Philosophy & Religion
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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)
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
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
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
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)
