Welcome to “Why not be a saint?”
My name is Phil Reinders and I’ve been a pastor for over 30 years and an instructor in spiritual theology, teaching in the Doctor of Ministry program at Tyndale Seminary. I love learning and have used various degree programs as a good excuse to remain a student (DMin. at Acadia University, ThM at Regent College, MDiv. from Calvin Theological Seminary and a BA from Calvin College). I have written in a variety of publications and authored the best-selling prayer-book (now really, who would've expected "best-selling" and "prayer book" in the same sentence) Seeking God's Face (you can pick it up here).
I think you know someone well by their loves so here’s a few of mine: I’m married to Betty and love being called "Dad" by Owen and Lily. I love a strong cup of coffee, am moved by those luminous moments in movies, can’t get enough adventures in the city or the mountains, thrill at the moment it clicks in photography, and savour the slow, meditative process of baking sourdough bread (my family mocks my devotion to my sourdough starter).
I am convinced there is a vast - and mostly unexplored - inheritance in the long tradition of Christian faith practices; it’s a gift to reclaim and is central to shaping a lively and resilient faith in Jesus. For over 30 years I’ve been intrigued by monastic communities and studied their rule of life. But the big question I’ve been curious about is “how can everyday people - with jobs and kids - live out a rule of life in community?” This was the focus of my doctoral research and since 2017 I have l founded and continue to lead a dispersed community of everyday people who are living out a common rule of life - you can check it out at www.habituscommunity.org
Why subscribe?
Why not be a saint? is a regular newsletter exploring the mystery of how we get formed to be participate in the life of Jesus, how to live up and into the identity of a saint. In a time that feels like Taylor Swift's anti-hero nightmare, where we “get older, but just never wiser,” couldn’t we use a few more well-formed humans? Might the true rebel be a saint?
Subscribe to get it delivered directly to your inbox. Why not be a saint? is free but you can choose to support my thinking and writing through a paid subscription (I still have to figure out how to set that up). Your support is a welcome encouragement to me and this work - think of it like buying me a cup of coffee.
