A Radiant Birth: Advent Readings for a Bright Season, Edited by Leslie Leyland Fields and Paul J. Willis

A Radiant Birth

Advent Readings for a Bright Season

With Lauren F. Winner, John Leax, Jill Peláez Baumgaertner, Jeanne Murray Walker, James Calvin Schaap, Daniel Taylor, Ben Myers, Diane Glancy, Walter Wangerin, Jr., Tania Runyan, Sarah Arthur, Richard J. Foster, Matthew Dickerson, Marilyn McEntyre, and Luci Shaw
Edited by Leslie Leyland Fields and Paul J. Willis

A Radiant Birth
Hardback
  • Length: 224 pages
  • Dimensions: 5.5 × 8.5 in
  • Number of Studies: 42
  • Published: September 05, 2023
  • Imprint: IVP Formatio
  • ISBN: 9781514008331
Other Formats:

Rediscover the Wonder of Christ’s Birth with 42 Days of Reflection

Prepare your heart and spirit for the Advent season with A Radiant Birth, an inspiring anthology written by the members of the Chrysostom Society. This collection offers six weeks of deeply reflective readings, guiding you through the seasons from the first Sunday of Advent through the twelfth day of Christmas.

Readings in this volume include:

  • Star by Eugene Peterson
  • Sermon on the Nativity by St. John Chrysostom
  • A Blessing for the New Baby by Luci Shaw
  • A Welcome-Unwelcome Traveler in Narnia by Matthew Dickerson, and many more

This volume draws its heart from the words of St. John Chrysostom, who preached the earliest preserved Christmas sermon, “Behold a new and wonderful mystery!” Through these pages, the Christian literary voices of the Chrysostom Society prepare readers in Advent and Christmastide as seasons radiant with anticipation and divine glory.

In A Radiant Birth, you'll find

  • Forty-Two Days of Readings – Immerse yourself in forty-two moving reflections, thoughtfully curated to guide you daily from Advent to Epiphany.
  • Deeply Rooted Inspiration – Journey through history as contributors both ancient and modern explore the timeless essence of Christ’s birth.
  • A Call to Renewed Wonder – Enter this sacred season slowly and deliberately, allowing familiar stories to astonish you and become wondrous once again.
  • Transformative Purpose – Discover how Christ’s birth in Bethlehem mirrors his birth within us, empowering Christians to bear his presence into the world.

A Radiant Birth is beautifully crafted for Christians seeking to deepen their spiritual lives during Advent and Christmas. It is particularly meaningful for those wishing to connect with the rhythm of the church calendar, center their hearts on Christ, and reflect on the profound mystery of his incarnation.

Jesus is born in Bethlehem, but he is also born in us, that ⁠we might bear his presence and impart his goodness to the world. Through A Radiant Birth, experience Advent as a time of joy, waiting, and wonder, as you are drawn once more into the story of his light entering into your life and into the world.

"Who better to lead us to the mystery of Word become flesh than writers? Who better to help us sing songs of yearning and joy than poets? This wonderful collection from some of my favorite writers and poets is a space for the imagination to contemplate the incomprehensible gift of the incarnation during the journey through Advent and Christmastide."James K. A. Smith, editor in chief of Image journal
"A Radiant Birth is a true gift. Poetry and prose flow mingled down into the heart and soul. Lovingly assembled by two wise and care-filled writers, it warmly welcomes readers into the mystery and wonder of Advent. This is a book that you will cherish and read year after year."J. Brent Bill, author of Holy Silence: The Gift of Quaker Spirituality and Amity: Stories from the Heartland
"Every legendary voice in this remarkable collection dares take us closer to the brilliant star, the bleat of sheep, the crackle of straw, and even the blood of birthing to behold with anticipation and awe the remarkable arrival of the saving Jesus. In poems and memories told with astounding personal candor, the Chrysostom Society's communal exploration of the most holy of births is a brave, amazing gift."Patricia Raybon, author of the Annalee Spain Mystery series and I Told the Mountain to Move
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CONTENTS

Foreword by Richard Foster
Introduction by Leslie Leyland Fields

Part One: Jesus, Born in Bethlehem
First Week of Advent
Second Week of Advent

Part Two: Jesus, Born in Us
Third Week of Advent
Fourth Week of Advent

Part Three: Jesus in Us for the World
First Week of Christmas
Second Week of Christmas

Acknowledgments
Contributors
Permissions

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Leslie Leyland Fields

Leslie Leyland Fields is the award-winning author of fourteen books, including Nearing a Far God and Your Story Matters. She is the coeditor of the Chrysostom Society's Advent anthology, A Radiant Birth, and teaches writing workshops around the world and online in her Memoir Masterclass.

Paul J. Willis

Paul J. Willis is emeritus professor of English at Westmont College and a former poet laureate of Santa Barbara, California. He is the author of collections of poetry and essays, including Losing Streak and To Build a Trail. He is the coeditor of the Chrysostom Society's Advent anthology, A Radiant Birth.