The rising of Bread for the World : an outcry of citizens against hunger

by Arthur R. Simon. In this autobiography, author and retired pastor Simon traces the path of his life to show how he began and developed Bread for the World, the influential religious lobby on hunger. Simon's past experience with the civil rights movement laid the groundwork for a life championing rights for the oppressed and underprivileged. While taking leave from pastoral duties to study hunger, Simon saw Christianity as the social force that could push government to change hunger policy, thereby aiding the impoverished. He forged a lobbying organization that gained congressional approval for two grain reserves; amassed more than 58,000 members; attracted leaders like Bono and Bob Dole; and obtained $15.5 billion in funding for poverty-stricken countries in 2008 alone. As he takes readers through a crash course on hunger policy and the workings of a Christian nonprofit, Simon applauds all those who helped leave their fingerprints on the struggle to overcome world hunger. If readers can have patience through the chapters on Simon's early years, they will find themselves cheering on a humble, mission-driven organization—and perhaps be persuaded to join the movement. --Publisher's Weekly (Check Catalog)

The Bible and the people

by Lori Anne Ferrell. This energetically written, wonderfully illustrated book seeks to demonstrate how generations of people have sought, through a seemingly endless array of methods (some quite strange), to make the Bible their own in their personal and religious lives. Ferrell (Claremont Graduate Univ.) admirably succeeds in her goals, once the reader understands that her focus is the "Christian Bible" and adherents of Christianity. As a professor of early modern literature and history, Ferrell is on firmer ground when she writes about the period and the people she knows best. But she is absolutely superb whenever she concentrates on a particular document (almost all housed at The Huntington Library, San Marino): she has a rare talent for bringing a wide variety of biblical texts to life, often starting with a stray note or short inscription and imaginatively building to construct a lively account of how and by whom such materials were constructed and subsequently used. Because of Ferrell's engaging style, her volume is accessible to everyone and holds surprises and delights for anyone with an interest in the Bible as it is, and has been, experienced by actual people in real-life circumstances for hundreds of years. Most libraries should acquire this volume. --Choice (Check Catalog)

Amazing tales for making men out of boys

by Neil Oliver. Tales of brave and selfless deeds used to be part of every boy's education. We grew up sharing stories with our fathers, uncles and grandfathers of how other men had lived their lives, met their challenges, reached their goals and faced their deaths. Becoming a man was about comradeship and standing by your friends whatever the circumstances. And it meant that sometimes it was more important to die a hero than live a coward's life. Through Neil Oliver's vivid, stirring accounts we can rediscover the stories that inspire men to perform acts greater than themselves. These are the epics that we should all know by heart; the tales of courage, endurance and sacrifice that made men out of boys (Check catalog)

by Brent W. Jeffs. In this moving debut memoir, the nephew of a Mormon sect leader chronicles life in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and what came after. Among a 10,000-member Mormon community, Jeffs grew up with three mothers, more than a dozen siblings, and a deep fear of the world outside of the church. Within the secretive community, Jeffs was taught that purity came from special attention to dress, hard work, generosity and, most importantly, obedience to one's elders (especially his uncle, the prophet Warren Jeffs). The focus of this fast-paced memoir is the sexual abuse Jeffs and his brothers endured at the hands of their relatives during church and school functions, for which he would file a class-action lawsuit in 2004. Jeffs's descent into depression proves the beginning of the end for his relationship with the church and, consequently, with much of his family. Jeffs outlines the core beliefs of the Church, along with the oppressive ends to which they were used, and the heartbreaking fate of those church members expelled into a society they were raised to see as evil and corrupt. This hard-to-put-down, tightly woven account pulls back the curtain on what's become a perennial news story, while illustrating the impiety of absolute power and the delicacy of innocence. --Publisher's Weekly (Check Catalog)

