Life in Christ

Julia Gatta is Bishop Frank A. Juhan Professor of Pastoral Theology at the School of Theology at Sewanee. Her previous books include The Nearness of God: Parish Ministry as Spiritual Practice and, with Martin L. Smith, Go in Peace: The Art of Hearing Confessions. She is a spiritual director, retreat conductor, and Episcopal priest who served for 25 years in the Diocese of Connecticut. She holds a Master of Divinity degree from the Episcopal Divinity School and doctoral degree in medieval studies from Cornell.

“This beautiful book will draw you into the spiritual depths of the sacraments. It will reveal Christ in the midst of your community. It will transform your experience of Sunday morning. A must-read.”—Margaret Benefiel, author, Soul at Work and The Soul of a Leader“The thrust of this wonderful guide to spiritual formation is summed up in a favorite French word, approfondissement, ‘being taken deeper.’ Julia Gatta has a wealth of pastoral experience in leading people into the profound meaning of our sacramental life in community, and helping people become more ‘rooted and grounded in love’ through the patient exploration of prayer and tried and tested spiritual practices. She shares this experience with us seriously, without a trace of sentimentality, but with a joy she encourages us to expect as we experience more and more what we already have and who we already are as the baptized, ‘in the deep end’ with God.”—The Rev. Martin L. Smith, retreat leader and author“Life in Christ is a wonderful and wise introduction to the spirituality of worship, centered on the Paschal Mystery, our immersion in it in Baptism, and our week-by-week celebration of it at Eucharist throughout the liturgical year. Throughout, it examines the connection between the dominical sacraments and our spiritual lives as Christians.”—Juan M.C. Oliver, Custodian of the Book of Common Prayer