Seedbed is the publishing initiative of Asbury Theological Seminary. Launched in 2012, it seeks to sow the gospel throughout the world via articles, books, bible studies, discipleship curricula, video resources, podcasts, and beyond. Its concern is discipleship and spiritual transformation, and Making Manifest fits squarely into that concern.
Making Manifest does not promise solid answers to complex issues, as some devotionals might, but rather invites us to experience the creativity of God’s image within us.Easy to follow and reassuring despite its invitation to the vulnerability necessary for tapping into the imagination, Making Manifest provides a four-week process for tapping into one’s creative possibilities, for better apprehending the Kingdom of God and our place in it, and for developing spiritually. It has grown out of Harrity’s own passion for writing poetry (check out his work here) and for accompanying others, in a variety of platforms–both online and in person, on their own writing journeys.
In Making Manifest Harrity draws on this personal and professional experience, turning it into a step-by-step guide for even the most novice writers. Each of the book’s four parts opens with a touchstone poem, followed by seven of what Harrity calls engagements, a meditation followed by a writing exercise. While these engagements are to be completed individually, the book also offers “Community Building” resources for small groups, meeting weekly together to discuss, write about, and workshop what they have covered privately.
In addition to these staples, the book contains gems like “Five Rules for Believing Writers,” supplemental resources for each of the four parts, a revision checklist, Harrity’s personal reflection on poetry, and a reprinted interview with the poet originally published in Ruminate magazine.
All told, Making Manifest asks readers to engage in a holistic worship of God, involving mind, body, and spirit. It uniquely combines devotional practice with imaginative reflection–drawing on scripture, poetry, nature, memory, theology, and more. Harrity challenges us to participate in this process, despite any initial doubts we might harbor. And that trust is part of the charm of the book.
Harrity works hard to craft an encouraging persona so that those not readily inclined to creative writing will hear him out. The teacher in him comes through as he tells us that although our “words may not be pretty or perfect,” they will be “little imaginative creations, small works of [our] hand, manifestations of God’s spirit in [us].”
Perfection is not Harrity’s goal; instead, his is a two-fold purpose: to illuminate the process of writing and to conjoin artistic and spiritual pursuits. Making Manifest does not promise solid answers, as some devotionals might, but rather invites us to experience the creativity of God’s image within us, its “mystery, wandering, seeking, exploring, and contemplating.” As such, it is a worthy book for any follower of Christ looking to deepen their faith through spiritual practice.