Megan McKenna, a native of New York City, has lived, visited, and gypsied through North and South America (especially Bolivia/Peru), Europe, and a collection of islands: Celtic, Japanese, the Philippines, Singapore, Haiti, and the Hawaiian Islands, and through Malaysia, India, the Marshall Islands, Thailand, Australia, and China. She works with Indigenous groups, in base Christian Communities, and with justice and peace groups, as well as parishes, dioceses, and religious communities. She has served on the United States National Board of Pax Christi and, in 2002, was appointed Ambassador of Peace for Pax Christi. To read more about Megan, click here.
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ISBN 978-1-62698-700-5
“Theologian Megan McKenna uses her powerful skills as a storyteller to unpack John’s Gospel stories of the nonviolent Jesus and bring them alive all over again in this troubled time. This book is a beautiful summons to rededicate ourselves to the magnificent call to be disciples of the nonviolent Jesus—the beloved children of the God of peace!–and to stand up, speak out, and carry on like Jesus in his pursuit of God’s reign of justice, equality, disarmament, creation, and peace. Read it, underline it, and together, let’s live it!
As Megan reflects on such stories such as the encounter with Nicodemus, the woman at the well, the healing of a blind man, and the raising of Lazarus, the Gospel traces the journey from the beginnings of belief, the confession of faith, the way of discipleship, and initiation into the community of beloved disciples. Invited to identify ourselves with each of these protagonists, we find in the Gospel of John an account of the stages of Christian conversion and initiation.
Megan McKenna is a popular theologian, scripture scholar, and storyteller. She has written many timeless books on scripture and spiritual life. These include her first book, Not Counting Women and Children; Parables: The Arrows of God; Prophets: Words of Fire; and, most recently, A Bowl of Perfect Light: Stories of Forgiveness, Reconciliation, and Repairing the World (all Orbis Books).
Cover design by Ponie Sheehan.
“Megan McKenna, a riveting storyteller, applies her art to the narratives in John’s Gospel with breathtaking results, underlining how the reader is drawn into a profound relationship with Christ through the masterfully crafted text. A must-read for all preachers!” – David Neuhaus SJ, Jerusalem
“This book is a beautiful summons to rededicate ourselves to the magnificent call to be disciples of the nonviolent Jesus—the beloved children of the God of peace!—and to stand up, speak out, and carry on like Jesus in his pursuit of God’s reign of justice, equality, disarmament, creation and peace. What’s not to like? Read it, underline it, and together, let’s live it!” – Fr. John Dear, author of The Gospel of Peace, and Universal Love
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by Megan McKenna
Available from ORBIS Publishing in September 2024!
This book was born of the last 4-5 years working with First Nations and Indigenous peoples, in Northwestern Canada and other areas around the world. It looks at the themes that are the basic foundations of Forgiveness, Reconciliation, and Restorative Justice. Then it delves into how trauma, violence, and evil affect us, especially those who are victims but also how it affects all of us. The second part of the book looks at TIKKUM OLAM, the Jewish concept of repairing the world in chapters on repairing our soul, repairing relationships, and repairing systems and institutions. And it gathers the processes together culminating in the reality of living and knowing the experience of Resurrection now in our lives. Each chapter is wrapped around a scripture passage (or two) and fleshed out with stories, from Indigenous traditions worldwide, and from around the world in culture and religious traditions. Most of the material has been taught in Canada, Israel, the U.S., in prisons, with those experiencing abuse and persecution and with refugees worldwide examining how trauma and violence deforms us and how to repair our lives with grace and hope shared.
For information on ordering, click here.
Megan’s One-On-One Interview
with Robert Ellsberg
To view Megan’s interview with Robert Ellsberg as they discuss “A Bowl of Perfect Light,” click here.
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ART OF STORY: Living the Mystery
by Megan McKenna
To read, click image below.
Another great book by Megan!
This is a book of stories remembered and gathered from around the world over six decades. They are people stories: wisdom stories. They are written and shared in gratitude to encourage others. They are individual glimpses of the poor who save us, specifically some of the poor of God, the least of God’s beloved children, given to me as gifts. They are simple, ordinary, amazing women, children and men, of all ages who image and reflect God so strongly and singularly, startling us into insight and deepening our knowledge of who God is and who we are and can be by grace. This book seeks to be a thank you note for encountering such people and a way of passing on the gift of them to others, since ‘a gift isn’t a gift until it’s been given at least twice.” Read the stories and unwrap the gift for yourself.
Available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Poor-Save-Us-Megan-McKenna/dp/1940414288
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Megan visits Inuvik and rides a skidoo!
Posted by paxchristiflorida 
Megan McKenna 