Religious Books on The Point
Today’s book topic on The Point with Mindy Todd was books having to do with religion.
Mindy’s Picks
A Month of Sundays :searching for the spirit and my sister by Julie Mars
Unprotected Texts :the Bible’s surprising contradictions about sex and desire by Jennifer Wright Knust.
Jesus, Interrupted :revealing the hidden contradictions in the Bible (and why we don’t know about them) by Bart D.Ehrman
Misquoting Jesus : the story behind who changed the Bible and why by Bart D. Ehrman.
God’s problem :how the Bible fails to answer our most important question–why we suffer by Bart D. Ehrman
God Is Not One :the eight rival religions that run the world–and why their differences matter by Stephen Prothero
Jill’s Picks
And I Shall Dwell Among Them :historic synagogues of the world photographs by Neil Folberg ; essay by Yom Tov Assis
American Sermons :the pilgrims to Martin Luther King, Jr. Edited by Michael Warner
Inside Scientology :the story of America’s most secretive religion by Janet Reitman
Buddha Standard Time :awakening to the infinite possibilities of now by Lama Surya Das
How To Be a Perfect Stranger :the essential religious etiquette handbook edited by Stuart M. Matlins & ArthurJ. Magida
People of the Book: a decade of Jewish Science Fiction & Fantasy edited by Rachel Swirsky & Sean Wallace
A Calendar of Wisdom: daily thoughts to nourish the soul written and selected from the world’s sacred texts by Leo Tolstoy
The Starbridge Chronicles (also known as the Church of England Series by Susan Howatch. The description of each volume comes from Sequels: an annotated guide to novels in series by Janet G. Husband & Jonathan F. Husband
1.Glittering Images (1987) Canon Charles Ashworth suspects some highly irregular behavior in the domestic life of the charismatic Bishop of Starbridge. Father Jonathan Darrow helps Ashworth sort things out. Set in 1937.
2.Glamorous Powers (1988) Father Darrow takes center stage in this volume. After seventeen years as an Anglican monk, he has a vision which leads him to leave the monastic life. Set in 1940.
3.Ultimate Prizes (1989) This focuses on Archdeacon Neville Aysgarth’s crisis of faith following the death of his child. Set during World War II. Darrow appears briefly.
4.Scandalous Risks (1990)Explores the relationship between young Venetia Flaxton and sixty-one-year-old Neville Aysgarth. Set in 1963.
5.Mystical Paths (1992) Nicholas, son of Jonathan Darrow, investigates the possible suicide of his friend Christian Aysgarth and uncovers some dark secrets.
6.Absolute Truths (1995)Focuses on the clash between middle-of-the-road Bishop Charles Ashworth and Dean of the Cathedral Neville Aysgarth whom Ashworth feels is overly heterodox.
Not enough time for an essay by John Fowles called The Tree and recently reprinted as a book with an introduction by Barry Lopez. To quote: “Perhaps because I was brought up without any orthodox faith, and remain without it, there was also, I suspect, some religious element in my feeling towards woods.”
Melanie’s Picks
God Is Red: The Secret Story of How Christianity Survived and Flourished in Communist China by Liao Yiwu
Absolute Monarchs: A History of the Papacy by John Julius Norwich
Signs of Life: 40 Catholic Customs and Their Biblical Roots by Scott Hahn
Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life by Richard Rohr
Love Wins by Rob Bell
The Novice: a story of true love by Thich Nhat Hahn
The Everything World’s Religions Book by Kenneth Shouler
25 Books Every Christian Should Read A Guide to the Essential Spiritual Classics assembled by RenovarÉ
Patron Pick
When Bad Things Happen to Good People : with a new preface by the author Harold S. Kushner
Tao Te Ching by Lao-tzu