Born of Jewish parents and raised a Unitarian Universalist, Jane Redmont converted to Catholicism and is currently a Ph.D. candidate in theology at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. The author of Generous Lives: American Catholic Women Today is a great believer in inter-religious dialogue and eclectic spiritual practices. This gift shines through the diverse prayers, ancient and modern, Christian and non-Christian at the end of each chapter. A roll call of luminaries quoted there includes Thich Nhat Hanh, Dom Helder Camara, Dorothee Soelle, William Cleary, Jon Kabat-Zinn, and others.
For Redmont, the experience of prayer is rooted in memory, attention, and hope. It can be expressed through breath, movement, dance, or song — the wholeness of our being. Prayer enhances our relationship with God and can take place whether we are angry or joyful, depressed or grateful, lamenting or rejoicing. Redmont shows how writing, icons and images, reading scripture, mindfulness, and mantras can be spurs to variety in our prayer life. She salutes the important role of community and tradition but also reveals how everyone must find his or her own path of practice. The author reveals her hospitality to all types of readers with chapters on praying with and for children; using spiritual directors, retreats, and other resources; and linking spirituality and social justice. When in Doubt, Sing is a wide-ranging and substantive source book on the many devotional options in our time.
