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Revelations of Divine Care

Disability, Spirituality, and Mutual Flourishing

by Melody V. Escobar

Published by: Baylor University Press

Series: Studies in Religion, Theology, and Disability

Imprint: Baylor University Press

Sales Date: Tuesday, 15th Oct 2024

239 Pages, 5.50 x 8.50 in

Hardcover
9781481320559
Published: Friday, 1st Nov 2024

$59.99

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Praise

At a Texas Hill Country ranch, Melody V. Escobar and her young son meet Bo, the retired racehorse that becomes his "go-to" sage in a remarkable equine program for children with disabilities. The weekly ritual in the riding arena ignites an inner transformation for Escobar and an ethnographic study of everyday caregiving. In Revelations of Divine Care, Escobar explores Julian of Norwich’s vision of unconditional love and the innovative ways in which all people--with or without a disability--can challenge dynamics of power and control to nurture communities in which love compels others to love.

Escobar presents a fresh reading of Julian's revolutionary teachings and connects the fourteenth-century mystic with first-person narratives of mothers who are caregivers. She calls us to re-vision our understanding of kenosis and advocate for the mutual flourishing of every being, following the pattern of generative trinitarian relationship where each is in and for the other. Escobar invites us to bring our own stories into conversation with members of our communities, providing theological language for what it means to live a spirituality of solidarity guided by faith, one in which "active mercy," committed works of charity, is considered a universal practice instead of the experience of a select few.

Relevant for ministers, theologians, activists, and caregivers alike, Revelations of Divine Care presents a model for community in which compassionate care becomes "life giving and making." Escobar offers new, practical applications for being "church," such as placing persons with disabilities and their families at the "speaking center," countering ableist programming with creative liturgical practices, and prioritizing respite care for the blossoming life of the whole community. She draws from the wells of wisdom of the Christian mystical tradition to illuminate the interdependence of all life--which we ignore at our own peril--reminding us of the urgency and beauty of unconditional love and care, whether in the riding arena, the church, or the public sphere.

Melody V. Escobar richly describes the lives of her research partners--mothers, like herself, of children with challenging developmental conditions--who manage their children's care, from dawn to dusk, seeking out services and educational resources, including equine therapy, for the children they love. Melody explores the mothers' all-encompassing work of parental love in relation to Julian of Norwich's Revelations of 'Our Motherhood in Christ.' Learned and thought-provoking, this book recognizes that 'all is not well' for mothers performing work of love in a society that fails to provide for the needs of disabled children and still expects mothers to do it all.
~Mary Clark Moschella, Roger J. Squire Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling, Yale University

Melody V. Escobar, a practical theologian, is mother and caregiver of Raffy, a child with disabilities. Her study not only describes her experience of equine-assisted therapy for her son at an equine center but also offers narratives by other mothers in similar situations. The book is an exploration of self-sacrifice and challenging caregiving by the mothers--using the striking image of ‘love on steroids’. While Melody’s book is deeply personal and moving, it also draws upon the powerful spiritual writings of the famous medieval woman mystic, Julian of Norwich, and her vision of God as loving Mother.
~Philip Sheldrake, FRSA, FRHistS, Professor of Christian Spirituality and Director of the Institute for the Study of Contemporary Spirituality, Oblate School of Theology

Revelations of Divine Care is a major contribution to Christian spirituality studies. In it, Melody Escobar unites disability studies, ecotherapy, and historical theology to reconceive brilliantly the meanings of pastoral ministry, motherwork, and how an equine center might function as a sacred site of transformative encounter. Melody's generous attention to her research partners' stories makes this book a superb example of pastoral ethnography for other scholars; further, her pointed questions transform the book from mere academic study to spiritual guidebook, helping the reader discover to what extent their own awareness around and care for disabled people's lives and needs might grow. This is an important book, beautifully rendered.
~Rachel Joy Wheeler, Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Theology, University of Portland