Spiritual Boredom: Rediscovering the Wonder of Judaism »

Boredom is a crisis of our age. In religious terms, boredom is sapping spirituality of its mystic and wholesome benefits, slowly corroding our ability to recognize blessing and beauty in our lives, to experience wonder and awe. What happens when our need for constant newness minimizes our interest in prayer, learning, and the mysteries of nature? If spiritual life fails to engage us now, how can it possibly captivate future generations? This intriguing look at spiritual boredom helps us understand just what this condition is, particularly as it relates to Judaism, and what the absence of inspiration means to the present and future of the Jewish tradition. Drawing insights from psychology, philosophy, and theology as well as ancient Jewish texts, Dr. Erica Brown explores the many ways boredom manifests itself within Judaism-in the community, classroom, and synagogue-and shows its potential powerful cultural impact on a faith structure that advises sanctifying time, not merely passing it. Presenting a framework for minimizing and managing boredom, she illustrates how it is possible to find a way out of boredom-and even be inspired by it-when individuals take responsibility for their own boredom and are held accountable for restoring the nature of wonder to their lives.