A spirituality of living

by Henri J. M. Nouven      (Get the Book)
We have many distractions that keep us from focusing on God. Spiritual disciplines are key to creating space for God in our lives, Henri Nouwen says. Let this beloved writer mentor you in the disciplines of solitude, community, and ministry. You'll gain new insights and learn how to become a Spirit-filled follower of Christ. Nouven was born in the Netherlands in 1932. An ordained priest and gifted teacher, he taught at several universities including Notre Dame, Harvard and Yale. He was a missionary in Peru. He died of a heart attack in 1996. (Publisher)

Prayer : experiencing awe and intimacy with God

by Timothy Keller    (Get the Book)
The founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan has created a definitive book on Christian prayer, in the tradition of his previous bestsellers (The Reason for God; The Meaning of Marriage). This study will be equally beneficial to seasoned followers of God and those simply seeking information on the topic. Keller's own desire for a deeper prayer life prompted him to study what prayer is and how to pray. As he finds inspiration in current thought, the Psalms, and Reformation theology from Augustine, Luther, and Calvin, Keller balances erudite concepts with easy-to-understand information and practical application, showing that prayer is not only a conversation but also an encounter with God that seeks intimate knowing. Citing the Lord's Prayer as a model for coming face to face with God, he contemplates prayers of meditation, praise, and forgiveness while addressing confusing subjects like the Trinity, praying in Jesus' name, and why people need to pray at all. He distills his findings into 12 "touchstones" by which the effectiveness of prayer life can be measured, and includes outlines for how to get in the habit of daily prayer. --Publishers Weekly

Small victories : spotting improbable moments of grace

by Ann Lamott   (Get the Book)
 It is tempting to simply quote from Lamott's endlessly quotable essays rather than review them, especially when it comes to this much-anticipated volume of new and selected pieces. Lamott never fails to be irreverent, hilarious, thoughtful, wise, kind, angry, whip-smart, and cranky. In short, carefully crafted essays, Lamott writes about friends, families, community, and faith. Among other topics are forgiveness (I naturally prefer the company of people who hold grudges, as long as they are not held against me) and the death of a beloved pet. Her piece on dating in the modern world is classic Lamott: spot-on and as funny as heck, as is her essay on flying (I am a skeptical and terrified flier). Stuck in between a woman of uncertain ancestry (possibly part Latvian and part Korean, she surmises, who sounds like the Andy Kaufman character in Taxi) and a slightly older gentleman reading about the apocalypse in a book by a right-wing Christian novelist, she makes the best of a bumpy ride. This self-proclaimed sober, crabby, and bad born-again Christian part storyteller, part stand-up comic has assembled a book that will delight and inspire both fans and readers new to her candid wit and wisdom. --Booklist

Fallen leaves : last words on life, love, war, and God

by Will Durant    (Get the Book)
Asked by a journalist what his field of specialization was, the great historian Durant supposedly replied, Humanity. The story is, perhaps, apocryphal, but it does reflect a truth about the body of Durant's work. In more than 60 years of writing, Durant (sometimes in partnership with his wife, Ariel) covered the civilization of humans on every inhabited continent, including history, philosophy, religion, art, and science as part of his tableau. This last, compact work, now discovered and published 32 years after his death, is a deeply personal work containing a series of ruminations on the human condition. Why do people lose the fire of rebellion as they age? How can we explain the persistence of racism? Why do we need religion? Some of his musings are provocative, even outrageous, such as his rejection of the inherent right to produce children and his antiquated views on female characteristics. Still, this is a work that demands we think, and it is a worthy conclusion to a long and distinguished career. --Booklist

Divine discontent : the prophetic voice of Thomas Merton

by John Moses    (Get the Book)
Thomas Merton's best-selling spiritual autobiography, The Seven Storey Mountain , was one of the most influential books of the twentieth century. The original (1948) hardback edition sold 600,000 copies and by 1984 paperback sales had exceeded 3m. It has been translated into 15 languages and remains in print today. The 2015 centenary of Merton's birth provides an opportunity to reconsider both his international reputation and his startling relevance in today's world. Merton was a Trappist monk, writer, contemplative, social critic, pacifist, jazz lover and (in the context of world faiths) ecumenist whose sudden, premature death in unexplained circumstances prompted a further surge of interest in the man and his work. His extensive writings, many only recently available, provide the basis for a fresh examination of his story, permitting Merton to speak for himself whenever possible, but enabling also an analysis of his abiding fascination and the discontents - human and divine - that dominated so much of his life.  (Summary)

Meister Eckhart : a mystic-warrior for our times

by Matthew Fox    (Get the Book)
Fox is a much-admired and popular Christian theologian whose prolific literary output is controversial, unorthodox, and radical. Believing that people need less religion and more spirituality and experience of the divine, Fox has turned to the mystical traditions of many religions in order to inspire the re-creation, reinvigoration, and refashioning of Christianity. The medieval German theologian and preacher Meister Eckhart has long been his muse, and in this work, he brings Eckhart into conversation with several thinkers and activists, addressing such problems as the environment, ecumenical dialogue, education, gender equality, and economic justice. Yet, Eckhart only appears in the form of snippets from his writings, which never take into account the linguistic, cultural, and historical contexts in which they were written. At the end of the book, Fox even has Eckhart calling on us to embark on Fox's solutions to the problems he raises. No rigorous explication of Eckhart's thought, this book is, however, a passionate restatement of views Fox has propounded in many other works. --Booklist

Following Jesus

by John Shea    (Get the Book)
This is the latest entry in the "Catholic Spirituality for Adults" series, which includes books on prayer, charity, holiness, and Mary, among others. With trademark eloquence, Shea (Elijah at the Wedding Feast) shows how contemporary Christians can navigate through the spiritual process that Shea believes Jesus lived and how they may enact it for themselves. Chapters address such notions as metaphor, understanding the self, and coming to terms with the Resurrection. VERDICT Shea is one of the Catholic Church's most effective popular theologians, with a singular ability to reach the heart of American Catholics; his latest book will not disappoint Catholics and other Christians.  --Library Journal

