Pragmatism : a reader

 Pragmatism, which editor Menand says "is an account of the way people think," is the most American contribution to philosophy, albeit, as he explains, one that many think is nearly an antiphilosophy. The foremost pragmatists were and are Americans. The great progenitors were C. S. Peirce and William James. Their immediate followers include the father of progressive education, John Dewey; the jurist Oliver Wendell Holmes; social worker Jane Addams; and the father of social psychology, George Herbert Mead. Contemporary avatars of what can seem a pragmatic revival include critic of philosophy Richard Rorty, philosopher of religion Cornel West, and legal scholar Richard A. Posner. The most important papers by all those and several less generally known figures are the contents of this reader. They aren't easy reading, but Menand's introduction is considerably more accessible; he is to be thanked for it as well as for bringing the most influential pragmatist writings together for those who feel up to their challenges. --Booklist (Check catalog)

Striking a balance : a primer in traditional Asian values

 by Michael Brannigan. Brannigan (College of Saint Rose) draws on various narratives in a discussion of Hindu, Buddhist, Zen Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian ethics, with an emphasis on bridging Western and Eastern understanding of Asian religions and balancing opposites. Hinduism's core teaching is that the true self is one with Brahman; morality consists in the ability to view others as one views oneself. The common ground of Buddhist schools is found in the Four Noble Truths and the Middle Path--also expressed in the ubiquity of suffering and the impermanence of all things, even the permanent self. Buddhist ethics' Eightfold Path is its centerpiece. Zen Buddhism emphasizes the direct experience of satori, or enlightenment, as essential. Taoists hold that breaches in the natural harmony with the Tao, the Way, mean that people must reconnect with their original nature to live in balance with all. Ren, the inner attitude of humaneness or benevolence, is the cornerstone of Confucian values; it is a balance of individual and communal values. Both Huston Smith in The World's Religions (rev. and updated, 1991) and Brannigan affirm the wisdom traditions; Smith explores both Western and Eastern religious thought. Brannigan's style is clear and engaging. Included are questions and philosophical excerpts. --Choice. (Check Catalog)

Amish peace : simple wisdom for a complicated world

 by Suzanne Woods Fisher Suzanne Woods Fisher's interest in the Anabaptist culture can be directly traced to her grandfather, W.D. Benedict, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin county, Pennsylvania. Suzanne has contributed to several nonfiction books, is the author of three novels, and lives in California. (Check Catalog)

Pragmatism's advantage : American and European philosophy at the end of the twentieth century

 by Joseph Margolis. This is the third book from Margolis (Temple) providing his assessment of philosophy's problems and prospects, following Reinventing Pragmatism (CH, Oct'03, 41-0859) and The Unraveling of Scientism (CH, May'04, 41-5226). A leading voice for 40 years, Margolis explains how pragmatism works as well as anyone, and he expertly exposes core philosophical issues at the intersections of pragmatism, analytic philosophy, and Continental philosophy. This book describes pragmatism's capacity for translating and bridging intellectual divides, its assistance with naturalism's maturity, its inheritance of moderate Kantian and Hegelian contributions, and its prospects for sustaining cross-tradition conversations. Because Margolis uses a wider backdrop of lingering post-Kantian controversies, he can interpret seemingly unrelated philosophical arguments from different traditions as variations on fundamental themes. All along, Margolis has his own rich and complex pragmatism, and he ably defends its merits, which consist chiefly of avoiding metaphysical dead-ends, synthesizing points that other traditions get right, and supplying leadership on ways to work out some remaining tough problems. Pragmatism, in Margolis's hands, proves to be surprisingly adaptable. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Academic libraries; lower-level undergraduates through faculty/researchers.

Frithjof Schuon and the perennial philosophy

 by Harry Oldmeadow. Schuon was one of the leading thinkers connected with the philosophia perennis, which holds that a common teaching and wisdom is at the core of all the world's most well-known religions and mystical traditions. This truth, as Schuon described it, does not belong to any particular system but is shared by all metaphysical systems insofar as they are true. During his long life, Schuon argued for this claim and taught it in a long series of highly influential publications. In the process, he became, along with Rene Guenon, its best-known advocate, attracting students and disciples from around the world. In the present study, Oldmeadow (La Trobe Univ., Australia), after providing a helpful biographical sketch and a discussion of other 20th-century perennialists, offers a comprehensive description and explication of Schuon's basic metaphysical assumptions and the large claims he built on them. Oldmeadow's familiarity with the wide range of Schuon's work and his clear expository style make this a valuable introduction to Schuon's thought. The serious problem he does not address adequately is whether Schuon's position is true or was built on a series of very suspect assumptions. Readers of Schuon will have to make this judgment for themselves. --Choice (Check Catalog)

God of liberty : a religious history of the American Revolution

 by Thomas S. Kidd. Kidd directs his magnifying glass on a rare slice of the American Revolution: its religious aspects. The organization of the work is more topical than chronological, giving a chapter's worth of attention to matters of racial equality, slavery, revivalism, chaplains, the Constitution, and the 1800 election of Jefferson as president. If there are common threads running throughout, they are the questions: How was the Revolution influenced by religion, and how was religion affected by the Revolution? Kidd is quite adept at providing answers while explaining the complicated connections between religion, politics, freedom, and patriotism that make up the Revolutionary period. After reading this, some may wonder why religion is so shortchanged in other Revolutionary treatments. In his epilogue, the author also has something to say about the notion of a Christian America, a topic that is particularly relevant today. --Booklist (Check Catalog)

Ideas That Matter

 by A.C. Grayling. Grayling (philosophy, Birkbeck College, Univ. of London) writes technical philosophy but also contributes to wider public debates on contemporary political and moral issues through his numerous published books and commentary in magazines. His latest book reflects both of these interests and can be described as a personal dictionary of ideas: it is an A to Z listing of concepts drawn from philosophy, politics, society, religion, and science that do not hide Grayling's subjective views. Although the title of the work suggests a futuristic orientation, it is better understood as an attempt to explain the broad intellectual background of the 21st century by offering mini-discourses on very large concepts such as history, religion, truth, and war, among other subjects. That Grayling is able to offer pleasantly readable accounts of these immense topics in one or two pages is a testament to his skill as a writer for wide audiences. The personal views that Grayling most often interjects usually have to do with his secularism or atheism, which is apparent in any of the entries having to do with religion. As such the book is somewhat reminiscent of Voltaire's Philosophical Dictionary, but not as funny. --Choice (Check Catalog)

