Oak and Lotus: Celtic Christian Spirituality in the Light of Eastern Wisdom

Imagine the Celtic saint Brigid and the great bodhisattva Guanyin sitting down together for a cup of tea. I certainly would want to listen in to their conversation!Oak and Lotustakes us to a similar place. It’s a beautiful, expansive book about the joyful integration of Eastern and Western wisdom, a resource I expect to return to again and again.—Carl McColman, author ofThe New Big Book of Christian MysticismandEternal HeartOak and Lotusis a joy to read. Bringing Celtic Christianity into conversation with three major Eastern faith traditions—Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism—this book delights the heart again and again with parallels both uncanny and enlightening. Reader-friendly, it draws you in and won’t let you go.—Rev. John R. Mabry, PhD, author ofGod as Nature Sees God: A Christian Reading of the Tao Te ChingandA Christian Walks in the Footsteps of the BuddhaKenneth McIntosh’s book,Oak and Lotus, is a masterpiece of scholarship, insight, and wisdom itself, focusing on the mystic heart of Celtic Christian and three major spiritual traditions of Asia. I highly recommend this book for individuals as well as groups who want to deepen their spirituality.—Edward Sellner, professor emeritus of theology, spirituality, and animal theology, author of numerous books on Celtic spirituality, includingCeltic Saints and Animal Stories: A Spiritual KinshipCritics may say, “This book is dangerous.” My reply is: “Being born is dangerous. Live dangerously and find the Divine at the heart of the universe.”—Ray Simpson, author of many books on Celtic Christianity, includingThe Celtic Book of Day, Brendan’s Return Voyage: A New American Dream—Indigenous, Post-Colonial and Celtic Theology,andCeltic Christianity and Climate CrisisKenneth McIntosh’sOak and Lotustakes you on a holy adventure in which you set sail on your coracle in companionship with Celtic pilgrims, Buddhist monks, Hindu sages, and Taoist wanderers. On your journey, you may catch a glimpse and receive guidance from Brigid of Kildare, St. Brendan, Gautama Buddha, and La