Everything that remains : a memoir by The Minimalists

by Joshua Fills Millburn      (Get the Book)
"Like Henry David Thoreau, but with Wi-Fi." -Boston Globe What if everything you ever wanted isn't what you actually want? Twenty-something, suit-clad, and upwardly mobile, Joshua Fields Millburn thought he had everything anyone could ever want. Until he didn't anymore. Blindsided by the loss of his mother and his marriage in the same month, Millburn started questioning every aspect of the life he had built for himself. Then, he accidentally discovered a lifestyle known as minimalism...and everything started to change. That was four years ago. Since, Millburn, now 32, has embraced simplicity. In the pursuit of looking for something more substantial than compulsory consumption and the broken American Dream, he jettisoned most of his material possessions, paid off loads of crippling debt, and walked away from his six-figure career. (Summary)

To pause at the threshold : reflections on living on the border

by Esther de Waal    (Get the Book)
In this small but sophisticated book on change, self-discovery and spiritual longing, de Waal explores the liminal spaces that exist between one stage of life and another, or between geographic places. ?I have become aware of the continual movement of crossing over thresholds into the new, while still of course being part of what is left behind,? she writes. De Waal drinks from various wells of wisdom: from her own experiences of living on the border between England and Wales, from authors such as Graham Greene and Dylan Thomas, from the rhythms and traditions of the Celtic year. Spiritual borderlands, she concludes, can be frightening places, fraught as they are with the prospect of transformation. But they can also be sites where ideas are exchanged more freely, where we become aware of the constant motion of life in the Spirit. Beautifully written, de Waal?s brief meditation will appeal to anyone who is waiting expectantly on the threshold of something new. --Publishers Weekly

The meaning of human existence

by Edward O. Wilson    (Get the Book)
Wilson (Pelligrino University Professor Emeritus, Harvard Univ.; The Social Conquest of Earth), who is perhaps best recognized as the "father of sociobiology" as well as the world's leading expert on myrmecology, here asks the question that is the logical extension of his life's work: What does it mean to be human? Humans have evolved to instinctively surrender some individuality to the survival of the group, placing them among the rare eusocial species. Wilson has spent considerable energy in past writings defending the theory of group selection over kin selection, and does so again here, emphasizing throughout the book that while individual selfishness in human evolution benefits individuals, altruistic groups have better benefited survival, giving rise to social virtues and cooperation. Wilson also promotes here, as he has in the past, a "new enlightenment" with the goal of progressing toward an intellectual continuum between the hard sciences and the humanities. VERDICT The importance of preserving the biodiversity that gave rise to humanity matters to Wilson, a point he emphasizes by cautioning us against engineering the planet exclusively to serve human needs, a gloomy dystopia he refers to as the "Age of Loneliness." This book will be of interest to the general reader. --Library Journal

Understanding utilitarianism

by Tim Mulgan    (Get the Book)
Utilitarianism - a philosophy based on the principle of the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people - has been hugely influential over the past two centuries. Beyond ethics or morality, utilitarian assumptions and arguments abound in modern economic and political life, especially in public policy. An understanding of utilitarianism is indeed essential to any understanding of contemporary society. "Understanding Utilitarianism" presents utilitarianism very much as a living tradition. The book begins with a summary of the classical utilitarianism of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Subsequent chapters trace the development of the central themes of utilitarian thought over the twentieth century, covering such questions as: What is happiness? Is happiness the only valuable thing? Is utilitarianism about acts or rules or institutions? Is utilitarianism unjust, or implausibly demanding, or impractical? and Where might utilitarianism go in the future? (Summary)

Polishing the mirror : how to live from your spiritual heart

by Ram Das    (Get the Book)
This collection of teachings by Ram Dass (Be Here Now), one of the United States' most famous spiritual seekers, is surprisingly fresh and accessible more than 40 years after the psychedelic psychologist first wrote about consciousness expansion through LSD. The anecdote-packed chapters cover many of the practices Ram Dass has used-devotional bhakti yoga, worldly karma yoga, daily practices like meditation and chanting-in his quest to become a more loving, compassionate being. He discusses serious issues with a frankness that opens up difficult topics, such as how he coped with a stroke that drastically changed his understanding of his role in the world. No longer did he feel special, "under the protective umbrella of my guru," he writes. Instead, he realized he was subject to the same, sometimes painful, process of aging and dying that everybody faces. His willingness to admit his own mistakes and turn them into lessons for personal growth is refreshing, and allows readers to see themselves in his story. The collection successfully straddles a fine line, providing both a broad overview for those new to Ram Dass's writings and an engaging recap for readers who have enjoyed his previous books. --Publishers Weekly

Killing lions : a guide through the trials young men face

by Sam Eldredge    (Get the Book)
John Eldredge (Wild at Heart) is joined by his son, Sam, for a give-and-take examination of what it takes to become a man. A writer in his 20s, Sam asks advice from his father John, a Christian counselor, author, and adventurer, and John responds. The elder Eldredge rejects the hackneyed "the journey is the destination" language, instead counseling his son that it's time to enter into the "warrior" phase of becoming who you are meant to be. With allusions and stories drawn from literature, global adventures, mistakes John has made, and sound fatherly advice, the book also includes prayers for guidance and for sexual healing. For John Eldredge fans, seeing the younger and more idealistic Eldredge not getting doused with cold water and told to grow up, but instead fanned into flame by his father is pure gold for fathers and their young adult sons. --Publishers Weekly

