Publisher's Synopsis
Description: To have known Adrian van Kaam in person is to have loved him for reasons human and spiritual. His kindness to everyone is as legendary as his fidelity to the mystery in all the peaks and valleys of daily life. His humility is the fire that enkindles his original vision of formative spirituality. His gentle, joyful spirit radiates on every page of this retelling of his life story. In it he takes us to the heart of his thinking in the fields of psychology and spiritual formation. He welcomes us wholeheartedly into the intimate corners of his family, his friendships, and his pastoral and professional life. He brings us into a little known arena of world history, the infamous Dutch Hunger Winter of 1944--1945. We travel with him from that bleak period through the renewal of his life's work in the United States to its crowning phase in the Epiphany Association, co-founded with his colleague and editor of this unforgettable work of love, Dr. Susan Muto. Endorsements: ""Once more I marvel at how Divine Providence was so tangibly evident throughout Fr. van Kaam's life as he responded to the events that were the formative experiences from which the trilogy of Formation Science, Anthropology, and Theology emanated. Besides being a person of joy, his autobiography speaks to his being a man of deep faith and gratitude."" --Sister Sharon Richardt, DC Provincial Councillor for Ongoing Formation, Daughters of Charity ""These memoirs have their roots not in theory but in experiences that range from the atrocity of occupation to the emergence of a body of work at once informative and deeply transformative. They offer an intriguing view of the author's personal history as the wellspring of writings that have touched my own heart as well as that of countless readers throughout the world. Here is a book not to be missed!"" --Fr. Ralph Tajak, OSB Chaplain, Epiphany Academy ""For those of us whose lives were forever transformed by the grace of the Lord emanating from this man, as well as for the many future generations that will come to study Fr. van Kaam, these memoirs will be a cherished companion and often referenced source of inspiration and guidance. Most importantly, this life reflection will help pour the light of Christ upon the often perilous and uncertain path of committed persons seeking to live in fidelity to their life callings."" --Stephen L. Martyn Associate Professor Christian Leadership and Spirituality, Asbury Theological Seminary ""I highly recommend this beautiful memoir to all people seeking to live a life dedicated to the deepest truths of their own faith and formation traditions. Adrian van Kaam's story describes not only how he discerned and lived God's truths for his life, but it invites us to, over a lifetime, to root ourselves humbly in the mystery as we cooperate with grace to release us from the tyranny of prideful self-importance and anxiety."" --Ronald L. Mead SVP/Chief Mission Integration Officer, St.Vincent Health About the Contributor(s): Adrian van Kaam, CSSp, PhD, (1920--2007) was a professor of formative spirituality in Holland and the United States as well as chaplain and researcher-in-residence of the Epiphany Academy of Formative Spirituality in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is the author of The Transcendent Self (1991) and several other best-selling books in religion and psychology, in spirituality and formation theology. Susan Muto, PhD, is the dean of the Epiphany Academy of Formative Spirituality and a renowned professor in the field of literature and spirituality. She is the author of A Practical Guide to Spiritual Reading (1994) and many other books on spiritual formation, reformation, and transformation.
