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Spirituality and Religion January 2021 |
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American prophets : the religious roots of progressive politics and the ongoing fight for the soul of the country
by Jack Jenkins
What it is: a reevaluation of America’s moral center and a portrait of progressive faith-in-action. American Prophets will change the way we think about the intersection of politics and religion.
What makes it unique: an illuminating showcase of the historical and on-going social justice movements that continue to shape American culture and life.
About the author: Jenkins is a national reporter for Religion News Service. He has contributed to The Atlantic and the Washington Post, and is a regular guest on radio and podcasts, including ABC, BBC, and NPR.
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The Bible With and Without Jesus: How Jews and Christians Read the Same Stories...
by Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler
What it is: an accessible and thought-provoking comparative study of the scriptures shared by Judaism and Christianity and the different interpretations that both faiths bring to them.
What makes it unique: the emphasis placed on historical and social context, and how it can affect the way a text is understood by a given culture.
You might also like: The Islamic Jesus by Mustafa Akyol; The Book of the People by A.N. Wilson.
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Dangerous religious ideas : the deep roots of self-critical faith in Judaism, Christianity and Islam
by Rachel Mikva
What it is: explores the themes of Scripture, Election, and Reward & Punishment to investigate how Judaism, Christianity and Islam have grappled with both the perilous power and positive potential of their teachings.
Who's it for: the topic will appeal to the serious lay readers interested in the critical exploration of their faith tradition and strengthening interreligious ties. For readers of Karen Armstrong, Marcus Borg, Reza Aslan, and Amy Jill Levine.
Reviewer's say: “A generous and thought-provoking book about the power and uses of religious faith.” (Booklist)
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Live not by lies : a manual for Christian dissidents
by Rod Dreher
What it is about: tells the stories of modern-day dissidents—clergy, laity, martyrs, and confessors from the Soviet Union and the captive nations of Europe—who offer practical advice for how to identify and resist totalitarianism in our time.
Why you might like it: Both the coronavirus crisis and the election will heat up questions of religion and politics.
About the author: Dreher is a senior editor at The American Conservative and has written for the New York Post, The Dallas Morning News, and National Review. He is the bestselling author of The Little Way of Ruthie Leming,
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| Our Only Home: A Climate Appeal to the World by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Franz AltWhat it is: a concise, issue-oriented plea to politicians and other powerful decision-makers to rise to the challenge of fighting climate change.
Why you might like it: A hopeful, conversational tone make a sometimes overwhelming topic feel more approachable.
Don't miss: the discussion of the work being done by a new generation of climate activists like Greta Thunberg, and Xiuhtezcatl Martinez. |
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Why Science and Faith Need Each Other : Eight Shared Values That Move Us Beyond Fear
by Elaine Howard Ecklund
What it is about: Science and faith are often seen as being in opposition. Ecklund questions this assumption based on research she has conducted and highlights the ways these two spheres point to universal human values, showing readers they don't have to choose between science and Christianity.
What makes it unique: contains fascinating points of convergence in eight virtues of human existence: curiosity, doubt, humility, creativity, healing, awe, shalom, and gratitude highlighting controversial topics and bridge the science-faith divide.
About the author: speaks regularly at churches about the intersection
of science and spirituality. She has been featured in venues such as Christianity Today, NPR, the Washington Post, and USA Today.
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| After Life: My Journey from Incarceration to Freedom by Alice Marie Johnson with Nancy FrenchWhat it's about: the pre-and-post-imprisonment life of Alice Marie Johnson and the role her faith played in supporting her through it all.
Don't miss: Johnson's experiences in early life with Jim Crow and other forms of systemic injustice and the legacy in the legal system to this day.
You might also like: The Buddhist on Death Row by David Sheff, which tells the story of Buddhist teacher Jarvis Masters and how his practice sustains him through his efforts to appeal his death sentence. |
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| American Harvest: God, Country, and Farming in the Heartland by Marie Mutsuki MockettWhat it is: an engaging and descriptive memoir of life in the "flyover states" that also raises timely issues about religious and political identity and the problematic underpinnings of the American farming industry.
Read it for: the nuanced view author Marie Mutsuki Mockett brings to polarizing conversations and her humane portraits of people who are often stereotyped.
Reviewer's say: "A revealing, richly textured portrait of the lives of those who put food on our tables." (Kirkus Reviews) |
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| I Am Restored: How I Lost My Religion But Found My Faith by LecraeWhat it's about: the author's faith journey and the obstacles he has faced along the way; the power of self-awareness and reflection in developing an authentic relationship with God.
