Archbishop of Canterbury Endorses Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim’s Tale
Colorado Springs, CO (June 28, 2010)—More than 800 years ago St. Francis of Assisi single-handedly altered the spiritual and political climate of his time. Today, Chasing Francis, a captivating book that examines the lessons the saint can teach contemporary Christians, has received an endorsement from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams.
“I’ve now read it twice and found it equally compelling both times. It’s a challenging and disarming and delightful book, and the vision behind it is a serious one. It’s a remarkable book,” says Dr. Williams.
This significant endorsement has sparked a renewed interest in Chasing Francis, which is a creative and compelling hybrid of fiction, theology, and historical biography. The first book by Ian Morgan Cron, Chasing Francis masterfully weaves actual accounts of St. Francis’ radical impact on the world into the fictional story of a New England minister on a pilgrimage to regain his faith.
Listen to Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams’ address at the “Fresh Expression: Changing the Landscape” conference in which he summarizes the plot of Chasing Francis; discusses the five principles the book emphasizes for the church: transcendence, community, beauty, dignity, and meaning; and explains why he is strongly recommending it to others. (Begin at minute mark 23:00.)
Since its founding in 1975, NavPress has become known as a trusted ministry leader in discipleship and leadership development. The Navigators, headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is an interdenominational, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people navigate spiritually.
Chasing Francis by Ian Morgan Cron • 978157683129 • $14.99
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Marcus J Borg Pens Endorsement for Chasing Francis:A Pilgrim’s Tale
This past week I experienced another watershed moment in my life as an author and in the rebirth of my book, Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim’s Tale.
Theologian and prolific author Dr. Marcus J Borg wrote me a kind email saying he had just finished reading Chasing Francis and had really enjoyed it. I emailed him back and told him that my publishing company was putting new resources into marketing the book after it recently received a surprise endorsement from the Archbishop of Canterbury. He graciously agreed to pen a few words in support of the book as well. He wrote,
“A powerful and wonderful book! I was deeply moved by this story of the conversion of an evangelical pastor to a much broader vista of God’s passion for the world.”
Marcus J. Borg, author of Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time and The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions
Some years ago I read a book Dr Borg co-wrote with renowned theologian NT Wright titled, The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions. This book left a profound mark on me, not only because its content was so rich, but also because it was written as a conversation between two world class theologians who deeply disagree with each other on a wide variety of issues, but who share a genuine affection for each other. Imagine that! I remember thinking, why can’t more people who have divergent theological views speak to one another in this tone of civility and mutual respect? Why do so many believe that anyone who disagrees with them theologically is automatically the enemy and therefore should be treated as such?
For me The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions set a bar for how Christians living in the age of rage and vitriolic polarization could relate to one another. Thanks Marcus for the kind words about my book.
