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Spirituality and ReligionSeptember 2014
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"There is no way to peace along the way of safety. For peace must be dared, it is itself the great venture and can never be safe." ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945), German theologian
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New and Recently Released!
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| Redeemer: The Life of Jimmy Carter by Randall BalmerGeorgia politician Jimmy Carter became the 39th President of the United States in part by appealing to voters reacting against the immorality of Richard Nixon's administration. Himself a progressive evangelical Christian, Carter made no secret of his religious beliefs, though he didn't base his politics on an exclusively Christian agenda. Placing Carter in the context of the progressive evangelical movement that arose in the 19th century and supported a variety of reforms (including women's suffrage and the abolition of slavery), religious historian Randall Balmer explores the evangelical Christian elements of both Carter's campaign and Ronald Reagan's subsequent successful run. Whether you're interested in Carter's beliefs or the intersection of religion and politics, you'll find Redeemer an engaging and informative work. |
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| The Waiting: The True Story of a Lost Child, a Lifetime of Longing, and a Miracle... by Cathy LaGrow with Cindy ColomaIn 1928, 16-year-old Minka DeYoung was forced to give a baby up for adoption. Every year thereafter on her first daughter's birthday, Minka wrote to the orphanage inquiring how she was doing, but she never received an answer. Yet even into her 90s she continued to hope and pray that she could one day meet her child, whom she had named Betty Jane. The Waiting provides the compelling and inspiring accounts of Minka's youth and her long years of expectation, as well as Betty Jane's separate search for her birth mother. Author Cathy LaGrow, Minka's granddaughter, relates Minka and Betty Jane's parallel stories vividly and "with candor that makes characters come alive" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| Paradise in Plain Sight: Lessons from a Zen Garden by Karen Maezen MillerKaren Maezen Miller, a Zen Buddhist priest and author, draws on lessons from her house and garden to explain and illustrate the principles of her faith. In the first section, "Coming Here," she relates how she overcame doubts in choosing and buying a house. In Part Two, "Living Now," she explores faith and the "right view" as defined in Buddhist teaching. The concluding Part Three, "Letting Go," provides accounts of her garden's bounty and ruminations on forgiveness and compassion. If you're interested in a Buddhist approach to gardening or want an introduction to Buddhist philosophy, Paradise in Plain Sight offers an excellent beginning. |
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| Opening Heaven's Door: Investigating Stories of Life, Death, and What Comes After by Patricia PearsonIn this "fascinating and candid analysis of the process of dying" (Kirkus Reviews), author Patricia Pearson explores paranormal phenomena associated with near-death experiences and other dangerous situations. Having encountered such psychic events in connection with her father's and sister's deaths, Pearson undertook extensive research on similar reports from hospice nurses, other health care professionals, and a variety of ordinary people. Pearson concludes that dreams, experiences under anesthesia, and observations of dying loved ones contain a common theme of love and peace, indicating that death is a transition rather than an ultimate loss. Opening Heaven's Door offers insight into this transition and comfort to those who fear death. |
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| No Place to Hide: A Brain Surgeon's Long Journey Home from the Iraq War by W. Lee Warren, M.D.During the Iraq war, brain surgeon Major Lee Warren volunteered for duty at Balad Air Base, leaving behind marital problems and a lay worship ministry in his church. In Iraq, he witnessed horrifying injuries to American personnel and Iraqi civilians, including children, as well as other disturbing aspects of the war. The impact of what he saw in the war zone forced him to examine his relationship with God. After he returned home, strengthened by renewed faith, he confronted his problems there as well as the PTSD caused by his war experience. This disturbing but ultimately inspiring war memoir offers a compelling read, whether you're interested in military memoirs or spiritual autobiographies. |
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Focus on: Faith and Courage
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| Paradise Beneath Her Feet: How Women are Transforming the Middle East by Isobel ColemanWithin both Islamic and other cultures, Muslim women are often viewed and treated as second-class citizens with even fewer rights than women everywhere. In Paradise Beneath Her Feet, author Isobel Coleman draws on extensive research, including visits to several Islamic countries, such as Iran, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, to describe efforts to change these conditions. She finds that, while remaining devoted to their faith, many Muslim women (and some men) are courageously working to improve opportunities for women and girls. Coleman reports directly -- often through interviews and short biographies -- on the feminists' work. Anyone interested in the relationship between Islam and feminism will find a compelling testimony in this book. |
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| Francis of Assisi: A Revolutionary Life by Adrian HouseFrancis of Assisi, founder of the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans), is one of the best known among Christian saints. Author Adrian House offers an engaging portrait of Francis, focusing more than previous biographers on how understanding Francis' historical context helps modern readers interpret the legends about him. House relates Francis' early life, his conversion and courageous rejection of his family's wealth, his relationship with St. Clare (founder of the Poor Clares order), his dangerous journey to Egypt during the Crusades, and the events surrounding his death. Writing for a broad audience, House neither accepts nor rejects the supernatural aspects of Francis' legend, offering a "vivid, interesting, and readable" (Library Journal) saint's life. |
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| Conquering Fear: Living Boldly in an Uncertain World by Harold S. KushnerFear -- and how to cope with it -- is the focus of this book by Rabbi Harold S. Kushner, bestselling author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People. Noting that the phrase "do not be afraid" occurs in the Old and New Testaments over 80 times, Kushner rejects the notion of a God who intentionally causes widespread devastation or inflicts suffering on individuals, maintaining that "God is moral, Nature is not." He covers specific fears, ranging from losing a job to losing loved ones to natural disasters and terrorist attacks; he also discusses the role of religion both in assuaging and instilling fear. This compassionate book offers faith-based and realistic, practical advice on maintaining courage in fearful situations. |
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| Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric MetaxasGerman Protestant pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer risked his life for years to counter Adolf Hitler's anti-Semitic National Reich Church by opposing the Nazis' hate-filled, distorted theology. This illuminating biography traces Bonhoeffer's life from childhood through his role in leading the anti-Nazi Confessing Church movement. Motivated by his faith to return from New York City in 1931 to stand with fellow opponents of Hitler in Germany, Bonhoeffer worked to secure support from outside the country while joining as a conspirator in failed plots to assassinate Hitler -- and was executed for his efforts three weeks before the war's end in 1945. For another recent inspiring account of Bonhoeffer's life, read Charles Marsh's Strange Glory. |
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| Gospel of Freedom: Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail... by Jonathan RiederIn the late 1950s, when The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. became prominent in efforts to end Jim Crow laws in the South, he was regarded by some as too young and inexperienced to lead such an ambitious movement. A document that he published in 1963 changed that perception. Responding to charges by white Birmingham, Alabama clergy that he was a violent extremist, King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail" laid out his Gospel-inspired reasoning for opposing segregation. In Gospel of Freedom, published 50 years later, author Jonathan Rieder reprints and analyzes King's letter, showing how it has inspired courage in many others since 1963. Booklist, in a starred review, calls this "a must-read" for anyone interested in King's legacy. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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