Giving voice to values : how to speak your mind when you know what's right

 by Mary C. Gentile. Gentile, director of the Giving Voice to Values curriculum and senior research scholar at Babson College, offers a powerful action-oriented manifesto for living with integrity, fighting for one's convictions, and building a more ethical workplace. Arguing that if enough of us feel empowered to voice and act on our values then the business world will be transformed, she shows how to practice and perfect speaking up, thereby building skills and confidence. While Gentile's goal is unimpeachable, the vaunted outspokenness might be a harder sell to individuals in more vulnerable positions. Nevertheless, she provides sound guidance to making the workplace fairer by appealing to the sense of purpose in others, completing a self-assessment to determine risk and personal communication style, and anticipating reasons and rationalizations for questionable behaviors. For those motivated to hear her call, Gentile presents a strong-and sorely needed-case for improving corporate culture. --Publishers weekly (Check Catalog)

American grace : how religion divides and unites us

 by Robert D. Putnam.  In recent controversy over the national motto, In God we trust, Putnam and Campbell see a symptom of profound change in the national character. Using data drawn from two large surveys, the authors plumb these changes. The data show that the tempestuous sixties shook faith in religion and that the seventies and eighties incubated a strong resurgence of devotion. But the two most recent decades add another twist, as young Americans have abandoned the pews in record numbers. Still, despite recent erosion of religious commitment, Americans remain a distinctively devout people. And devotion affects life far from the sanctuary: Putnam and Campbell parse numbers that identify religious Americans as more generous, more civically engaged, and more neighborly than their secularly minded peers. But the analysis most likely to stir debate illuminates how religion has increasingly separated Republicans from Democrats, conservatives from progressives. Readers may blame the Christian Right for this new cultural fissure, but survey statistics mark liberal congregations as the most politicized. But whether looking at politics or piety, the authors complement their statistical analysis with colorful vignettes, humanizing their numbers with episodes from the lives of individual Protestants and Catholics, Jews and Mormons. An essential resource for anyone trying to understand twenty-first-century America. --Booklist (Check Catalog)

The great divorce : a nineteenth-century mother's extraordinary fight against her husband, the Shakers, and her times

 by Ilyon Woo. Seductive and willful, Eunice Chapman, a woman small only in stature, is the focal point of Woo's engaging debut historical study of one 19th-century upstate New York woman's fight for her children. Eunice married "old, disagreeable, and repulsive" James Chapman for economic survival and, through the legal doctrine of coverture, becomes civilly, and legally, dead. James, an alcoholic abuser, left Eunice in the fall of 1811 and found refuge among the Shakers, taking the children with him. Today, Shakers are remembered for their simple lifestyle and handiwork, but they were a radical, religious sect "that often swooped in on disconsolate spiritual seekers offering themselves up to hungry souls eager to rebound from their broken faiths." The life of a Shaker was about falling in line, and Eunice-when she sought out her family in the Shaker community-would have no part of any of it. Woo takes readers through Eunice's custody battle, which shook New York State, and the utopian Shaker world and larger society. Eunice obtained a divorce and regained legal custody of her three children in 1818. Verdict Neglected history comes alive in this meticulously researched and compelling story of one tenacious woman. Strongly recommended to all interested readers. --Library Journal (Check Catalog)

APA ethics code commentary and case illustrations

 Campbell (Univ. of Georgia) and her fellow authors are all deeply involved with the American Psychological Association and particularly interested in and involved with ethical concerns in the discipline. In a period of moral uncertainties, they address the APA's body of ethical codes and standards, which specifies guidelines to abide by in every domain of the field. To highlight the relevance of each standard to everyday concerns and interpersonal transactions, the authors provide case studies of specific scenarios. These enable readers to reason their way through a problematic issue to reach an ethically sound, beneficial, and equitable solution in line with the prevailing code, promulgated in 2002. This readable volume will be invaluable across all the subdisciplines of psychology. --Choice (Check Catalog)

Anarchy evolution : faith, science, and bad religion in a world without god

 by Greg Graffin. With the assistance of science journalist Olson (Mapping Human History: Discovering the Past Through Our Genes, 2002, etc.), Bad Religion leader Graffin presents a memoir of a life lived "at the intersection of evolutionary biology and punk rock." In 1980, at age 15, Graffin co-founded the seminal punk band and also became fascinated with the writings and ideas of evolution. Bad Religion still plays and records, and the author is an evolutionary biologist with a doctorate in zoology from Cornell University. For Graffin, the appeal of both worlds was that, at their best, they challenged authority, dogma and given truths and opened up space for the anarchic process of creativity. As a naturalist, the author states that "the physical universe is the universe"—there is nothing more. But that is more than enough for him, as having a role in the unfolding adventure of life on earth—which includes both tragedy and death—sustains him. Life, he writes, is not simply an inexorable process of natural selection, in which the fittest survive and procreate, but an anarchic creative collision of biology and environment, chance and circumstance. Graffin and Olson explain this view of evolution in clear, accessible language. While avoiding easy analogies with evolution, a large part of the book is devoted to the evolution of Bad Religion, as its art and career careened in unpredictable directions. Along the way, Graffin provides a wonderful depiction of the early L.A. punk scene, a detailed account of his adventures doing field work in the remote Amazon region of Bolivia and an honest appraisal of his failure to successfully balance science, music and family. In the end, writes the author, it is the human trait of empathy—not religion or any other authority—that allows us to recognize our common humanity and to accept the uniqueness of each individual. Humble, challenging and inspiring. --Kirkus (Check Catalog)

