common sense teachings also show up in Grant's book, RETURN TO THE PROMISED LAND, which delves into the symbolic meaning of the biblical Exodus story, and reflects the deeper journey each person encounters on his or her quest for spiritual growth and happiness. Grant was the director of outreach for the world-wide New Church for thirteen years.
Grant is now a teacher at the Bryn Athyn College and founding pastor of a new independent congregation called "Creekside Church" in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania. His latest work is a non denominational or rather ALL DENOMINATIONAL out of the box approach to looking at life through the conversations of a sixteen year old girl and her guardian angel called, GUARDIAN ANGEL DIARY. He and his wife, Cathy, have four sons, and three adorable grandchildren.
Personal Tidbits:
Likes to cook.
Plays a mean left-handed guitar.
Loves people, music, writing, poetry, outdoors.
Is a fan of all religions.
Is extremely interested in the emergent church movement.
Has toured Soweto at midnight.
He and his family won $10,000 on America's Funniest People with a skit called "American Parent."
Grandfather was a bootlegger.
Grew up in a house with a haunted room.
Is a reiki master.
Is a certified life-coach.
Has a sweat-lodge in his back yard.
ESFJ