Becoming myself : embracing God's dream of you

by Stasi Eldredge     (Get the Book)
With a writing style that makes the reader feel she is having an intimate chat over coffee with a close friend, Eldredge, who co-authored the bestselling Captivating and Love and War with her husband John, goes solo for this journey to the development of life-changing self-esteem. She offers practical ways to embrace the unique dream God has for each woman's life regardless of past mistakes or present feelings of inadequacy. Transformation must happen from the inside out, she says, but until women can see themselves through God's eyes, it won't happen. She offers humor, liberating insights, biblical lessons, and insightful imagery colored by blunt talk and brutally honest personal examples-including her battles with weight gain-to encourage women to see themselves in a different light. The conversation rambles as chats between friends do, but focus can become foggy. Study notes at the end of chapters or in the rear of the book might have been helpful tools for pulling concepts together and providing ways for digesting more of this meaty food for thought. --Publishers Weekly

The end of absence : reclaiming what we've lost in a world of constant connection

by Michael Harris    (Get the Book)
"Every revolution in communication technology from papyrus to the printing press to Twitter -is as much an opportunity to be drawn away from something as it is to be drawn toward something. And yet, as we embrace technology's gifts, we usually fail to consider what we're giving up in the process. Why would we bother to register the end of solitude, of ignorance, of lack? Why would we care that an absence had disappeared?" Soon enough, nobody will remember life before the Internet. What does this unavoidable fact mean? For future generations, it won't mean anything very obvious. They will be so immersed in online life that questions about the Internet's basic purpose or meaning will vanish. But those of us who have lived both with and without the crowded connectivity of online life have a rare opportunity. We can still recognize the difference between Before and After. We catch ourselves idly reaching for our phones at the bus stop. Or we notice how, mid-conversation, a fumbling friend dives into the perfect recall of Google. In this eloquent and thought-provoking book, Michael Harris argues that amid all the changes we're experiencing, the most interesting is the one that future generations will find hardest to grasp. That is the end of absence-the loss of lack. The daydreaming silences in our lives are filled; the burning solitudes are extinguished. There's no true "free time" when you carry a smartphone. Today's rarest commodity is the chance to be alone with your own thoughts.  (Summary)

Phenomenology and embodiment : Husserl and the constitution of subjectivity

by Joona Taipala    (Get the Book)
At the dawn of the modern era, philosophers reinterpreted their subject as the study of consciousness, pushing the body to the margins of philosophy. With the arrival of Husserlian thought in the late nineteenth century, the body was once again understood to be part of the transcendental field. And yet, despite the enormous influence of Husserl's phenomenology, the role of "embodiment" in the broader philosophical landscape remains largely unresolved. In his ambitious debut book, Phenomenology and Embodiment, Joona Taipale tackles the Husserlian concept--also engaging the thought of Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Michel Henry--with a comprehensive and systematic phenomenological investigation into the role of embodiment in the constitution of self-awareness, intersubjectivity, and objective reality. In doing so, he contributes a detailed clarification of the fundamental constitutive role of embodiment in the basic relations of subjectivity. (Summary)

Simplify : ten practices to unclutter your soul

by Bill Hybels       (Get the Book)
Getting caught up in the busyness of life, with its clutter and its crazy pace, can harm relationships, jobs, sanity, and health. But how can one simplify life by letting go of anxiety and spending time on the most important things? Influential pastor Hybels (Too Busy Not to Pray), founder of Willow Creek Community Church, gently but firmly points out common stress-inducing topics and offers ways of coping with them that are alternatives to the typical frenetic response. Among those topics are over-scheduling, forgiveness, finances, anxiety, and the workplace. He likens personal fulfillment to an "energy bucket." That bucket is filled when people are happy at work, but leaks profusely when individuals are miserable. Those unhappy with work should consider leaving it to do something enjoyable, and work around the financial aspects. "Simplicity cannot be achieved without clarity about the big-picture target of your life," Hybels says. Instead of cluttering the calendar with things that have to be done in the next 30 days, he suggests asking, "Who do I want to become in this next season of my life?" and then using the calendar to help accomplish those goals. Readers who are ready to take somewhat drastic measures to simplify their lives will be ready to implement all 10 of Hybels' practices, while others may need to pick which ones are the most immediately doable and tackle the others when they're ready. --Publishers Weekly

Praying with the Jesuits : finding God in all things

by Charles J. Healey    (Get the Book)
Charles J. Healey, SJ, is an adjunct professor at Blessed John XXIII National Seminary in Weston, Massachusetts, and chaplain to the alumni at Boston College High School. He teaches summers in the graduate program in spirituality at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. Fr. Healey holds a doctorate in theology from the Gregorian University in Rome. He is the author of several books, including The Ignatian Way (Paulist Press).
A Jesuit priest and teacher presents a rich treasury of materials for prayer and meditation produced by a great cloud of Jesuit witnesses beginning with St. Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus, and continuing right to the present day.   (Summary)

Pope Francis and our call to joy

by Diane M. Houdek    (Get the Book)
Pope Francis has set a new tone for the interaction between the church and the world, and that tone is one of joy, hope, and new life. Like his namesake, St. Francis of Assisi, he locates that joy in a personal encounter with Christ in the Gospels. By reflecting on his words and following his example, Christians can transform their own lives and relationships. Pope Francis and Our Call to Joy looks to discover the real Jesus in the Gospels, to understand the Church in the real world, to locate the special place of the poor and vulnerable and to find peace and the common good as part of our call in life. Reflections, discussion questions and suggestions for action take Pope Francis's accessible words of encouragement and apply them to the everyday life of ordinary Christians. (Summary)

Perception, realism, and the problem of reference

(Get the Book)

