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Spirituality and ReligionJanuary 2016
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| The Relevance of Religion: How Faithful People Can Change Politics by John DanforthAsserting that religious motivation should guide us to serve interests beyond our own, rather than pushing a certain belief, Episcopal priest and former U.S. Senator John Danforth calls for cooperation in politics. While in his previous book, Faith and Politics, he emphasized the dangers of religious wedge issues, in The Relevance of Religion he lifts up the potential for religion to heal divisions. He also reviews the history of American politics, including negative aspects such as the polarizing effects of religion, sensationalist reportage, and ego-driven campaigning. This book will appeal to those interested in politics and religion, whatever their ideological persuasion. |
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| Brand Luther by Andrew PettegreeOn All Hallows' Eve, 1517, an Augustinian monk named Martin Luther posted a diatribe against the Vatican's sale of indulgences on the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. The resulting controversy eventually coalesced into the Protestant Reformation and contributed to a major shift in European civilization. In Brand Luther, historian Andrew Pettegree depicts Luther's writing and publishing juggernaut, showing how he leveraged an accessible writing style, printing technology, and the rise of capitalism to create a wildly successful marketing campaign. This thoroughly researched portrait of Luther (including a discussion of his anti-Semitic rants) will engage those interested in the Reformation or the history of marketing strategy. |
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| Church of Spies: The Pope's Secret War Against Hitler by Mark RieblingIn this "absorbing, polished" (Kirkus Reviews) history of Pope Pius XII's World War II activities, intelligence expert Mark Riebling suspensefully recounts the Vatican's risky efforts to undermine Adolf Hitler. While Pius XII has been labeled "Hitler's Pope," Riebling's research uncovers a different story: the Pope refrained from speaking out against the Nazis for fear of betraying his covert anti-Nazi campaign. Drawing on recently unsealed files, audio recordings from the Pope's library, and research into the German Resistance, Church of Spies will fascinate students of Vatican history, World War II, and spycraft. |
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| The Bassoon King: My Life in Art, Faith, and Idiocy by Rainn WilsonBest known as Dwight Schrute on television's The Office, comedian Rainn Wilson didn't fit in while growing up (and never was a bassoon phenom), and he struggled financially early in his acting career. He also floundered spiritually until he reconnected with Baha'i, the faith of his childhood. In The Bassoon King, Wilson irreverently and movingly details the challenges of his youth, dishes gossip on The Office, and shares the importance of openly embracing Baha'i and living according to its teachings. Whether you're a fan of his career (which he broadcasts on Twitter) or interested in his spiritual life, be sure to pick up this autobiography. |
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Focus on: Religious Journeys |
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The Way A father (Martin Sheen) embarks on a physical and spiritual journey to better understand the son he has just lost. Daniel (played by Martin Sheen’s real life son, Emilio Estevez) has been killed in a freak storm at the start of his walk on the Camino de Santiago, the ancient pilgrims’ route to the shrine of Saint James the Apostle in northern Spain. Tom, his father, comes to collect his remains, and impulsively decides to walk “The Way” himself, in order to honor his estranged son. Estevez directed this comedy-drama which unfolds as a physically challenging, but spiritually rewarding, journey for a man who is mourning both his son and his own life’s choices.
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| Man Seeks God: My Flirtations with the Divine by Eric WeinerFaced with a mid-life medical scare, author Eric Weiner is startled when a hospital nurse asks him, "Have you found your God yet?" As a non-observant Jew, he decides after he recovers to explore a variety of religions to find the God who is right for him. Traveling around the globe, he visits (and whirls with) Sufi dervishes, meditates with Tibetan monks, and attends a convention of Raelians (who are inspired by their belief in UFOs). During his final stop, in Israel, he studies the Kabbalah. With self-deprecating humor, Man Seeks God recounts Weiner's experiences and shows his sincere appreciation for what he learns. |
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| Searching for Zion by Emily RaboteauIn this unusual search for spiritual meaning, biracial American novelist Emily Raboteau discovers Ethiopian Jews in Israel and then embarks on a worldwide search for the metaphorical Zion -- a spiritual homeland for people of the African Diaspora. Over ten years, she meets with Rastafarians, African Hebrew Israelites, followers of preacher Creflo Dollar in the South's Black Belt, and others. Her account vividly reveals the scars of racism borne by black people everywhere. Witty and engaging, Searching for Zion offers insight into the problem of spiritual identity along with thought-provoking considerations of race and belonging. |
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| The Sisters of Sinai: How Two Lady Adventurers Discovered the Hidden... by Janet SoskiceTwin sisters Margaret Smith Gibson and Agnes Smith Lewis, prosperous 19th-century Scottish widows, felt called as faithful Presbyterians to extend the reach of biblical scholarship. After they learned of the manuscript collection at St. Catherine's, a Greek Orthodox monastery on a remote mountain in the Sinai Peninsula, the sisters traveled there in 1892, hoping to discover previously unknown copies of biblical texts. Relating details of the status of women in the period, the rigors of travel to such a remote place, and scholarly controversies about ancient manuscripts, Cambridge theologian Janet Soskice paints a colorful picture of the sisters' lives, illuminating the significance of their contribution to biblical studies. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books! |
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My Next 5 For personalized reading recommendations from Durham County librarians, you may want to try My Next 5. Simply complete an online form to tell us a little about what genres, books, and authors you like (or dislike). A DCL librarian will review your submission and reply within three days with a list of the next five books you should read.
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Novelist
NextReads is a service of Durham County Library and NoveList, a comprehensive database of fiction and nonfiction titles for all ages, including recommendations, articles, and lists for your fiction and nonfiction needs. Durham County Library cardholders can access NoveList from any computer. |
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