YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS HERE

Serra Retreat Center in Malibu, CA

March 23 - 28, 2025

Diana Butler Bass

Diana Butler Bass, Ph.D., is an award-winning author, popular speaker, inspiring preacher, and one of America’s most trusted commentators on religion and contemporary spirituality. Companions is excited to welcome Diana Butler Bass as the presenter for Malibu 2025!

Diana’s passion is sharing great ideas to change lives and the world—a passion that ranges from informing the public about spiritual trends, challenging conventional narratives about religious practice, entering the fray of social media with spiritual wisdom and smart theology, and writing books to help readers see themselves, their place in history, and God differently.

She holds a doctorate in religious studies from Duke University and is the author of eleven books. Her work has received two Wilbur Awards for best nonfiction book of the year, awards from Religion News Association for individual commentary and for Book of the Year, Nautilus Awards Silver and Gold medals, the Illumination Book Award Silver medal, Books for a Better Life Award, Book of the Year of the Academy of Parish Clergy, the Frank S. and Elizabeth D. Brewer Prize for Church History, Substack Fellowship for Independent Writers, and Publishers Weekly’s Best Religion Book of the Year. She and her husband live in Alexandria, Virginia, with their dog and their sometimes-successful backyard garden.

  • After our last Lectio Group, we got ready for our last worship service. Dr. Luther Smith preached a great sermon, and just like the rest of the week, the worship was phenomenal. One line that Luther shared during this sermon, from Howard Thurman, really sunk in for me. It was about prayer, and the power of prayer in the lives of those doing the praying. Thurman said: 'God’s answer to a prayer may be no, but God’s answer to a pray-er is always yes'.

    Adam Walker-Cleveland - Tahoe Retreat

  • “I was desperate for silence, but to do my inner work, I also needed the support of beauty and love. These I received.”

    -S. S. - Tahoe Retreat 2016

  • “This was the best of the best of any retreat I have ever attended.  My challenge in my spiritual path is to get out of my head and into my body and heart.  The content, process, and pacing really supported that.” 

    M. R . - Malibu Retreat 2017

  • "This week was so much more than I could have imagined – a gift of grace, creativity, and beauty.” 

    C.A.