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Spirituality and Religion March 2023 |
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Curveball: When Your Faith Takes Turns You Never Saw Coming
by Peter Enns
What it's about: Peter Enns explains how our model of God and faith must evolve as our understanding of the world deepens--just as the Bible describes it should.
Reviewers call it: "a convincing, accessible argument for facing religious uncertainty head-on, and will leave readers with insights about using doubt to enrich one’s faith. Believers will appreciate this 21st-century approach to faith" (Publishers Weekly).
You might also like: Faith Unraveled by Rachel Held Evans; All Things Reconsidered by Knox McCoy.
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| Living Kindness: Metta Practice for the Whole of Our Lives by Kevin GriffinWhat it is: a thought-provoking guide to and examination of metta, the Buddhist principle of loving kindness, with exercises to assist readers as they develop their capacity for compassion and goodwill.
Who it’s for: those new to Buddhist ideas and practice.
Don't miss: the discussion of common Western misunderstandings and misuses of metta that can be counterproductive. |
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| Marriage Minded: 10 Ways to Know You've Found the One by Chelsea Hurst and Nick HurstWhat it's about: the importance of compatibility and how couples can be proactive in understanding their spiritual, financial, and emotional compatibility and break destructive communication patterns before they start.
About the authors: Chelsea and Nick Hurst have a popular YouTube channel where they post videos about their lives, relationship, and faith, as well as co-hosting the podcast Forever Changed together.
Why you might like it: Instead of hard-and-fast rules, the authors present the included examples from their own relationship as inspiration for other couples to discover their own struggles and develop strategies that might suit them better. |
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| The Half Known Life: In Search of Paradise by Pico IyerWhat it is: a lyrical, thought-provoking look at the meaning of paradise, which took talented author Pico Iyer to a variety of places and led him to ponder how people can live more peacefully in a divided world.
Locations include: Iran, Sri Lanka, Jerusalem, Japan, Ethiopia, India, North Korea, and Northern Ireland.
Reviewers say: "Immersive and profound" (Publishers Weekly); "With keen observation and beautiful language, Iyer shows us the essential truths of places, people, and ideas" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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Forgive: Why Should I and How Can I?
by Timothy Keller
What it's about: Timothy Keller shows readers why it is so important to forgive and how to do it, explaining in detail the steps you need to take in order to move on without sacrificing justice or your humanity.
Reviewers call it: a "thought-provoking take on how to forgive" (Publishers Weekly) and a "refreshing, accessible work on the basics of forgiveness from a Christian perspective" (Kirkus Reviews).
You might also like: Loving People Who Are Hard to Love by Joyce Meyer.
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| When Children Come Out: A Guide for Christian Parents by Mark Yarhouse and Olya ZaporozhetsWhat it is: a pragmatic, hopeful guide for Christian parents of children who come out as LGBTQIA+, with advice on navigating next steps and maintaining a loving relationship with both their children and their understanding of their faith.
Don't miss: the discussion of what role churches have to play in creating supportive and inclusive environments for believers.
You might also like: Messy Truth by Caleb Kaltenbach; Building a Bridge by James Martin. |
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Books You Might Have Missed
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| The Contemplative Tarot: A Christian Guide to the Cards by Brittany MullerWhat it's about: how tarot can be a tool for anyone - - even Christians -- to thoughtfully reflect on their struggles and experiences in unexpected ways.
What's inside: tips for tarot practice, Christian interpretations of the cards, and research into the origins of tarot decks and their historical context.
Did you know? Western tarot began as card games like any other, and even began to be used for divination in Christian parts of Europe before acquiring its more occult reputation 18th century France. |
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| American Crusade: How the Supreme Court Is Weaponizing Religious Freedom by Andrew L. SeidelWhat it is: a thought-provoking and persuasive survey of important Supreme Court cases of the last few decades and how the current composition of the Court might effect religious freedom in the years to come.
Why you should read it: No matter a reader's political affiliation or stances on social Issues, Supreme Court cases can have ripple effects that effect everyone in unanticipated ways.
About the author: Attorney Andrew L. Seidel is a constitutional law specialist known for his previous book The Founding Myth. |
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| Reorganized Religion: The Reshaping of the American Church and Why It Matters by Bob SmietanaWhat it's about: the ways that modern American Christianity is transforming due to changes in demographics, technology, and society in general.
Topics include: eroding trust in large institutions; virtual faith communities; political polarization; closing age gaps.
Reviewers say: Reorganized Religion is “a must-read for anyone invested in the fate of the American church (Publishers Weekly). |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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