Jon Sweeney

Spirituality

Jon M. Sweeney is an independent scholar and religion writer. He's been interviewed on CBS Saturday Morning, Fox News, CBS-TV Chicago, Religion and Ethics Newsweekly, and on the popular program Chicago Tonight. Several of his books have become Book-of-the-Month Club and Quality Paperback Book Club selections. His popular medieval history, The Pope Who Quit, was published by Image/Random House and optioned by HBO. It was a selection of the History Book Club and received a starred review in Booklist. His book When Saint Francis Saved the Church received a 2015 award for excellence in history from the Catholic Press Association. His other works include The Enthusiast, The Complete Francis of Assisi, and The St. Francis Prayer Book. He was the editor of A Course in Christian Mysticism by Thomas Merton. Sweeney writes regularly for America and The Tablet, and is the publisher and editor-in-chief at Paraclete Press. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.


Festival Years: 2014, 2008, 2006, 2002