One of the perennial themes in philosophy is the problem of our access to the world around us; do our perceptual systems bring us into contact with the world as it is or does perception depend upon our individual conceptual frameworks? This volume of new essays examines reference as it relates to perception, action and realism, and the questions which arise if there is no neutral perspective or independent way to know the world. The essays discuss the nature of referring, concentrating on the way perceptual reference links us with the observable world, and go on to examine the implications of theories of perceptual reference for realism and the way in which scientific theories refer and thus connect us with the world. They will be of interest to a wide range of readers in philosophy of science, epistemology, philosophy of psychology, cognitive science, and action theory. (Summary)

The ark before Noah : decoding the story of the flood

by Irving L. Finkel     (Get the Book)
The recent translation of a Babylonian tablet launches a groundbreaking investigation into one of the most famous stories in the world, challenging the way we look at ancient history. nbsp; Since the Victorian period, it has been understood that the story of Noah, iconic in the Book of Genesis, and a central motif in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, derives from a much older story that existed centuries before in ancient Babylon. But the relationship between the Babylonian and biblical traditions was shrouded in mystery. Then, in 2009, Irving Finkel, a curator at the British Museum and a world authority on ancient Mesopotamia, found himself playing detective when a member of the public arrived at the museum with an intriguing cuneiform tablet from a family collection. Not only did the tablet reveal a new version of the Babylonian Flood Story; the ancient poet described the size and completely unexpected shape of the ark, and gave detailed boat building specifications. Decoding this ancient message wedge by cuneiform wedge, Dr. Finkel discovered where the Babylonians believed the ark came to rest and developed a new explanation of how the old story ultimately found its way into the Bible. In The Ark Before Noah , Dr. Finkel takes us on an adventurous voyage of discovery, opening the door to an enthralling world of ancient voices and new meanings. (Publisher)

Hildegard of Bingen : a saint for our times : unleashing her power in the 21st century

by Matthew Fox    (Get the Book)
In May, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI formally declared 12th century Benedictine nun Hildegard of Bingen a canonized saint, with the canonization ceremony scheduled for October. He regards her as one of the great thinker who has helped shape the thought of the Catholic Church. Today there are many websites and Hildegard groups that celebrate and honor Hildegard's teachings, philosophy, art, and music. Author Matthew Fox writes in Hildegard of Bingen about this amazing woman and what we can learn from her. In an era when women were marginalized, Hildegard was an outspoken, controversial figure. Yet so visionary was her insight that she was sought out by kings, popes, abbots, and bishops for advice. A sixteenth century follower of Martin Luther called her "the first Protestant" because of her appeals to reform the church. As a writer, composer, philosopher, Christian mystic, Benedictine abbess, healer, artist, feminist, and student of science, Hildegard was a pioneer in many fields in her day. For many centuries after her death Hildegard was ignored or even ridiculed but today is finally being recognized for her immense contribution to so many areas, including our understanding of our spiritual relationship to the earth--a contribution that touches on key issues faced by our planet in the 21st century, particularly with regard to the environment and ecology. (Publisher)

The bondage breaker

by Neil T. Anderson    (Get the Book)
Featuring a new introduction by Neil T. Anderson, this freshly re-covered edition of his bestselling book The Bondage Breaker (more than 1.2 million copies sold) leads readers away from the shadows and shackles in their lives and toward the freedom that comes when they realize they have the right to be free confront the power of Satan fight the temptation to do it their way trade deception for grace affirm their identity in Christ Neil Anderson ultimately helps people break negative thought patterns, control irrational feelings, and break out of the bondage of sinful behavior. Those struggling will discover how to embrace the promise of Jesus to win the spiritual battles that confront them. (Publisher)

Yes, but not quite : encountering Josiah Royce's ethico-religious insight

by Dwayne A. Tunstall     (Get the Book)
One hundred years ago, Harvard philosopher Josiah Royce was the most important speculative thinker in the English-speaking world about Christian philosophical ethics. Tunstall (Grand Valley State) offers an intensive examination of Royce's general theological system and his radical ethics of loyalty. Theologians may take greater interest in Royce's pioneering efforts to reconcile God's supreme divinity with the full reality of human souls and personalities. Royce's idealistic metaphysics was challenged by charges of pantheism and absolutism, and it was especially challenged by fellow personalists to guarantee that the individual has independent freedom and responsibility. Royce sought a reconciliation in a God communing with people and people's striving for ethical improvement, a God of ethical ideals and especially the supreme ideal of "loyalty to loyalty." Those who strive for moral improvement by staying loyal to ideals, and to those fellow human beings pursuing ideals, together build the "beloved community." Tunstall then discusses the influence of Royce's thought on Martin Luther King Jr., and some intersections with the views of Levinas. --Choice

Systematic theology : an introduction to Christian belief

by John M. Frame    (Get the Book)
“As a theology professor at Biola University where our students have to take three semesters of Christian doctrine I feel like I co-teach all my classes with Wayne Grudem. His Systematic Theology provides the core theology content for all my classes and most of the other undergraduate theology courses at the University. It excels in its clarity, readability, and biblically based approach that seeks to get theology into real life. Systematic Theology consistently accomplishes its obvious goal throughout---to lead the reader to greater knowledge and worship of the God of the Bible.' Talbot School of Theology of Biola University -- K. Erik Thoennes

There's a crack in your armor

by Perry F. Stone    (Get the Book)
Will Your Spiritual Armor Withstand the Forces of the Enemy? As believers we are assigned special God gear for protection--the spiritual armor that is described by Paul in Ephesians 6. What many people don't know is that the success of this gear is dependent upon our knowledge of these weapons and our insight into the warfare strategies of the adversary. In There's a Crack in Your Armor best-selling author Perry Stone shows you how to protect and effectively wield your spiritual armor, explaining: Seven common factors that wear down your spiritual strength; What to do when your armor has taken a beating; How to apply little-talked-about pieces of God's armor in your life; How to seal off any opening that is inviting assaults on you, your family, and your church If you are engaged in a physical, mental, or spiritual battle, this book will be your resource strategy weapon to bring victory! (Summary)