Original sin and everyday Protestants : the theology of Reinhold Niebuhr, Billy Graham, and Paul Tillich in an age of anxiety

 by Andrew S. Finstuen. This unconventional study by Finstuen (Pacific Lutheran Univ.) presents "a curious trinity" of Reinhold Niebuhr, Billy Graham, and Paul Tillich, examined in relationship to one another through the prism of original sin. For each, the doctrine was the interpretive principle by which to reach a wide audience of "ordinary Protestants" in the post-WW II "age of anxiety." Keeping all these components together and focused is a delicate balancing act, but under Finstuen's skillful management of well-researched primary and secondary sources, the final product is an insightful and informative monograph. Finstuen perceptively describes the study's religious and cultural context, persuasively demonstrates that original sin was the underlying doctrinal cohesion among the three figures, and presents their individual and collective influence as diagnosticians of the human condition. Key to his analysis of the period and figures under study is the distinction between a "theological revival" that encouraged the independence of Christian faith from culture and a "captive revival" that encouraged the assimilation of faith into the culture. Niebuhr, Graham, and Tillich led the theological revival that set them against the prevailing ethos of optimism and conformity, and they, along with the "ordinary Protestants" of the era, emerge from this study in a new light. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty/researchers. --Choice (Check Catalog)

Inhabiting the cruciform God : kenosis, justification, and theosis in Paul's narrative soteriology

 by Michael J. Gorman. Gorman (St. Mary's Seminary and University, Baltimore) devotes four chapters to the apostle Paul's understanding of human participation in God's cruciform character. Chapter 1 attends to Paul's view that Christ's self-emptying in the Crucifixion represents the character of God (and not just Christ) and is to be the model-character for humans called to be in Christ as God's representative. Chapter 2 contends that Paul understood the justification of humans by God as requiring human "participating in Christ's resurrection life that is effected by co-crucifixion with him." Chapter 3 argues that Paul regarded human holiness as human participation in the Cross of Christ by the power of God's spirit. Chapter 4 shows that a life of nonviolence and reconciliation is required for human participating in God's cruciform character. A nice summary of this approach to Paul's position is Gorman's statement: "To be truly human is to be Christlike, which is to be Godlike, which is to be kenotic and cruciform." Gorman defines "theosis" as "the process of transformation into the image of this God." The book is nontechnical but carefully attentive to relevant literature on its topic. --Choice (Check catalog)

Crazy love : overwhelmed by a relentless God

 by Francis Chan. Chan, senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, Calif., offers a radical call for evangelicals to consider and emulate in this debut guide to living "crazy" for God. Chan's own life compels him to live with urgency, and with good reason. His mother died giving birth to him, his stepmother died when he was nine, and his dad when he was 12. As a pastor, Chan says that conducting weekly funerals for people younger than himself has likewise sobered him to life's unexpectedness and frailty. Chan writes with infectious exuberance, challenging Christians to take the Bible seriously. He describes at length the sorry state of "lukewarm" Christians who strive for a life characterized by control, safety and an absence of suffering. In stark contrast, the book offers real-life accounts of believers who have given all--time, money, health, even their lives--in obedience to Christ's call. Chan also recounts his own attempts to live "crazy" by significantly downsizing his home and giving away his resources to the poor. Earnest Christians will find valuable take-home lessons from Chan's excellent book. --Publishers Weekly (Check Catalog)

Thinking of answers : questions in the philosophy of everyday l

 by A.C. Grayling. Unlike many other academic philosophers, Grayling cares too much about philosophy to leave it in the classroom. Indeed, as he applies the philosophic habit of mind to the issues arising in ordinary life, he opens remarkably expansive horizons. To be sure, only careful analysis can sound the depths of the larger questions engaged: Can humans ever reach objective truth, or does truth finally disappear in a welter of individual perspectives? What is the source and meaning of personal identity? But even casual reflection on relatively small matters such as smoking and tanning can yield surprising insights. Scornful of all forms of dogmatism, Grayling disavows any intention of definitively settling the controversies he visits in this array of diverse short pieces (first published in various popular journals): he simply aims to stimulate thought, inviting readers to revise or even reject his views. Because the author repeatedly echoes the antireligious diatribes of Dawkins and Hitchens, among others, devout readers will welcome the invitation to develop their own line of reasoning. A bracing miscellany. --Booklist. (Check Catalog)

New York Amish : life in the plain communities of the Empire State

  by Karen Johnson-Weiner.  Amish settlements in New York have grown to some 25 since these German-speaking Anabaptist immigrants first came to the state in the early 19th century and are less well-known than Amish communities in other states, notes Johnson-Weiner (anthropology, State U. of New York, Potsdam). She traces their history, traditions, intragroup differences (e.g., between the Swartzentruber Amish and the Swiss Amish), and relations with non-Amish. The book includes maps and photos, even some of a people who regard such as forbidden graven images. Appendices list existing and extinct Old Order Amish settlements in New York. --Summary (Check catalog)

The global Luther : a theologian for modern times

 The Global Luther is one of those rare finds among edited volumes: a work that across 17 chapters shows remarkable coherence and thematic unity. Its editor, Helmer, guided with great acuity the like-titled conference held at Northwestern in 2008. Helmer has brought together an excellent collection of scholars to assess the continuing impact of Martin Luther on the 21st-century world. Though the roster includes a few long-established scholars, the contributors are largely of a new and emerging generation. Sharing their scholarship with the wider academic community makes this volume important on that point alone. The book begins by examining Luther's impact on Western civilization and the global community. The next two sections look at Luther's understanding of the human being coram deo (before God) and coram hominibus (before humanity). The fourth section places justification by faith into broader conversation with ethics and interreligious dialogue. Finally, the book examines, with appreciated nuance, Luther's approach to politics and the use of coercive power. --Choice (Check Catalog)

Every moment matters : savoring the stuff of life

 by John St. Augustine. In his latest, self-help author St. Augustine (Living an Uncommon Life: Essential Lessons from 12 Extraordinary People) examines the individual instances that have meant much to him, encouraging readers to do the same for themselves: "while the journey has been one of discipline and self-examination my life (and I suspect yours, too) is filled with moments that. taught me something, made me stop alive in my tracks, had me catch my breath." These moments are universal but predictable; one of St. Augustine's first examples is the death of his beloved dog Jake, a time of deep sadness that nevertheless made him realize the value of the companionship, unconditional love, fun, and adventure his pet provided. Another section finds him recalling a decades-old Colorado hiking trip with his friend David, on which he learned that "there is more than one way to reach the top, that it's good to have a buddy along for support, [and] that those who have gone before you often . make the climb a bit more manageable." Though his ruminations tend top be wordy (bordering on mundane self-absorption), St. Augustine makes an eager guide to the importance of reflection and mindfulness. --Publishers Weekly (Check Catalog)

