Theopoetics
Spiritual Poetry for Contemplative Theology and Daily Living
Phillip Michael Garner
foreword by Shaun Galford
Theopoetics
Spiritual Poetry for Contemplative Theology and Daily Living
Copyright © 2017 Phillip Michael Garner. All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in critical publications or reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the publisher. Write: Permissions, Wipf and Stock Publishers, 199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401.
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199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3
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paperback isbn: 978-1-5326-1829-1
hardcover isbn: 978-1-4982-4374-2
ebook isbn: 978-1-4982-4373-5
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Foreword
Shaun Galford
Mike Garner’s newest book, Theopoetics: Spiritual Poetry for Contemplative Theology and Daily Living, is truly an inspired work. Those familiar with Mike’s first two books may be surprised his newest is free verse poetry that specifically addresses theological thought. Although Everyday Thoughts contains a number of Mike’s poems, there is a definitive difference in the subject matter and style of poetry in Theopoetics. This not only reflects the aspect of Mike’s personality that gravitates toward newness and possibility, but also a strong faith to take a chance, believing that the Lord would use him to serve others through this medium. We live in a society where people play it safe, not wanting to risk doing something unpredictable for fear that the endeavor could be a waste of time. Sadly, too often our tendency to “play it safe” inhibits us from realizing our full potential. However, Mike’s confidence to venture into unfamiliar territory and enhance his capacity as a teacher by learning the art of poetry for the benefit of others is a model for the rest of us.
Mike is a theological educator through and through, which is why he could not write poetry for the sake of simply writing poetry, but rather he found in it a way to pack in layers of theology and meaning; hence the nuance—Theopoetics. Readers familiar with Scripture will hear echoes of the Biblical prophets on the pages that follow. Each piece is carefully crafted; not a word is wasted. Throughout this collection of poetic writing, Scriptural allusions abound. The poetry in this book is infused with truth telling. As you peel away the layers of meaning you will be challenged to face reality, even the suffering that is part of the human experience. Mike chose a while ago to embrace human frailty and walk in obedience to Christ.
When asked to write this foreword, I was both honored and humbled by the request. I’ve had the opportunity to be a student of Mr. Garner for a over a decade in both non-formal and formal settings, from community Bible studies to graduate courses at the Institute for Global Outreach Developments Int’l, where he was founding director and dean. In addition, our relationship extended beyond the classroom to doing ministry together, both in the U.S. and the Philippines. He and I have walked through the slums of the Philippines, preached in jails, ministered to girls victimized by the horrors of the sex slave industry, fed children living on the street, wrestled with the problem of worker exploitation in developing nations by global corporations, and hiked into the mountains to visit the Aeta an indigenous population of tribal people who are marginalized in the larger society. We’ve had many conversations about life and ministry in these contexts. I’ve long appreciated his willingness to tell me the truth and share the wisdom he’s gleaned through study of the Bible and his experience as a missionary.
I actually first met Mike outside the U.S. when I was 25 years old on a mission trip to Ensenada, Mexico. He was working alongside his son to help lead a sizeable team to serve the poor in that area. In those days I was unaware of the impact he’d have on my life as a teacher and friend. My earliest memory of him was outside the local church where we stayed. As we waited for lunch to be served, Gregg, Mike’s son, was sharing about how much his father enjoyed discussing the Bible. Shortly thereafter we were eating our meal, one of my friends who had been part of that previous conversation turned to Mike and asked a question unrelated to the Bible. Mike gave no response, but just stared intently at the young man who quietly went back to eating his meal. The young man assumed that the lack of response was due to the fact his question had nothing at all to do with the Bible. He thought to himself, “If I’m going to talk to Mr. Garner, I better have a question that relates to the Bible, otherwise I’ll just keep quiet.” Later, the young man learned Mike didn’t respond because he didn’t hear him due to impaired hearing, a problem he lived with for a number of years before getting hearing aids as a gift for his 50th birthday. The hearing issues are likely due to working on helicopters during his years in the Marine Corp and the constant cling and clatter of tools and machinery from years of doing construction and plumbing. It wasn’t that Mike didn’t care about the young man’s question; he just didn’t hear him. While there is a comedic element to that story, his son was right, Mike puts priority on learning, discussing, and applying Scripture to life (ethical conversation).
Although Mike is a professor of Masters level theology courses at the Institute of GOD Int’l, it’s a common scene to find him sitting down outside the class with a group of students in the lounge area of our campus talking Bible and telling stories. Yet, it doesn’t stop there. Mike is known for engaging in theological discussion in a variety of venues, from having weekly conversations with his son over coffee, in the sauna at the local YMCA or through social media. People interested in the Bible tend to gravitate to him. This is not to say Mike doesn’t enjoy times for light, playful bantering. He has what he calls “hevel time,” playing off the Hebrew word, which means vanity. However, those times are far from vanity, but instead an opportunity for relationship building. And what often begins with joking turns into a time of storytelling.
In his poem “Tell Me a Story: When Storytellers Rule the World,” he highlights the power of a story to impact the world. And that all of us, because we are children of God, can approach each day as a new opportunity to participate in the story God is writing through the lives of the faithful. We all can be saints, but it comes on the other side of making the choice to obey. When I read that poem, I get the sense that telling the story of a life lived for God that brings peace in the world is far more potent than any glory related to military conquest. Unfortunately, the latter are the stories that litter most history books. Young people are kept from hearing about truly heroic individuals. Theologians should be storytellers, because a story can change the world.
The exemplary soul models their kerygma; it is embodied in their life of service to the poor and oppressed through the stories they speak. The narrative piece that expounds that poem is written about how in large part the current state of academia has been reduced to vanity (hevel), being more concerned with intellectual technique and the privileged access they have to learning and information.
It didn’t take me long to recognize that theology is the lens whereby Mike interprets the world. It’s quite evident that his perspective is shaped by faith in God and his reading of Scripture. The Bible should inform our perspective, from the practical ways in which we love those around us and in response to the systemic issues with an impact that