The remarkable wisdom of Solomon : ancient insights from the Song of Solomon, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes

by Henry M. Morris     (Get the Book)
-- Verse-by-verse commentary of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon -- Much research and detail on the life of Solomon is presented -- An in-depth study for the serious student of the BibleIsn't it amazing that a man who had 700 wives and 300 concubines and ruled a country for 40 years still had time to write three of the most profound books of the Bible? Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon all show marks of divine inspiration, and each can be a blessing to the reader, but why would God choose a man who turned to idolatry to write these books? Dr. Henry Morris, author of the commentaries Treasures in the Psalms and The Remarkable Record of Job, addresses the enigma of Solomon and presents a verse-by-verse commentary on his writings. Having studied the Bible for 60 years, Dr. Morris' wisdom is also quite remarkable, as you will quickly learn as you read The Remarkable Wisdom of Solomon. (Publisher Supplied text)

The cost of discipleship

by Dietrich Bonhoefer     (Get the Book)
One of the most important theologians of the twentieth century illuminates the relationship between ourselves and the teachings of Jesus in this classic text on ethics, humanism, and civic duty. What can the call to discipleship, the adherence to the word of Jesus, mean today to the businessman, the soldier, the laborer, or the aristocrat? What did Jesus mean to say to us? What is his will for us today? Drawing on the Sermon on the Mount, Dietrich Bonhoeffer answers these timeless questions by providing a seminal reading of the dichotomy between "cheap grace" and "costly grace." "Cheap grace," Bonhoeffer wrote, "is the grace we bestow on ourselves...grace without discipleship....Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the girl which must be asked for, the door at which a man must know....It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life." The Cost of Discipleship is a compelling statement of the demands of sacrifice and ethical consistency from a man whose life and thought were exemplary articulations of a new type of leadership inspired by the Gospel, and imbued with the spirit of Christian humanism and a creative sense of civic duty. (Publisher)

Smart money smart kids : raising the next generation to win with money

by Dave Ramsey    (Get the Book)
Radio host and financial expert Ramsey (The Total Money Makeover) teams up with his daughter, Rachel, in this guide to raising financially savvy kids, using "practical, tactical, spiritual and strategic principles." Ramsey explains how he bankrupted his family in his 20s and then went on to become an expert, espousing debt-free living and teaching his three children how to become financially responsible. Though Ramsey weighs in frequently, most of the text is provided by Cruze, who details what it was like growing up Ramsey: for example, at age 16, she had saved $8,000, which her parents matched for her first car. The authors advise using the "envelope system" to teach kids money management (spend, save, and give) and emphasize teaching them that money has limits ("when it's gone it's gone"). But the authors also warn against rigidity; for instance, a parent who won't cover the tax when a child has saved for a $300 purchase takes things too far. The authors' "five foundations" include teaching kids to (1) establish a $500 emergency fund; (2) live without debt; (3) pay cash for a car; (4) pay cash for college; and (5) build wealth and give. Though biblical references are interspersed, parents of all faiths will benefit from this sound guide. --Publishers weekly

Congratulations, by the way : some thoughts on kindness

by George Saunders    (Get the Book)
An expansion of a commencement speech passed around the web, this essay hits warm and tender notes without straying from safety zone of feel-good advice. In a tone by turns grandfatherly and fun-loving, renowned fiction writer Saunders (Tenth of December) identifies his main regrets in life as what he calls "failures of kindness." While his exploration of kindness initially promises to pull from science and history, it falls back on the maligning of certain self-focused beliefs already widely maligned: the belief that one is indispensable to yet distinct from the universe, and the idea that humans are eternal. Portraying common major life goals (raising children, succeeding in one's career) as part of a never-ending, accomplishment-based cycle, Saunders impugns the cycle for distracting individuals from the important questions, yet he does not adequately establish why pursuing these should hamper an investigation of the meaning of life. Nor does he address obvious counterpoints-that children constitute a personal value of parents and that their pride is therefore an expression of personal joy. As life advice, the speech contains standard contradictions: seek the life that is most fulfilling to you individually, yet follow pursuits that will ultimately diminish your sense of self. His wording is genteel and his examples vivid, but the overall impression is that of a standard-issue secular sermon on loving one another. --Publishers Weekly

Four blood moons : something is about to change

by John Hagee    (Get the Book)
In his latest, pastor Hagee draws connections between celestial events and biblical prophecies. Operating under the initial assumption that god controls various heavenly bodies (e.g. the sun, moon, and stars), Hagee seeks to interpret the spiritual message behind various astronomical phenomena. As the subtitle suggests, Hagee urgently believes change is coming, and he cautions his readers to be on the lookout for messages from God. Gallagher proves a compelling narrator. He reads clearly and briskly, which works to maintain listener interest. Hagee is clearly a devoted pastor and Gallagher does an excellent job capturing that devotion and the fervency of the author's beliefs. At the same time, Gallagher's narration is conversational and practical, and he reads in a matter-of-fact way that makes the author's material seem down-to-earth. A Worthy hardcover. --Publishers Weekly

You are not special... and other encouragements

by David G. McCullough   (Get the Books)
Longtime high school English teacher McCullough scores an A+ with this volume for teens and parents. Rich in literary references and poetic in cadence, the author also offers plenty of hilarious and pointed comments on teens and today's society. The immediate inspiration for the book is the commencement address that McCullough gave at his high school in 2012. He coyly saves the speech itself until the afterword but readers need not worry. From the start, he examines the odd situation of teens who have every advantage but "[a]t some level[.]understand you can't ride the chairlift and call yourself Edmund Hillary." Teens are cosseted by well-meaning parents and bombarded with the "nitwittery" of social media, notes McCullough, and generally so focused on collecting accolades and laurels to boost their chances of getting into college that they miss the point. According to the author, "these indulged kids, our kids, could be, should be part of the solution for a planet in sore need." As he wisely notes: "When at last the electricity in your few pounds of gelatinous stuff sputters out for good, that's that," thus all readers must take pleasure in this fleeting life. --Publishers weekly

