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Nomad

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My New Book: “Nomad: A Spirituality For Travelling Light”

My New Book: “Nomad: A Spirituality For Travelling Light”

Last updated on: July 7, 2016 at 12:25 pm by Brandan Robertson

My New Book: “Nomad: A Spirituality For Travelling Light” 2016-07-07T12:25:04-04:00 Brandan Robertson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The following is a press release about my newly released book! For more information and to order the book, click the link below!

ABOUT NOMAD:

As ‘a good Evangelical Christian who felt called to be a pastor’, Brandan’s life and career plans were turned upside down at Bible college when he began to experience feelings of same sex attraction. The strong ‘black and white’ beliefs that he had previously held on sexuality and faith were shattered, and he found himself in a world of doubts, questioning and uncertainty. Yet he discovered that ‘dwelling in the uncertain territory between doubt and faith’ was a surprisingly vibrant and affirming way of life, which inspired rather than threatened his faith. Rejecting what he calls ‘rigid evangelical Christianity’, Brandan describes Nomad as ‘an exploration of what it means to be a human being following the mystery we call God beyond the boundaries of our religious systems and structures’.

‘Wandering has become the foundation of my spiritual life… My faith doesn’t end my search; it inspires it. It amps up my curiosity and whets my appetite for discovering what God is doing in and through the world each and every day.’

Brandan explores the tendency of many churches to favour conformity, discouraging searching questions about faith and showing fear and distrust towards people who hold different beliefs, which can lead to marginalisation or condemnation. Instead, he encourages his readers to be reconcilers and to learn with grace from those who are different from us in order to enrich our spiritual journey. ‘The Good News of the Gospel’, he writes, ‘transcends political, social, ethnic, sexual, religious, economic and gender divisions and brings us all together as one humanity in Christ… If the kingdom of God is truly about radical diversity and uniqueness, shouldn’t the Church be about the same?’ He encourages his readers to ‘learn to live life in wonder’, which is the way to ‘true and abundant life’.

‘Take the leap. Pack your bags and embark upon the journey that your soul is longing for. You may never know where it is that you’re headed, and that’s okay. Because the One who guides you is good. The world that lies just behind the boundaries of your comfort zone is brimming with reality, life and new experiences to be had. Let the journey begin.’

Part autobiography, part Christian spirituality, Nomad is a powerful call to inclusivity, breaking religion’s ‘boundaries’, embracing the unknown, asking difficult questions, and trusting that God will walk beside us on our journey, wherever the path may lead. It is a major work of progressive evangelical spirituality and an eloquent and heartfelt exposition of the Christian faith for a post-Christian world by one of North America’s most respected young religious leaders.

SELECTED ENDORSEMENTS OF NOMAD:

Brandan Robertson’s Nomad is one man’s compelling account of moving beyond the boundaries of rigid religion, into an expansive true spirituality. Robertson’s story is not just his own, but the story of a growing caravan of nomads who are discovering the beauty and complexity of faith and life in fresh ways. This book is a trustworthy companion for anyone who is seeking to discover a new way of being in the world.

Richard Rohr OFM, Founder, Center for Action and Contemplation

The thing about Brandan is he’s really intelligent and he has a huge heart, but he’s also fearless, and it’s that alchemy that makes him such a compelling voice for the new thing that Jesus is up to in the world.

Rob Bell, author, How To Be Here

Brandan Robertson is a courageous young man. He has dared to climb fences and explore new territory outside the back yard of his religious background. He has discovered the gift of asking questions, and the joy that comes from seeking understanding with other seekers. In addition, he is a graceful and insightful writer, as Nomad makes clear. I hope this is the first of many!

Dr. Brian D. McLaren, author, We Make The Road By Walking

Nomad unfolds the tale of a fluid soul, of one who has found Living Water and is willing to both ride its spiritual rapids and float on its grace. With honesty and wit, and in fresh and luminous prose, Brandan Robertson invites others to embark on a healing journey toward the love of God.

Diana Butler Bass, author, Grounded: Finding God in the World – A Spiritual Revolution

Rarely have I read a book that has touched me more than Nomad. My friend Brandan has been captivated by Jesus and he yearns to explore and discover more of life and faith. He understands that radical community, authenticity, rhythm and belonging are deeply attractive to younger people and he gently challenges us to create more space for discovery and mystery in our church life. He challenges us to live the Jesus Movement values of grace, love, hope and forgiveness. However this book is not just theology; it is autobiography as Brandan earths this book in a deeply moving telling of his own story. I could hear his heartbeat as he bares his soul with us in a beautiful and vulnerable way. I laughed and I cried with him. This book is a gift to us all and I hope it is the first of many.

Canon Mark Russell, Chief Executive, Church Army UK and Ireland

I first encountered Brandan Robertson in, appropriately, the very contemporary world of social media: Twitter and Facebook. There, his perspectives and viewpoints caught my eye and attracted attention. In that vein, this book has much to offer from his young, insightful, and gracious perspective, all honed in a life which has already experienced much. Brandan has harnessed those opportunities in pursuit of reflection and understanding and, in sharing them with us, provides a book – Nomad – replete and rich with food for our journey. It is nourishing and inspiring, gentle, but firm, and it is challenging and unsettling. For those of us who are interested in ‘millennials’, such as Brandan himself, and their approach to religion and spirituality, Nomad makes for intriguing reading.

The Rt Reverend Dr Paul Colton, Bishop of Cork, Church of Ireland

Brandan Robertson’s Nomad is a veritable travel guide for the spiritual journey toward God. In describing his own journey, he illuminates what most every Christian will experience along the way: the movement from the rigid religion of rules and beliefs to the spirituality and love-in-action of Jesus; the arrogance (and futility) of trying to go it alone and the inevitable pull toward community; and the collapse of a black-and-white view of the world, and its replacement with nuance and infinite shades of grey. It is one nomad’s story, but it is also a story that belongs to all of us.

Bishop Gene Robinson IX, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress, Washington, D.C.

To read a sample of Nomad, click here.

To order a signed copy of Nomad from Amazon, click here.

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