|
Spirituality and Religion July 2017
|
|
|
|
|
The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve
by Stephen Greenblatt
Stephen Greenblatt—Pulitzer Prize– and National Book Award–winning author of The Swerve and Will in the World—investigates the life of one of humankind’s greatest stories.
|
|
| Protestants: The Faith That Made the Modern World by Alec RyrieMarking 500 years since Martin Luther unintentionally launched the Protestant Reformation, Christian History professor Alec Ryrie surveys Protestantism's impact on European civilization. Crediting the movement with promoting free speech and the sovereignty of individual conscience, Ryrie addresses developments that range from the emergence of democratic government to contemporary controversies such as legalized abortion and the challenges of secularism. Ryrie, a licensed lay preacher in the Church of England, addresses controversial subjects candidly and with an engaging and accessible tone that will appeal to non-specialists. |
|
|
Life lessons : 125 prayers and meditations
by Julia Cameron
All too often we yearn for a more spiritual life but tell ourselves it's too difficult. But the smallest prayer is heard and answered. The simplest overture meets with a loving response. Each of the prayers in this book is a starting point. Taken collectively, they offer an approach to God that is powerful as well as simple. These prayers not only allow us to reach out to God, but they allow God to reach out to us. The book is called Life Lessons because each entry is a corrective to commonly held misconceptions of the divine. Like the postures assumed in hatha yoga, they stretch us gently. Through these prayers, we learn more of ourselves and the divine.
|
|
|
Strange gods : a secular history of conversion
by Susan Jacoby
A provocative social history of the secular forces driving conversion in the Western world refutes beliefs about personal reinvention and divine grace to explore such factors as the unifications between church and state, interreligious marriage, faith change in adulthood and the forced conversions of slaves.
|
|
|
The Islamic Jesus: How the King of the Jews Became a Prophet of the Muslims
by Mustafa Akyol
According to Turkish journalist Mustafa Akyol, the first Muslims drew significantly from early Jewish-Christian belief that Jesus was a prophet rather than God in human form. Accessibly analyzing early Christian texts, the Qur'an, and archaeological evidence, Akyol discusses a possible connection (identified by scholars) between the Jewish-Christian movement and the origins of Islam. He also details Qur'anic texts about Mary the mother of Jesus and about Jesus the man. This thought-provoking study offers a theological basis from which Christians and Jews can learn from Islamic teaching and Muslims can benefit from a deeper understanding of Jesus.
|
|
|
One Nation, Under Gods: A New American History
by Peter Manseau
Books on U.S. history often give the impression that the country's founders created a Christian nation, but the truth is considerably more complex. In One Nation, Under Gods, author Peter Manseau explores the religious beliefs, practices, and influences that came to North America from around the world -- as well as Native American influences on the other religions. Profiling certain individuals and groups, he assembles the jigsaw puzzle of pluralism that reflects American religious history. Manseau compellingly portrays the sectarian conflicts that have arisen, but he also shows how various religious traditions have accommodated and evolved in response to others' doctrines. Booklist praises this book's "maximum, enthralling readability."
|
|
Contact your librarian for more great books!
|
|
|
Bedford Public Library
2424 Forest Ridge Dr.
Bedford, Texas 76021
817-952-2350
www.bedfordlibrary.org
|
|
|
|