Abstract
In Wrestling with Rest, Nathan T. Stucky argues that to engage youth in Sabbath they must first die to an identity rooted in overproduction and overwork. A former youth pastor and director of the Farminary Project at Princeton Theological Seminary, Stucky acknowledges that this death can be difficult, but ultimately it reveals a renewed identity grounded in God’s grace. “On the Sabbath, productivity dies, and those who practice Sabbath must ask disorienting questions. Who are we if we’re not producing something, if we’re not achieving, if we’re not doing” (99)?
Divided into six chapters, Stucky provides a theological framework for Wrestling with Rest through biblical analysis and a theological conversation with Karl Barth. As a Mennonite with a strong work ethic, the author begins the first chapter by sharing his personal journey and struggle with Sabbath practice. Chapter 2 discusses the science behind a healthy adolescent lifestyle and the conflict that can arise for youth living in a North American culture that promotes busyness, technology, and consumption. The third chapter focuses on overarching themes from the author’s research with 39 high-school seniors. Here Stucky reveals that anxiety underlies both the students’ engagement in work, as well as their attempts at relaxation and Sabbath rest. The next chapter explores the students’ longings and anxieties in conversation with Barth’s writings in which Barth views God’s Sabbath as a gift rooted in grace. In chapter 5, Stucky assesses Sabbath through his Protestant Mennonite lens, emphasizing both the centrality of Christ and Christ’s dismantling of Sabbath practices and limitations. The final chapter explores practical applications of faithful Sabbath practice for youth and the wider church community such as worship, story-telling, family meals, and justice-centered initiatives (163–66).
While countless books on Sabbath focus on the rest offered by God, few mention the difficulty of Sabbath practice, and the challenge of shifting an individual’s identity from self-centeredness to God-centeredness. Utilizing theological insights from the Exodus narrative, Stucky highlights the transformation in the people of Israel as God takes them through the wilderness. Yahweh shapes Israel’s identity from a people focused and trained in Egyptian slavery and production and instead welcomes them into His rest (Exod. 19:4–6). Although paired with challenge and difficulty, the Israelites become a people who place their trust and faith in God. In a similar vein, the writer notes that the Sabbath has the potential to shift youth from human-centered work towards God-centered grace.
In contemporary Christianity, the cultural ideology of work and production continues to be a hurdle for people’s engagement with God. Stucky provides a timely and poignant insight as the author acknowledges that merely stopping work does not bring peace to youth, but often anxiety. Stucky exclaims: “The gift of the Sabbath is the gift of an identity rooted in God’s grace and provision. Yet, for that identity to take root, all lesser identities must be uprooted and replaced” (125). Stucky argues that young people can experience true peace through God’s grace in the difficult struggle to reclaim their God-centered identity while dying to an identity rooted in production.
While Stucky briefly mentions Sabbath rhythm, the author does not explore the concept fully, aside from a weekly engagement in Sabbath practice. Sabbath extends to larger periods of time such as the Sabbath year (Lev. 25:1–7), which is practiced every seven years, or the Year of Jubilee (Lev. 25:8–55; 27:16–25) enacted on the fiftieth year, a year of rest for the land and protection for the poor. An exploration of Sabbath rhythm in this text would provide a richer context for youth seeking to live out their identity in God’s grace and to encourage them to engage in Sabbath rhythm as a holistic part of their life. Furthermore, considering the central tenets of North American culture—productivity and individualism—an explanation of culture theory would provide helpful insights into why Sabbath practice among North American youth has been difficult, and possibly provide suggestions for how to address these issues.
Wrestling with Rest is a valuable resource for those seeking to engage in a renewed identity of faith and Sabbath practice. Stucky’s book is thought provoking, filled with stories and practical steps, while also providing a cursory overview of theology, research, and scientific groundings on the practice of Sabbath. The text is useful for youth pastors and parents, as well as a potential textbook for courses focused on youth ministry and Christian education.