Greg Bottaro

Be Still and Know

Discipleship & Christian Education

“As a Christian educator, I have witnessed the unrelenting demands of curriculum and standardization. Patrick Manning invites us into a necessary countercultural rhythm—a scholarly retreat into the proposed ‘desert’ of the classroom. With the precision of a theologian and the pedagogical acuity of a seasoned instructor, Manning synthesizes centuries of monastic insight with contemporary research on contemplative learning, demonstrating that true epistemic growth flourishes in those intentional pauses of reflection. His work charts a clear course for integrating ancient practices of lectio divina, prayerful silence, and communal stillness within modern classrooms, thereby cultivating not only intellectual rigor but spiritual wisdom. Be Still and Know is indispensable reading for any educator who believes that formation of the whole person—mind, heart, and spirit—must be at the heart of our academic enterprise.”