GOD IN THE DESERT A SPIRITUAL THEOLOGY OF WILDERNESS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
Biblical Studies Old Testament Find Meaning in the Wilderness Through Scripture and Spiritual Practice April 14, 2026 RELIGION / Christian Living / Spiritual Growth 978-1-5140-1030-3, 216 Pages, PBK, 6 x 9 inches, $28.99
In God in the Desert , Old Testament scholar and spiritual director Noel Forlini Burt explores Old Testament wilderness narratives in conversation with wise voices from throughout church history, bridging the gap between biblical studies and spiritual formation. Journeying through stories such as Hagar, Elijah, and the Israelites at Sinai, each chapter also engages with figures like the desert fathers and mothers, Parker Palmer, Henri Nouwen, Richard Rohr, and Eugene Peterson. God in the Desert: • connects biblical studies and spiritual formation, • traces the theme of wilderness in the Old Testament and its implications for Christians, and • combines scholarly depth with practical and inspiring spiritual reflection. Connecting biblical texts to her own experiences and those of Christians across time, Forlini Burt unpacks how wilderness can still be a place of transformation as God’s people respond to the God of the desert.
“This biblically and spiritually rich book is a must- read for all who walk in the desert or are called to
minister to those in the wilderness.” Roy E. Ciampa, professor emeritus at Samford University
Noel Forlini Burt (PhD, Drew University) teaches and lectures widely in the intersection of biblical studies and spiritual formation. She is the author of Hope in the Wilderness: Spiritual Reflections for When God Feels Far Away and Encounters in the Dark: Identity Formation in the Jacob Story . She is certified as a spiritual director (Truett Seminary) and in spiritual formation (Upper Room Academy for Spiritual Formation).
“In this moment when Christianity has been so culturally co-opted, we need a book that calls us back to the places of deep faithful formation. This is that book.”
W. Dennis Tucker, professor of Christian Scriptures at Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary
“With wisdom, scholarship, an understanding of attachment patterns, and narratives of ‘not enough,’ the author opens pathways that slowly lead to a healing trust in the God who sees you!” Adele Ahlberg Calhoun, author of The Spiritual Disciplines Handbook , Invitations from God , and Spiritual Rhythms for the Enneagram
IVP ACADEMIC CATALOG
SPRING & SUMMER 2026
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