Wild Belief

“What is wild? The etymology suggests something uncultivated, undomesticated, but etymology may not be so helpful here. Wild is where life flourishes in its own systems: with death and decay; with growth and growling; with fear and flourishing; with humus and hunting. In the wild, life and death are their own economies. In Wild Belief, Nick Ripatrazone considers the wildness of belief and–perhaps more importantly–belief in wild. This book reads like ecosystematic storytheology. Taking poets as his guides, Ripatrazone searches undergrowth and horizons; he considers language that is not bound by what should be said, but rather explodes into its own system of meaning. He hikes, Nick does, and in his writing, we see things we can neither explain nor contain. Look, Nick says, over there, life where you might not have expected it. We’re in unsafe territory. We are in safe hands. Look.” –Pádraig Ó Tuama, Theologian in Residence for On Being, host of Poetry Unbound, and author of In the Shelter: Finding a Home in the World

“English majors with a passion for theology: this work of criticism primarily concerned with other writers’ words is for us.” –Christian Century

Lenny Duncan is the author of Dear Church, and Mission Developer Pastor at Messiah Lutheran Church in Vancouver, Washington, where he also lives. He is board chaplain for Reconciling Works and co-host of The Jesus Jawn podcast. His writing has appeared in Living Lutheran, Medium, and Our Bible App.