Church of mercy

by Pope Francis    (Get the Book)
"A magnificent book, bursting with profound spiritual insights, from a man who has quickly become one of the greatest spiritual teachers of our time." --James Martin, SJ , author of Jesus: A Pilgrimage In the year since he was elected, Pope Francis's simple message of mercy, service, and renewal has spread to every corner of the world. Through his gentle demeanor, selfless actions, and welcoming call for service to others, Pope Francis has captured the attention of a world longing for an authentic message of hope--we want to hear what he has to say. Collected from Pope Francis's speeches, homilies, and papers presented during the first year of his papacy, The Church of Mercy is the first Vatican-authorized book detailing his vision for the Catholic Church.   (Summary)

Living with a Wild God : a memoir

by Barbara Ehrenreich   (Get the Book)
Ehrenreich (Nickel and Dimed) offers a deeply personal look at her search for the truth about life and spirituality. Occasionally brutal in its introspective honesty, this book reveals the alcoholic dysfunction of her parents' relationship and how it affected her growth and beliefs. The author's family's staunch atheism often made Ehrenreich the outsider as a child, but also gave her the tools and freedom to question everything around her, including religion. She dabbled in multiple faiths before settling into atheism herself, but throughout her teen years, she had dissociative "mystical experiences" that she eventually self-diagnosed as a psychological disorder. It wasn't until midlife that she returned to her quest for meaning and attempted to describe her experiences as something more than lapses into mental illness. VERDICT Emotionally evocative, at times disturbing, Ehrenreich's work is engaging and invites-no, demands that its readers question the world around them and everything they believe about it. The author's rational approach to researching "religious experiences" similar to her own, her mission to find an answer to: "Why are we here?" is profoundly relatable to those who have asked similar questions, who have wondered at humanity's purpose, and who have probed at the presence of the Other. Part memoir, part mystical journey, this is essential for anyone with an interest in religious studies, contemporary history, or memoir and biography. --Library Journal

Jesus : a pilgrimage

by James Martin   (Get the Book)
In this work-part travelog, part biblical commentary, part memoir, part meditation-prolific Jesuit author Martin (culture editor, America magazine; My Life with the Saints) devotes a chapter to each of the towns he visited while on a pilgrimage in the Holy Land, villages in which particular incidents in the life of Jesus took place. He explains and reflects on the relevant Gospel stories as he proceeds. For example, in the chapter "Tabgha," he considers the story of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, and reflects on an incident in his experience when Jesus made small things great, and suggests how this event can help those who feel their efforts are inadequate. The chapters are ordered according to the life of Jesus, and do not correspond to the order of Martin's visit, so the account isn't so much about places as it is about coming to understand Jesus better and fostering a deeper relationship with him. Martin often refers accessibly to the scholarship about a particular biblical passage, with the relevant text provided in full at the end of each section. VERDICT This will appeal to readers (not just Catholics) seeking an introduction to the Gospels that is personal but rooted in serious -scholarship. --Library Journal

Learning to walk in the dark

by Barbara Brown Taylor   (Get the Book)
Best-selling author and former Episcopal priest Taylor returns with another thoughtful book. This time Taylor confronts head-on faith and, most significantly, the dark night of the soul. But really this is a meditation on darkness itself more a journal, she emphasizes, than a manual. What does Taylor mean by darkness? Darkness, she writes, is shorthand for anything that scares me. That could include something as profound as the absence of God to the fear of dementia to the loss of family and friends, as well as that nagging question of what it will feel like to die. She recounts how she became impatient with church teachings that accentuated the light while denying the existence of darkness, and comments on the difference between faith and belief, certainty and trust. An elegant writer with the common touch, Taylor is always a wonderful guide to the spiritual world, and this book is no exception. Here she encourages us to turn out the lights and embrace the spiritual darkness, for it is in the dark, she maintains, that one can truly see. --Booklist

Dying every day : Seneca at the Court of Nero

by James Romm    (Get the Book)
Was Roman philosopher Seneca the Younger an exemplar of Stoic virtue who, pulled into politics in the service of Emperor Nero, did his best to modulate the young despot's cruelty? Or was he a shrewd manipulator whose ethical treatises were just a cynical attempt to restore a reputation sullied by his complicity in Nero's cruel and decadent court? Tacitus, who wrote a lot about Seneca, seems to have had trouble making up his mind. Romm suggests that we might bring together these conflicting portraits by understanding Seneca as a serious thinker who suffered from passivity and obsequiousness, and had the misfortune to live at a time when intellectual activity had become particularly dangerous. Seneca's elegant humanistic vision (which would influence, among other things, Roman Catholic church doctrine), therefore, was not fraudulent, but aspirational, and somewhat tragic: ideals articulated by a flawed man who was all too aware of his inability to live up to them. Vividly describing the intensity of political life in the Nero years, and paying particular attention to the Roman fascination with suicide, Romm's narrative is gripping, erudite, and occasionally quite grim. --Booklist

Freedom from the known

by J. Krishnamurti    (Get the Book)
Krishnamurti shows how people can free themselves radically and immediately from the tyranny of the expected, no matter what their age--opening the door to transforming society and their relationships. J. Krishnamurti (1895-1986) was a renowned spiritual teacher whose lectures and writings have inspired thousands. His works include On Mind and Thought, On Nature and the Environment, On Relationship, On Living and Dying, On Love and Loneliness, On Fear, and On Freedom. (Publisher)

