Newest additions
The Power of Reconciliation
by Justin Welby
The Power of Reconciliation will come to be seen as Archbishop Welby's most important book to date.
Welby writes about Reconciliation as seeking to disagree well. It relates to both religious and secular communities, from the household to the international. Conflict is widespread. With the after-effects of Covid, changes in science and technology, inequality, and increasingly polarized political and social strife, moves towards reconciliation are more necessary than ever.
Both before ordination and since Welby has seen conflict first-hand. He has spent many years working on issues of conflict around the world. The book is full of practical advice for all those in authority on how to bring about reconciliation. There is even a step-by-step guide for this, drawn from the author's own experience. The book is thus down-to-earth, plugged into reality and devoid of pointless optimism or a Pollyannaish view of our contemporary problems. Furthermore, there is the dignity of difference. Today there is so much intolerance of views that are other than our own as we demonize those we do not agree with.
This revolutionary book is published in the first place for the 2022 Lambeth Conference in July, when bishops from all around the world assemble in Canterbury. But its importance goes far beyond these confines, which will nonetheless be widely reported in the media and the press. The author deals with conflict and reconciliation within families, businesses, warfare between nations, races and all forms of political conflict. The book concerns the secular sphere every bit as much as the religious, though Welby's message is Christian inspired, and the influence of Desmond Tutu strongly felt.
Available from amazon.com (paper, audio, hardcover, Kindle formats) and from barnesandnoble.com (paper, hardcover, and eBook formats).
by Justin Welby
The Power of Reconciliation will come to be seen as Archbishop Welby's most important book to date.
Welby writes about Reconciliation as seeking to disagree well. It relates to both religious and secular communities, from the household to the international. Conflict is widespread. With the after-effects of Covid, changes in science and technology, inequality, and increasingly polarized political and social strife, moves towards reconciliation are more necessary than ever.
Both before ordination and since Welby has seen conflict first-hand. He has spent many years working on issues of conflict around the world. The book is full of practical advice for all those in authority on how to bring about reconciliation. There is even a step-by-step guide for this, drawn from the author's own experience. The book is thus down-to-earth, plugged into reality and devoid of pointless optimism or a Pollyannaish view of our contemporary problems. Furthermore, there is the dignity of difference. Today there is so much intolerance of views that are other than our own as we demonize those we do not agree with.
This revolutionary book is published in the first place for the 2022 Lambeth Conference in July, when bishops from all around the world assemble in Canterbury. But its importance goes far beyond these confines, which will nonetheless be widely reported in the media and the press. The author deals with conflict and reconciliation within families, businesses, warfare between nations, races and all forms of political conflict. The book concerns the secular sphere every bit as much as the religious, though Welby's message is Christian inspired, and the influence of Desmond Tutu strongly felt.
Available from amazon.com (paper, audio, hardcover, Kindle formats) and from barnesandnoble.com (paper, hardcover, and eBook formats).
Special note: In light of St. Luke's recent LGBTQ+ outreach initiative, you might want to read some very interesting and informative sources from Christian thinkers from Evangelical, Catholic, and Anglican perspectives. Our newest additions to the reading list suggest some helpful resources.
Changing our Mind
by David P. Gushee
Changing Our Mind has helped thousands of families and congregations carefully and compassionately rethink traditional religious teachings about full LGBTQ inclusion.
Christian denominations and churches everywhere struggle with the issue of LGBTQ inclusion. With growing scientific evidence, our wider society has taken big steps, but too many religious families and communities have not kept up. As much as ever, many people still experience deep condemnation by evangelical and other churches, getting kicked out or altogether leaving. Dr. David Gushee offers a powerful, inspiring message of hope and healing by helping Christians to return to Bible study, prayer, and reflection in a way that creates a vision for a more inclusive church.
Arguably America's leading Christian ethicist, Gushee has written many helpful books for churches, discussion groups, and individuals. He is the author of the "Evangelical Declaration Against Torture" and drafted the "Evangelical Climate Initiative." HisKingdom Ethics is on pastors' bookshelves nationwide. Now, in what he describes as the most important book of his career as a Christian teacher, Gushee gives us this encouraging discussion on how he changed his mind.
From his own careful Bible study, research, and prayer, Gushee takes us along an conversational theological journey. In one book, he concisely marks out every single component of historic Christian sexual morality. He covers all of the relevant biblical passages and all the theological positions, including the key argument of creation. With a careful study of context and biblical language, he walks us through a principled discussion that is respectful of traditionalists while calling for inclusion and the end of contempt. This definitive third edition also includes Gushee's response to critics and a study guide for small group discussion.
