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Spirituality and Religion September 2020
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| what it is, how it works, and why it's not taking over our country by Sumbul Ali-KaramaliWhat it's about: clearing up common misconceptions about shariah, with an accessible tour through the basic precepts and the role it plays in modern Muslim life.
Read it for: the author's incisive observations, which are delivered in an engaging and compassionate tone.
Did you know? In English, the literal translation of the word "shariah" is "the way." |
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| how white evangelicals corrupted a faith and fractured a nationby Kristin Kobes Du MezWhat it is: a thought-provoking and well-researched history of evangelicalism in America, from the charismatic tradition that emerged in the early 1900s to the modern Religious Right.
Why you should read it: Besides its connection to our current social and political dynamics, inside are intriguing arguments about the role of gender in the development of the evangelical movement. |
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making a home where both sides of Jerusalem collide by Stephanie SaldañaTexas native Stephanie Saldaña wrote about her 2004 experiences in Damascus, Syria in The Bread of Angels, where she met a French monk in an ancient monastery. In A Country Between, she relates how she and the now-former monk, Frédéric, married in France and decided to live in Jerusalem, which drew both of them with its deep spiritual significance. Their neighbors in a house on the Palestinian side of the city included Palestinian merchants and Mexican nuns, and it was patrolled by Israeli soldiers -- a potential flashpoint in Israeli-Palestinian conflicts. Yet this thoughtful memoir about motherhood and family in the midst of uncertainty focuses on the power of faith and hope for peace in the future.
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| When Truth is all you have: a memoir of Faith, Justice, and Freedom for the wrongly convicted by Jim McCloskeyWhat it is: the inspiring memoir of Presbyterian minister Jim McCloskey, who was inspired to found the inmate advocacy nonprofit Centurion Ministries after serving as chaplain at a New Jersey state prison.
You might also like: other memoirs at the intersection of faith and the prison system, such as After Life by Alice Marie Johnson or River of Fire by Sister Helen Prejean. |
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| Radical compassion: learning to love yourself and your world with the practice of RAIN by Tara BrachWhat's inside: an accessible guide to learning mindfulness skills, with a focus on developing self-compassion through an easy-to-remember "RAIN" technique -- Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture.
About the author: Mindfulness teacher Tara Brach hosts an eponymous weekly meditation podcast and her previous books include Radical Acceptance, True Refuge, and Healing Traumatic Fear. |
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| An appeal to the world: the way to peace in a time of division by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Franz AltWhat it is: a concise, inspiring contemplation of some of the most important-yet-contentious issues dividing people today, from one of the world's most revered spiritual leaders.
Why you should read it: The co-author, German journalist Franz Alt, first began covering the Dalai Lama 35 years ago, and in that time has developed a unique rapport with His Holiness that makes reflecting on weighty ethical topics feel a bit more accessible. |
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| Advice not given: a guide to getting over yourself by Mark EpsteinWhat it's about: the combined positive effects of Buddhist teachings and psychotherapy techniques on an individual's struggles with self-doubt and unrealized potential.
Topics include: managing the ego, coping with destabilizing life events, and the importance of taking advice but drawing your own conclusions from it.
About the author: Mark Epstein is a graduate of Harvard Medical School and has published other books on Buddhism and psychology, such as Going to Pieces Without Falling Apart and The Trauma of Everyday Life. |
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| The art of living: peace and freedom in the here and now by Thích Nhất HạnhWhat it is: an inspiring and thought-provoking guide to mindful living from one of the world's foremost Buddhist figures, peace activist and monk Thich Nhat Hanh.
Why you should read it: With new books about mindfulness published every day that increasingly remove meditation from its traditional context, The Art of Living is refreshingly grounded in Buddhist thought and practice. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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BRAZORIA COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM 912 N. Velasco Angleton, Texas 77515 (979) 864-1505bcls.lib.tx.us |
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