The complicated women of mainline Protestantism
Margaret Bendroth tells the stories of mid-20th century women who fought patriarchy from within the church.
From hateful murmurs to blood libel
Heather Blurton explains the origins and legacy of an outrageous antisemitic lie: the fable of William of Norwich.
Reconciliation or supersessionism?
Karma Ben-Johanan traces the troubled history
of Jewish-Christian relations after Vatican II.
Rachel Gross wants to blur the distinction between Jewish culture and Jewish religion
Being Jewish goes beyond the synagogue.
The Martin Buber book I carried around while my marriage failed
Tales of the Hasidim was an unlikely companion.
Who is solitude for?
David Vincent’s exhaustive tome suggests that fruitful solitude has often been linked to privilege.
Pope Francis the populist intellectual
The pope doesn't always show off his theological talents. Does that matter?
Crisis and opportunity in the American Catholic Church
Massimo Faggioli is the most articulate interpreter of U.S. Catholicism today.
Improvising the music of daily life
Robert Bresson’s films are adventurous, brooding, and deeply religious.
Conversations with the other pope
Benedict XVI’s book is both unusual and important. Mostly because it never should have been written.
Papal politics and perils
Politi's account reveals much of what happened among the cardinals in the Sistine Chapel on those days in March 2013.
E. E. Cummings: Complete Poems, 1904–1962 and The Collected Poems of James Laughlin
E. E. Cummings and James Laughlin didn’t write with metaphysical or philosophical ambition. But that doesn’t mean their poetry doesn’t matter.
The Great Reformer, by Austen Ivereigh
Austen Ivereigh's book on Francis has caused some controversy. It's also the most important biography of Jorge Mario Bergoglio yet published.
Updike, by Adam Begley
Updike's religious explorations are what make his writing so interesting, and Adam Begley explores them well. But he devotes too much space to trying to link fictional settings and characters with Updike's real life.
John Updike: The Collected Stories, edited by Christopher Carduff
To read John Updike is to remember just how upper-middle-class and masculine his fictional universe is.
Being and doing: What’s in a religious identity?
At a seder or shul, I am with my primary congregation—even though I'm not Jewish. And the fact that I'm a rebbetzman is not the only reason I attend.