Available from amazon.com (paper, audio, hardcover, Kindle formats) and from barnesandnoble.com (paper, hardcover, and eBook formats).
by David P. Gushee
Changing Our Mind has helped thousands of families and congregations carefully and compassionately rethink traditional religious teachings about full LGBTQ inclusion.
Christian denominations and churches everywhere struggle with the issue of LGBTQ inclusion. With growing scientific evidence, our wider society has taken big steps, but too many religious families and communities have not kept up. As much as ever, many people still experience deep condemnation by evangelical and other churches, getting kicked out or altogether leaving. Dr. David Gushee offers a powerful, inspiring message of hope and healing by helping Christians to return to Bible study, prayer, and reflection in a way that creates a vision for a more inclusive church.
Arguably America's leading Christian ethicist, Gushee has written many helpful books for churches, discussion groups, and individuals. He is the author of the "Evangelical Declaration Against Torture" and drafted the "Evangelical Climate Initiative." HisKingdom Ethics is on pastors' bookshelves nationwide. Now, in what he describes as the most important book of his career as a Christian teacher, Gushee gives us this encouraging discussion on how he changed his mind.
From his own careful Bible study, research, and prayer, Gushee takes us along an conversational theological journey. In one book, he concisely marks out every single component of historic Christian sexual morality. He covers all of the relevant biblical passages and all the theological positions, including the key argument of creation. With a careful study of context and biblical language, he walks us through a principled discussion that is respectful of traditionalists while calling for inclusion and the end of contempt. This definitive third edition also includes Gushee's response to critics and a study guide for small group discussion.
Available from amazon.com (paper, audio, hardcover, Kindle formats) and from barnesandnoble.com (paper, hardcover, and eBook formats).
Those Seven References:
A Study of the References to "Homosexuality" in the Bible and Their Impact on the Queer Community of Faith
by John F. Dwyer
A thoughtful analysis of the faulty rationale behind Christian anti-gay bias.
There have been enormous strides toward equality for the queer community in recent years. There have also been regressive local legislative actions seeking to limit those national steps toward equality. Many of those who have led these regressive efforts are individuals steeped in purposeful ignorance, bias, tribalism, and a radicalization of faithful beliefs, misleading their congregations and influencing legislators.
Personhood, the intense value of our individuality, cannot be made less by these few passages of scripture: God’s love for our uniqueness is not compromised by oft misinterpreted verses. Having knowledge and words to counter baseless accusations can disarm those who would use these passages as weapons of exclusion and judgement, and can empower the queer community to live confidently in God’s love.
Available from churchpublishing.org (paper) and from amazon.com (paper and kindle version).
A Study of the References to "Homosexuality" in the Bible and Their Impact on the Queer Community of Faith
by John F. Dwyer
A thoughtful analysis of the faulty rationale behind Christian anti-gay bias.
There have been enormous strides toward equality for the queer community in recent years. There have also been regressive local legislative actions seeking to limit those national steps toward equality. Many of those who have led these regressive efforts are individuals steeped in purposeful ignorance, bias, tribalism, and a radicalization of faithful beliefs, misleading their congregations and influencing legislators.
Personhood, the intense value of our individuality, cannot be made less by these few passages of scripture: God’s love for our uniqueness is not compromised by oft misinterpreted verses. Having knowledge and words to counter baseless accusations can disarm those who would use these passages as weapons of exclusion and judgement, and can empower the queer community to live confidently in God’s love.
Available from churchpublishing.org (paper) and from amazon.com (paper and kindle version).
God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships
by Matthew Vines
As a young Christian man, Matthew Vines harbored the same basic hopes of most young people: to some-day share his life with someone, to build a family of his own, to give and receive love. But when he realized he was gay, those hopes were called into question. The Bible, he’d been taught, condemned gay relationships.
Feeling the tension between his understanding of the Bible and the reality of his same-sex orientation, Vines devoted years of intensive research into what the Bible says about homosexuality. With care and precision, Vines asked questions such as:
Unique in its affirmation of both an orthodox faith and sexual diversity, God and the Gay Christian has sparked heated debate, sincere soul searching, and widespread cultural change on the issue of what it means to be a faithful gay Christian.