Mencius

 by Mencius. This translation of the Mengzi (391-308 BCE), or as he is know to westerners, Mencius, is a tremendous accomplishment that crowns Bloom's exemplary career as a sinologist. Felicitous and insightful, accurate and challenging, the text is presented in a clearer light than ever before. Ivanhoe's sensitive introduction and editing add to the strength of the work. His introduction focuses on the political, religious, ethical, and cultural views of Mencius. Mencius is concerned primarily with the concept of ren or humaneness, the motivation of human actors of all stations and their mutual respect. This translation shows the depth of his arguments and highlights their impact on generations of Chinese beliefs. The Columbia translations of all Asian texts have been recognized for decades as the best in the field. William Theodore de Bary's assembled scholar/translators have provided generations of teachers, students, and researchers with solid English texts of the classics. This translation should be taken as a model to sinologists and translators throughout their studies. Summing Up: Essential. Upper-level undergraduates through faculty/researchers; general readers. --Choice (Check Catalog)

The new shape of world Christianity : how American experience reflects global faith

 by Mark A. Knoll. Given the dramatic shift in world Christianity in the 20th century away from domination by Europe and North America, Noll (history, Univ. of Notre Dame) argues for a new historical perspective. Whereas in 1900 over 70 percent of Christians were white Europeans, the typical Christian today is African or Latin American. Noll, an evangelical Protestant, focuses on the relationships between American and global Christianity. With convincing interpretations of recent scholarship, he argues that the "template" of American Christianity rather than its direct influence has been the main American contribution to world Christianity, especially in its evangelical and Pentecostal forms. The American model of church growth includes voluntarism (rather than state churches), pragmatism, lay participation, and entrepreneurial initiatives. Voluntary societies, for example, successfully recruited and sent missionaries worldwide. Although scholars often have critiqued missions as serving American interests abroad, they usually have not asked why Christianity flourished. Noll answers that economic globalization has made large parts of the world look "more like America." Christianity has grown not from American imposition but because "parallel historical circumstances" have drawn converts to "the best means of explaining the world around them." --Choice. (Check Catalog)

Nine lives : in search of the sacred in modern India

 by William Dalrymple. For the last 20 years, Scotsman Dalrymple (The Last Mughals) has made the Indian subcontinent his bailiwick. In his introduction here, he describes Nine Lives as "a collection of non-fiction short stories," and he does portray the "pluralist religious and philosophic folk traditions" found in India in a way that is compelling and accessible to all readers. His subjects here are all people living on the margins: we meet a wandering Jain nun, a Tantric housewife whose abode is the cremation ground, a Sufi holy woman, a refugee from two countries, a blind Baul minstrel, and a Rajasthani bard who can recite from memory an epic of 626 pages, to name only a few. Dalrymple shows us the "lived experience" of the practitioners of these different religious paths and how their worlds have been impacted in a rapidly changing India. VERDICT More accessible but less scholarly than Wendy Doniger's The Hindus, Dalrymple's book is highly recommended for all collections. Readers will sense the power of faith underlying the divergent religious paths, with stories that are enthralling and will keep them up late reading. --Library Journal (Check catalog)

Thomas Hobbes

 by R.E.R. Bunce. As the inaugural volume in a new series from John Meadowcraft, "Major Conservative and Libertarian Thinkers," Bunce's Thomas Hobbes sets a high standard for future volumes. Bunce (Univ. of Cambridge) has provided a text useful for undergraduates, graduates, and faculty alike. The book includes a brief yet informative biographical sketch, an account of the development of Hobbes's civil philosophy, and a particularly valuable discussion of how Hobbes's thought was received in his own day, as well as the various avenues of interpretation subsequently developed. The discussion of Hobbes's reception and interpretation is particularly useful to students as it addresses the critiques of Hobbes made by Pufendorf, Locke, and Rousseau. The account of contemporary views of Hobbes discusses his place in the thought of important recent theorists such as Michael Oakeshott, Leo Strauss, and Francis Fukuyama as well as his continued relevance to contemporary political subjects. Bunce's volume has the particular virtue of paying due attention to Hobbes's physics as well as his politics, clarifying the frequently neglected link between his physics and his moral and political teachings. Summing Up: Recommended. All undergraduate, graduate, and research collections. --Choice. (Check Catalog)

The love response : your prescription to turn off fear, anger, and anxiety to achieve vibrant health and transform your life

 by Eva M. Selhub. Verdict: A compassionate and inspiring approach to managing stress, fear, and anxiety that underscores the connections between mental and physical health. Self-help enthusiasts will appreciate the author's nurturing tone and ability to synthesize Eastern and Western philosophies. Recommended for all libraries. Background: Selhub, an integrative health specialist and a senior staff physician at the Benson Henry Institute for Mind/Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, offers practical and nurturing instructions, guided meditations, and imagery to invoke optimum mental states for total physical and spiritual well-being. Citing patient case studies, the author emphasizes the importance of spirituality and psychology in treating chronic health and medical concerns. --Library Journal (Check Catalog)

A marginal Jew : rethinking the historical Jesus

 by John P. Meier. Meier (theology, Univ. of Notre Dame), a Roman Catholic priest and author of this work's previous three volumes, draws careful distinctions between Christology (theology) and the study of the historical Jesus (history) and between Christian ethics and Jesus's teachings about Halacha (Jewish law). Meier defines law both in intertestamental and in rabbinic Judaism while relating it to both Christian Testaments as a preliminary to a nuanced discussion of Jesus's teachings on law. Meier is forthright about the positives and negatives he uncovers that point to Jesus's provincialism and apparent lack of a system of moral values. Verdict Christian, Jewish, and Muslim scholars as well as educated laity may find the book interesting; it is essential reading for those focusing on its specific themes. Well indexed, this will also be useful for reference purposes. --Library Journal. (Check Catalog)

