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A review of Thoreau as Spiritual Guide by Barry M. Andrews Andrea Lerner - LREDA Board Member I have a confession. I have never seriously read Walden by Henry David Thoreau. Yes, it was assigned in my high school English class, but my friends and I were too taken up with social concerns to even imagine that a book written by someone who wished to live in solitude might have any meaning for us. So we made jokes and begrudgingly read enough to do the assignment. Since becoming a UU, Walden has remained on my "books I really should read, but can't find the time to" list. When it was suggested that I review Barry Andrews' new book, I took it as a sign from the universe that my time had come. Thoreau as Spiritual Guide serves as an overview of Walden – meant to promote personal reflection and group discussion. The opening chapter also provides an informative description of the development of Transcendentalism and the self-culture movement, a great resource by itself as a brief overview. Guidelines are offered for the facilitation of group discussion, proposing Walden as a wonderful adult religious education course. The book provides chapter summaries of Walden, interesting quotes from Thoreau and other authors, and provocative discussion questions for each chapter. These questions encourage us to relate Thoreau's message to our personal lives and our society. Andrews views Thoreau's work as a book about spiritual renewal and reformation. In his work as a minister, he has found that many today complain about the lack of meaning in their lives, reflecting the hunger for spirituality responsible for the recent growth of our movement and burgeoning interest in adult education courses. Many participants in the Essex Conversations have challenged us to find new ways to incorporate spiritual exploration into our modern life. While seemingly at odds with Thoreau's philosophy, I will even offer the suggestion that this discussion might happen in a small e-mail circle, offering those with limited time to attend meetings a chance to participate in the discussion as their schedules permit. Andrews describes email as seeming, in what would be Thoreau's view, as "an improved means to a yet unimproved end." Perhaps employing our modern technology toward a spiritual goal would improve that end. Ideally, a face-to-face initial meeting to get to know the participants and a closing celebration would accompany the electronic discussion. Rounding out the book is a Thoreau chronology. Reading it through, I envisioned a long newsprint time line in our children's RE space, whereon a new entry could be made in ingathering chapel each week about Thoreau's life – familiarizing our younger members with this famous Unitarian. I am certain they could relate to many stories about his life, particularly his refusing to whip his students and being involved in the Underground Railroad. Throughout his career as a Unitarian Universalist Minister, Barry Andrews has led many study groups on Thoreau and is known as "a knowledgeable and articulate advocate for the continuing religious relevance of the New England Transcendentalists." His book certainly whetted my appetite for "rediscovering Walden for the first time" and left me with many ideas for incorporating Thoreau and Walden into our religious education curriculum for both children and adults. |
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