J. Brent Bill is recognized as one of today's most important communicators of the spirituality of the Quaker tradition. He is the Executive Vice President of the Indianapolis Center for Congregations, Inc. and the author of many books including Imagination and Spirit: A Contemporary Quaker Reader. In this inspiring paperback, he presents a graceful and substantive overview of the treasures of silence in the Quaker tradition:
"Quaker silence speaks to the spiritual condition in a way that nothing else does. This Quaker silence is not just for me or old men on oat boxes or in classic movies, either. It offers a profound spiritual encounter for any woman or man hungry for a fresh way of connecting with God."
The book is divided into chapters on Silence: The Quaker Sacrament; Turned Outside in: Spiritual Silence for Saints and the Rest of Us; A Thousand Clamoring Voices: Finding Silence in the Noise of Living; SoulCare: Practical Steps Toward Silence; Gathering: Practical Communal Silence, and A Holy Hush. Throughout this work, Bill scatters "Queries" (little questions and exercises) to serve as a catalyst to silence. One "Quietude Query," for example, is "Have I ever shared silence with someone in need? What made it feel like the thing to do?" Quotes also reveal the richness of Quaker tradition:
"True silence is the rest of the mind; and is to the spirit, what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment." (William Penn)
"Quakers find in silence a deepening process bringing us into our hearts where we meet God, are empowered, and finally led to the service of others." (Roger J. Vanden Busch)
