Uncommon Gratitude: Alleluia for All That Is [Hardcover]

Joan Chittister (Author), Rowan Williams (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 10, 2010

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams often says that, no matter what, the proper stance of the Christian in the world is one of gratitude. In this book, Sister Joan Chittister, OSB, and Archbishop Rowan Williams offer us a sweeping set of things and circumstances to be grateful for things for which we can sing alleluia, praise and thanks be to God.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The prolific Benedictine nun Chittister (The Liturgical Year) joins the erudite archbishop of Canterbury in a series of reflections on finding the hidden face of God in a variety of circumstances and offering praise. Alleluia is a hail to God, a call offered not nearly as frequently as complaint is in these times. But Chittister explains that alleluia is a call to reflection... the final Amen to all that is. The varied subjects of the 23 essays—faith, doubt, Genesis, saints—are very loosely grouped, and Williams contributes only five, a shortcoming of the book given the provocative originality with which the Anglican primate thinks. He writes of good sinners—those with a degree of awareness of something much larger or of divine fullness preparing to create its own echo in the world. Chittister is pre-eminently practical: the purpose of wealth is generosity, doubt gives birth to faith. The two authors are nicely complementary in the ways they anchor their insights in real-life conditions. This is thoughtful theology with its boots on, ready to walk out in the world. (Mar.)
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Review

What does it mean to be a Christian? In Uncommon Gratitude, two persons formed by monastic prayer practices (and incidentally respected theologians) reach across denominational lines to form a common understanding of a `life of alleluia.' Without sentimentality or triviality, Chittister and Williams show how one can realistically offer praise and wonder in the face of the often uncertain or discouraging circumstances of ordinary life. These reflections are rooted in the conviction that God is good, and all of life--including doubt, death, conflict, wealth--is life-giving. Suffering, for example, calls us to a new way of being, is the ground of compassion, and moves us beyond our smaller, less developed selves. Darkness reveals that all growth does not place in the sunlight, and God works in our vulnerability and lack of control. These are challenging and not comforting reflections, resting in study of the surprising God revealed in Genesis, and the Exodus vision of a community built on mutual trust. The depth offered here invites the reader to slow and reflective response, allowing time for this wisdom to take root in the soul. --Dr. Norvene Vest, Spiritual director, speaker, and workshop leader, Author of five books on Benedictine spirituality for the common life, Editor/Contributor to two books on contemporary issues in spiritual direction

One finishes this book with renewed gratitude--for faith and doubt, for all that is, for two wise spiritual teachers who remind us that God is present not just in the peak experiences, but in the hidden depths of our everyday life. --Robert Ellsberg, Author of The Saints' Guide to Happiness

A soul stretching book by two contemporary prophets. Alleluia for Joan Chittister and Rowan Williams for this inspiring and timely message of hope in the midst of so much fear and violence. A faith filled and prophetic perspective on the dark and hurting spaces in our world and lives. We are both invited and challenged to pick up our pieces, dry our tears, shake ourselves down, and continue the journey with renewed hope and joy. Alleluia indeed. --Edwina Gateley, Poet, writer, international speaker, and women's advocate

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Liturgical Press; 1st edition (March 10, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814630227
• ISBN-13: 978-0814630228
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #44,359 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Joan Chittister, OSB (1936- ) is a Benedictine Sister of Erie, PA. She is the author of over 40 books--ten of which have won Catholic Press Association Awards (the latest 2011: God's Tender Mercy). Her book, The Monastery of the Heart: an invitation to a meaningful life, is prelude to a movement for all seekers: Monasteries of the Heart, recently begun by her Benedictine community. Sister Joan is an international speaker who inspires both her audiences and readers with her passion for justice, for equality and for peace, especially for women in both society and the church. Her PhD is from Penn State University in Speech-Communication Theory. She serves as Executive Director of Benetvision, a research and resource center for contemporary spirituality.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Alleluia for Uncommon Gratitude, March 11, 2010

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Joel Holtz (Vadnais Heights, MN) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Uncommon Gratitude: Alleluia for All That Is (Hardcover)

This book invites us to say "Alleluia" for the things in life we may not feel like giving thanks for.

Joan Chittister and Rowan Williams have done an outstanding job reminding us of the countless opportunities we have in fact, of singing praise to God. There are 23 short subjects, 18 of which Chittister wrote and 5 by Williams. The topics by Williams are the longest and most fully developed. His chapter entitled GENESIS is perhaps the best in the entire book. He cleverly points out in that chapter that although the book of Genesis is a book of beginnings, it's actually more of a book of people continually leaving home. (Adam and Eve, Abraham)

Chittister's contributions are equally sharp. Two of her best are WEALTH and SUFFERING. In the chapter on wealth, she beautifully informs us that its purpose is.."reckless generosity, the kind that sings of the lavish love of God, that rekindles hope on dark days, that reminds us God is with us always." (pg.22)

From SUFFERING: .."When we have suffered enough not to care if the hurts of life have all been healed, but only that they no longer bind us, we have finally learned to live."

