Writer Evelyn Woodward in this work that is destined to become a classic of its type. “Navigation calls identifies as the insight and appreciation of the poet, the challenge and goading of the prophet, and the planning and programming of the pragmatist. Woodward’s work is a deep and insightful look at religious communities drawn from individual and community stories through which we see our own stories with keener perception. She explores many aspects of religious life: the concept of community; empathy, not just as a mere skill but as a fundamental spirituality; the destructive and constructive aspects of conflict; the implications of current trends on formation; and the reality of stress and burnout. Poets, Prophets and Pragmatists is an important treatment of the issues and approaches to religious life today.