Time to Vote for Next 2nd Thursday St. Simeon Book
The 2nd Thursday St. Simeon Group will be starting a new book in September. However, the book has not been chosen. Thus, voting is now open for those who are currently participating in this monthly study group and for those who would like to join the group.
Here is a short synopsis of the books up for consideration. Please, pick your first and second choice below. The second choice will only be considered for breaking a tie.
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HEAVEN: Our Enduring Fascination with the Afterlife by Lisa Miller (ISBN: 9780060554750) According to various polls, most Americans believe in heaven even, as Miller points out, when they don’t know what heaven means. Miller, Newsweek’s religion editor, addresses what and where heaven is and why the concept endures. Having covered many aspects of religion and interviewed people of many different faiths, she offers portraits of famous and ordinary people as well as experts in religious studies to educe how their views do or, more commonly, do not reflect the “official teaching, whatever that is.” The crux of the book focuses on believers, not beliefs, “for how people imagine heaven changes with who they are and how they live.” Miller discusses the heavenly city, afterlife in the Hebrew Bible, resurrection, and salvation, includes a chapter on visionaries, and comments extensively on how heaven is portrayed in pop culture. (About $18) |
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JESUS: Uncovering the Life, Teachings, and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary by Marcus Borg (ISBN: 9780061434341) This is Borg’s major book on the historical Jesus. He shows how the Gospel portraits of Jesus, seen historically, make sense. Borg takes into account all the recent developments in historical Jesus scholarship, as well as new theories on who Jesus was and how the Gospels reflect that – visioning Jesus as a charismatic healer, sage, and prophet, a man living in the power of the spirit and dedicated to radical social change. (About $11) |
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OVERCOMING LIFE’S DISAPPOINTMENTS: Learning From Moses How to Cope With Frustrations by Harold S. Kushner (ISBN: 9781400033362) His idea is to explain the inexplicable in terms that turn negatives into ways of coping. Kushner skillfully uses the tale of Moses to manage the oh-so-true statement, “Nobody gets everything he or she yearns for.” Forbidden to enter the Holy Land? Having wandered for 40 years and endured complaints and rebels, Moses was tired; another leader deserved to take the lead. Plus, reading into the Bible and other religious tomes, the author finds that Moses ignored his family–a critical element comprising the complete life. Moses is not the only example used. Abraham Lincoln was weighed down by depression–or, in his case, what doesn’t kill us makes us strong. In all, the universal lessons for overcoming disappointment remain simple yet profound: remember who you’re working for, substitute new dreams for old, keep promises, be humble, maintain life’s priorities, forgive and forgive, and always dare to dream. (About $10) |
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WHY I AM STILL A CHRISTIAN by Hans Küng (ISBN: 9780826476982) The author is one of the most distinguished and widely-acclaimed theologians of the twentieth century. In this simple, personal and often moving testimony, Hans Kung describes his fundamental convictions and reveals why, despite all the difficulties he has to face, he is still committed to the Christian way. What Hans Kung has thought, experienced and expresses in this book will help others in their search for personal values and a sense of direction – and also help them realize the unique value and importance of the Christian way. (About $15) |