Talking with Sartre : conversations and debates

 by John Gerassi. Across almost five years, Sartre's godson Gerassi (a former editor at Newsweek) met with the philosopher monthly to discuss family, politics, theory, identity, and other topics high in the minds of both men. As recorded in this aptly titled volume, the discussions remained personable, intellectual, and well guided. Stories about Sartre's nearly lifetime companion, Simone de Beauvoir, and Gerassi's father, artist and Spanish revolutionary Fernando Gerassi, are interwoven with memoirs of Sartre's earliest childhood as well as his then contemporary travels in the Middle East. In spite of the familiarity between the two discussants, the reader feels included rather than either excluded by lack of context or in the role of eavesdropper. Sartre's wit and warmth are nicely revealed without losing his still-active and engaged theorizing. VERDICT The whole makes for an eminently readable and compelling window on 20th-century intellectual social life, as well as philosophy and politics. Of wide interest not only to scholars but also to more casual readers. --Library Journal (Check Catalog)

Just Love; Transforming Civic Virtue

 by Ann Mongoven. By engaging John Rawls and other ethicists who prize impartial standpoints in ethics and politics, Mongoven (Michigan State) shows how the work of caring for particular others in activities such as parenting forms individuals to participate in civic life. Proposing a notion of "disciplined vulnerability," this volume argues for citizens who can recognize moral traditions, but employ and translate them as they navigate tensions between autonomy and relatedness and between smaller communities and the general polis. The work of Mothers against Drunk Driving, an organization founded on the passion of parental love, serves as an important exemplar. This book also presents an overlong tour of liberal theory that seems to detract from its carefully constructive case. The appendix contains case studies showing how the book's argument functions in real politics, allowing Mongoven to ground her case in a way that is too rare in contemporary political theory. This interesting but occasionally meandering book makes important contributions to the debates about the tensions between love and justice, particularity, and impartiality. It models engagement across the disciplines of theology, ethics, and political theory. --Choice (Check Catalog)

Maimonides in his world : portrait of a Mediterranean thinker

 by Sarah Stroumsa. This splendid study of Moses Maimonides expands readers' knowledge of the greatest Jewish thinker of the Middle Ages and his relationship to the cultural world in which he found himself. One is used to thinking of Maimonides as a talented Jewish thinker who was well acquainted with Islamic philosophy and who often drew heavily from it. However, Stroumsa (Hebrew Univ. of Jerusalem) demonstrates that Maimonides' involvement with his own contemporary cultural world was even more extensive than in philosophy alone. Maimonides spent his entire life in the Mediterranean region, from Spain and North Africa in the west to Palestine and Egypt in the east. Stroumsa shows how widely read and deeply immersed in this diverse Mediterranean culture Maimonides was and how he interpreted his own Jewish tradition from what he learned from his participation in the broader culture, not only with regard to philosophy and religion but also in law, ethics, medicine, and science. --Choice (Check Catalog)

The philosophers' quarrel : Rousseau, Hume, and the limits of human understanding

 by Robert Zaretsky and John T. Scott. In a remarkable salvage operation, Zaretsky and Scott rescue from the wreckage of a famous friendship the remains of two contrasting Enlightenment perspectives. Improbable from the start, the friendship of Jean-Jacques Rousseau and David Hume united a Frenchman of passionate sentiment and a Scot of tough-minded skepticism. Even in these unlikely friends' early ardor, the authors discern incipient tensions that rapidly harden into a bitter antagonism involving partisans on both sides of the Channel. The result of more than conflicting personalities, the Rousseau-Hume breakup involves different critiques of the vaunted rationality governing the Age of Reason. Making sincerity of personal feeling his mainstay, Rousseau leveled histrionic accusations against Hume so vehemently that his erstwhile friend feared for his sanity. Relying for his part on communal solidarity, Hume deflected Rousseau's indictments by strengthening his network of social ties. Though the authors favor Hume in this notorious dispute, they highlight lapses in both men's reasoning and actions. An engaging narrative showing how divergent philosophical principles play out in real life. --Booklist. (Check catalog)

World religions and norms of war

 This collection of essays provides an overview of the history of thought concerning war in various religious traditions. With each chapter written by a different author, the book discusses the following traditions: Hinduism, Theravada Buddhism, Japanese religion, Judaism, Roman Catholic Christianity, Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Protestant Christianity, Shi'a Islam, and Sunni Islam. Additionally, the editors contribute introductory and concluding essays. The essays generally provide an evenhanded, detailed overview of the traditions. While there are some gaps and oversights (e.g., traditions of Buddhism other than Theravada are not discussed, the historical peace churches within Christianity receive little attention, the depth of critique of war in the thought of Pope John Paul II is not adequately presented), overall this book offers a very valuable look at the history of religious thought on war and peace. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-level undergraduates and above; interested general readers and lower-level undergraduates. --Choice (Check Catalog)

The great oom : the improbable birth of yoga in America

 by Robert Love / Eastern spirituality and Western commercialism fuse in this flamboyant tale of an iconic American guru. Journalist Love tells the story of Pierre Bernard, a yoga adept from Iowa who made a splash at the turn of the 20th century by enduring bloody piercings and lacerations under trance. His Tantrik Order of disciples in San Francisco and New York soon gained notoriety; after police raided his schools, Bernard was accused of seducing girls and conducting sacred orgies. Delighted tabloids dubbed him "The Great Oom." Bernard rehabilitated himself in the 1920s with the Clarkstown Country Club, a yoga-themed resort and rehab center for the rich on the Hudson, financed by a parade of heiresses who fell under his sway. Love makes his hero a quintessentially American character who yoked his mystic bent to a brash entrepreneurialism; with the riches he made from his yoga initiatives, he started a chemical company, an airport, a semipro baseball team with a midget second baseman, and a trained elephant act. Love credits Bernard with changing public perception of yoga from dissolute exoticism to healthful normalcy, but this colorful, frenetic tale reminds us that money is America's true religion. --Publishers Weekly. (Check Catalog)

Bringing up girls : practical advice and encouragement for those shaping the next generation of women

 by James C. Dobson. Summary: Based on extensive research, and handled with Dr. Dobson's trademark down-to-earth approach, "Bringing Up Girls" equips parents to help their daughters to become healthy, happy, and successful women. (Check Catalog)

