CAPTION: The former Bishop of Exeter retired in 2023.
Former Bishop of Exeter releases book dedicated to the people of the Diocese of Exeter
The former Bishop of Exeter, the Rt. Rev’d Robert Atwell, has released a new book which is dedicated to the people of the Diocese of Exeter.
The book is titled ‘Bewilderment: A Spiritual Companion’ and it is inspired by one of his Quiet Days that he regularly held for clergy at the Bishop’s Palace and at Exeter Cathedral.
In his final year before retiring in 2023, Bishop Robert focused one of these Quiet Days on the prophet Jonah, developing a theological reflection he described as the “Spirituality of Bewilderment.”
Bishop Robert said, “Of all my Quiet Days, it was this theme that resonated the most strongly with the clergy. So in retirement I decided to turn it into a book which has just been published.”
In the book, Bishop Robert uncovers how the book of Jonah offers a strikingly relevant theology for our time- one that grapples with isolation, protest, anger, fear and depression, all under the shadow of divine presence in the midst of personal turmoil.
Bishop Robert said, “Chapters about Jonah are interleaved with reflections on where we are at as a society.
“As a generation, we have become profoundly anxious- and not without reason. How do we live without anxiety in an anxious world?”
In the book, Bishop Robert hopes to explore how Jonah still speaks to us, offering insight and hope to an anxious generation.
To purchase a copy of Bewilderment: A Spiritual Guide, click here.