This is a book you'll want to read more than once.
And both times you'll end up saying "Alleluia" for the lessons given.

25 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gratitude Uncommon, and Alleluia shouts, for all that is this evolving treatise from our great Benedictine and that other guy, April 7, 2010

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C. Scanlon "least helpful reviewer" (among us humans) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Uncommon Gratitude: Alleluia for All That Is (Hardcover)

As soon as I saw something new fell from the prolific pen of our great anglo-American Benedictine Prioress the Reverend Sister Joan Chittister OSB (author as well of The Gift of Years: Growing Older Gracefully and co-author of The Tent of Abraham: Stories of Hope and Peace for Jews, Christians, and Muslims and of the prayer brochure Mary, wellspring of peace: Contemporary novena for peacemakers : Scripture reflections as well as countless other wroks of Roman Catholic spirituality), I knew I had to get it, no matter who that other guy might be.

It turns out the other guy is the renowned and respected Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, leader of the Anglican observance.

In this time of rapprochement with our Anglican sisters and brothers, in which the Pope opens wide the door to the discontented and dissident anglican clergy and faithful, how very like the ReverendSister Joan Chittister OSB to bridge dialogue where there could well be division.

In her brilliant and generous Introduction, Sister Chittister explains that 'This book is, then, a kind of dialogue between two people, both of whom are deeply involved in the urgency of pastoral demands but equally involved in understanding the relationship between what is now and what is meant to become in us in our private little futures. It is an alleluia view of every present moment, a view that welcomes its complexity and subjects it to the more lasting view, the long view, of life. To that, alleluia (p. x1).'

This miracle comes published through the mainstream Benedictine Printing House in Collegeville, Minnesota called the Liturgical Press at Saint John's Abbey, a sure guarantee of orthodoxy.

As so often in our Church, the woman does most of the heavy lifting; to this dialogue Archbishop Williams adds five thick chapters to Sister Joan's nineteen. The only means of discerning authorship is through small marks on the Contents page; there is no indication within the text itself, and what a sacred union of hearts beating as one this provides. This thusly reads as a monologue of our Faith.

This thick treatise is divided into three sections: Discovering What We Are; Becoming Who We Are, and Growing Into The Unknown. The Archbishop writes on Sinners, Saints, Genesis, and Friday. Sister Joan covers the rest, and covers it very well indeed.

Please read this book. I am now too busy reading it to write more; forgive me, and I hope to say more about it later. but please join me now in the reading and then in dialogue with this great work of our theology.

Permit me please to offer one brief excerpt from the Reverend Sister Joan Chittister OSB's chapter on Peace:
===============================
Peace Be With You
A commitment to peace, to being peaceful, to peacefulness draws from a very deep well. It is a source beyond the corruptions of either ambition or pride. It transcends addiction to either power or personality cults.

Once peace comes to a person, the need for power simply disappears and goes to dust inside ourselves. We are enough for us. There is no reason to suppress the other, no need to make sure that no head in the room is higher than our own.

All the need for wars, either public or personal, evaporates. There is nothing valuable enough to gain from them to risk either the loss of the peace or the death of the other.

So we say an alleluia for the coming of peace, for the death of ambition, for the passing of pride that enables us to be happy with who we are and what we have.

And how does peace come? Simple. By accepting who we are and what we have as enough for us. By recognizing and respecting who the other is and what they have as theirs. By finding within ourselves "the pearl of great price," the richest thing there is in life, the sense of the presence of the God who loves and companions us through all the pressures of life. "In moderating, not in satisfying, desires," Reginald Heber wrote, "lies peace."

Then we find that we have changed. We have become peaceful. We have come to realize now that we have all we need. We begin to see that our own role in life is only to spread the peace we have.

Then we begin to dedicate ourselves to that highest possible level of humanity that not only does good but, most of all, does no harm. We come to understand that simply doing good can be such a political ploy. Election periods abound in promises to do good that are no more than some kind of social bribe. To do no harm, on the other hand, requires real care, genuine compassion, true realization that the glow of the other diminishes no glow of my own. Then my own life begins to shine even more.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is simply perfect; a must read for everyone!!!, May 22, 2010

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Mary Ann Fischer - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Uncommon Gratitude: Alleluia for All That Is (Hardcover)

This is truly a book with hope as its message. My suggestion is for a prophetic philanthropist to assume the pleasure of purchasing thousands of copies of Uncommon Gratitude and send it to those folks who refuse to acknowledge progress in anything, those who see doom and gloom in everything. Through a peaceful read of this book the optomist in me would hope that maybe they'd begin to see some light in their darkness.
Alleluia for Joan Chittister and Rowan Williams!