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Spirituality and Religion September 2020
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| Demystifying Shariah: 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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| Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured... by 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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| The King of Confidence: A Tale of Utopian Dreamers, Frontier Schemers, True Believers... by Miles HarveyIntroducing: Lawyer and committed atheist James Strang, who disappeared from his small New York town in 1843 only to reemerge as part of the fledgling Latter-Day Saint movement, eventually declaring himself Joseph Smith's successor.
Read it for: the surprising moments of dark humor that come from the truly farcical nature of parts of Strang's story, including forgery, piracy, and creating a private kingdom for himself on an island in Lake Michigan. |
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| When Truth Is All You Have: A Memoir of Faith, Justice, and Freedom for the Wrongly... 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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| 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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Manatee County Public Library System 1301 Barcarrota Boulevard West Bradenton, Florida 34205 (941) 748-5555www.mymanatee.org/library |
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