Books
Faith in ferment
Whatever its connotations, medieval represents half the Christian story to date. Kevin Madigan provides an excellent look at these long centuries.
How (Not) to Be Secular, by James K. A. Smith
Jamie Smith has written a string of smart books that explain the significance of contemporary theory for Christian life and ministry. His new field guide to Charles Taylor may be his best.
Shaping Public Theology, by Max L. Stackhouse
The essays in this volume provide an accessible and comprehensive introduction to Max Stackhouse's thought, and they raise provocative questions about how we are constructing public theology today.
Eager to Love, by Richard Rohr, and When Saint Francis Saved the Church, by Jon M. Sweeney
Richard Rohr and Jon Sweeney, authors of two new books on St. Francis, would be united in their advice to us: forget the statue with the birds.
The price of peace
As Lawrence Wright nicely chronicles, Jimmy Carter faced a daunting task at Camp David in 1978. Carter, Menachem Begin, and Anwar el-Sadat each had much at stake.
Penelope Fitzgerald, by Hermione Lee
Penelope Fitzgerald wrote her first novel at 60 and became famous at 80. "How does she do it?" asked A. S. Byatt. Hermione Lee tries to answer.
The Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, edited by Gianfranco Malafarina
In The Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, the darling among splendidly artistic cathedrals is stunningly brought to life.
Homely Abe
Today Lincoln is remembered mostly for his ideals. In his lifetime, people were fascinated with his appearance. This is Richard Wightman Fox's starting point.
Europe and the Islamic World, by John Tolan, Gilles Veinstein, and Henry Laurens
Europe and the Islamic World is a grandly ambitious attempt to sketch the interaction of faiths and regions from the seventh century to the present.
My endorsement of Malestrom by Carolyn Custis James
Finding a crack in the door of patriarchy, which still patterns the life of both the church and the world, Carolyn Custis James swings it wide open, redirecting the gender conversation towards its rightful focus: the malestrom.
Signed, Sealed, Delivered, by Nina Sankovitch
Nina Sankovitch explores the meaning and value of letters in our post-postal age.
Ask a mortician
Morticians haven't charged too much, they've done too much. With this precisely correct claim, Caitlin Doughty earns her contrarian stripes.
Psalms, by Walter Brueggemann and William H. Bellinger Jr.
What are the best Psalms commentaries for Christian exposition? Walter Brueggemann and William Bellinger's book deserves a place alongside Clinton McCann and James Mays.
Tailings: A Memoir, by Kaethe Schwehn
Kaethe Schwehn's memoir of loss, quest, and initiation begins by introducing the special spiritual geography of Holden Village.