St. Francis and the Christian Life: A Disorderly Parable of the Epistle to the Galatians

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How do we live the Christian life? April Love-Fordham and her husband contemplated this as they retraced the footsteps of Saint Francis across the Italian wilderness. Did they need to renounce materialism and live more simply? Did they need to do more work serving those in need? Was more Bible study or a stronger prayer life needed? What made their commitment to Christ different than those committed to other faiths? How could their lives make a difference?

Love-Fordham was planning a lecture series on Galatians, written by the Apostle Paul, when she and her husband began their pilgrimage. As they journeyed into the life and legends of Saint Francis, a playful old-school Franciscan monk befriended them. Together, the three named the parallels and divergences in the lives of Saint Francis and Paul. In doing so, they discovered an entirely new--but ancient--way of following Jesus.

This book teaches Galatians the way Jesus taught: through parables. In this case, the parables are about Saint Francis. Each section ends with a spiritual practice designed to help readers discover their own unique way of living the Christian life.

"April Love-Fordham's Disorderly Parables Series resonates with the women's lives in our Bible study group. She stretches us beyond our comfort zone to prayerfully consider our fellow humankind. . . . We highly recommend her books for your next study."
--Stephanie Yuicus, St. Catherine's Women's Bible Study Leader

"This installment in Love-Fordham's Disorderly Parables Series is a winsome account of pilgrimage, framed within an accessible study of Paul's letter to the Galatians. The book's four sections explore what it means to follow the way of Jesus, with a chance to stop and reflect at the end of each section. Try using the photographs for visual meditation . Another plus: the lesson plans, while intended for group study, work well as personal journaling prompts, too."
--Sarah Erickson, Director, Lifelong Learning, Columbia Theological Seminary

"April Love-Fordham's St. Francis and the Christian Life continues her Disorderly Parable Series in which she has woven together narrative and biblical exegesis to create a brilliant book on Christian spiritual formation. . . . The book is replete with wonderful advice for individual and group spiritual disciplines. St. Francis and the Christian Life is a must for any Christian who wants to grow in faith, or enable others so to do."
--Kenneth Swanson, Rector, St. David's Episcopal Church; Adjunct Professor, Candler School of Theology, Emory University

With two degrees from Georgia Tech, April Love-Fordham rose to the executive suite, left the corporate world, earned an MDiv and DMin, and was ordained in the Presbyterian Church . Today she is an Episcopalian and is writing a series called Disorderly Parable Bible Studies, including James in the Suburbs on James and Dismantling Injustice on the Song of Solomon . She lives with her husband and Great Dane in Atlanta, GA.