Spirituality and Religion
March 2025
Recent Releases
I Want You to Be Happy: Finding Peace and Abundance in Everyday Life
by Francis

Catholic readers especially will take comfort in Pope Francis’s grounded and humble suggestions for finding happiness in life. The short chapters distill his message into bite-sized readings, making this book perfect for daily reflection while reminding readers to keep God and serving others as the focus of their lives.
A lamp unto yourself : a beginner's guide to Asian spiritual practices, from Advaita and Buddhism to yoga and zen
by C. Pierce Salguero

"For "spiritual explorers" ready to travel beyond Western bounds, a beginner's guide to Asian spiritual traditions spanning regions, cultures, and history"
Believe : why everyone should be religious
by Ross Gregory Douthat

"For searchers caught between doubt and belief and for believers struggling to reconcile faith with contemporary assumptions about science and progress, Believe by New York Times columnist Ross Douthat shows how religious faith makes better sense of reality than skepticism or disbelief"
We Will Rest! The Art of Escape
by Tricia Hersey

Building on her 2022 Rest Is Resistance manifesto, Tricia Hersey invites readers to embrace rest as a healing practice amidst the pressures of constant productivity. As an artist and theologian, she presents a beautifully designed book featuring art and poetry from Black creatives, drawing inspiration and wisdom from African American history.
Aflame: Learning from Silence
by Pico Iyer

Extolling the virtues of silence and meditation, author and traveler Pico Iyer shares insights from his regular visits -- spanning three decades -- to a Benedictine monastery in California. Part personal reflection, part philosophical musing, his observations reveal how a contemplative life can better equip us to deal with the modern age.
The Food and Feasts of the Apostle Paul: Inside the Early Church -- With Menus and Recipes
by Douglas E. Neel

This book explores the early Christian church through its food, revealing diverse communities and their cultures. Each chapter introduces a different community Paul visited, highlighting key foods and offering recipes. It helps readers understand early Christian worship, culture, and conflicts, enhancing their grasp of Jesus, Paul, and early Christian teachings.
Jesus Wept: Seven Popes and the Battle for the Soul of the Catholic Church
by Philip Shenon

When Pope John XXIII was elected in 1958, he launched the Second Vatican Council to modernize the Church. Former New York Times reporter Philip Shenon explores issues such as celibacy, birth control, and women's roles, most notably diving deep into the church’s sex abuse scandals, offering a vivid and highly critical history of the modern Church and its leaders.
Experience Jesus. Really. : finding refuge, strength, and wonder through everyday encounters with God
by John Eldredge

"New York Times bestselling author John Eldredge reveals the path of the "ordinary mystic," and invites readers into the refuge of experiencing deep, lasting, real communion with Jesus"
Contact your librarian for more great books!
Harford County Public Library
1221-A Brass Mill Rd
Belcamp, Maryland 21017
410-273-5600

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