Available from amazon.com (paper, audio, hardcover, Kindle formats) or from barnesandnoble.com (paper, audio, and eBook formats).
by Matthew Vines
As a young Christian man, Matthew Vines harbored the same basic hopes of most young people: to some-day share his life with someone, to build a family of his own, to give and receive love. But when he realized he was gay, those hopes were called into question. The Bible, he’d been taught, condemned gay relationships.
Feeling the tension between his understanding of the Bible and the reality of his same-sex orientation, Vines devoted years of intensive research into what the Bible says about homosexuality. With care and precision, Vines asked questions such as:
- Do biblical teachings on the marriage covenant preclude same-sex marriage or not?
- How should we apply the teachings of Jesus to the gay debate?
- Can celibacy be a calling when it is mandated, not chosen?
- What did Paul have in mind when he warned against same-sex relations?
Unique in its affirmation of both an orthodox faith and sexual diversity, God and the Gay Christian has sparked heated debate, sincere soul searching, and widespread cultural change on the issue of what it means to be a faithful gay Christian.
Available from amazon.com (paper, audio, hardcover, Kindle formats) or from barnesandnoble.com (paper, audio, and eBook formats).
Building a Bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter into a Relationship of Respect, Compassion, and Sensitivity
by James Martin, SJ
A powerful call for tolerance, acceptance, and support—and a reminder of Jesus' message for us to love one another. In this moving and inspiring book, Martin offers a powerful, loving, and much-needed voice in a time marked by anger, prejudice, and divisiveness.
On the day after the Orlando nightclub shooting, James Martin S.J. posted a video on Facebook in which he called for solidarity with our LGBT brothers and sisters. "The largest mass shooting in US history took place at a gay club and the LGBT community has been profoundly affected," he began. He then implored his fellow Catholics—and people everywhere—to "stand not only with the people of Orlando but also with their LGBT brothers and sisters." Father Martin's post went viral and was viewed more than 1.6 million times.
Adapted from an address he gave to New Ways Ministry, a group that ministers to and advocates for LGBT Catholics, Building a Bridge provides a roadmap for repairing and strengthening the bonds that unite all of us as God's children. Martin uses the image of a two-way bridge to enable LGBT Catholics and the Church to come together in a call to end the "us" versus "them" mentality. Turning to the Catechism, he draws on the three criteria at the heart of the Christian ministry—"respect, compassion, and sensitivity"—as a model for how the Catholic Church should relate to the LGBT community.
Available from amazon.com (paper, hardcover,Kindle, audio formats) and from barnesandnoble.com (paper, eBook and audio formats)
by James Martin, SJ
A powerful call for tolerance, acceptance, and support—and a reminder of Jesus' message for us to love one another. In this moving and inspiring book, Martin offers a powerful, loving, and much-needed voice in a time marked by anger, prejudice, and divisiveness.
On the day after the Orlando nightclub shooting, James Martin S.J. posted a video on Facebook in which he called for solidarity with our LGBT brothers and sisters. "The largest mass shooting in US history took place at a gay club and the LGBT community has been profoundly affected," he began. He then implored his fellow Catholics—and people everywhere—to "stand not only with the people of Orlando but also with their LGBT brothers and sisters." Father Martin's post went viral and was viewed more than 1.6 million times.
Adapted from an address he gave to New Ways Ministry, a group that ministers to and advocates for LGBT Catholics, Building a Bridge provides a roadmap for repairing and strengthening the bonds that unite all of us as God's children. Martin uses the image of a two-way bridge to enable LGBT Catholics and the Church to come together in a call to end the "us" versus "them" mentality. Turning to the Catechism, he draws on the three criteria at the heart of the Christian ministry—"respect, compassion, and sensitivity"—as a model for how the Catholic Church should relate to the LGBT community.
Available from amazon.com (paper, hardcover,Kindle, audio formats) and from barnesandnoble.com (paper, eBook and audio formats)
Earler Titles
The Church Cracked Open: Disruption, Decline, and New Hope for Beloved Community
by Stephanie Spellers
Sometimes it takes disruption and loss to break us open and call us home to God. It’s not surprising that a global pandemic and once-in-a-generation reckoning with white supremacy—on top of decades of systemic decline—have spurred Christians everywhere to ask who we are, why God placed us here and what difference that makes to the world.
In this critical yet loving book, the author explores the American story and the Episcopal story in order to find out how communities steeped in racism, establishment, and privilege can at last fall in love with Jesus, walk humbly with the most vulnerable and embody beloved community in our own broken but beautiful way.
The Church Cracked Open invites us to surrender privilege and redefine church, not just for the sake of others, but for our own salvation and liberation.