The principle of the path : how to get from where you are to where you want to be

 by Andy Stanley. Summary: Your Direction, not Your Intention, Determines Your Destination. There is often a tension between where we want to end up in life and the path we choose to get there. We fail to see that having good intentions is never good enough. Like Charlie Brown, we wrongly believe there's something to be said for trying hard. We need to understand why, in spite of our good intentions, we may have ended up at the wrong destination with our finances, our marriages, our careers, or a host of other dreams. So how do we get from where we are to where we truly want to be? The Principle of the Path is a road map to proper direction and discipline. Includes Extensive Study Guide. (Check catalog)

Savor : mindful eating, mindful life

 by Thích Nhát Hạnh, So essential to healthy eating is a healthy perspective that Zen Buddhist master and prolific author Nhat Hanh joins forces with nutritionist Cheung for a truly holistic approach. The duo pairs the latest nutritional information with the age-old Buddhist practice of mindfulness that is, of being fully aware of all that is going on within ourselves and all that is happening around us to draw attention to what and how we eat. Guidance is offered for recognizing what barriers physical, psychological, cultural, and environmental prevent us from controlling our weight, and readers are encouraged to savor food in order to fully nourish both the body and the mind. To that end, Nhat Hanh provides guided meditations on everything from eating an apple to coping with stressful situations, along with advice on selecting and preparing food, staying active, and avoiding self-criticism. Complete with a discussion of why healthy eating is also good for the environment, this is a uniquely insightful and positive program for wellness: a book of tested wisdom; practical action; and intellectual, emotional, and spiritual nutriments. --Booklist. (Check Catalog)

Cox (theology, Harvard Divinity Sch.; The Secular City) poses the question "What does the future hold for religion, and for Christianity in particular?" and answers by exploring how religious history has moved through three phases. The Age of Faith lasted from the time of Jesus until Constantine adopted Christianity as the state religion. During the Age of Belief, creeds and doctrinal divisions dominated, but Cox sees an Age of the Spirit underway that is marked by the decline of dogma and the rise of spirituality. In short chapters, he leads readers through the evolution of Christianity as we know it today and speculates on a future where less emphasis is placed on rigid belief systems and more on spiritual experience within the Christian framework. The author of many books that combine scholarship and personal narrative, Cox once again brings a wide range of current scholarship to examine "a profound change in the elemental nature of religiousness." Verdict Accessible and readable, this is highly recommended for all interested readers.-

 by Harvey Gallagher Cox. Cox (theology, Harvard Divinity Sch.; The Secular City) poses the question "What does the future hold for religion, and for Christianity in particular?" and answers by exploring how religious history has moved through three phases. The Age of Faith lasted from the time of Jesus until Constantine adopted Christianity as the state religion. During the Age of Belief, creeds and doctrinal divisions dominated, but Cox sees an Age of the Spirit underway that is marked by the decline of dogma and the rise of spirituality. In short chapters, he leads readers through the evolution of Christianity as we know it today and speculates on a future where less emphasis is placed on rigid belief systems and more on spiritual experience within the Christian framework. The author of many books that combine scholarship and personal narrative, Cox once again brings a wide range of current scholarship to examine "a profound change in the elemental nature of religiousness." Verdict Accessible and readable, this is highly recommended for all interested readers. --Library Journal (Check catalog)

Roman philosophy and the good life

 by Raymond A. Belliotti. This book combines discussions of Roman ethical philosophy with illustrations from lives of famous Romans. Following a discussion of academic skepticism are an account of Cicero's life, Stoicism by the life of Cato the Younger, and Epicureanism by the lives of Caesar and Cassius. For Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius, their own lives serve to illustrate their theories. Belliotti (SUNY at Fredonia) also is concerned to show the contemporary relevance of Roman issues such as stoic indifference; whether death is an evil; and the place of pleasure, wealth, and public service in the good life. Belliotti's approach brings out the degree to which Roman philosophy is a practical guide to public and private life, rather than an abstract theoretical activity. The treatment of Roman philosophers and their Greek predecessors is reliable, and Belliotti judiciously engages enough of the vast secondary literature to help serious students find their way into it without getting bogged down. Clearly written in a lively, engaging style, this book is a useful guide for students getting oriented in Roman thought. It is a welcome resource for courses in Roman philosophy, politics, and history. Summing Up: Recommended, --Choice. (Check Catalog)

Made for goodness : and why this makes all the difference

 by Desmond Tutu. As head of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Tutu reached a world audience in his call for forgiveness for apartheid perpetrators who confessed to horrific evil and said they were sorry. Writing here with his daughter, also a minister, he insists that, with all the horror he has heard about and witnessed, We are fundamentally good. Racism has to be learned. It is not an instinct. Sin is real. But goodness is normative. Even readers not focused on the religious debate will be drawn to this account for the insider's view of the history and the personal struggle with forgiveness. Inspired by heroes of many faiths, including Father Trevor Huddleston; Afrikaaans cleric Beyers Naude; the kids in the 1976 Soweto riots; the parents of murdered Amy Biehl; and, of course, by Mandela, Gandhi, King, and Mother Teresa, Tutu is also haunted by his own failure to forgive his father before he died. The personal perspective will spark discussion about the bigger issues of morality, politics, and religion. If God is all-powerful, why do we suffer? --Booklist. (Check Catalog)

Prayers of the faithful : the shifting spiritual life of American Catholics

 by James P. McCartin. McCartin examines the shifting landscape of American Catholicism through the lens of prayer. According to the author, devotional rituals and communal prayer, once the backbone of the Catholic faith, no longer play pivotal roles in the lives of many modern Catholics. Over the course of th past several decades, many Catholics have rejected the strispiritual hierarchy that was, for centuries, the foundation of the organized church. This dramatic shift in the practice of the Catholic religion has resulted in the evolution of prayer itself into an independent-centered activity incorporated into daily routines rather than a publicly performed and formalized ritual. The author analyzes this spiritual transformation in terms of the American Catholic contribution to the culture and sociology of the American experience, placing his theory firmly into historical context. --Booklist. (Check Catalog)

