At their 36th General Congregation, the Jesuits acknowledged, “The question that confronts the Society today is why the Exercises do not change us as deeply as we would hope.” Ignatian Spirituality has long been treasured as a resource for growing in sacred wisdom, in deepening one’s relationship with God, and galvanizing a more active discipleship. Yet in the face of ignorance, indifference, and inaction among Christians, we are left to wonder why our spiritual traditions fall short of the transformation we seek, and our world so desperately needs. This edited volume brings together an ideal collection of essays dedicated to “envisioning new ways of praying the Spiritual Exercises in order to unlearn white supremacy” and how to “disidentify with the white nationalism” that has infected so many members of the Body of Christ in the United States (8-9, 13).

Following an introduction by Laurie Cassidy that outlines the context for this anthology and an overview of its structure, this book is comprised by 15 chapters organized into three sections: Presuppositions, the Spiritual Exercises, and Contemplating God’s Laboring and Loving in the World. In the first chapter, Andrew Prevot explores how the Spiritual Exercises can help us confront the “soul sickness” of racism in America, drawing on his own experience praying the Nineteenth Annotation and teaching undergraduates. In the second chapter, Ken Homan shares his experience as a Jesuit aiming to combat the fear of confronting the history of Jesuit slaveholding in America. In the third chapter, Alex Mikulich models a “composition of our time and place” to acknowledge how easy it has been for white Christians to adopt unquestioned assumptions that allow us to ignore the legacies of colonialism and slavery before proposing three practices to “recompose place” as decolonial exercises to transform and liberate consciousness.

Other highlights of the volume include a chapter by Jeannine Hill Fletcher on the sins of white supremacy that take the form of “institutional racism” and a five-day-exercise to enact accountability as well as a chapter by Christopher Pramuk on the gift of tears as a response to “the grace of shame and confusion during the First Week, a felt sense of powerlessness” when contemplating the innocent victims of history: Jesus of Nazareth, Elijah McClain, and Breonna Taylor (110).  Among the best contributions is Maureen O’Connell’s keen reflection on how the Two Standards meditation can be a vital way to discern the influence of white supremacy on identity, purpose, and the impact of our choices and her compelling proposal for how sabbath rest can transform our relationship to our possessions, our pursuit of kinship, and how to enter into a path of healing pain. In a unique and memorable contribution, Armando Guerrero Estrada and Paulina Delgadillo offer an exchange that weaves together biblical interpretation, the lived experience of being undocumented in America, and attending Jesuit schools, bringing to life what solidarity and justice entail en lo cotidiano (in everyday life). Other excellent chapters include Patrick Saint-Jean tackling “color-blind” racism and Matthew Cressler prophetically grappling with white Catholicism as racial formation. The book wraps up with three short reflections that serve as an “Examen” for being empowered to act with gratitude and generosity in the pursuit of truth, healing, and reconciliation.

As is often the case with edited volumes, there is some variety in the quality and length of these chapters. But make no mistake: this is an outstanding contribution to the field of Christian spirituality, the aspirations of Jesuit education, and the moral demands of racial justice and solidarity. The chapters are characterized by deep engagement with and experience of the Spiritual Exercises. They are informed by high standards of academic scholarship and touching personal honesty. They offer insightful assessments of the problems and possibilities of Ignatian Spirituality, making this required reading for anyone affiliated with a Jesuit apostolate. Among St. Ignatius of Loyola’s rules for discernment is his counsel to bring everything into the light. These pages not only help us better understand reality, but they energize the reader to be moved with love in the pursuit of justice. This book is a moving example of how to write in a spirit of accountability to the “crucified people” of today. It is a gem of a book; it should be one that every Christian theologian owns, savors, and frequently revisits. A tremendous achievement of its own, may it also inspire a new wave of research and practice to explore the moral demands of Ignatian Spirituality for dismantling racism at the individual, interpersonal, and institutional levels of our churches and society.