Harbors of Heaven: Bethlehem and the Places We Love
by Jeffrey Johnson
Published by Cambridge: Cowley Publications
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Reviewed by Pattie Reitz
As soon as I read the Preface by author Jeffrey Johnson, I knew I'd found a kindred spirit. Johnson begins with a meditation on Henry David Thoreau's Walden, because he lives near the famous Walden Pond. Thus begins his contemplation on the importance of place in faith.
The theme of belonging pervades the pages of this book. For this reader, who has hardly lived in one place longer than three or four years, it invites an introspective look at the longings in my heart for one place to call home.
Using Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, as a starting point, Johnson examines five aspects of the traditional Christian Christmas story:
-- The manger
-- The stable
-- Bethlehem
-- Mary
-- Jerusalem
These chapters examine each of those elements in the Christmas story to show how place is an important part of how we as humans relate to the kingdom of God. Johnson uses the Bethlehem chapter to compare and contrast Bethlehem and his own hometown of Springfield, Minnesota.
Johnson also scatters poems throughout the book like gorgeous flowers in a garden. The poetry of Wallace Stevens and William Carols Williams, along with Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, and John Donne, are paired with Hebrew poetry from Psalms and Isaiah to link the themes of the book.
This volume is certainly geared toward the contemplative, the literature scholar, the poet, and the student of the Bible. After reading and considering this volume, I am challenged to continue to consider the importance of place in my life and in my spirit.
Armchair Interviews says: Any reader will look at the importance of "place" different after reading this book.