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Spirituality and Religion November 2018
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When One Religion Isn't Enough : The Lives of Spiritually Fluid People
by Duane R. Bidwell
In the United States, we often assume religious and spiritual identity are pure, static, and singular. But some people regularly cross religious boundaries. These "spiritually fluid" people celebrate complex religious bonds, and in the process they blur social categories, evoke prejudice, and complicate religious communities. Their presence sparks questions: How and why do people become spiritually fluid? Are they just confused or unable to commit? How do we make sense of them?
Through in-depth conversations with spiritually fluid people, renowned scholar Duane Bidwell explores how people come to claim and be claimed by multiple religious traditions, how spiritually fluid people engage radically opposed truth claims, and what this growing population tells us about change within our communities.
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| Bathed in Prayer: Father Tim's Prayers, Sermons, and Reflections from the Mitford... by Jan KaronWhat's inside: Best known for her Mitford novels, Jan Karon presents this touching collection of sermons, prayers, advice, and inspirational quotes from Father Tim, the star of the series.
Is it for you? Although this collection will appeal most to established Mitford fans, it also includes essays from the author about her own faith journey and her writing. |
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The Prodigal Prophet : Jonah and the Mystery of God's Mercy
by Timothy Keller
Pastor and New York Times bestselling author Timothy Keller uncovers the moving, provocative, and urgent message within the book of Jonah and at the heart of the Christian faith. Most people, even those who are nonreligious, are familiar with the book of Jonah: a rebellious prophet defies God and is swallowed by a whale. Less familiar to most people is the second half of this Biblical story--what happens after Jonah is released from the belly of the fish. Yet it is in this second half of the story that one of the most powerful and important lessons of the Bible is hidden. The famous story shows how, if we would understand the mercy of God, it will always take us in directions we would rather not go, toward people we would rather not care about, and ultimately into the deepest counsels of God. In a time of growing division, The Prodigal Prophet shows us God's love among people, and how Christians must listen to God's call even when it takes them to uncomfortable places.
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| Pure: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Shamed a Generation of Young Women and... by Linda Kay KleinWhat it is: Linda Kay Klein's candid and sometimes disturbing appraisal of the emotional consequences that she believes evangelical Christianity's "purity culture" is having on young women -- and her story of leaving it behind.
Is it for you? Klein's reflections on her trauma and recollections of her experiences may be difficult for some readers.
Further reading: Nine Parts of Desire by Geraldine Brooks, which looks at similar issues faced by Muslim women; A Year of Biblical Womanhood by Rachel Held Evans. |
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| Almost Everything: Notes on Hope by Anne LamottWhat it's about: This candid, funny collection from the bestselling author of Hallelujah Anyway reflects on hope, encouraging readers to rely on its power even when things look grim.
Reviewers say: "Those who enjoy Lamott's consistently self-deprecating humor, vulnerability, and occasional nuggets of positivity will enjoy her latest" (Kirkus Reviews).
Want a taste? "I am stockpiling antibiotics for the Apocalypse, even as I await the blossoming of paperwhites on the windowsill in the kitchen." |
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Living With the Gods : On Beliefs and Peoples
by Neil MacGregor
Until fairly recently, religion as a major influence on the nature of individual societies around the world seemed to be on the wane. Now, far from being marginalized, the relationship between faith and society has moved to the center of politics and global conversation. Neil MacGregor's new book traces the ways in which different societies have understood and articulated their places in the cosmic scheme. It examines mankind's beliefs not from the perspective of institutional religions but according to how shared narratives have shaped societies--and what happens when different narratives run up against each other. As he did in A History of the World in 100 Objects and Germany: Memories of a Nation,MacGregor brilliantly combines objects, places, and ideas to examine and, ultimately, illuminate these pressing contemporary concerns.
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Why Religion? : A Personal Story
by Elaine H. Pagels
Drawing upon the perspectives of neurologists, anthropologists, and historians, as well as her own research, Pagels opens unexpected ways of understanding persistent religious aspects of our culture.
A provocative and deeply moving account from one of the most compelling religious thinkers at work today, Why Religion? explores the spiritual dimension of human experience.
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| Fields of Blood: Religion and the History of Violence by Karen ArmstrongWhat it is: a thorough exploration of the relationship between religion and violence, from early human civilization through the post-9/11 era.
Why you should read it: the unprecedented and comprehensive scope of the author's research, which is expertly condensed and recounted.
Reviewers say: "Provocative and supremely readable" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| The Souls of China: The Return of Religion After Mao by Ian JohnsonWhat it is: Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ian Johnson's compelling and lyrical account of his observations about China's evolving religious landscape following Mao Zedong's death in 1976 (and the subsequent loosening of government restrictions on religious practice).
Why you should read it: This book provides important context for understanding recent news reports of the Chinese government's efforts to Sinicize minority religious populations like the Uighur Muslim community. |
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| One Nation, Under Gods: A New American History by Peter ManseauWhy it's significant: This thought-provoking history is a much-needed examination of many of the non-Christian religions that have shaped both religious and secular aspects of American society.
Topics include: the religious diversity of Thomas Jefferson's library, the Jewish and Moorish presence among Spanish conquistadors, and the Iroquois religious legacy that helped inspire Mormon prophet Joseph Smith.
Reviewers say: "this history from another perspective reexamines familiar tales and introduces fascinating counternarratives" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| The Story of the Jews: Volume Two, Belonging: 1492-1900 by Simon SchamaWhat it is: the 2nd volume of Simon Schama's expansive yet accessible history of the Jewish people, covering the years between their 1492 expulsion from Spain and the rise of modern Zionism in the 19th century.
What's inside: Gripping depictions of some of the less well-known figures in this era of Jewish history, in locations as diverse as Venice, Ming China, and the court of Suleiman the Magnificent.
Book buzz: This book and the other volumes in the series were originally published as companions to the BBC/PBS series of the same name. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Morton Grove Public Library 6140 Lincoln Ave Morton Grove, Illinois 60053 (847) 965-4220www.mgpl.org/ |
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