Jon M. Sweeney

Jon M. Sweeney

Jon M. Sweeney is widely recognized for his ability to bring complicated religious history and ideas “down to earth.” He is the author of several books including The St. Francis Prayer Book, Praying with Our Hands (which was featured on PBS's “Religion & Ethics Newsweekly”), a memoir—Born Again and Again—which was named one of the “Best Books of 2005” by Spirituality & Health magazine, and editor of Paul Sabatier's classic biography of St. Francis, The Road to Assisi, which was a selection of the History Book Club, Crossings Book Club, and Book-of-the-Month Club.

For many years, Jon was the co-founder and editor-in-chief of SkyLight Paths Publishing, a multifaith trade book publisher in Vermont. Since 2004, he has been the associate publisher at Paraclete Press.

In addition to his book and film reviews and interviews for explorefaith, Jon writes for magazines including Catholic Digest and The Lutheran. He is a frequent guest speaker to groups of all denominational backgrounds on the subjects of understanding the Virgin Mary, Christian fundamentalism, Francis and Clare of Assisi and Franciscan spirituality, and appreciating the Catholic imagination. He was the featured speaker at The National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. on St. Francis’s feast day in 2004. He lives with his family in Woodstock, Vermont.

Selected Bibliography:
Light in the Dark Ages: The Friendship of Francis and Clare of Assisi
Strange Heaven: The Virgin Mary As Woman, Mother, Disciple And Advocate
The Lure of Saints: A Protestant Experience of Catholic Tradition

Articles by this Author

Amazing Grace

What Do We Do with Mom's Body?

These Days of Waiting on God

Leonard Sweet

Leaving Church: A Memoir of Faith

Blade Runner, The Final Cut (2007)

The New Atheists' Mistake

The Simpsons Movie

The Last Day

Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso

Juris Rubenis

St. Francis of Assisi

Eboo Patel

Rabbi Phil Miller on the Jewish High Holy Days, Jewish spiritual practice and more

Apparition and Late Fictions: A Novella and Stories

Robert Benson on Praying with Words

Elizabeth Hamilton

Is there Life after Death?

Father Gregory Fruehwirth

Thomas Merton

A Few Good Books That Will Change Your Life

Poet Luci Shaw

Money and the Way of Wisdom

Frederica Mathewes-Green on Practicing Orthodox Christianity

Swami Adiswarananda

Uwem Akpan

Robert Ellsberg

Dr. Francis S. Collins