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Spirituality and Religion November 2022 |
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| Sacred Nature: Restoring Our Ancient Bond with the Natural World by Karen ArmstrongWhat it is: a thought-provoking exploration of the role of nature in spirituality around the world and across centuries.
Want a taste? "A great deal of environmental discussion is scientific: we constantly hear about emissions, particles, pollution levels and the ozone layer. This provides us with essential information and we have become familiar with the terminology. But it does not move us emotionally."
About the author: Karen Armstrong is a bestselling British writer and critic known for her memoir The Spiral Staircase and her works of comparative religion, including The Battle for God and Fields of Blood. |
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| An American Martyr in Persia: The Epic Life and Tragic Death of Howard Baskerville by Reza AslanWhat it's about: American teacher and missionary Howard Baskerville, whose relative obscurity in the West is at odds with his reputation in Iran, where he is remembered for supporting local revolutionaries during the Persian Constitutional Revolution of 1908 (and his death in the 1909 siege of Tabriz).
Why you should read it: Martyr provides important context for the history of revolutionary ideas in Iran, which is especially relevant now due to the ongoing protests in response to the death of Mahsa Amini. |
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| How We Live Is How We Die by Pema ChödrönWhat's inside: thoughtful reflections on life transitions, with a focus on embracing endings without fear.
Want a taste? “To be fully intimate with life, I feel we have to be fully intimate with death."
For fans of: Gratitude by Oliver Sacks; Growing Moral by Stephen C. Angle. |
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| You've Been Chosen: Thriving Through the Unexpected by Cynt MarshallWhat it's about: the life, career, and faith of Dallas Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall, from her education and groundbreaking executive roles to her cancer diagnosis and how prayer has sustained her through it all.
Read it for: the candor, heartwarming tone, and advice for getting through the the most difficult challenges life throws at you.
You might also like: Believe IT by Jamie Kern Lima. |
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| Catholicism: A Global History from the French Revolution to Pope Francis by John T. McGreevyWhat it is: a sweeping, well-researched analysis of the notion of progress within the modern Catholic Church, from the French Revolution to the Second Vatican Council to the present day.
Topics include: the roles clerics played on both sides in Revolutionary France; repression in Poland and South Korea; liberation theology in Latin America.
About the author: Historian and University of Notre Dame provost John T. McGreevy's previous work examining the Church and society includes Catholicism and American Freedom and Parish Boundaries. |
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| Uncultured by Daniella Mestyanek YoungWhat it's about: growing up in the cult The Children of God (aka The Family Internation) and how author Daniella Mestyanek Young survived, escaped, and built a new life for herself.
Don't miss: Young's reflections on joining the military and how her experiences there paralleled parts of her childhood.
Is it for you? As with most memoirs about life as part of The Children of God, Young discusses the physical and sexual abuse she endured as a child. |
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The Light We Give: How Sikh Wisdom Can Transform Your Life
by Simran Jeet Singh
What it's about: life lessons people of all faiths learn from Sikh teachings to practice gratitude, see the divine in each other, and foster an optimistic perspective.
Read it for: the accessible and engaging exploration of Sikhism designed for people unfamiliar with the faith.
About the author: Dr. Simran Jeet Singh is a writer and activist who teaches at Union Theological Seminary. In addition to his writing for adults, he has also published a children's book called Fauja Singh Keeps Going.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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