Available from Church Publishing (paper version only) and amazon.com (paper and Kindle versions available) and Barnes and Noble (paper and Nook versions available).
The Four Loves
by C. S. Lewis
A repackaged edition of the revered author's classic work that examines the four types of human love: affection, friendship, erotic love, and the love of God—part of the C. S. Lewis Signature Classics series.
C.S. Lewis—the great British writer, scholar, lay theologian, broadcaster, Christian apologist, and bestselling author of Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce, The Chronicles of Narnia, and many other beloved classics—contemplates the essence of love and how it works in our daily lives in one of his most famous works of nonfiction. Lewis examines four varieties of human love: affection, the most basic form; friendship, the rarest and perhaps most insightful; Eros, passionate love; charity, the greatest and least selfish. Throughout this compassionate and reasoned study, he encourages readers to open themselves to all forms of love—the key to understanding that brings us closer to God.
Available from amazon.com (paper. Kindle, Audible formats) and from barnesandnoble.com (paper, Nook, and audio formats).
(This is the book extensively referenced in the April 28 2022 online bible study of John 21.)
by C. S. Lewis
A repackaged edition of the revered author's classic work that examines the four types of human love: affection, friendship, erotic love, and the love of God—part of the C. S. Lewis Signature Classics series.
C.S. Lewis—the great British writer, scholar, lay theologian, broadcaster, Christian apologist, and bestselling author of Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce, The Chronicles of Narnia, and many other beloved classics—contemplates the essence of love and how it works in our daily lives in one of his most famous works of nonfiction. Lewis examines four varieties of human love: affection, the most basic form; friendship, the rarest and perhaps most insightful; Eros, passionate love; charity, the greatest and least selfish. Throughout this compassionate and reasoned study, he encourages readers to open themselves to all forms of love—the key to understanding that brings us closer to God.
Available from amazon.com (paper. Kindle, Audible formats) and from barnesandnoble.com (paper, Nook, and audio formats).
(This is the book extensively referenced in the April 28 2022 online bible study of John 21.)
Embracing Justice
by Isabelle Hamley
What is justice? It's a question we encounter everywhere in life and that over the last years has increasingly demanded an answer. In Embracing Justice, Isabelle Hamley invites us on an exhilarating journey through Scripture to discover how we, as churches, communities and individual Christians, can seek and practice justice even when enmeshed in such a fractured world.
Full of practical encouragement, the Archbishop of Canterbury's Lent Book for 2022 brilliantly weaves together biblical texts, diverse voices, contemporary stories, and personal and group meditations to reveal liberating and imaginative ways in which me may grow in discipleship - and more fully reflect the justice, mercy and compassion of Christ in our lives. With six chapters to take you from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, this Lent devotional for 2022 is essential reading for anyone interested in the issues of justice - from climate and economic justice to gender and racial equality - that are increasingly at the forefront of global consciousness, and the role that Christians and the Church must play in them.
Suitable for use both as a single study for individuals and for small groups to prepare for Easter, Embracing Justice will encourage, inform and motivate anyone looking for Christian books about justice. It will help you understand justice from a biblical perspective, and inspire you to seek it in every aspect of your life. Although the world is broken, unequal and violent, the call to reflect God's own justice and mercy continues to sound like a steady drumbeat, impossible to ignore. Journey with Isabelle Hamley this Lent, and discover that we can all join God's mission of transformation and embrace his justice.
Available from amazon.com (paper and Kindle versions available) and Barnes and Noble (paper and Nook versions available).
by Isabelle Hamley
What is justice? It's a question we encounter everywhere in life and that over the last years has increasingly demanded an answer. In Embracing Justice, Isabelle Hamley invites us on an exhilarating journey through Scripture to discover how we, as churches, communities and individual Christians, can seek and practice justice even when enmeshed in such a fractured world.
Full of practical encouragement, the Archbishop of Canterbury's Lent Book for 2022 brilliantly weaves together biblical texts, diverse voices, contemporary stories, and personal and group meditations to reveal liberating and imaginative ways in which me may grow in discipleship - and more fully reflect the justice, mercy and compassion of Christ in our lives. With six chapters to take you from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, this Lent devotional for 2022 is essential reading for anyone interested in the issues of justice - from climate and economic justice to gender and racial equality - that are increasingly at the forefront of global consciousness, and the role that Christians and the Church must play in them.
