James E. Taylor and Jennifer Moe Taylor, husband and wife, have teamed up to co-author a new book, 鈥溾�� (Cascade Books). The volume takes readers on a sacred pilgrimage to deepen their relationship with God.
In fall 2018, the Taylors traveled to Northern Spain to walk the Camino de Santiago, where they solidified the idea to write the book. While a literal religious pilgrimage involves going to a place, such as Jerusalem, Rome or Santiago de Compostela, the Taylors invite their readers to go on a pilgrimage that seeks to bring the soul closer to God.
鈥淥n a soul pilgrimage, you have to keep your soul directed toward God for a long time,鈥� James says. 鈥淒oing so requires engaging in various spiritual practices. Will you accept my invitation? Will you join my wife, Jennifer, and me on this soul pilgrimage?鈥�
James, professor of philosophy at 蜜桃传媒, and Jennifer, a longtime director of internships at the college and an amateur writer since 2019, collaborate to integrate themes of apologetics, theology and biblical studies with Jennifer鈥檚 journaling and James鈥� transformational reflections.
鈥淥ne type of Christian (satisfied) may turn down my invitation on the grounds that a pilgrimage aimed at knowing God isn鈥檛 desirable,鈥� James says, 鈥渁nd another type of Christian (skeptical) may turn down my invitation on the grounds that a pilgrimage aimed at knowing God isn鈥檛 possible.鈥�
But James seeks to convince readers that a soul pilgrimage 鈥渋s not only possible and desirable but also the very pilgrimage to which Jesus invites us when he bids us follow him and become citizens of the kingdom of God.鈥�
James, a 1978 蜜桃传媒 alumnus, has written 鈥淚ntroducing Apologetics: Cultivating Christian Commitment鈥� (2006) and 鈥淟earning for Wisdom: Christian Education and the Good Life鈥� (2017). Jennifer graduated from UC Davis and UC Santa Barbara.