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For many busy American suburbanites, attending to one's spiritual life has become just another box to check off on the daily to-do list. We heed the call to join committee after committee and are promised that the more time and energy we give to the church community, the closer we'll feel to God. But although we seem to have it all together, with our yards perfectly manicured, our children's homework done, and the items for the church clothing drive folded neatly in plastic bags, we find that our suburban spirituality and religious life seem as artificially flavored as soda pop.
Death by Suburb is a wake-up call to suburbanites who have put their spiritual life on cruise control and let the caffeine-driven culture wreak havoc on their relationship with God. Combining witty anecdotes and a suburban insider's sometimes surreal experience, Goetz offers eight spiritual disciplines that can help you create what he calls a "thicker spiritual life" without having to leave your cul-de-sac comfort zone. Whether it means creating room for the ancient traditions of stillness and silent meditation or battling the hyper-competition that breeds in the suburbs, Goetz spells out concrete methods for nurturing the spiritual life amidst the noise and routine of daily suburban experience.
| Title: Death by Suburb: How to Keep the Suburbs from Killing Your Soul By: David L. Goetz Format: Paperback Number of Pages: 240 Vendor: HarperOne Publication Date: 2007 | Dimensions: 8.00 X 5.31 (inches) Weight: 6 ounces ISBN: 0060859687 ISBN-13: 9780060859688 Stock No: WW859687 |
A great number of seekers find themselves in the seemingly unreal world of the suburbs. They read spirituality books but find themselves in carpools and coaching soccer, not in monasteries. Dave Goetz, a former pastor, shows that the suburbs are a real world, but a spiritually corrosive one. The land of SUVs and soccer leagues can truly be toxic to the soul. Suburbanites need to understand how the environment affects them and what spiritual disciplines are needed for their faith to survive and thrive. Goetz identifies eight toxins in the suburban life, such as hyper–competition and the "transactional" friendship, and suggests eight corresponding disciplines to keep the spiritual life authentic. Goetz weaves sociology studies, his own experiences, current events, wisdom of the spiritual masters, and a little humor to equip spiritual suburbanites for how to relate to God amidst Starbucks, strip–malls, and perfect lawns.
David L. Goetz is a former editor for Leadership Journal, the leading periodical for pastors, and a former pastor. He writes for Christianity Today and was the general editor of The Pastor's Soul series, which was nominated for the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association's Gold Medallion Book Award in 2000. He is president of CZ Marketing, a brand and strategy firm serving the nonprofit sector. Goetz lives with his family in Wheaton, Illinois.
“Death by Suburb addresses and overcomes the split in our religion, our lifestyles, and even our consciousness.” — Fr. Richard Rohr, O.F.M., author of Everything Belongs: The Gift of Contemplative Prayer
“Goetz lets the shadows of the suburbs show and evokes a thicker sense of our social and religious worlds.” — Leigh Schmidt, Princeton University, author of Restless Souls: The Making of American Spirituality
“God has given Goetz a gift for seeing … the parched lives beneath the suburban bliss. — William H. Willimon, author of Sinning Like a Christian
“ Goetz’s witty new book deals with [...] the spirit-deadening alienation sometimes found in [...] housing tracts and cul-de-sacs.” — Mark Pinsky, ORLANDO SENTINEL
“Goetz points out...that suburbanites like to be in control...and true spirituality is the opposite of control.” — Charleston Post and Courier
“Goetz advocates serious examination of motives and actions in everyday life and offers hope and...answers.” — Calgary Herald
“With bright writing, Goetz transforms familiar ideas into a provocative new package.” — Columbus Dispatch
“Goetz envisions a ‘thicker life,’ looking beyond the comfort...of suburban rhythms for a...deeper experience.” — Dallas Morning News
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