Reviewer's say: "This personal story of faith lost and found is especially recommended to Christians who are struggling to comprehend God's complex ways." (Library Journal)
About the author: Grammy-winning hip-hop artist Lecrae has also published Un-ashamed, a memoir about his traumatic childhood experiences and how his faith helped him cope. |
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| Toil & Trouble by Augusten BurroughsWhat it is: the candid and darkly humorous account of the author's experiences with ritual and his family's relationship with witchcraft and the supernatural.
Who it's for: Burroughs fans; anyone interested in the informal ways that beliefs from the past can find their way into the present.
About the author: Writer Augusten Burroughs has published essays, fiction, and nonfiction, and is best known for his memoirs Running With Scissors and Dry. |
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Almost Everything: Notes on Hope
by Anne Lamott
What it's about: a candid, funny collection from the bestselling author of Hallelujah Anyway reflects on hope, encouraging readers to rely on its power even when things look grim.
Reviewer's say: “Like a feminist C.S. Lewis, [Lamott] talks about God, politics and other unmentionables, and gently exhorts her readers, as she does herself, to find joy in a bleak and chaotic world: a leftie guru of optimism.” —The New York Times
Want a taste? "I am stockpiling antibiotics for the Apocalypse, even as I await the blossoming of paperwhites on the windowsill in the kitchen."
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Everybody, Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People
by Bob Goff
What it's about: Accepting that there will always be people who frustrate and annoy us, or who we just don't understand, author Bob Goff goes on to explain how to love them anyway.
Who it's for: anyone who wants to love without inhibition, insecurity, or restriction.
Why you might like it: features plenty of humor and a lively writing style; a wide variety of experiences from Goff's work with refugees and his personal relationships bring a great deal of authenticity to this call to "become love."
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I think you're wrong (but I'm listening) : a guide to grace-filled political conversations
by Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers
What it is: Two friends and working moms on opposite ends of the political spectrum offer a practical guide in which they challenge readers to put relationship before policy and understanding before argument.
Reviewer's say : “They offer balanced perspectives from each political ideology, but they teach us how to dialogue well, without sacrificing our humanity.” (Jen Hatmaker, New York Times bestselling author)
About the authors: Holland and Silvers are hosts to the fast growing podcast Pantsuit Politics.
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Radical Compassion: Learning to Love Yourself and Your World with the Practice of RAIN
by Tara Brach
What it is: Tara Brach is an in-the-trenches teacher whose work counters today’s ever-increasing onslaught of news, conflict, demands, and anxieties—stresses that leave us rushing around on auto-pilot and cut off from the presence and creativity that give our lives meaning.
What makes it unique: an accessible guide to learning mindfulness skills, with a focus on developing self-compassion through an easy-to-remember "RAIN" technique -- Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture.
Reviewer's say: “Illuminating…Anyone hoping to gain a deeper understanding of themselves and advice for easing the burden of negative emotions will find this to be a helpful resource.”
(Publishers Weekly)
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Reforesting faith : what trees teach us about the nature of God and his love for us
by J. Matthew Sleeth
What it is about: The Bible talks about trees more than any living creation other than people. Perhaps you've missed the forest...and the trees. In this groundbreaking walk through Scripture, Sleeth makes the convincing case why trees are essential to every Christian's understanding of God.
What makes it unique: offers inspirational yet practical ways to express our love for God—and our neighbors—by planting spiritual trees and physical trees in the world.
About the author: a former emergency room physician and chief of the hospital medical staff, Sleeth resigned from his position to teach, preach, and write about the biblical call to be good stewards of the earth. Recognized by Newsweek as one of the nation’s most influential evangelical leaders.
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See no stranger : a memoir and manifesto of revolutionary love
by Valarie Kaur
What it's about: A leading Sikh activist blends the approaches of historical civil rights leaders to outline the practice of Revolutionary Love as an effective response to violence and division, explaining how its moral applications can facilitate transformative political and social change.
Who's it for: anyone who has asked - How do we love in a time of anger? How do we love those who hurt us? How do we love those who are different from us? How do we love people who are targeted by laws, policies, and violence? And how do we love ourselves?
About the author: As a lawyer, filmmaker, and innovator, Valarie has helped win policy change on multiple fronts and now leads the Revolutionary Love Project to champion love as a force for justice. She has been a regular commentator on MSNBC and contributor to CNN, NPR, PBS, The Hill, HuffPost, and The Washington Post.
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Contact your librarian for more great books! |
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