Suitable for use both as a single study for individuals and for small groups to prepare for Easter, Embracing Justice will encourage, inform and motivate anyone looking for Christian books about justice. It will help you understand justice from a biblical perspective, and inspire you to seek it in every aspect of your life. Although the world is broken, unequal and violent, the call to reflect God's own justice and mercy continues to sound like a steady drumbeat, impossible to ignore. Journey with Isabelle Hamley this Lent, and discover that we can all join God's mission of transformation and embrace his justice.
Available from amazon.com (paper and Kindle versions available) and Barnes and Noble (paper and Nook versions available).
Hope and the Nearness of God
by Teresa White, FCJ
In these days of pandemic, war and political turbulence, hope can seem to be in short supply. But hope is one of the theological virtues and it is far more profound than mere optimism. Today, pessimism and despair seem all too prevalent. What can we do about the poor and starving, about those who seem to be locked in interminable conflict and families weighed down by the consequences of breakdown? Sister Teresa White's book is an antidote to all this and it is written with beautiful simplicity and directness. There is no hiding behind complicated or technical language. In one of the most forceful chapters in the book, the author shows how hope breeds courage and courage breeds hope. But hope is not a matter of wishful thinking. Drawing on St Augustine, the author shows moreover that hope has two essential components. Not just courage but anger as well. The expression of our anger can lead to greater clarity with our discernment and spiritual perception. Hope too can lead us to understand God's solidarity with us in times of sorrow and struggle. Teresa White in this Lent Book draws on inspiration from writers as diverse as Julian of Norwich and Karl Rahner, Elizabeth Barrett-Browning and Henri Nouwen, but throughout the book there is strong scriptural underpinning which the author uses to great effect.
Available from amazon.com (paper, Kindle, and Audible versions available) and Barnes and Noble (paper and Nook versions available)
by Teresa White, FCJ
In these days of pandemic, war and political turbulence, hope can seem to be in short supply. But hope is one of the theological virtues and it is far more profound than mere optimism. Today, pessimism and despair seem all too prevalent. What can we do about the poor and starving, about those who seem to be locked in interminable conflict and families weighed down by the consequences of breakdown? Sister Teresa White's book is an antidote to all this and it is written with beautiful simplicity and directness. There is no hiding behind complicated or technical language. In one of the most forceful chapters in the book, the author shows how hope breeds courage and courage breeds hope. But hope is not a matter of wishful thinking. Drawing on St Augustine, the author shows moreover that hope has two essential components. Not just courage but anger as well. The expression of our anger can lead to greater clarity with our discernment and spiritual perception. Hope too can lead us to understand God's solidarity with us in times of sorrow and struggle. Teresa White in this Lent Book draws on inspiration from writers as diverse as Julian of Norwich and Karl Rahner, Elizabeth Barrett-Browning and Henri Nouwen, but throughout the book there is strong scriptural underpinning which the author uses to great effect.
Available from amazon.com (paper, Kindle, and Audible versions available) and Barnes and Noble (paper and Nook versions available)
Christian Minimalism: Simple Steps for Abundant Living
by Becca Ehrlich
Logically, we all know our purpose in life is not wrapped up in accumulating possessions, wealth, power, and prestige—Jesus is very clear about that—but society tells us otherwise. Christian Minimalism attempts to cut through our assumptions and society’s lies about what life should look like and invites readers into a life that Jesus calls us to live: one lived intentionally, free of physical, spiritual, and emotional clutter.
Written by a woman who simplified her own life and practices these principles daily, this book gives readers a fresh perspective on how to live out God’s grace for us in new and exciting ways and live out our faith in a way that is deeply satisfying.
Available from amazon.com (paper, Kindle formats) and from barnesandnoble.com (paper, Nook formats). Also available from Church Publishing (paperback).
by Becca Ehrlich
Logically, we all know our purpose in life is not wrapped up in accumulating possessions, wealth, power, and prestige—Jesus is very clear about that—but society tells us otherwise. Christian Minimalism attempts to cut through our assumptions and society’s lies about what life should look like and invites readers into a life that Jesus calls us to live: one lived intentionally, free of physical, spiritual, and emotional clutter.
Written by a woman who simplified her own life and practices these principles daily, this book gives readers a fresh perspective on how to live out God’s grace for us in new and exciting ways and live out our faith in a way that is deeply satisfying.
Available from amazon.com (paper, Kindle formats) and from barnesandnoble.com (paper, Nook formats). Also available from Church Publishing (paperback).
