Book notes: A challenging, hopeful look at religious life today
- HORIZON
- Oct 20, 2025
- 4 min read
By Sister Sarah Kohles O.S.F.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN for religious to listen to and be guided by the Holy Spirit in this time of utter transformation? Everyone agrees that the Holy Spirit is important, but what does it actually entail to seek the Spirit moving among us? Sister Judith A. Merkle, S.ND.deN., a religious studies professor, tackles these questions and more in Sensing the Spirit: Toward the Future of Religious Life (T&T Clark 2023). Her book offers challenges for both communal and personal reflection. For example, she daringly suggests that the Spirit may be behind this moment of “crisis” in religious life. She also suggests that the Spirit is used to justify a lack of preparation or the absence of transparency in decisions.