Sunday, November 27, 2011

Spiritual Matters

Inspirational Reads
Here's a short list of new titles on religious and spiritual topics.

Beyond Religion : Ethics for a Whole World by Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama delivers a familiar and compelling message on compassion, wisdom, and morality. Release date is Tuesday, December 6.

Man Seeks God : My Flirtations with the Divine by Eric Weiner
Weiner (The Geography of Bliss) travels to Turkey, China, Israel, and Nepal, among other places, on a midlife spiritual quest.

The Rise and Fall of the Bible : The Unexpected History of an Accidental Book by Timothy Beal
Learn about the history of the Bible from Beal, a professor of religious studies at Case Western Reserve University.

Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life by Karen Armstrong
Religion historian, Armstrong (The Case for God), argues for compassion and living the Golden Rule as an everyday enterprise. Armstrong was instrumental in creating The Charter for Compassion, a project funded by TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design), a non-profit devoted to "ideas worth spreading".

In the Shadow of the Buddha : Secret Journeys, Sacred Histories, and Spiritual Discovery in Tibet by Matteo Pistono
Part travelogue, part spiritual memoir, part controversial political reportage, the author, a practicing Buddhist, chronicles his travels to Tibet.

The Torah Revolution : Fourteen Truths That Changed the World by Reuven Hammer
The author, an influential Conservative rabbi, explores the underpinnings of Jewish faith and belief.

Evolutionary Enlightenment : A New Path to Spiritual Awakening by Andrew Cohen
For fans of Deepak Chopra (The Shadow Effect), the present moment awareness movement, or Eckhart Tolle.

Unprotected Texts : The Bible's Surprising Contradictions About Sex and Desire by Jennifer Wright Knust
Knust, a Baptist pastor and theology professor, explores challenging and controversial topics in both the Old and the New Testament.