Stephen Hatch Knihy

Focusing on the reinterpretation of Christian scriptures, this book presents wilderness explorer John Muir's unique insights that challenge harmful uses of faith. Muir, akin to practitioners of lectio divina, uncovers deeper meanings within biblical texts, offering a refreshing perspective that promotes environmental preservation and compassion rather than destruction. Through his explorations, he encourages a harmonious relationship with nature and spirituality, providing a counter-narrative to contemporary misapplications of religious teachings.

Originally published in 1981 Social Welfare and the Failure of the State looks at how the 1980s have ushered in an intensification on the debate of the role of the state in social welfare.

John Muir is best known for his work in preserving the great natural areas of America. What is not commonly known is that he was also a great contemplative thinker - a sort of "wilderness mystic" - one who experienced union with the Divine through contact with the great natural areas of the Western United States. Muir's preservation efforts were motivated in large part by his experience of the spiritual dimension of Nature. It was Muir's earthy mysticism that motivated him to work so diligently for the preservation of wild places, which he viewed as "God's First Temples." This book is a sort of "bible" of Muir quotations related to a vibrant and ecstatic spirituality of Nature. It includes a new selection of never-before published selections from original journals contained in the John Muir Papers, as well as passages from his published works. Anyone interested in experiencing a deeper communion with Nature will find this book invaluable.