Book of the month

Each month I’ll pick a book you might find interesting. It will be a work, old or new, that will make you see things in new ways. Let me know what you think!

Do I Stay Christian? A Guide for the Doubters, the Disappointed, and the Disillusioned

Do I Stay Christian? A Guide for the Doubters, the Disappointed, and the Disillusioned

July, 2022 Selection This is a must-read for all of us! It helps us reflect critically–and honestly–on our faith, and invites us into exploring new expressions of it. Brian McLaren writes clearly, brilliantly, and humbly. You can find it her […]

The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself

The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself

May, 2022 Selection Have you ever asked yourself, “Who am I, really?” This is a book that will encourage you to look deeper into your soul for answers. In the process, it will help you look at yourself, particularly your feelings and thoughts, […]

THE RABBIT EFFECT: Live Longer, Happier, and Healthier with the Groundbreaking Science of Kindness

THE RABBIT EFFECT: Live Longer, Happier, and Healthier with the Groundbreaking Science of Kindness

January, 2022 Selection I can’t think of a better book to start 2022 than this one! Written by clinical psychiatrist Kelli Harding, it documents the “science of kindness.” The studies and stories in this book are heart-warming and also help us […]

The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter & Miracles

The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter & Miracles

September, 2021 Selection Developmental biologist Bruce Lipton presents a compelling, scientific argument for the “mind/body/spirit” connection. In short, our genes don’t have the only say in how we live our lives; our spirits, and our spiritu […]

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know

July, 2021 Selection Author Adam Grant is an organizational psychologist who says that it is our duty to always rethink what we think, in every area of our life. Only a truly humble person, who knows he/she isn’t perfect, can do this. In a tim […]

Destroyer of the Gods: Early Christian Distinctiveness in the Roman World

Destroyer of the Gods: Early Christian Distinctiveness in the Roman World

August, 2020 Selection This is an in-depth, but timely, book about the origins of Christianity within a hostile culture. I’ve included this selection because of our current national unrest. It shows how our faith has a relevant voice that must […]

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption

July, 2020 Selection This timely book by lawyer Bryan Stevenson details the cruelty, injustice, and bias found in our penal system. It’s filled with thought-provoking quotes, such as this: “The closer we get to mass incarceration and extreme l […]

The Anatomy of Peace

The Anatomy of Peace

June 2020 Selection In the midst of our current protests and civil unrest, this book speaks to what we need for peace. The description from Amazon summarize its relevancy: “This phenomenal bestseller—over 525,000 copies sold—explores how we of […]

The Gentle Art of Blessing

The Gentle Art of Blessing

May, 2020 Selection If you ever wanted a practical way to love your neighbor as yourself, then read The Gentle Art of Blessing. Mr. Pradervand’s book, recommended by Jennifer Webb of Magic Communication, will leave you with unforgettable examp […]

The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom

The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom

Selection for April, 2020 This is one of the most influential books I’ve ever read. Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt combines religious wisdom with insights from modern sociology/psychology to help us gain a needed, more objective perspectiv […]

Love and Quasars: An Astrophysicist Reconciles Faith and Science

Love and Quasars: An Astrophysicist Reconciles Faith and Science

March, 2020 Selection Dr. Wallace does an exceptional job in helping faith and science talk to and with each other. This book is thought-provoking, and will help you read the Bible without feeling you have to set aside your reason. You can fin […]

Bread for the Journey

Bread for the Journey

February 2020 Selection This is a devotional classic, filled with daily insights from the late Henri Nouwen. If you’d like more, you can sign up for his daily meditations. You can find his book here.

THE HAPPINESS CURVE: Why Life Gets Better After Fifty

THE HAPPINESS CURVE: Why Life Gets Better After Fifty

January 2020 Selection Perhaps this title appealed to me because I’m past fifty and, indeed, seeing how life is getting better. Jonathan Rauch researches this biological phenomenon that cuts across cultures. There’s something within us that si […]

THE FIRST CHRISTMAS: What the Gospels Really Teach About Jesus’ Birth

THE FIRST CHRISTMAS: What the Gospels Really Teach About Jesus’ Birth

December, 2019 Selection By Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan, this book gives a scholarly overview of the birth narratives. You might not agree with their conclusions, but they certainly force you to dig deeper into the Bible and hear the […]

Miracles: What They Are, Why They Happen, and How They Can Change Your Life

Miracles: What They Are, Why They Happen, and How They Can Change Your Life

November, 2019 Selection Noted biographer Eric Metaxas examines what he considers to be modern miracles. While he writes from his own perspective as an evangelical Christian, he tries to describe objectively the unexplained things that have ha […]

Why Don’t They Get It? Overcoming Bias in Others (And Yourself)

Why Don’t They Get It? Overcoming Bias in Others (And Yourself)

October, 2019 Selection This short e-book by Brian McLaren is a must read. It explains the baffling phenomenon of why we base decisions on emotions rather than facts. The answer lies in the hidden biases we all have that impact our thoughts an […]

God: A Human History

God: A Human History

September, 2019 Selection Author Reza Aslan pushes the question, “Where does our quest for God and the resulting religious institutions come from?” Coming from the same author of the controversial Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazaret […]

The Second Mountain: The Quest for the Moral Life

The Second Mountain: The Quest for the Moral Life

August, 2019 Selection Columnist David Brooks says that the key to a meaningful, expansive life is to look for something much deeper than your personal ambitions or goals. The second mountain is the search for finding your unique place in the […]

Still Christian: Following Jesus Out of American Evangelicalism

Still Christian: Following Jesus Out of American Evangelicalism

July, 2019 Selection David Gushee, a Christian ethics professor, writes an autobiographical/reflective account of how he moved from an evangelical to a more progressive theological position. It’s an insightful narrative of how one’s faith grow […]

The Universal Christ

The Universal Christ

June, 2019 Selection After reading this latest work by Fr. Richard Rohr, you may never look at Jesus in the same way. Particularly, Father Rohr expands our view of Christ so as to confront the many ways we try to confine him, including rituals […]

Suspicious Minds: Why We Believe Conspiracy Theories

Suspicious Minds: Why We Believe Conspiracy Theories

May, 2019 Selection Rob Botherton, a young academic psychologist, explores why people believe even the most outrageous conspiracy theories. His work highlights the power of our subconscious, how it influences us in shaping our religious, polit […]

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

April, 2019 Selection Historian Noah Harari does an excellent job of knocking us humans off our imaginary throne. He paints a fascinating picture of our development as a species, and doesn’t sugarcoat the cost to the environment as we ascended […]

I Sold My Soul on eBay: Viewing Faith through an Atheist’s Eyes

I Sold My Soul on eBay: Viewing Faith through an Atheist’s Eyes

March, 2019 Selection Hemant Mehta, a young atheist activist and blogger, chronicles his visits to a variety of churches. He gives helpful “outsider” critiques to the congregations, and often dialogues with their pastors. Written with sincerit […]

INCOGNITO: The Secret Lives of the Brain, by David Eagleman

INCOGNITO: The Secret Lives of the Brain, by David Eagleman

Selection for February, 2019 Neuroscientist David Eagleman does an excellent job of noting how our conscious mind is only the tip of the huge iceberg that is the organ inside our cranium. Our brain operates on many hidden levels. If that’s the […]

THE RIGHTEOUS MIND: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion, by Jonathan Haidt

THE RIGHTEOUS MIND: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion, by Jonathan Haidt

Selection for January, 2019 Dr. Haidt, an American moral psychologist, does an excellent job of showing how irrational we can be  just when we think we’re being rational. We may be born with a tendency toward values that make us liberal or con […]