Philosophy & Religion
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by John Thavis (Get the Book)
Thavis, who covered the Vatican for 30 years as a journalist, has written an insider's account chronicling some of the people, issues, and scandals that have made headlines over the years. The press hasn't always been flattering, nor are some of the details Thavis recounts, such as the Vatican's inaction when repeatedly apprised of allegations of sexual abuse of teenage seminarians by the founder of the Legion of Christ religious order. Though sympathetic to the Church, Thavis doesn't stray very far from his journalistic roots. He presents the facts, leaving the editorial conclusions to be drawn by the reader. Although much of the book's content will be of most interest to Catholics, the chapter titled Sex, which addresses condoms, AIDS, and homosexuality, will surely command a wider audience. In the end, we are left with a more nuanced understanding of the Vatican, an institution Thavis describes as marked more by human flair and fallibility than ruthless efficiency. The clergy sex-abuse scandal, however, may well belie the latter part of that assessment. --Booklist
by Richard Rohr (Get the Book)
How well do we know ourselves? So many roles and identities shape individual lives that it's easy to be confused about what is authentically "us." Rohr, a Franciscan priest and founding director of the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, N.Mex., leads a narrative excursion to the "True Self," the core of character that lies like a diamond buried within. Writing for secular seekers, the author claims that individuals need to allow the false self to fall away in order to get in touch with the true self, allowing it to breathe and flourish. Grasping onto the superficial identities of the false self, such as job, class, race, or accomplishments, can keep people from being the loving and generous conduits of the Divine that they are meant to be. God is always communicating with humans, but those who cling to ego and social position can't hear these divine messages. The author makes clear that it is not easy to shed this falseness for truth in the inner life, but it is a spiritual path well worth the effort. --Publishers Weekly
by Letzec Kolakowski (Get the Book)
The late Kolakowski was a philosopher of many gifts. Chief among them was his ability to imbue his philosophical reflections with his life experiences, making his work not only accessible but also exciting to read, especially by nonacademics and those untrained in the Western philosophical tradition. Born in Poland, in 1927, he lived through the German occupation of WWII and much of the Communist totalitarian state that followed, witnessing firsthand some of the greatest evil of the twentieth century. The essays selected for inclusion here demonstrate his vast range. The collection's title is taken from the title of an essay in which Kolakowski offers his unique analysis of the age-old problem of reconciling human suffering with a compassionate god. The same freshness and originality are found in the other essays, which address such topics as natural law, totalitarianism, truth, history, and reason, along with selections from his withering critiques of Marxism. This is philosophy at its best; namely, engaging, thoughtful, timely, challenging, and eminently readable. --Booklist
by Ronald S. Hendel (Get the Book)
Genesis is the first book of the Bible. Even those who haven't read it are familiar with its contents stories about the creation of the world, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and Noah's ark. Collectively, these stories make up a foundational text of Western civilization that has shaped our perception of reality by offering a unique conception of God, humanity, the nature of the world, and the interrelationships of all three. Hendel's biography of Genesis like The Dead Sea Scrolls, opposite, part of the Lives of Great Religious Books series, begins with the birth of the book among the ancient Israelites. He then traces subsequent interpretations, both figural-allegorical and plain sense, over the centuries, examining the work of Luther, Spinoza, Emily Dickinson, and Franz Kafka, among others. Though remaining a text of religious significance, Genesis is also viewed as a collection of ancient legends. Either way, Hendel's engaging and accessible account reminds us that Genesis remains an astonishing book of marvelous realism and the root from which we came. --Booklist
