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Spirituality and Religion May 2018
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| To Change the Church: Pope Francis and the Future of Catholicism by Ross DouthatWhat it is: a thought-provoking account of Pope Francis' attempts to change the Catholic Church, focusing particularly on his decision to allow communion for the divorced and remarried. The future of Catholicism -- with a clear divide between conservative and liberal views -- is also discussed.
Reviewers say: While New York Times columnist Ross Douthat identifies as conservative when it comes to Catholicism, reviewers agree that To Change the Church is a balanced overview. |
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The Seminarian: Martin Luther King Jr. Comes of Age
by Patrick Parr
Based on dozens of revealing interviews with the men and women who knew him then,The Seminarian is the first definitive, full-length account of King’s years as a divinity student at Crozer Theological Seminary. Long passed over by biographers and historians, this period in King’s life is vital to understanding the historical figure he soon became.
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A History of Judaism
by Martin Goodman
In this magisterial and elegantly written book, Martin Goodman takes readers from Judaism's origins in the polytheistic world of the second and first millennia BCE to the temple cult at the time of Jesus. He tells the stories of the rabbis, mystics, and messiahs of the medieval and early modern periods and guides us through the many varieties of Judaism today. Goodman's compelling narrative spans the globe, from the Middle East, Europe, and America to North Africa, China, and India. He explains the institutions and ideas on which all forms of Judaism are based, and masterfully weaves together the different threads of doctrinal and philosophical debate that run throughout its history.
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Get Over It!: Thought Therapy for Healing the Hard Stuff
by Iyanla Vanzant
A guide to thought therapy offers forty-two prayers and affirmations and energy-clearing tools designed to neutralize and eliminate dominant negative thought patterns in order to reveal the root of personal suffering.
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The Very Worst Missionary: A Memoir or Whatever
by Jamie Wright
Shares the author's experiences as an enthusiastic convert to Christianity whose experiences as a missionary left her feeling like a cynical failure, until she started a blog that opened her eyes to like-minded Christians and the value of their perspective.
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A Prairie Girl's Faith: The Spiritual Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder
by Stephen W Hines
An in-depth discussion of the Christian faith of pioneer and author Laura Ingalls Wilder examines how her faith helped her endure the harshness of frontier life and how the hardships she survived, from sudden crop losses and life-threatening weather to illness and isolation, helped her forge a stronger relationship with God. By the best-selling author of Little House in the Ozarks.
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Believe Bigger: How God Uses Disappointments as Opportunities for Lasting Change
by Marshawn Evans Daniels
Whether you are drowning in self-doubt and regret, feeling stuck, or sensing a shift but unable to discern what’s next, Marshawn’s Purpose Map outlining the 5 Stages of Divine Reinvention, will give you insight into your true gifts and calling—and the courage to pursue them. You’ll see that difficulties are not designed to devastate you, but to ignite the bigger dreams, life, love, and abundance you were destined for all along.
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The Case for Miracles: A Journalist Investigates Evidence for the Supernatural
by Lee Strobel
This provocative book starts with an unlikely interview in which America’s foremost skeptic builds a seemingly persuasive case against the miraculous. But then Strobel travels the country to quiz scholars to see whether they can offer solid answers to atheist objections. Along the way, he encounters astounding accounts of healings and other phenomena that simply cannot be explained away by naturalistic causes. The book features the results of exclusive new scientific polling that shows miracle accounts are much more common than people think.
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Everybody, Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People
by Bob Goff
In his wildly entertaining and inspiring follow-up to the New York Times bestselling phenomenon Love Does, Bob Goff takes readers on a life-altering journey into the secret of living without fear, care, constraint, or worry. The path toward the outsized, unfettered, liberated existence we all long for is found in a truth as simple to say as it is hard to do: love people, even the difficult ones, without distinction and without limits.
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Faith: A Journey for All
by Jimmy Carter
As President Carter examines faith’s many meanings, he describes how to accept it, live it, how to doubt and find faith again. A serious and moving reflection from one of America’s most admired and respected citizens.
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The Final Race: The Incredible World War II Story of the Olympian Who Inspired Chariots of Fire
by Eric Eichinger
Eric Liddell was the most famous Briton in 1924, having just won the gold in the Olympic 400-meter race. The story of that race—and the one he didn’t run—was told in the popular movie classic Chariots of Fire. But what most of us don’t know is what became of Eric Liddell in the years after the credits rolled. As the storm clouds of World War II rolled in, Eric had already made decisions in his life that gave him the resilience to stand tall while others fell into despair. His strength of character led him to choose an uncertain future in China during World War II in order to continue helping the Chinese. He lived purposefully even as his world crumbled and he experienced the horror and deprivations of a Japanese internment camp. Eric’s story is a story of hope in the face of uncertainty, resilience in the face of unspeakable odds, and inspiring vision of what life means, even when the final hour comes.
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| Box of Butterflies: Discovering the Unexpected Blessings All Around Us by Roma DowneyAuthor alert: Fans of the television show Touched by an Angel will recognize Roma Downey's name; here, she shares stories and reflections from her life, along with inspiring quotes, poems, scripture, and artwork.
Why you might like it: readers looking for encouragement will find hope in Downey's faith in -- and gratitude for -- God. |
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| Flunk. Start. Reclaiming My Decade Lost in Scientology by Sands HallWhat it is: a candid memoir of a woman's seven years in the Church of Scientology.
Is it for you? Readers looking for a scathing exposé should look elsewhere (try Lawrence Wright's sobering Going Clear), but those who want a thoughtful examination of what was ultimately the wrong choice (and why she stayed for so long) will appreciate the author's spiritual journey. |
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| Evolution of the Word: Reading the New Testament in the Order It Was Written by Marcus J. BorgWhat it is: an explanation of how the traditional order of the New Testament differs from the order in which the different books were written (the letters of St. Paul were actually written first).
What does that mean? Theology professor Marcus Borg, the author of several popular works on Christianity and the Bible, argues that the Gospels and other later writings were influenced by St. Paul's opinions.
Reviewers say: "eminently readable and eye-opening" (Booklist). |
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| How to Read the Bible by Harvey CoxWhat it is: an accessible, insightful discussion of biblical interpretation through history and into the present day.
Who it's for: those who would like to study the Bible at a deeper level.
Further reading: John Dominic Crossan's How to Read the Bible and Still Be a Christian. |
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| The Power of Parable: How Fiction by Jesus Became Fiction about Jesus by John Dominic CrossanWhat it is: a lucid explanation of how Jesus used parables to engage and challenge his audience -- and how the role of parables can be used to explain much of the Bible, too.
What reviewers say: The Power of the Parable is "one of the best, most enthralling Bible-study courses" (Booklist).
Further reading: Amy-Jill Levine's Short Stories by Jesus. |
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| The First Love Story: Adam, Eve, and Us by Bruce FeilerWhat it's about: the impact that biblical figures Adam and Eve have had on Western society, from masterpieces by Michelangelo to more contemporary pop culture.
Who it's for: readers interested in how learning about Adam and Eve can help us understand couplehood today.
Further reading: Try Stephen Greenblatt's The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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