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Spirituality and Religion March 2014
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"More than once, I came upon Muslim women in their headscarves visiting Christian shrines to the Virgin Mary, or Maryam, paying homage to the woman in the Quran who is known for her piety." ~ from Stephanie Saldaña's The Bread of Angels
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New and Recently Released!
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| Jesus Feminist: An Invitation to Revisit the Bible's View of Women by Sarah BesseyCanadian blogger Sarah Bessey introduces herself as a "happy-clappy Jesus follower," that is, an Evangelical Protestant. Addressing her fellow Evangelicals in Jesus Feminist, Bessey offers her interpretation of biblical teachings about gender issues in the context of her own faith journey and contemporary life. Challenging common conservative interpretations of the Bible that counsel against women taking leadership roles over men, she concludes that Jesus' teaching transcends distinctions between men and women. She argues that the church should accept women as fully equal in all areas. Her "warm and intimate" style (Publishers Weekly) will appeal to anyone interested in the subject -- not just Evangelical Christians. |
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| In the Company of the Poor: Conversations Between Dr. Paul Farmer and Fr. Gustavo... by Michael Griffin and Jennie Weiss Block, editorsPeruvian theologian Gustavo Gutiérrez and American doctor Paul Farmer are both dedicated to serving the needs of the poor around the globe. In a 2011 conference they each delivered addresses regarding the implications of liberation theology (Gutiérrez's specialty) for alleviating conditions arising from poverty. In the Company of the Poor presents editors Michael Griffin's and Jennie Block's compilation of excerpts from Farmer's and Gutiérrez's speeches, an interview with the two, and some selections from their writings. The book provides an accessible, thought-provoking introduction to the influences of liberation theology on Farmer's work and insight into Gutiérrez's theology. |
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| A Religion of One's Own: A Guide to Creating a Personal Spirituality in a Secular World by Thomas MooreAuthor Thomas Moore, a former Roman Catholic monk, teacher, and psychotherapist, writes accessible books on the spiritual life intended for a broad audience, including people who claim no particular religious affiliation. In A Religion of One's Own, Moore demonstrates how differing religious traditions can provide a foundation for a meaningful spiritual life. Though individuals devoted to particular religious groups (or to atheism) might find the breadth of Moore's vision too liberal, he doesn't advocate superficiality. Rather, he offers readers the opportunity to engage several specific spiritual practices in depth in order to build a personal system of beliefs. |
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| A Prayer Journal by Flannery O'ConnorGeorgia native and devout Roman Catholic Flannery O'Connor enrolled at the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop when she was 20. She went on to become one of America's best known literary writers before her death at age 39. While studying in Iowa, O'Connor kept a diary in which she recorded prayers that expressed her devotion to God and questions about the meaning of faith. This notebook, discovered by editor W.A. Sessions in 2002, is full of carefully crafted short pieces that offer a glimpse into her spiritual life and its relationship to her fiction. A Prayer Journal includes a facsimile of the journal with a helpful introduction by Sessions. Both O'Connor's readers and those who appreciate well-written devotional works will want to dive into these pages. |
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| Jesus: The Human Face of God by Jay PariniIn Jesus, novelist and poet Jay Parini summarizes the life of Jesus of Nazareth with emphasis on the spiritual significance of his actions. The book's subtitle, "The Human Face of God," encapsulates Parini's approach, which sets Jesus' biography in the context of both Jewish religion and non-Jewish teachings that can be found in Buddhism and other prophetic traditions. Though Parini offers nothing new to scholars, he provides a source of inspiration for both liberal Christians and those who are curious about the relevance of Christianity to contemporary life. Publishers Weekly observes that Jesus offers "a gentle goad to reconsider the power of myth to tell truths." |
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Spiritual Biographies and Memoirs
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| Just As I Am: The Autobiography of Billy Graham by Billy GrahamEvangelist Billy Graham's preaching crusades have challenged thousands of people to recognize their shortcomings and turn to Jesus Christ for healing and renewal. At the same time, Graham's relationships with individuals (including U.S. presidents and many other world leaders) have emphasized encouragement and avoided confrontation. In Just As I Am, Graham offers a transparent view of how he's practiced what he preaches. He maintains a policy of outreach and unification while adhering to Christ as the only path to salvation. Whether you want to know how he's accomplished so much or you're looking for spiritual inspiration, Just As I Am provides a comprehensive autobiography by one of the 20th century's most prominent Christian leaders. |
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| Holy Ghost Girl: A Memoir by Donna M. JohnsonIn the early 1960s, author Donna Johnson's mother became the organist for traveling revivalist David Terrell. Johnson spent her childhood immersed in the revival circuit, where Terrell's preaching drew crowds numbering in the thousands. In this memoir about her youthful spiritual journey, Johnson reveals how she became aware as a teenager that her mother was actually one of Terrell's numerous mistresses, and recounts her own struggles with faith and doubt. She also paints a "consistently funny, poetic" (Kirkus Reviews), and detailed portrait of Terrell himself in his world of sawdust and faith healing. |
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| Dying to Be Me: My Journey From Cancer, to Near Death, to True Healing by Anita MoorjaniIn 2002, author Anita Moorjani received a diagnosis of Hodgkin's lymphoma, and four years later her vital organs began to fail. During the resulting coma, she experienced a clarity and oneness with the universe that led her to return from the edge of death. Though her upbringing as a Hindu in British-ruled Hong Kong had made her fearful about being different and in some way inadequate, the new sense of energy that impelled her back into life freed her from this fear. Dying to Be Me relates Moorjani's experiences and provides a powerful witness to the healing abilities of the human spirit. |
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| The Bread of Angels: A Journey to Love and Faith by Stephanie SaldañaIn 2004, Fulbright scholar and Harvard Divinity School student Stephanie Saldaña arrived in Damascus, Syria to learn Arabic and study the role of the prophet Jesus in Islam -- and to heal a broken heart. While it wasn't the safest time for an American to be visiting the Middle East, thanks to the U.S. war with Iraq, Saldaña was treated well by the people she met, whether Christian or Muslim. There, she learned about Syria's unique culture and religious life, rediscovered her own faith while undergoing spiritual exercises at the Mar Musa monastery, and even fell in love with a young French monk. The Bread of Angels offers a thought-provoking and inspiring account of an American seeking faith in an unfamiliar land. |
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| A Golden Voice: How Faith, Hard Work and Humility Brought Me from the Streets to Salvation by Ted Williams with Bret WitterThough author Ted Williams had been a famous and widely admired radio personality in Cincinnati, he succumbed to the destructive effects of crack addiction, losing his home, family, and self-respect. Deciding that his beautiful speaking voice was his only remaining asset, he planted himself on a street corner with a sign that said, "Will talk for food." Due to the Internet's ability to create instant fame through viral videos, Williams found resources to recover from his addiction. Giving thanks to God in this engaging, fast-paced, and inspiring memoir, Williams relates his previous success, the gritty details of crack houses and homelessness, and his return to sobriety. Kirkus Reviews calls A Golden Voice "disturbing and hard to put down." |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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