Championship fathering : how to win at being a dad

by Carey Casey. Here's your ticket to the Hall of Fame.In a world of deadbeat dads and drifting kids, simply being there can make you seem like a standout. But that won't get your children to adulthood in one piece physically, socially, spiritually, and emotionally. That takes a special father-one exactly like you. Championship fathers aren't perfect. They just keep practicing the three fundamentals of being an effective dad: loving, coaching, and modeling. That takes a game plan, and Carey Casey's got it. Using a lifetime of heart-touching personal stories and revealing research from the National Center for Fathering, he'll "school you up" on the most important-and rewarding-position you'll ever play. Whether you're a fatherhood rookie or a field-battered veteran, this practical, inspiring guide will turn the business of being a dad into one of your greatest pleasures. Joining the Championship Fathering team will change your whole family-and maybe even generations to come. (Check catalog)

The third Jesus : the Christ we cannot ignore

by Deepak Chopra. Who is Jesus? In "The Third Jesus," Deepak Chopra provides an answer that is both uplifting and challenging to current beliefs. There is not one Jesus, Chopra writes, but three. The first is the historical Jesus, the man of flesh and blood who lived more than two thousand years ago. The second Jesus is a person who never lived but is a figure created by the Church to represent thousands of years of theology and Church teaching. Behind these two images stands a third Jesus, the radical, mystical teacher who taught his followers how to change the world. In "The Third Jesus," Chopra explores Jesus' original message, revealing a spiritual guide of profound depth and inspiration that speaks to anyone who believes in the importance of peace and love. By turning fresh eyes on the New Testament and returning to the essentials of Jesus' message, Chopra shows how the third Jesus can truly transform our lives--and humanity. (Check catalog)

Why Socrates died : dispelling the myths

by Robin Waterfield. Classicist Waterfield examines the trial and conviction of Socrates (c.470–399 B.C.E.) in the context of the fifth-century B.C.E. political upheavals in Athens that led to humiliating defeat by Sparta in 404 B.C.E. Waterfield sets the stage for Socrates' trial with a thorough and fascinating account of the democratic process of lawmaking and justice in Athens. In Waterfield's view, citizens of the Greek city-state blamed the catastrophe of defeat on the displeasure of the gods. Who could be more responsible than Socrates, who taught the young to doubt their fathers and question ancient values? His belief in governance by expert seemed to favor oligarchy over traditional democracy. Socrates was also closely associated with leaders of the short and bloody oligarchic coup (404–403 B.C.E.) following defeat. Waterfield argues that citizens of the restored democracy blamed the philosopher for his heretical education of the generation that came to maturity during the upheavals, most prominently the adventurer Alcibiades, who represented for many the corruption of values that led to defeat. Waterfield brings to life the ideas and emotions teeming in ancient Athens and makes Socrates' sentence of death seem inevitable. This learned book in clear, concise prose belongs in all libraries.—Library Journal (Check Catalog)

Fingerprints of God : the search for the science of spirituality

by Barbara Bradley Hagerty. Articles about research on spirituality and the brain are usually written from the point of view that religious experience can be understood from a purely scientific perspective. Hagerty's (religion correspondent, NPR) book does not have this naturalistic or materialistic tendency. Rather, as both a reporter and a religious person, she seeks insight on spirituality and science while being open to the possibility that spirituality may still have a transcendent component. The book is interesting to read because the author has interviewed many scientists as well as many people who attest to having mystical or near-death experiences. In a way, the reader feels like a participant in Hagerty's own encounter with the various pieces of information and evidence, struggling with her to make sense of it all. Highly recommended.—Library Journal (Check Catalog)

An introduction to medieval philosophy : basic concepts

by Joseph W. Koterski. By exploring the philosophical character of some of the greatest medieval thinkers, An Introduction to Medieval Philosophy provides a rich overview of philosophy in the world of Latin Christianity. Explores the deeply philosophical character of such medieval thinkers as Augustine, Boethius, Eriugena, Anselm, Aquinas, Bonaventure, Scotus, and OckhamReviews the central features of the epistemological and metaphysical problem of universalsShows how medieval authors adapted philosophical ideas from antiquity to apply to their religious commitmentsTakes a broad philosophical approach of the medieval era by, taking account of classical metaphysics, general culture, and religious themes. (Check Catalog)

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

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