Einstein's God : conversations about science and the human spirit

 by Krista Tippett. Tippett describes religion and science as pursuits of cohesive knowledge and underlying truths and seeks to dispel the erroneous assumption that these two realms of inquiry are in opposition. Tippett looks to Einstein's self-described cosmic religious sense' as a key example of how spiritual insights deepen the resonance of scientific discoveries and vice versa. As listeners to her Peabody Award-winning radio program, Speaking of Faith, know, Tippett is driven by a genuine hunger for understanding of how the revelations of religious traditions, spiritual practices, and cutting-edge findings in science and medicine can help us live more giving and fulfilling lives and create a less polarized society. Tippett sparks a mind-expanding synergy by gathering 13 far-reaching and often-moving discussions with luminaries working in an array of disciplines, including physicist Freeman Dyson, Darwin scholar James Moore, and surgeons and writers Sherwin Nuland and Mehmet Oz. Impressively well informed, thoughtful, intrepid, and articulate, Tippett steadfastly pilots her ardent conversations toward an elegant clarity, ensuring that complex concepts are comprehensible and relevant to everyone. --Booklist. (Check Catalog)

Heidegger and a hippo : walk through those pearly gates : using philosophy (and jokes!) to explain life, death, the afterlife, and everything in between

 by Thomas Cathcart. Did you know that Heidegger's notion of living in the shadow of death has its most profound articulation in a country and western song by Tim McGraw? Or what Law and Order has in common with theologian Paul Tillich's view of eternity? Such are the nuggets of wisdom found in this smart and lighthearted consideration of the philosophical dimensions of death. Cathcart and Klein (coauthors of Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar) take readers on a whirlwind tour of anthropological, philosophical and theological theories of why and how we avoid accepting our own mortality. The authors demonstrate how humor allows us to express our fears about death "while defusing anxiety." Succinct accounts of Kierkegaard's notion of embracing angst, Schopenhauer's notion of undying will and Descartes on mind-body dualism are thus all peppered by comic asides (Leibnitz "maintained that Mind and Matter don't actually get into each others knickers"). This little book is an entertaining and surprisingly informative survey of the "Big D" and its centrality in human life. --Publishers Weekly. (Check catalog)

The gods of war : is religion the primary cause of violent conflict?

 by Meic Pearse. To best-selling antireligionist Richard Dawkins (The God Delusion, 2006), Pearse ripostes that the one thing that bears a heavier responsibility than religion as a principal cause of war . . . is, of course, irreligion. While proving his point in a review of twentieth-century wars and the antitheist ideologies that incited them, however, he grants that those wars' enormous lethality was a consequence of modern technology, not any kind of secularity. He is a historian, not a propagandist, and succeeding chapters weighing the intertwining of war and religion throughout history are full of similar distinctions. On the whole, he argues, religion tends to abet wars that are conceived and fought for political reasons, and this is true even when wars are launched, like the Crusades, at the behest of religious leaders. Before it became an imperial faith, Christianity was peaceable, though heavily persecuted, for three centuries and, since its post-Enlightenment removal from seats of state power, has significantly reembraced that legacy. Essential reading for those caught up in the new war about, not of, religion. --Booklist. (Check catalog)

A new kind of Christianity : ten questions that are transforming the faith

 by Brian D. McClaren. McLaren's fans and detractors have eagerly awaited this book, which promises to codify the beliefs he introduced in his bestselling A New Kind of Christian and other titles. McLaren, one of the most visible faces of the emergent movement, examines 10 questions the church must answer as it heads toward "a new way of believing." McLaren deconstructs the "Greco-Roman narrative" of the Bible and addresses how the Bible should be understood as an "inspired library," not a "constitution." He moves into questions regarding God, Jesus, and the Gospel, urging us to "trade up" our image of God and realize that Jesus came to "launch a new Genesis." The Church, sexuality, the future, and pluralism merit chapters, as does McLaren's final call for "a robust spiritual life." Followers will rejoice as McLaren articulates his thoughts with logic and eloquence; detractors will point out his artful avoidance of firm answers on salvation, hell, and a final judgment. All sides will flock to this with glee. --Publishers Weekly. (Check Catalog)

Hakuin's Precious mirror cave : a Zen miscellany

 by Hakuin. Hakuin, an early 18th-century patriarch of Japanese Zen Buddhism, is credited with reviving the Rinzai (koan) school of Zen Buddhism. To the benefit of generations of seekers, he was rare among Zen teachers in divulging in print the ups and downs encountered along his personal path. In this collection, respected translator Waddell (Zen Words for the Heart: Hakuin's Commentary on the Heart Sutra) presents very readable and accessible versions of five of the master's works, including the best known and most read, "Idle Talk on a Night Boat." Several focus on his personal journey to enlightenment and his central teaching that post-enlightenment work is crucial to development. In the sixth contribution, "The Chronological Biography of Zen Master Hakuin by Torei Enji," one of Hakuin's students covers the second half of the teacher's life, a career left largely untouched otherwise. Brief essays introduce each translation and place each within the context of Hakuin's opus. Hakuin's early life and his enlightenment experiences are also covered in another Waddell translation of Hakuin: Wild Ivy: The Spiritual Autobiography of Zen Master Hakuin. Verdict Highly recommended along with Wild Ivy for seekers wishing to tap the original teachings of the greatest masters. --Library Journal. (Check Catalog)

The legend of the Middle Ages : philosophical explorations of medieval Christianity, Judaism, and Islam

 by Remi Brague. Brague (philosophy, Universite Paris I Pantheon-Sorbonne; The Law of God) challenges perceptions of the Middle Ages as a period lacking in intellectual sophistication or as a time of interfaith dialog that could serve as a model today. In an initial interview and 16 essays (only three of which have previously appeared in English), Brague focuses on the philosophers of three great religious civilizations, particularly their use of Aristotelian Greek philosophy in ways congruent with their own religions and especially with their differing ideas of revelation as centered in the person of Jesus Christ; as found in God's historical interactions with the Jewish people; or as derived from direct revelation of an infallible word/book, the Koran. Throughout, Brague focuses on comparisons or relationships among three great civilizations and on carefully nuanced but essential difference. Verdict Highly recommended to scholars of the Middle Ages as well as those in philosophy and religion more generally. They will all be enlightened by careful reading of this book. --Library Journal. (Check Catalog)

