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Spirituality and Religion September 2019
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The war for kindness : building empathy in a fractured world
by Jamil Zaki
A Stanford psychologist outlines a revolutionary new understanding of empathy that demonstrates how it is an acquired skill and not a fixed trait, sharing science-based stories that demonstrate how to promote empathy in today's racially charged world.
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Conscience: The Origins of Moral Intuition
by Patricia S. Churchland
What it is: a scholarly yet accessible inquiry into the possible origins of morality, straddling the intellectual divides between religion, philosophy, neuroscience, and psychology.
Who it's for: readers who enjoy philosophical and intellectually stimulating explorations of spiritual topics.
About the author: MacArthur Fellow and UC San Diego professor Patricia Churchland is a pioneer in the field of neurophilosophy and author of books such as The Computational Brain and Touching a Nerve.
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A History of the Bible: The Story of the World's Most Influential Book
by John Barton
What it is: a thought-provoking journey through the collection of texts (from parables to poetry) that make up the Bible, with plenty of historical and cultural context.
Why you might like it: The comprehensive timeline coupled with the author's impartiality make this a useful resource for all readers of religious history, no matter their individual beliefs.
Try this next: Constantine's Bible by David Laird Dungan; Three Testaments by Brian Arthur Brown.
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Love Big : The Power of Revolutionary Relationships to Heal the World
by Rozella Haydée White
In Love Big, leadership coach Rozella Haydée White introduces readers to the power of revolutionary relationships. Modeled after the image of God as a lover, these relationships can heal the brokenness of our lives by crossing over the dividing lines of race, gender, religion, orientation, ability, identity, and class to provide relief and inspiration.
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Glorious weakness : discovering God in all we lack
by Alia Joy
In this deeply personal exploration of what it means to be "poor in spirit," Joy challenges our cultural proclivity to "pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps." She calls on readers to embrace true vulnerability and authenticity with God and with one another, showing how weakness does not disqualify us from inclusion in the kingdom of God--instead, it is our very invitation to enter in.
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God's Favorites: Judaism, Christianity, and the Myth of Divine Chosenness
by Michael Coogan
What it's about: the concept of a "chosen people" and the multitude of dangers of religious chauvinism.
Read it for: its persuasive use of biblical text analysis and the author's impartial tone.
About the author: Michael Coogan teaches at Harvard Divinity School and has written the other concise religious histories The Ten Commandments and God and Sex.
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Run the mile you're in : finding God in every step
by Ryan Hall
Reflecting on the joys and trials of the running life, the Olympic athlete and American record holder in the half marathon discusses how his powerful faith guided his extraordinary career and shares the lessons and inspiration he’s discovered to living a life devoted to a God-given purpose.
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River of fire : my spiritual journey
by Helen Prejean
An activist nun known for campaigning to end the death penalty describes her spiritual journey from a person who prayed for God to solve the problems of the world to someone who works to transform social injustices herself.
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Leaving the Witness: Exiting a Religion and Finding a Life
by Amber Scorah
What it's about: the personal and religious trials of third-generation Jehovah's Witness Amber Scorah, from growing up in the church to missionary work to ultimately losing her faith and her family of origin.
What makes it unique: the circumstances and story of the author's missionary posting in China, where religious expression is tightly controlled by the government.
Reviewers say: "[Scorah] has a winning sense of humor" in this "impressive debut" (Publishers Weekly).
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Iredell County Public Library 201 North Tradd Street Statesville, North Carolina 28677 704-878-3090Connect With Us: |
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