Freed to Love and Live Again

When you have experienced love at the deepest level, and your partner dies, do you dare love again? Do you dare hope that life can again be filled with profound joy, love and meaning? In this memoir, which covers the decade of Brian's life after the death of his wife, Pauline, he wonders whether he dare search for love at the deepest level again, knowing that, in many ways, he is far from ready to move on from his first love. He meets Mary, and together they explore,...
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When you have experienced love at the deepest level, and your partner dies, do you dare love again? Do you dare hope that life can again be filled with profound joy, love and meaning?

In this memoir, which covers the decade of Brian's life after the death of his wife, Pauline, he wonders whether he dare search for love at the deepest level again, knowing that, in many ways, he is far from ready to move on from his first love. He meets Mary, and together they explore, sometimes painfully, what it means to love again when you are having so much difficulty letting go of the past. Mary collaborates on this memoir with Brian, sharing excerpts from her journals.

Building on the insights of spiritual theologian, Henri Nouwen, Brian explores what it means to be a wounded healer. How does his experience of loss to death, which includes not only Pauline, but both of his parents when he was in high school, affect the way he approaches pastoral care and counseling? Brian explores both his deeper empathy, and also his newfound boldness as he learns how to invite others to share their deepest fears and longings.

Brian also explores the ways his experiences of grief open him as a wounded healer to the pain of the world, including the social, economic and political realms. Moving to Mexico for three years to direct a study-abroad program for Augsburg College in Minneapolis, focused on global poverty and the need for effective development, Brian's faith is deepened through living and working with the poor and witnessing their faith and hope amid so much suffering. These experiences also challenge Brian to search for a theological understanding that takes poverty seriously and works to find ways to overcome the suffering of those who live daily with hunger and indignity. Mary also collaborates here, sharing her artwork as she seeks to capture the pain and joy of the people of Mexico and Central America. The book cover is one of those art pieces, and Version 1 ( in color) contains over 60 colored photographs of Mary's art work, photographs of the people of Latin America (taken primarily by Brian), family pictures and other photographs and graphics.
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In Mexico Brian writes his Doctor of Ministry thesis on Latin American Liberation Theology, which provides a spiritual basis for working in solidarity with those living in extreme poverty as they seek to overcome the suffering created by inadequate food, medical care, housing and education. He attends a new form of Bible study among the poor, called the Base Christian Community movement, which seeks to deepen the faith of the participants, inspire them to effective action against the poverty in which they live and challenges the church to join in that struggle.

Brian also shares excerpts from the writings of the 45 students he worked with over three years in Program in Global Community as they explore what they learned studying in Latin America, and how that learning affected their goals in life and their understanding of vocation.

Returning to parish ministry in North America, Brian now approaches nearly every aspect of that ministry in new ways as social justice becomes a central focus, working to overcome poverty, racism and sexism in the quest for a church community that welcomes and includes all.

He also shares Mary's (who is a certified Montessori teacher) and his approach to raising children, encouraging them to see the universe as a beautiful world to explore, filled with a multitude of amazing people of diverse ethnicities, cultures and faiths. Both of their children, Brian and Jessi, find their own, unique approach to social justice work and Brian shares from their writings.

Finally, in the Epilogue, Brian explores a basis for finding "strength for the struggle and the journey" as we all seek a world of greater justice, love and peace.