The Shattering of Loneliness is a deeply reflective spiritual work in which Bishop Erik Varden explores loneliness as a universal human experience—one as fundamental as hunger or thirst. He argues that loneliness is not merely a psychological condition but a spiritual wound that reveals our longing for communion with God. Drawing on Scripture, Christian tradition, and literature, Varden shows how remembering God’s actions in history—what he calls Christian remembrance—heals this wound by reminding us who we are and whose we are.
Through six meditations, he examines themes such as our origins (“remember you are dust”), our need for liberation, the danger of looking back like Lot’s wife, and the transformative power of Christ’s command to “do this in memory of me.” Each chapter invites readers to see loneliness not as a sign of failure but as the starting point of a journey toward communion, meaning, and hope.
Ultimately, the book teaches that although loneliness can feel insurmountable, God enters our isolation, and through remembrance, grace, and community, we discover that we are never truly alone.
