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Spirituality and Religion September 2019
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| Conscience: The Origins of Moral Intuition by Patricia S. ChurchlandWhat it is: a scholarly yet accessible inquiry into the possible origins of morality, straddling the intellectual divides between religion, philosophy, neuroscience, and psychology.
Who it's for: readers who enjoy philosophical and intellectually stimulating explorations of spiritual topics.
About the author: MacArthur Fellow and UC San Diego professor Patricia Churchland is a pioneer in the field of neurophilosophy and author of books such as Touching a Nerve: the self as brain. |
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| Waking the Witch: Reflections on Women, Magic, and Power by Pam GrossmanWhat's inside: the author's story of the path that led her to witchcraft traditions and the freedom that her practice provides her; discussions of the hold witches have over our cultural imagination.
Why you should read it: There has been a recent resurgence of interest in pagan and magic-influenced religious traditions, especially among young adults. |
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| Leaving the Witness: Exiting a Religion and Finding a Life by Amber ScorahWhat it's about: the personal and religious trials of third-generation Jehovah's Witness Amber Scorah, from growing up in the church to missionary work to ultimately losing her faith and her family of origin.
What makes it unique: the circumstances and story of the author's missionary posting in China, where religious expression is tightly controlled by the government. |
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| Love Thy Neighbor: A Muslim Doctor's Struggle for Home in Rural America by Ayaz Virji with Alan EisenstockWhat it is: the moving story of a Muslim doctor who moved to a small town where doctors were in short supply, only to face an increase in anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant sentiments in the wake of the 2016 election.
Why you should read it: The author is candid about discrimination but hopeful because of the impact of his "Love Thy Neighbor" lectures, which are part of an interfaith effort to increase understanding about Muslims.
Did you know? According to the US Department of Health, 20% of Americans live in rural communities while only 9% of doctors do, and many of those doctors were born abroad. |
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| Advice Not Given: A Guide to Getting Over Yourself by Mark EpsteinWhat it's about: the combined positive effects of Buddhist teachings and psychotherapy techniques on an individual's struggles with self-doubt and unrealized potential.
Topics include: managing the ego, coping with destabilizing life events, and the importance of taking advice but drawing your own conclusions from it. |
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| Becoming Wise: An Inquiry Into the Mystery and Art of Living by Krista TippettWhat it is: a thoughtfully presented reflection on how the increasing social fragmentation of modern life affects us and ideas about how to mitigate the damage.
Featuring: conversations with Eve Ensler, Reza Aslan, and congressman John Lewis.
About the author: Krista Tippett is perhaps best known as the host of NPR's On Being. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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