For the Next Earth
Ebook
Overview
In these historical times of a pandemic and political and domestic turmoil, For the Next Earth reminds us that because of Who created us, we belong neither to disease nor unrest. We are situated in painful times, surely, yet because we belong to a God who is Lord of all time, we are citizens working for the good of this earth, and with hard-won song, our improbable rhapsody is for the next earth.
“Bringing to mind the poetry of Mary Oliver, For the Next
Earth fearlessly examines pain and suffering while using the
angular beauty of creation to resurrect hope in what seems
irreparably broken. Even amid the horrors of genocide and a
pandemic, Melissa’s poems embody surprising sanctuary and signs of
grace in unexpected places. Chappell’s poetry will appeal to those
who search for expressions of the divine even amid loss and
absence.”
—Frank G. Honeycutt, ELCA pastor and author of Sunday Comes
Every Week
"In these carefully constructed verses, we are given a glimpse of a
Transcendentalist ethos in alliance with theology of the Cross. We
are reminded of how deep our humanity runs, even unto the evils we
do to one another, and how God the Father restores order through
his compassion. Chappell writes as if from a firsthand account of
the glory of the Creator, who runs through us, and through these
verses, coursing like a river in deep mystery."
—Dustin Pickering, founder of Transcendent Zero Press and author of
Salt and Sorrow
“Although there may be no definitive explanation for why pain,
sorrow, and brokenness exist, Melissa Chappell invites us on a
journey to see with new eyes the reality of promise, hope, and joy.
Melissa’s writing is deeply spiritual and clearly Christian,
enfolding the souls of those yearning for renewal.”
—Tony Everett, professor emeritus, Lutheran Theological Southern
Seminary
“Melissa Chappell writes out of an incarnational faith rooted in
nature, especially nature found in her home, the rural South. Her
poetry expresses a Christianity born as much from nature as from
the nave. Here you will find a cry for mercy undergirded by
ultimate hope. These poems come from the heart of faith, the heart
of nature, the heart of the earth.”
—David M. Seymour, retired ELCA pastor
- Title: For the Next Earth
- Author: Melissa A. Chappell
- Publisher: Resource Publications
- Print Publication Date: 2021
- Logos Release Date: 2021
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Ebook
- ISBNs: 9781725290631, 9781725290617, 9781725290624, 1725290634, 1725290618, 1725290626
- Resource ID: LLS:9781725290631
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-29T20:28:54Z
Melissa A. Chappell is a native of South Carolina. She has a BA
in music theory and an MDiv. Besides being a writer, she plays the
piano and performs on the guitar, lute, and as a vocalist. She
shares her life with her family and two miniature
schnauzers.