Pilgrim River: A Spiritual Memoir
Angelico, 2018
Pilgrim River candidly narrates one man's wandering but sincere attempt to come to terms with the overpowering experience of God—a journey from unbelief to nature mysticism in the deserts and mountains of Nevada and Utah, to sojourns through the country of marriage and the republic of letters, and finally to the Catholic Church. He travels a twisted and thorny path, plagued by a lack of spiritual guides and mentors, by isolation and depression, by a failed first marriage; but present throughout is a groping toward spiritual fulfillment—alternately tortured, hopeful, and bathed in luminescence. Many spiritual seekers, including those who consider themselves "spiritual but not religious," will benefit from the telling of this unorthodox journey to Christianity.
Academic Freedom and the Telos of the Catholic University
(Palgrave Macmillan, 2012)
There are currently no books on Catholic higher education that offer a theological foundation for academic freedom. This book presents a theologically grounded understanding of academic freedom that builds on, extends, and completes the prevailing secular understanding for Catholic higher education.
Named “Best Book Published in Theology in 2012” by the College Theology Society
Reexamining Academic Freedom in Religiously Affiliated Universities: Transcending Orthodoxies
(Palgrave Macmillan, 2017)
Kenneth Garcia presents an edited collection of papers from the 2015 conference on academic freedom at religiously affiliated universities, held at the University of Notre Dame. These essays reexamine the secular principle of academic freedom and discuss how a theological understanding might build on and further develop it.
Ken’s current Work-in-Progress is tentatively titled Mining the Invisible: Exploring the Second Book of God. In ancient and medieval Christianity, mystics and theologians claimed there are two “Books” of God: Scripture and Nature. Both Books point to and reveal something holy beyond themselves. Mining the Invisible focuses on the Second Book, reflecting on places, activities, and life stages where the splendor of God shines through. The book also describes how Ken has learned to cope during long periods when he experiences the absence of that splendor.