Judas : a biography

by Susan Gubar. Gubar (English, Indiana Univ.), whose The Madwoman in the Attic, coauthored with Sandra M. Gilbert, changed the landscape of literary and feminist studies when published in 1979, applies her considerable powers to the embattled figure of the apostle who betrayed Jesus. Gubar's approach sidesteps questions of religious truth to focus on the figure of Judas as a mirror for the ever-shifting cultures that used him as a symbol of everything from evil to love to heroism. She brings her penetrating analysis to the dozens of poets, writers, artists, theologians, mystics, and filmmakers who have expressed our ambivalent fascination with Judas. As Gubar reminds us, Judas, as an unredeemed and guilty Jew, gave strength to ancient and modern anti-Semitism, up to and including the nightmare of the Holocaust, while the storm of excited controversy that erupted first around Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code and then the rediscovery of the "lost" Gospel of Judas demonstrates our continuing hunger for new ideas about one of our oldest shared stories. An exhaustive, beautifully written cultural history of our favorite wrongdoer, Gubar's work is an immensely rewarding and crucially important book. Highly recommended. --Library Journal (Check Catalog)

Red, white, and Muslim : my story of belief

by Asma Gull Hasan. Americans looking for a strong, moderate Muslim voice that publicly condemns terrorism and the second-class status of women should consider it done—not once and for all, but nonetheless consistently and fiercely. Hasan, an American Muslim woman whose efforts to inform others about the Islam that she practices and to correct narrow-minded extremists have earned her regular appearances on Fox News and MSNBC, has revised Why I Am a Muslim (2004), adding fresh material. Its arguments, based in Hasan's personal experience and religious knowledge, are as relevant now as they were five years ago. The book is directed primarily at non-Muslim Americans to show them Qur'anic texts and Islamic beliefs and practices that challenge unfavorable stereotypes. But Hasan also takes on her fellow Muslims, urging them to distinguish cultural mores from religious orthodoxy, especially concerning the treatment of women. (Check catalog)

The last divine office : Henry VIII and the dissolution of the monasteries

by Geoffrey Moorehouse. In the 1530s, England and Wales boasted 650-plus religious houses, few of which were more prosperous or better run than the Benedictine chapter of the house and cathedral of Durham. But on New Year's Eve 1539, the monks celebrated their last mass in Durham Cathedral because their order was dissolved by royal decree as part of Henry VIII's attack on the Church. Across England, monks and nuns left their houses, chapters were stripped of their wealth, and their land sold: "the biggest transfer of wealth…the country had ever known" took place, enriching the monarch and many others. (Check Catalog)

Reclaiming virtue : how we can develop the moral intelligence to do the right thing at the right time for the right reason

by John Bradshaw Bestselling recovery expert and motivational speaker Bradshaw (Family Secrets), presents an in-depth survey of human behavior from many angles in a probing exploration of our inner guidance system. Beginning with magnificent moral moments (a black girl integrating a school smiles at a woman who spat at her), he interweaves his own tangled life experiences: he obtained advanced degrees in theology and philosophy, yet lost jobs after alcoholic binges even after a 12-step recovery program; he still felt like he was on the outside of life looking in and set out to change the direction of his life. --Publisher's Weekly (Check catalog)

Writing in the sand : Jesus and the soul of the Gospels

by Thomas Moore. Drawing on his background in theology, world religions, art history, psychology and mythology, author and psychotherapist Moore (Care of the Soul) proposes a fresh way of looking at the Christian gospels for those who once loved the texts, but no longer find them challenging. Moore believes the Jesus of the gospels was calling people to be open to life rather than attach themselves to a fixed teaching. He reframes the wedding feast at Cana-said to be the scene of Christ's first miracle-as "the first lesson in Jesus spirituality: Be human, understand the importance of play and simple sensual pleasures and listen to your family. Then go deeper." In Moore's reading of the gospels, Jesus himself is earthy and spiritual-a man clearly on the side of moderate sensual delight. Fans of Moore's previous books and readers who share his view that Jesus was not concerned with creating a religion or a plan for self-improvement, but was instead interested in a restructuring of the human imagination, will find plenty to ponder.--Publisher's Weekly  (Check catalog)

The 7 great prayers : for a lifetime of hope and blessings

by Paul McManus. Presents seven prayers designed to help people of any religion overcome challenges, develop a closer relationship with God, and achieve blessings in their lives. (Check catalog)

Never give up! : relentless determination to overcome life's challenges

by Joyce Meyer. "I believe God has a great purpose for you, and I urge you not to settle for anything less. He wants to bless you and give you a life that will thrill you, fulfill you, and bring you deep joy and sweet satisfaction, but also challenge you, stretch you, frustrate you at times, and even lead you to moments when you are tempted to give up." --Book jacket. (Check Catalog)

Argumentation schemes

by Douglas N. Walton. Very useful for those engaged in computational applications that use forms of argument that capture stereotypical patterns of human reasoning, this systematic analysis includes a compendium of 96 schemes. The authors begin by describing basic tools in understanding how and why argumentation schemes work, then address schemes for argument from analogy, classification and precedent; knowledge-based, practical and related schemes; arguments from generally accepted opinions, commitment and character; casual argumentation schemes; schemes and enthymemes; attack, rebuttal and refutation; refinement of the classification of schemes; formalizing schemes; and, specifically, schemes for computer systems. (Check Catalog)