Spirituality and Religion
March 2022

Recent Releases
God: An Anatomy
by Francesca Stavrakopoulou

What it is: A thought-provoking exploration of the concept of God through ancient eyes.

Read it for: The evocative, tangible portrait of God and the divine that author Francesca Stavrakopoulou manages to pull through the mists of time, putting scriptural imagery in its original cultural context.

Also available in eBook on CloudLibrary
The Good Life Method: Reasoning Through the Big Questions of Happiness, Faith...
by Paul Blaschko and Meghan Sullivan

What it is: A candid, accessible exploration of big, existential questions and the roles faith and philosophy play in determining what it means to live a "good life."

Is it for you? The engaging material in The Good Life Method deals with religion alongside the secular work of philosophers like Kant and Descartes, which may not appeal to readers looking for something with a more spiritual focus.

Also available in eBook on CloudLibrary
Books You Might Have Missed
To My Beloveds: Letters on Faith, Race, Loss, and Radical Hope
by Jennifer Bailey

What it's about: This candid and thoughtful collection of essays contains spiritual reflections about topics like trauma recovery, community building, and Black womanhood. 

About the author: Reverend Jennifer Bailey is an African Methodist Episcopal minister, public theologian, and founder of the community organizing nonprofit the Faith Matters Network.
Wholehearted Faith
by Rachel Held Evans

What it is: A poignant and thoughtful collection of essays from columnist and Year of Biblical Womanhood author Rachel Held Evans, who passed away in 2019. 

Reviewers say: " Evans's honest questioning of Christian teachings and a God she mostly (but doesn't always) believe in will strike a chord with believers and agnostics alike" (Library Journal).
Brujas: The Magic and Power of Witches of Color
by Lorraine Monteagut

What it's about: The increasing popularity of ancestral spiritual practices among young Black, Latinx, and indigenous people looking to connect with and celebrate their cultures.

Topics include: The melding of indigenous and West African faith traditions in Central and South America; the legacy of colonialism; and the power of spiritual practice as a community building tool.
 
Also available in eBook on Hoopla
The Making of the Bible: From the First Fragments to Sacred Scripture
by Konrad Schmid; translated by Jens Schröter

What it is: A well-researched, comprehensive account of the development of Hebrew Bible and Christian Bible. 

Don't miss: The discussion of the Bible as a text object and how it fits into the history of bibliography and publishing.

About the author: Swiss theologian and professor Konrad Schmid teaches Hebrew Bible studies and ancient Judaica at the University of Zurich.
Filled with Fire and Light: Portraits and Legends from the Bible, Talmud, and Hasidic...
by Elie Wiesel

What it is: The thought-provoking collected wisdom of notable figures in Jewish history including rabbis, sages, kings, and prophets.

Appearances by: The prophet Elisha; Josiah, King of Judah; scholar Reish Lakish; and Rabbi Schneur Zalman.
 
Contact your librarian for more great books!