Episode #15: The Psalms, Honesty, and Spiritual Formation with Dr. W. David O. Taylor

In this week’s episode, W. David O. Taylor explores the profound depths of the Book of Psalms with us in a rich discussion of his new book Open and Unafraid. We talk about how the prayers of the Psalter invite us to a deep honesty with God, with others, and with ourselves. As we open ourselves to the richness of the text, the text through the power of the Spirit shapes us.

W. David O. Taylor is Associate Professor of Theology & Culture at Fuller Theological Seminary and the author of several books, includingOpen and Unafraid: The Psalms as a Guide to Life (Thomas Nelson, 2020), Glimpses of the New Creation: Worship and the Formative Power of the Arts  (Eerdmans, 2019), The Theater of God’s Glory: Calvin, Creation, and the Liturgical Arts (Eerdmans, 2017), as well as editor ofFor the Beauty of the Church: Casting a Vision for the Arts(Baker Books, 2010) and co-editor of Contemporary Art and the Church: A Conversation between Two Worlds (IVP Academic, 2017). He has written for The Washington Post, Religion News Service, Image Journal, Calvin Theological Journal, Christian Scholars Review, Theology Today, Books & Culture, The Gospel Coalition, and Christianity Today, among others. An Anglican priest, he has lectured widely on the arts, from Thailand to South Africa. He serves on the advisory board for Duke Initiatives in Theology and the Arts as well as IVP Academic’s series, “Studies in Theology and the Arts,” and he is a core participation in the four-year project “Theology, Modernity, and the Visual Arts,” hosted by King’s College, London, which involves annual conversations between scholars and artists in London, Chicago, Berlin, and Venice. He lives in Austin with his wife Phaedra, a visual artist and gardener, and his daughter Blythe and son Sebastian.

Social Media:

Twitter: @wdavidotaylor

IG: @davidtaylor_theologian

Facebook author page: @wdavidotaylor2020


Books:
Open and Unafraid: The Psalms as a Guide to Life (2020): https://amzn.to/2YUcxea

Prayer Cards for Open and Unafraid:  https://store.rabbitroom.com/products/open-and-unafraid-prayer-cards?variant=31489346764887

Glimpses of the New Creation: Worship and the Formative Power of the Arts (2019 w/Jeremy Begbie): https://amzn.to/3iuo63u

The Theater of God’s Glory: Calvin, Creation, and the Liturgical Arts (2017): https://amzn.to/2Zz2Kcy

co-editor of Contemporary Art and the Church: A Conversation between Two Worlds (IVP Academic, 2017) https://amzn.to/3e4Uoi9

For the Beauty of the Church: Casting a Vision for the Arts (2010): https://amzn.to/31UbooX

David’s Recommended Books for Spiritual Growth and Transformation:

Henri Nouwen The Wounded Healer https://amzn.to/301ocY3

James B. Torrance, Worship, Community, and the Triune God of Grace https://amzn.to/3fbOddl

Karl Barth Church Dogmatics https://amzn.to/3iIkLh4


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