The Rabbit Room

Suffering Honestly: Philip Yancey’s Undone

Editor’s Note: Undone is acclaimed author Philip Yancey’s latest book, published by Rabbit Room Press. In it, he renders 17th-century poet John Donne’s meditations on illness and suffering into modern English and adds his own commentary, informed by his experience with a debilitating diagnosis. Read Philip Yancey’s preface to Undone, explaining his heart behind the book. 

I was born at the height of an epidemic. In 1949, just over 42,000 Americans contracted the disease polio, most of them under the age of five. Less than 10 percent of the afflicted died, but a large number experienced paralysis. Children with crutches, leg braces, and deformed limbs were a commonplace sight, spreading fear among parents and children alike. My father, though an adult, somehow became infected. He spent several months in an iron lung, completely paralyzed, and then died at age 23. 

Get Tickets for Alter: The Open Concert at Hutchmoot

Editor’s Note: Ashley Bayne, producer of Alter: The Movement of Change, this year’s open-to-the-public concert during Hutchmoot, reflects on some of the experiences of change that went into choosing the theme of this year’s show (October 6, 7:30-9:00). You can get tickets and learn more at Universe.com.

Join us for a Lecture at North Wind Manor With Andrew Peterson

Andrew Peterson is lecturing on unique challenges and opportunities artists face. Join us at North Wind Manor (or via Zoom) for the lecture on September 27 at 7:30 p.m. CST.

Lecture Description

Artists often move among the borders—they’re “borderstalkers,” according to Makoto Fujimura. This can give them a feeling of exile, and even loneliness, while they speak, write, and create along the edges of things—but perhaps they’re not as alone as they think. In this lecture, Andrew explores the feeling of displacement many artists experience and offers encouragement for the journey in the borderlands.

Pulling a Dream into the Daylight: A Conversation with Wild Harbors

Being a self-described dreamer, I can tell you that having a dream is a complex predicament.  It’s one of the strongest forces in our lives and sometimes gives us purpose and direction.  It can also be as fragile as a dried leaf, at times crumbling between our fingers to be blown away by the wind.  Dreaming isn’t just wishing on a star; it’s vision-casting, planning, implementing, perspiration, and perseverance.  And even those who take the right steps in the right order are not guaranteed that the dream won’t hit a dead end or a major detour.

Housemoot Teaser: Music and Grief with Andrew Osenga

Housemoot.com opens in six days!

In case you missed the announcement, Housemoot is the Rabbit Room’s new pop-up digital conference, replete with a curated collection of pre-recorded lectures from some of our favorite writers, artists, theologians, and musicians.

Because Hutchmoot, the Rabbit Room’s annual in-person conference, can be hard to get tickets to, we are offering Housemoot as a resource kit that you can use to create a “moot” experience of your own. We hope that it is a gathering point for your community.

The Importance of Small Things: Two Letters from The Major and the Missionary

Editor’s Note: After the death of C. S. Lewis, Major Warren Lewis lived at The Kilns in Oxford, spent time with friends, edited his famous brother’s letters, and did a little writing of his own. Then, out of the blue, he got a letter from a stranger on the far side of the world.

Over the years that followed, he and Dr. Blanche Biggs, a missionary in Papua New Guinea, shared a vibrant correspondence. They discussed everything: their views on faith, politics, humor, the legacy of C. S. Lewis, and their own trials and longings. Enjoy a sample of their letters and a small window into their close friendship. Read the full collection in The Major and the Missionary.

An Interview with Karen Swallow Prior: Imagination Makes the World Go ’Round

I (Joel J Miller) first met Karen Swallow Prior a decade ago while working at Thomas Nelson as vice president of editorial and acquisitions. I signed her book Fierce Convictions—a biography of British social reformer, educator, and abolitionist Hannah More—back in 2013. I’ve followed and benefitted from Prior’s work ever since.

The Square Halo Gallery: A Place to Encounter Christian Art in the Midst of the City

Most people have a secret dream, a far-fetched vision that they keep tucked away in a hidden room in their hearts. Some may long to be famous singers. Others might long to travel around the world or to be the monarch of an important nation. Fame, money, power—these all are rolled into one in my ridiculous fantasy. If you were to catch me in reverie, I would most likely be planning and organizing The Square Halo Museum—a beautiful collection of contemporary art inspired by the Christian faith.