Making Nothing Happen: Five Poets Explore Faith and Spirituality

Making Nothing Happen is a conversation between five poet-theologians who are broadly within the Christian tradition - Nicola Slee, Ruth Shelton, Mark Pryce, Eleanor Nesbitt and Gavin D'Costa. Together they form The Diviners - a group which has been meeting together for a number of years for poetry, and theological and literary reflection. Each poet offers an illuminating reflection on how they understand the relation between poetry and faith, rooting their reflections in their own writing, and illustrating discussion with a selection of their own poems. The poets open up issues for deeper exploration and reflection, including: the nature of creativity and the distinction between divine and human creation; the creative process as exploration, epiphany and revelation; the forging of identity through writing; ways in which the arts reflect, challenge and dialogue with faith, and faith can inform and challenge the arts; power and voice in poetry and faith; and ways in which race, gender and culture interact with and shape poetic and theological discourse. This book will be of interest to poets and theologians, to all who read poetry and are interested in the connections between literature and faith, to those seeking inspiration for preaching, liturgy and pastoral care, and to those committed to the practice and nurturing of a contemplative attitude to life in which profound attention and respect are offered to words and to the creative Word at work.

Gavin D’Costa is Professor of Catholic Theology, at the University of Bristol. Eleanor Nesbitt, is Professor Emeritus, Warwick Religions and Education Research Unit, University of Warwick. Mark Pryce is Bishop’s Adviser for Clergy Continuing Ministerial Development in Birmingham Diocese and Honorary Canon of Birmingham Cathedral. Ruth Shelton is a poet and theologian and Interim Executive Director of Emmanuel House in Nottingham, a centre for the homeless. Nicola Slee is Research Fellow at the Queen’s Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education, Birmingham, UK.