Playing God : redeeming the gift of power

by Andy Crouch    (Get the Book)
The executive editor of the magazine Christianity Today follows his groundbreaking book, Culture Making, with a study on the idea of power and how it drives our relationships and lives. If our understanding of the term "power" is shaped by the world's definition, which often carries a negative connotation, we will fail to recognize that it was intended to be a gift from God to help us make something of the world. Broken into four parts focusing on biblical stories about the creation of power and where it will lead, the book also offers personal experiences and examples from modern culture to show that power, as we think of it today, isn't how it originally was intended by its divine designer. How are power and idolatry related? What can we learn from powerful people in our business culture like Steve Jobs? How can a Christian in power be a good steward and use it to help solve injustice in the world? These are just a few of the questions that readers will ponder from Crouch's deeply layered study. The wide-ranging allusions and references from the Cornell and BU grad who served as a campus minister at Harvard might lose readers who are less well-read. --Publishers Weekly

Meeting Jesus again for the first time : the historical Jesus & the heart of contemporary faith

by Marcus J. Borg     (Get the Book)
A participant in the Jesus Seminar, the group of biblical scholars whose studies to ascertain what Jesus really said eventuated in The Five Gospels [BKL Ja 1 94], Borg is further concerned with how Jesus' original message may remain at "the heart of contemporary faith." In the six chapters of this book, he first presents his own journey of faith from childhood's trusting belief through young adult skepticism to mature apprehension that a "Christian is one who lives out his or her relationship to God within the framework of the Christian tradition." That tradition, subsequent chapters argue, arises out of four aspects of the "pre-Easter Jesus": Jesus as a "spirit person" (i.e., one who had an "experiential awareness of the reality of God"), a teacher of wisdom, a social prophet, and a movement founder. Further, the tradition calls upon Christians to follow Jesus "from life under the lordship of culture to the life of companionship with God" and from belief not in fixed doctrines but in giving one's heart to the "living Lord, the side of God turned toward us." First-class argumentation for experiential as opposed to institutional Christianity. --Booklist

Silent compassion : finding God in contemplation

by Richard Rohr   (Get the Book)
In this brief but effective book, Rohr (Breathing Under Water: Spirituality and the Twelve Steps) commends silence to us as a function of the spiritual life, a component both of our own wholeness and our connection to nature and, ultimately, to God. -Silence is not a mere cessation of noise, he explains, but has its own qualities, which can be learned and cultivated. VERDICT Rohr's book brings the appreciative reader close to the spirit of the monastic life; it should please and instruct many an individual seeker, across denominations. --Library Journal

Plato at the Googleplex : why philosophy won't go away

by Rebecca Goldstein    (Get the Book)
 Plato lives! Brilliantly re-creating Plato's philosophic dialogues, Goldstein transports the ancient Greek philosopher to the twenty-first-century headquarters of Google, where his probing voice engages three modern hosts in exploring what knowledge means in an age of computerized crowd sourcing. Further dialogues put Plato into conversation with an advice columnist fielding questions about love and sex, with a child psychologist arguing with an obsessive mother, with a television broadcaster trying to score political points, and with a neuroscientist certain he can resolve all intellectual questions with brain scans. Though Goldstein's gifts as a novelist animate these dialogues, her scholarly erudition gives them substance, evident in the many citations from Plato's writings seamlessly embedded in the conversational give-and-take. Goldstein's scholarship also informs the expository essay that prefaces each dialogue. Readers soon realize that the philosophical project that Plato launched 2,500 years ago has evolved as modern thinkers such as Kant, Leibnitz, and Spinoza have redefined its focus and methods. Readers will also confront the doubts of twenty-first-century skeptics particularly scientists who dismiss philosophizing as an anachronistic word game. But Goldstein prepares readers to grapple with changes in philosophic thinking and more important to recognize the abiding value of an enterprise too important to leave to academic specialists. --Booklist

Trying not to try : the art and science of spontaneity

by Edward G. Slingerland    (Get the Book)
Throughout human history, successful and charming individuals have been envisioned as people who do things effortlessly, yet in modern Western thought, rational thinkers and "go-getters" are idolized. Slingerland (What Science Offers the Humanities), a professor of Asian studies at the Univ. of British Columbia, runs through historical philosophy and returns to the ancient Chinese idea of wu-wei, or "effortless action," where individuals become in tune with their bodies and exhibit de, an aura that signals trust and relaxation. Individuals in a state of wu-wei can be found in all career paths-from the businessman giving an effective speech to the tennis player with an effortless swing, as well as from the presidential candidate to the artist "in the zone." Slingerland presents four different ways of achieving wu-wei, as given to us by Chinese philosophers such as Confucius and Laozi: "long-term training," "embrac[ing] simplicity," nurturing "desirable behavior," or "go[ing] with the flow." Through anecdotes Slingerland explains the scientific reasoning behind why achieving wu-wei can be difficult-he evens presents a small exercise that demonstrates the feeling of disharmony in a small context. This guide is better suited to Chinese philosophy enthusiasts rather than to readers of how-to books; still, there are many insightful strategies for those studying self-improvement. --Publishers Weekly

Roman pilgrimage : the station churches

by George Weigel    (Get the Book)
Rome's station churches date from the early Christian era, with architectural and traditional elaborations added to many in the Renaissance and major repairs made as recently as the past decade. Their visitation by believers during Lent follows a specific order, with aspects of the faith related to each edifice. Weigel, a Vatican analyst for NBC news, presents a readily accessible overview of how these stational churches correlate to and support Roman Catholic Lenten practice and affirmations while at the same time providing an attractive meditative tour for any visitor. Art historian Elizabeth Lev uses Weigel's color photos to discuss architectural details along with the buildings' history. This is a unique guide book, referencing not only theology but the history of Western art, modern and post modern literature, urban history, and church history. Valuable to believers, scholars, students, armchair travelers, and those planning pilgrimages following Phil Cousineau's guides. --Booklist

