practice of story, The

By Mindy Makant

Book Description

In a world where past pain often feels more powerful than present hope, theologian Mindy Makant offers a transformative perspective on how suffering and redemption intersect in the Christian life. Rather than relegating salvation to some distant future promise, she challenges believers to recognize redemption as an active force reshaping their present reality.

Makant doesn't minimize the devastating impact of suffering or pretend that trauma simply disappears through faith. She acknowledges how deeply past wounds can paralyze us, making it nearly impossible to envision healing or hope. Yet within this honest confrontation with pain, she reveals a profound truth: suffering does not write the final chapter of our stories.

Through careful theological reflection, Makant demonstrates how God's redemptive power operates through specific practices within the Christian community. These "practices of story" serve as concrete ways the church bears witness to divine transformation happening now, not just in some future kingdom. By engaging in these practices, believers discover how their identities can be fundamentally reordered, allowing future redemption to break into present circumstances despite the lingering effects of past trauma.

This thoughtful exploration offers both theological depth and practical wisdom for anyone wrestling with how faith intersects with real suffering, providing a framework for understanding how God's story of redemption can become the defining narrative of human experience.