Reformist voices of Islam : mediating Islam and modernity

edited by Shireen T. Hunter. The premise underlying this edited volume is that the loud roar of Islamic radicals has drowned out moderate and reformist voices in Islam. The collection of articles by nine leading experts on contemporary Islam goes a long way toward restoring that balance, and students will find here a useful starting point for broaching the question, "Where are the alternative voices within Islam?" At the same time, though the comprehensive scope of the various nationally and regionally focused chapters is impressive, the volume suffers from unevenness throughout; some single countries receive nearly twice the space devoted to entire regions, and some chapters offer schematic overviews of a variety of thinkers while others focus on only a few trends or individuals with greater depth. The unevenness is compensated, to some extent, by the editor's effort to draw the reader's attention to important issues addressed across chapters (e.g., democracy, human rights, and women's and minority rights) and the relationship of these issues to central and overarching conceptual questions. The reader is likely to walk away from this volume more convinced of the breadth and diversity of Islamic reformist thinking and movements, but still lacking a comprehensive grasp of the strengths and prospects of modern reform along Islamic lines. --Choice. (Check Catalog)

Beauty

by Roger Scruton. In this short work, Scruton (philosophy, Inst. for the Psychological Sciences; England: An Elegy) uses the writings of Plato and Kant along with specific artistic works to create a philosophical explanation of beauty. According to Scruton, when we say that an object is beautiful, we are making a rational judgment about the object that is based on our contemplation of its appearance. He explains that beauty is not a subjective preference but a universal value, founded on reason and our value system, to which all rational agents should agree. Scruton examines four kinds of beauty-human, natural, everyday, and artistic. He is not concerned with defining the qualities of beauty; he works to show how the experience of beauty is similar to religious experiences in that it allows us to "look with reverence on the world." The book's tone is scholarly, yet it remains highly accessible and offers readers a unique and well-argued approach to the concept of beauty. --Library Journal. (Check catalog)

The only true God : early Christian monotheism in its Jewish context

by James F. McGrath. McGrath (Butler Univ.) examines the meaning of monotheism in the first century CE, establishing the point that belief in one true God had a wide variety of meanings for both Jews and early Christians beyond the basic belief that one worships and sacrifices only to God. He explains his approach to understanding early Jewish and Christian thought about God, and then examines worship and the understanding of Jewish monotheism in the Greco-Roman era. Next, he explicates the concept of monotheism in the letters of Paul, the Gospel of John, and the Book of Revelation. Finally, he sheds new light on the date and reasons for the division between Jewish and Christian monotheism. The author carefully lays out his arguments, accompanying them with extensive endnotes and an excellent bibliography. This is a good book for undergraduates and scholars alike to explore new understandings of ancient concepts by examining their usage in the first century. McGrath stresses throughout that readers should approach these concepts by remaining as free as possible of modern definitions and cultural biases. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-level undergraduates and above; general readers. B. L. Muller University of Tampa --Library Journal. (Check catalog)

Moving bodies : Kenneth Burke at the edges of language

by Debra Hawhee. Praise to this significant critical addition to the literature on Burke and to its depth of understanding of the divergent philosophical foundations of rhetoric. Hawhee (English and communication, Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) provides a meticulous reading and analysis of Burke's works, looking at them in terms of concepts of body and mind. She evaluates Burke's experiences pertaining to his 1930 and 1940 writings: as medical researcher at the Rockefeller Foundation, as music critic for The Dial, as observer of the mystical dance performances of G. I. Gurdjieff, and as reader of Aristotle and William James in particular. The author explores Burke's notion of the mysterious relationship of body and mind as degrees of entity and activity particularly in terms of rhetoric, and the distinctions of motion and action at the "edges of language." In all, the book explores the transdisciplinary perspective of Burke's efforts in helping to solve the "eternally unsolvable enigma." This volume joins Heehaw's Bodily Arts: Rhetoric and Athletics in Ancient Greece (2004), which lists background texts that critique the topic of mind-body-language. Summing Up: Highly recommended. --Publisher's Weekly. (Check Catalog)

In the river they swim : essays from around the world on enterprise solutions to poverty

The poor you will always have with you, says Jesus Christ in the Gospels of Mark and Matthew. In God Knows, Holman (academic research writer & editor, Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Ctr. for Health & Human Rights, Harvard Sch. of Public Health; The Hungry Are Dying) surveys how Christians have historically responded to poverty and discloses her own journey to awareness. The result: a unique fusion of memoir and research. Holman filters each example of Christian reactions to human need and social welfare through three paradigms: sensing need, sharing the world, and embodying the sacred kingdom. Holman's historical analysis of ancient writers (e.g., Gregory of Nazianzus, John Chrysostom) will prove to be didactic for 21st-century social activism and ecumenical approaches to addressing poverty. It will find its appropriate home with students of religion, theology, and social work. In the River They Swim also addresses the Gordian knot of poverty and features a foreword by Rick Warren, who reminds readers of this sober truth: three billion people live in poverty. Government handouts are not the answer; instead, the "enterprise solutions" offered in these essays are empowering, for they provide knowledge, training, and opportunities for the poor. Contributors speak a combined 20 languages, and they include Rwandan president Paul Kagama, American Express VP David Rabkin, and Malik Fal, who heads Microsoft's Business Marketing and Operations Group, which spans 49 African countries. Contributors share their personal journeys of working in abject conditions, along with their tribulations and successes in implementing enterprise solutions to poverty. In short, this work is a global and holistic approach to a perennial problem, and the message is clarion clear: governments, businesses, and churches must align, collaborate, and innovate to combat destitution. Overall, this eclectic and challenging title is recommended for both students and lay readers. --Library Journal (Check catalog)

Daily splashes of joy

by Barbara Johnson. If you need a fresh breath of joy in your life, Barbara Johnson's 365 Day Devotional will help you look for "life's little sparkles," even in the midst of life's most crippling sorrows. Love and hilarity bubble through these pages in equal doses as Barbara dispenses her unique blend of wisdom and zaniness to help thousands of hurting readers learn to laugh again. This daily devotional features a scripture passage and encouraging thought all wrapped up in Barbara's trademark style of offering firsthand advice about handling life's hardest hurts, while dispensing infectious laughter and outrageous joy. --Publisher (Check catalog)