An old man dreaming dreams of psalms
Paul Simon isn’t religious, but the voice he heard in his sleep seems to be.
Where did the baby boomers go wrong?
Bill McKibben recalls his suburban childhood without a hint of nostalgia.
Frederick Buechner’s many benedictions
Buechner never stopped searching his own life for clues to the presence of God.
Stephen Sondheim’s expressions of yearning
My spirituality was shaped by this secular artist’s powerful spiritual questions.
Diana Butler Bass’s love letter to Jesus
Freeing Jesus is not the kind of book we expect from someone with a PhD.
A religious studies thriller about Karen King’s “Gospel of Jesus’ Wife”
Ariel Sabar’s nonfiction book contains more twists and turns than a car chase.
The problem with specialization
Chess players and golfers might benefit from an early, singular focus. Most people don’t.
Which new books deserve a spot under the Christmas tree?
We asked our contributing editors to each pick two.
It’s time for me to let go of some books
Someone else should have a turn feeling guilty about not reading Finnegans Wake.
Learning to give thanks
How is thankfulness engendered? By giving thanks in all circumstances.
Do you see this prisoner? Meeting with Sing Sing seminarians
In the context of a seminary class behind bars, Jesus' question to Simon is a probing and challenging one.
Leaves from the Notebook of a Tamed Cynic, by Reinhold Niebuhr
Reinhold Niebuhr was 23 years old when he began this journal of his experience as the pastor of a blue-collar church in Detroit. Pastors will be reassured to read how even the great Niebuhr struggles with the pastoral role.
Staying power: Reflections on a long pastorate
I have pastored the same church for 18 years. That's not exactly a towering pinnacle, but it does provide some interesting views.
Introverts unite
Susan Cain contends that introverts are both misunderstood and underappreciated. She finds this infuriating.
Called to Lead, by Anthony B. Robinson and Robert W. Wall
In 2006, New Testament scholar Robert Wall and pastor Anthony Robinson coauthored Called to Be Church, a study of the book of Acts....
Foodie nation
Late in life, my mother confessed that she never enjoyed cooking. "But," she said, "I did take satisfaction in serving simple meals to my family." Well, there's no such thing as a simple meal anymore.