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Spirituality and Religion March 2020
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| Notre-Dame: A Short History of the Meaning of Cathedrals by Ken FollettWhat it is: an impassioned and atmospheric chronicle of the cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris, from its centuries-long construction to the fire that devastated it in April of 2019.
Read it for: Pillars of the Earth author Ken Follett's deep knowledge of cathedral construction, which reminds readers that a cathedral is always a work in progress; an engaging examination of the power of large-scale, culturally rich buildings to move us. |
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| Religion As We Know It: An Origin Story by Jack MilesWhat it is: a scholarly and thought-provoking look at how the place of religion in Western society has evolved over time, and how those changes created the field of religious studies.
About the author: A Pulitzer Prize winner and fellow of both the Guggenheim and MacArthur Foundations, Jack Miles is also the author of God: A Biography and edited the most recent edition of the Norton Anthology of World Religions. |
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| Confessions: A New Translation by Augustine, translation by Peter ConstantineWhat it is: a new translation of Augustine of Hippo's most well-known work by noted translator Peter Constantine (who has also translated Rousseau, Machiavelli, and Chekov).
What sets it apart: Constantine takes great pains to present Augustine's theological points with clarity and puts Augustine's candid, erudite reflections into a contemporary voice that makes Confessions more accessible to general readers. |
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Benjamin Franklin: The Religious Life of a Founding Father
by Thomas S. Kidd
In this thoroughly researched and groundbreaking biography, religious studies professor Thomas Kidd examines the religious thought of Founder Benjamin Franklin. As a young man Franklin rejected the Calvinist doctrine of his childhood and embraced deism. However, he later professed a religion-based ethical philosophy that was closer to the beliefs of his upbringing, those of his sister Jane Mecom, and those of his friend George Whitefield, the famous Methodist evangelist. Showing Franklin as a man of religious faith who publicly called for prayers to God to guide the new American nation, Kidd's portrait offers "a new cornerstone of Franklin studies" (Booklist, starred review).
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| Martin Luther: Renegade and Prophet by Lyndal RoperWhat it is: a thought-provoking new biography of Protestant reformer Martin Luther, published in 2017 to coincide with the 500th anniversary of the posting of his 95 Theses at All Saints' Church in Wittenberg, Saxony.
Why you should read it: Historian Lyndal Roper presents a comprehensive narrative of Luther's life that doesn't shy away from the theologian's uncompromising nature and antisemitism, and manages to balance thorough research with an approachable, engaging readability. |
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Exactly as You Are: The Life and Faith of Mister Rogers
by Shea Tuttle
What it's about: the experiences and religious life of beloved children's television icon Fred Rogers and how his faith informed both his career and the compassion he encouraged in others.
Why you should read it: Although the tone is one of admiration, this spiritual biography makes a point to distinguish between Mister Rogers and Fred Rogers the man, nor does it shy away from his shortcomings.
Did you know? Before beginning his career in television, Fred Rogers went to divinity school and became an ordained Presbyterian minister.
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| Paul: A Biography by N.T. WrightWhat it is: Combining solid scholarship of what is known about the apostle Paul with a careful reading of the writings he left behind, Anglican bishop N.T. Wright provides both a biography and an examination of Paul's intentions.
Reviewers say: Written "not for the skeptic but for the believer" (Kirkus Reviews), this is a thought-provoking analysis that will inform interested readers and likely prompt debate. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Carrollton Public Library 1700 Keller Springs Road, Carrollton Texas 75006 4220 North Josey Lane, Carrollton Texas 75010 |
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