January 27 - Theologian integrates bodily movement into church practices

"The uniqueness of Christianity traces itself back to a well-known miraculous event in a barn in Bethlehem in which Christians proclaim that God - yes, God - took on a flesh and blood body in the form of Jesus Christ," she wrote on her blog in response to the Rev. Al Mohler's attack on yoga. "The body for Christians was, and is, a crucial point of contact with God."

Shoop, whose husband, John, is the offensive coordinator for the UNC-CH football team, is herself a daily yoga practitioner. She is also an avid horseback rider and a former competitive runner. Over the past few years, she has made it her mission to integrate bodily movement into church practices, whether it's body prayers, breathing exercises or labyrinth walks.

One way Shoop gets in touch with her own body is riding horses. "Riding is a way for me to get out of my head and embody my connection to a bigger world that is more than thinking, but feeling," she said.

If she has one wish for the church, it's that it too would break free from its cognitive straitjacket. "The body is a partner," she said. "It has wisdom. It's not just a sinful vessel but a spiritual vessel that's part of our Christian walk."