Figuring religions : comparing ideas, images, and activities

by Shubha Pathak     (Get the Book)
Figuring Religions offers new ways of comparing prominent features of the world’s religions. Comparison has been at the heart of religious studies as a modern academic discipline, but comparison can be problematic. Scholars of religion have been faulted for ignoring or reinterpreting differences to create a universal paradigm. In reaction, many of today’s scholars have placed chief emphasis on the differences between traditions. Seeking to reinvigorate comparison and avoid its excesses, contributors to this volume use theories of metaphor and metonymy from the fields of philosophy, linguistics, and anthropology to look at religious ideas, images, and activities. (Summary: Published by SUNY Press)

The God of yes : how faith makes all things new

by Jud Wilhite    (Get the Book)
Pastor of a Las Vegas church that is one of the largest and fastest growing congregations in America, Wilhite (Pursued) fulfills a longtime desire to write a book on Ecclesiastes that draws on a text from the Apostle Paul: "For all of God's promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding 'Yes!' " (2 Cor. 1:20). This book is part of the sizeable subgenre of Christian self-help that reads like a sermon series put into print, and one could wonder if it were not better to hear rather than read the material. Readers have come to expect these pastor-written sermon-ish books to include many personal stories, rather than straight-line exposition about Bible texts, and one quality that distinguishes Wilhite is his willingness to be vulnerable and self-disclosing. Of his own quick-tempered outburst at a homeless person for complaining about food that had been served, Wilhite says, "Not exactly what Jesus would do." For readers who enjoy conversational, anecdotal discussion of Bible texts, this is an affirmative read. --Publishers Weekly

The invisible war : what every believer needs to know about Satan, demons, and spiritual warfare

by Chip Ingram    (Get the Book)
Ingram (Sex 180), president of the Walk Thru the Bible ministry, draws on personal experience in this book about confronting spiritual darkness. He succeeds in taking a balanced approach, challenging readers who either ignore spiritual warfare or see manifestations of it around every corner. Expounding upon Ephesians 6 (in which Paul talks about putting on the "armor of God"), Ingram gives most of his time to "the everyday schemes of the evil one" and daily defensive spiritual disciplines (prayer, Bible meditation, repentance). He stresses that we are all in the middle of an "invisible war," that we don't need to fear the enemy but respect him, and that God's victory can be ours in every spiritual conflict. As a pastor in Santa Cruz for more than a decade, Ingram confronted occult activity that he believed threatened his ministry and family. While these tales are fascinating, more enlightening is Ingram's description of the subtle attacks he and others feel they have experienced through discouragement and doubt during key periods of ministry. While well-balanced with useful information, the book often reads like a sermon series transcript and will prove most informative for pastors looking for detailed sermon outlines, which are included with each section. --Publishers Weekly

Uncommon marriage : learning about lasting love and overcoming life's obstacles together

by Tony Dungy    (Get the Book)
With a "he said/she said" format, former NFL coach Dungy (Quiet Strength) and his wife, Lauren, share lessons learned over more than 30 years of marriage. They are different in personality, but their deep faith and commitment to their relationship help them grow closer through career changes, multiple moves, the rearing of nine children, and family tragedy. They discuss the wide variety of incidents and factors that have strengthened their marriage, like working through different communication styles and learning the importance of praying together. They also share the difficulties through which they have walked together, like being in the public eye-Tony became the first African-American head coach to guide a team to the Super Bowl; dealing with the loss of a parent; and coping with the suicide of their son. They offer their thoughts in personal, conversational style with the hope that readers can recognize some part of their own marriage and be able to find guidance, hope, and encouragement. The book reads more like an enjoyable chat with longtime friends than the helpful marriage guidebook that it is. --Publishers weekly

Before and after Muhammad : the first millennium refocused

by Garth Fowden    (Get the Book)
Islam emerged amid flourishing Christian and Jewish cultures, yet students of Antiquity and the Middle Ages mostly ignore it. Despite intensive study of late Antiquity over the last fifty years, even generous definitions of this period have reached only the eighth century, whereas Islam did not mature sufficiently to compare with Christianity or rabbinic Judaism until the tenth century. "Before and After Muhammad" suggests a new way of thinking about the historical relationship between the scriptural monotheisms, integrating Islam into European and West Asian history. Garth Fowden identifies the whole of the First Millennium--from Augustus and Christ to the formation of a recognizably Islamic worldview by the time of the philosopher Avicenna--as the proper chronological unit of analysis for understanding the emergence and maturation of the three monotheistic faiths across Eurasia. Fowden proposes not just a chronological expansion of late Antiquity but also an eastward shift in the geographical frame to embrace Iran. In "Before and After Muhammad," Fowden looks at Judaism, Christianity, and Islam alongside other important developments in Greek philosophy and Roman law, to reveal how the First Millennium was bound together by diverse exegetical traditions that nurtured communities and often stimulated each other. (Summary)

A religion of one's own : a guide to creating a personal spirituality in a secular world

by Thomas Moore    (Get the Book)
The author, whose bestselling Care of the Soul (1992) helped define an era of therapeutic spirituality, reprises many of the themes and preoccupations that he has written about in a dozen books: contemplation, eros, and intuition ought to play formative influences in a rich spiritual life. Moore updates his argument by considering it in the context that writings such as his helped to develop: the world of the secular, populated by those untutored in religion or critical of its institutions but interested in authentic living. For these he urges: pay attention to your dreams, desires, intuitions, and deep drives, and use religious traditions as resources in developing the titular religion of one's own. Moore's own spiritual formation is deeply Catholic. When he is read closely, his depth is apparent, but his heterodox syncretism makes him a natural target for less well-read enforcers of traditional religion. There's not much new here for those who have followed him for two decades, but he stands to make some new converts to the noninstitutional ranks of spirituality. --Publishers Weekly