Braving the Thin Places: Celtic Wisdom to Create a Space for Grace
by Julianne Stanz
A "thin place" is where God’s grace is waiting to happen: an important threshold, a soul friendship, a fresh chapter in life, a painful secret or fear, or a time of hardship. Whatever the circumstance, a thin place is where God and humanity meet in a mysterious way. These moments open us to places of rawness and beauty. When we enter into a thin place, we feel a sense of breakthrough as we break free of the ordinary and experience the extraordinary amid our daily lives.
Available from Loyola Press (paper only) and from amazon.com (paper only).
by Julianne Stanz
A "thin place" is where God’s grace is waiting to happen: an important threshold, a soul friendship, a fresh chapter in life, a painful secret or fear, or a time of hardship. Whatever the circumstance, a thin place is where God and humanity meet in a mysterious way. These moments open us to places of rawness and beauty. When we enter into a thin place, we feel a sense of breakthrough as we break free of the ordinary and experience the extraordinary amid our daily lives.
Available from Loyola Press (paper only) and from amazon.com (paper only).
Soul Stages: Surviving and Thriving in the Second Half of Life
by Christopher Chamberlin Moore
What would it be like to live the second half of your life with real enthusiasm?
Each stage of life is a “soul stage,” filled with its own promises, challenges and opportunities. With humor and a generous sharing of personal anecdotes drawn from over forty years in ministry, Chris Moore speaks to the challenges of adults attempting not only to survive but even thrive during the latter part of their journey. He gently encourages readers to draw inspiration and relevance from the vibrant personalities of the Bible, even as we navigate modern challenges.
Soul Stages is written for people who want affirmation that the second half of life presents different challenges and opportunities than the first but is no less fulfilling. Readers will be able to see transitions as opportunities for spiritual and emotional growth, rather than as problems to be solved.
St. Luke's used this book in its reading group in the autumn of 2021.
Available from churchpublishing.org (paper only) and from amazon.com (paper only).
The Courage to Grow Old
by Barbara Cawthorne Crafton
- • A best-selling Morehouse author for decades
- • Addresses one of today’s most pressing topics
- Here is Barbara Crafton at her best—funny, warm, direct, honest, and vulnerable—on aging. “I think growing older is both funny and sad, but mostly it just makes me grateful to be alive and able to reflect. I have been an Episcopal priest for 33 years and have had extensive experience in ministering with the elderly. Now, I am growing old myself. I hate it when people are ashamed of being old. We should be proud!” she proclaims. Join her in this celebration of life!
Available from churchpublishing.org (paper only) and from amazon.com (paper and Kindle version).
Phyllis Tickle: A Life
by Jon M. Sweeney
By the time of her death in 2015, Phyllis Tickle was one of the most beloved and respected figures in American religious life, and her writing offers a unique combination of the down-to-earth, deep spirituality, and scholarship. In this comprehensive new volume, Jon Sweeney, official biographer of Tickle's literary estate, explores every aspect of her life, a more than 50-year legacy of poetry; plays; literary, spiritual, and historical/theological work; and advocacy.
Himself an author and editor in the religion field, Sweeney examines Tickle's personal and professional roots, from her family, long marriage, and life on The Farm in Lucy,
Tennessee, to early academic career and move into book publishing, where her role as founding editor of the Religion Department at Publishers Weekly influenced the growth of spiritual writing and interfaith understanding during the 1990s.
Sweeney also looks at pivotal relationships with John Shelby Spong, Marcus Borg, and Brian McLaren, as well as her great influence on the increasing number who adopted fixed-hour prayer, the Episcopal Church as a whole, and the Emerging Church, for which she served as historian, forecaster, and champion.
A look at her early, passionate advocacy for the LGBT community, lecture circuit controversies, and projects left unfinished completes the picture.
Available from churchpublishing.org and amazon.com (hardcover only).
Contemplative Knitting
by Julie Cicora
Learn how the meditative practice of knitting can evolve into a spiritual discipline.
One third (53 million) of American women know how to knit, and knitting is becoming increasingly popular with men as well. Many of these knitters belong to social knitting circles, charity knitting groups, or knit with others in churches, cafes—and even in bars!
This book shows how knitting creates connections and communities, and ties the repetition of knitting to the consistent recitation of prayer. It also compares the act of knitting to the spiritual journey, from starting something new to how we handle mistakes. Many people would like to incorporate a spiritual practice into their frenetic lives only to become discouraged and give up when they try. Those who knit are able to experience its calming effects and dedicate time to their craft each day.
Available from churchpublishing.org (paper) and from amazon.com (paper and kindle version).