Reading the Two Books of God

“Reading the Two Books of God is a delightful companion through the times of the year: both calendar and liturgical. . . . Mann invites the reader into deeper consideration of aspects of nature and Christian Scripture that may have been skimmed as familiar or rudimentary. The reader is likely to experience both nature and Scripture differently after reading this offering.”


—Anne Herndon, retired counseling psychologist





“Understanding his sermons in terms of Scripture and nature, Tom has gracefully woven his theology through them. In his sermons, you hear and see his love of nature and his profound understanding of the biblical Scriptures. . . . The ideas he gleans from the Bible, his garden, and his hikes are fresh and redemptive. This book makes the Bible meaningful and the earth integral to each day of our lives.”


—Lucy A. Austin, retired pastoral counselor





“An extraordinary collection of sermons that engages the reader’s imagination and intellect, Reading the Two Books of God integrates a spiritual sensuality of experience with a reverence for Scripture and theology (with a dash of gentle humor). . . . Mann challenges readers to a deep listening and a deep looking at time. Highly recommended—a superb and rare blend of scholarship, theological humility, and commitment to the goodness of the created world.”


—Linda Browne, chaplain, Salemtowne Retirement Community





“Reading the Two Books of God is an extraordinary gift to religious leaders and others who seek to hear God through the words of ancient poets and prophets and through the whispers, thunders, and ‘wow’-inducing ordinariness of canyons, deserts, oceans, mountains, and neighborhood backyards. Each sermon invites readers to proclaim ‘glory’ and then head outdoors to experience that ‘glory’ with Scripture in their hearts and minds and the sacred dirt of God’s good earth under their feet.”


—Jill Y. Crainshaw, Wake Forest University School of Divinity





“Reading the Two Books of God is a compelling argument for not reading Scripture and nature as though they had nothing to do with one another but understanding each in light of the wisdom offered by the other. . . . This beautifully written book will enrich both readers’ faith and their commitment to social justice for God’s good but imperiled earth.”


—George W. Stroup, Columbia Theological Seminary, emeritus