Published 21 Sep 2017
A Conversation with Jan Johnson
Listen in on our conversation with author and spiritual director Jan Johnson as we discuss life, academia, and spiritual formation for "thinking women."
By Jan JohnsonA blog post Women Scholars and Professionals
On August 22, 2017, our team had the opportunity to talk with Jan Johnson about life, academia, and spiritual formation. As our first video, we don't hesitate to admit that there is a certain rustic quality about it. Nevertheless, Jan offers some profoundly wise words to "thinking women" and inspires our team to grow closer to Jesus. Listen in to the conversation through this video — and enjoy the notes below for lots of books recommendations and links mentioned during our discussion.
Quick tip — The video is 90 minutes long and can be roughly divided into thirds: 1) talking generally about spiritual formation, 2) discussing specific concerns of women in the academy, and 3) talking about a few miscellaneous items (body image, book recommendations, politics).
Jan Johnson interviewed at The Well from Ann Boyd on Vimeo.
It can be a challenge to keep notes on all the interesting topics that come up in a good conversation. We hope you enjoy this list of resources mentioned in our discussion.
Books and Articles
- Spirit of the Disciplines by Dallas Willard
- "Meditating on the Run" by Jan Johnson
- Enjoying the Presence of God by Jan Johnson
- "Turning Your Thoughts into Prayers" by Jan Johnson (on "breath prayer")
- When the Soul Listens by Jan Johnson
- Abundant Simplicity by Jan Johnson
- Spiritual Theology by Simon Chan
- "Contagious: The Surprising Things That Make Community Transformational" by Jan Johnson
- The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis
- When Food is Your Best Friend (and Worst Enemy) by Jan Johnson (read chapter one for free)
- Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard (Jan recommends even just reading chapters 4-7.)
- Real Power by Janet Hagberg
- The Critical Journey: Stages in the Life of Faith by Janet Hagberg
- Living a Purpose-Full Life: What Happens When You Say Yes to God by Jan Johnson
- Mirror for the Soul by Alice Fryling (on the Enneagram)
- David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell
- Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance
- Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
- Sealed Orders: The Autobiography of a Christian Mystic by Agnes Sanford
- A. Lincoln by Ronald C. White Jr.
- The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream by Barack Obama
- The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
- An interview with Brian Walls at Yeshivah of Flatbush Joel Braverman High School
- Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John J. Ratey, Eric Hagerman
- Healing the Heart of Democracy: The Courage to Create a Politics Worthy of the Human Spirit by Parker J. Palmer
Podcasts
- Renovaré (here is a recent episode with Jan Johnson as a guest)
- Revisionist History (Malcolm Gladwell's podcast)
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Jan Johnson is a spiritual director and a frequent speaker at retreats and conferences. Based near Los Angeles, she is the author of numerous books and Bible studies, including Invitation to the Jesus Life, Enjoying the Presence of God, and When the Soul Listens. Learn more at janjohnson.org.