Surprised by God : How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Religion

At thirteen, Danya Ruttenberg decided that she was an atheist. Watching the sea of adults standing up and sitting down at Rosh Hashanah services, and apparently giving credence to the patently absurd truth-claims of the prayer book, she came to a conclusion: Marx was right. As a young adult, Danya immersed herself in the rhinestone-bedazzled wonderland of late-1990s San Francisco-attending Halloweens on the Castro, drinking smuggled absinthe with wealthy geeks, and plotting the revolution with feminist zinemakers. But she found herself yearning for something she would eventually call God. As she began inhaling countless stories of spiritual awakenings of Catholic saints, Buddhist nuns, medieval mystics, and Hasidic masters, she learned that taking that yearning seriously would require much of her. Surprised by God is a religious coming-of-age story, from the mosh pit to the Mission District and beyond. It's the memoir of a young woman who found, lost, and found again communities of like-minded seekers, all the while taking a winding, semi-reluctant path through traditional Jewish practice that eventually took her to the rabbinate. It's a post-dotcom, third-wave, punk-rock Seven Storey Mountain -the story of integrating life on the edge of the twenty-first century into the discipline of traditional Judaism without sacrificing either. It's also a map through the hostile territory of the inner life, an unflinchingly honest guide to the kind of work that goes into developing a spiritual practice in today's world-and why, perhaps, doing this in today's world requires more work than it ever has.

surprised By God Is The Memoir Of A Young Woman’s Spiritual Awakening And Eventual Path To The Rabbinate. It’s A Post–dotcom, Third-wave, Punk-rock Seven Storey Mountain—the Story Of Integrating Life On The Edge Of The Twenty-first Century Into The Discipline Of Traditional Judaism Without Sacrificing Either. It’s Also An Unflinchingly Honest Guide To The Kind Of Work That Goes Into Developing A Spiritual Practice In Today’s World—and Why, Perhaps, Doing This In Today’s World Requires More Work Than It Ever Has.

 

publishers Weekly

in This Memoir Of Her Journey From Punk-partying Atheist Teenager To Rabbi-in-training (yarmulke And All), Ruttenberg Chronicles The Awakening And Intensification Of Religious Life. The Book's Breezy Style, Mixing Personal Anecdotes With Reflection, Is Balanced By Thoughtful Narrative About What Religion Is And What It Demands Of Its Adherents. The Author Weaves In Her Religious Studies Training Gently, Applying Occasional References To Classical Theologians (kierkegaard And Maimonides), Medieval Mystics (teresa Of ávila), And Modern Thinkers (thomas Merton And Elliot Dorff) As They Illuminate A Particular Insight Or Experience. In The Context Of Ruttenberg's Enthusiasm For Ideas And Practice, Readers Can Forgive When Instructive Reflections Hint Of Sermonizing. Although The Details Of Ruttenberg's Experience—including Wild Parties During California's Dot-com Boom, A Lonely Shabbat In Tel Aviv And Praying In Tefillin—may Be Unique, Her Description Of Her Growing Awareness Of The Power Of Ritual, The Support Of Community, And Religion As Relationship Will Resonate With All Sorts Of Spiritual Seekers. (aug.)

copyright © Reed Business Information, A Division Of Reed Elsevier Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Surprised by God is a memoir of a young woman's spiritual awakening and eventual path to the rabbinate, a story of integrating life on the edge of the twenty-first century into the discipline of traditional Judaism, without sacrificing either. It's also an unflinchingly honest guide to the kind of work that goes into developing a spiritual practice-and it shows why, perhaps, doing this in today's world requires more effort than ever. At thirteen, Danya Ruttenberg decided she was an atheist. As a young adult, she immersed herself in the rhinestone-bedazzled wonderland of late 1990s San Francisco-drinking smuggled absinthe with wealthy geeks and plotting the revolution with feminist zinemakers. But she found herself yearning for something she would eventually call God