The Geography of God's Incarnation

What does geography have to do with the incarnation of God and with our spiritual lives as Christians? We will embark on a theological road trip that explores how geographies are at the heart of understanding of God's incarnation in the world. It is no surprise to Christians that the center of the incarnation is the person of Jesus Christ--God in flesh made manifest. However, it might be a stretch for some Christians to imagine that the promise that God has become flesh is not only in a person but also in a place: in the creation. Christians need to expand what incarnation means and what it means to be created in the image of God so that the scope of God's creative and redemptive action and work indeed reaches to the scope of all things: from the outer reaches of space to the inner reaches of our hearts. To be the creatures of God that God calls us to be requires a kind of dual citizenship: within the details of our daily life, attending to the needs of our neighbors, simultaneously knowing we are part of a greater cosmos whose future is still unfolding. ""With this geography Ann Pederson offers an interesting proposal to explore our journeys and our place as places within a world in which God may have chosen to dwell."" --Willem B. Drees, Leiden University ""This is a fascinating autobiographical account of a geographical and intellectual journey that led the author to an understanding which will, for many, seem entirely new. As the author herself comes to recognize as she nears her journey's end, however, it is an understanding deeply rooted in elements of traditional Christian thinking. Readers will find their spiritual lives strengthened and deepened as they journey with her."" --Christopher C. Knight, The International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) ""In this beautiful book weaving together religion and geography, Ann Pederson explores the importance of place for our identities as human persons, as people of faith, and as creatures of God. She ties together deep theological insights with personal experiences and perspectives that make the book both interesting to read and provocative at the same time."" --Gayle E. Woloschak, Robert E. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University ""Travel along in this book with Pederson and you will find yourself on a pilgrimage. . . . Pederson's reflections serve up a pastoral and theological feast for the heart, mind, and soul. Thank you, Ann!"" --Leonard Hummel, Gettysburg Seminary Ann Milliken Pederson is a Professor of Religion at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She is also teaches in the Section for Ethics and Humanities at the Sanford School of Medicine of the University of South Dakota. She is a member of the International Society of Science and Religion. Pederson has written three books, the latest of which is The Music of Creation, coauthored with Arthur Peacocke (2006).