A Breath of Fresh Air

"A must-read for those committed to the transformation of inmates and the criminal justice system. Carefully researched, practical, yet theologically astute, this persuasive testimony of the power of biblical hope is a clarion call and accessible guide. Amelia C. Boomershine gives the faith community an indelible picture of a broken system, its victims, and proven tools of grace by which to set the captives free."

--C. Joseph Sprague, President, Horizon Prison Initiative



"This book addresses a colossal social problem: the United States has just 5 percent of the world's population, but nearly 25 percent of the world's prisoners. What makes Breath of Fresh Air a unique piece of literature is that it combines factual information about mass incarceration with deeply spiritual insights. Boomershine vividly describes her prison ministry, which uses the performative voice of biblical stories with the aim of empowering the men and women behind bars. A masterful storyteller herself, Boomershine's book amounts to a moving appeal to transform the retributive system into restorative justice."

--Werner H. Kelber, Isla and Percy E. Turner Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies, Rice University



"Our prisons and jails are stifling and deadening places. Boomershine's practices have the potential of breathing fresh air and new life into people in the incarcerated church, as well as into the church outside prison walls. As a result, Breath of Fresh Air makes an important contribution to Christians discerning what it means to 'visit the prisoner' in an age of mass incarceration."

--Amy Levad, University of St. Thomas; author of Redeeming a Prison Society: A Liturgical and Sacramental Response to Mass Incarceration