Bestseller Whittaker (Get Your Hopes Up) shares an enlightening account of how a seven-week break from his phone and other digital devices changed his life. Sobered by a notification that he spent an average of seven hours and 23 minutes a day on his phone, the author stayed at a monastery in the California desert and an Amish farm in Ohio in hopes that the quiet and simplicity on offer there would “reset” his body and mind. He learned to savor the little things, like the flavor of coffee; to commune more freely with God; and to rediscover the joys of a spontaneous, non-efficiency-based lifestyle (of driving sans GPS, he writes, “what if by getting lost on the way to work... you run across a beautiful view or an under-the-radar park? You’ll never know unless you try”). More broadly, he perceptively identifies the market-based machinations underlying the internet’s outrage-provoking content (“Most of the well-produced content out there that makes your blood boil is literally making money off your blood boiling”). It’s a thought-provoking examination of the challenges of online connection—and the benefits of breaking free once in a while. (Sept.)

Reviewed on 07/19/2024 | Details & Permalink

Systemic racism and environmental degradation “share the same tangled origins: greed and its ravenous manifestation, theft,” according to this enlightening treatise from pastor Swanson (Rediscipling the White Church). In the author’s view, a “theology of extraction”—the notion that “everything from microbes to metals,” in the words of theologian Willie Jennings, exists in terms of its “value for us”—underpins Western attitudes toward the earth and its inhabitants. The result is relentless fracking, mining, and drilling, along with “exploitation of people” via capitalistic systems that leverage the labor of poorer people, often minorities, for gain. Calling on Christians to reclaim “our unique vocation as caretakers,” Swanson recommends cultivating community spaces (such as neighborhood gardens) that bring people together; keeping the sabbath to “relearn... harmony with creation”; and founding Christian communities “committed to becom[ing] naturalized to their places.” While the author acknowledges such solutions might feel flimsy in the face of such far-ranging crises, his insight that small, committed communities are the starting point for systemic change is trenchant, and his theological and historical grounding (including discussions of the Great Migration and the theft of Native American–owned land) provides plenty of thought-provoking material to inspire further research. The result is a nuanced and ambitious take on the links between two pressing societal issues. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 07/05/2024 | Details & Permalink

Understanding how Jesus’s teachings have been misinterpreted can shed light on “everyday hassles [and] global problems,” according to this flawed study from historian Levine (The Difficult Words of Jesus). Delving into such topics as healthcare, race, and immigration, Levine details how Jesus flouted traditional gender roles by remaining a bachelor, accepting single female followers, and “commending” men who made themselves eunuchs (via what the author suggests would today be called “gender reassignment surgery”). Elsewhere, Levine examines how Jesus healed the sick without regard to their social status, thereby opening “the conversation about... how so often those with economic resources receive better, and quicker, care.” Rather than maligning the rich, Jesus emphasized that they must use their resources constructively, Levine claims (“Jesus states, ‘You cannot serve God and wealth,’ but he is also aware that one can serve God with wealth”). Unfortunately, the author spends more time criticizing existing textual interpretations than providing her own, and the links she draws can feel forced and underdeveloped, as when she claims that a woman who “took a risk” by approaching Jesus from behind to seek healing “reminds us of those who enter drug trials, which may cure or kill, ease suffering or increase it.” Despite its worthy aims and a few bright spots, this stumbles. (Aug.)

Reviewed on 07/05/2024 | Details & Permalink

In this unfocused debut guide, Asbury assures those who feel unfulfilled that “God is writing a better story for your life—a story that is unfolding right in front of you.” After moving to Charlotte, N.C., in 2019, the author thought she’d found what she was looking for—a good job, a tight-knit community—but remained dissatisfied, leading her to wonder “where God was, what he was doing, and whether anything would ever change.” Describing how she sought to appreciate what she has while also working to build a better future, she recalls how she got honest with God about what was making her feel behind in life; let go of the hope that, before she turned 30, she would start dating the man she’d eventually marry; and attempted to strike a balance between pursuing her goals and seeking contentment with the life in front of her. Asbury makes clear that her quest is ongoing, which lends the proceedings a somewhat contradictory and scattershot feel (“I want to be married. I want my own house... and if I’m honest, today I want all of it more than I want God... But deep down, I also know I want more than that”). Despite some bright spots, this fails to deliver. (Sept.)

Reviewed on 07/05/2024 | Details & Permalink

Rabbi Jablonski shares her idiosyncratic approach to her vocation in this chatty debut. Contending that the continuing declines in American Jewish synagogue affiliation stem from “casual indifference,” an unstable economy, and the rise of social media, Jablonski describes how she fashioned herself as an independent, “on-demand” rabbi who “meet[s] people where they are” in their spiritual lives, a “bespoke” philosophy she feels reflects how the faith should adapt to the modern world. She recounts how she worked intensively with a mother and son—neither of whom spoke Hebrew—to convert to Judaism in time for the son to be bar mitzvahed the following year; planned a Jewish baby-naming ceremony for an interfaith family; and, following the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel, fielded endless calls in which she explained everything from “thousands of years of Middle East history” to how kids could be proud of their Jewish identity in school. Her point that Jews are not necessarily becoming less religious but are seeking religious meaning in new ways is salient and her methods intrigue, even if little is said about whether others have adopted her approach. Still, those concerned about Judaism’s future will find plenty of food for thought. (Aug.)

Reviewed on 07/05/2024 | Details & Permalink

Wadleigh (Forgiveness), director of the Planned Happiness Institute, provides a lucid guide to healing the “rejected parts of yourself.” According to the author, “traits, desires, and emotions that we may find uncomfortable or unacceptable” become “shadows” that live in the subconscious and can get redirected toward others in the form of judgment or anger. By healing these shadows, readers can make room to “receive the... blessings that the Universe is constantly trying to show you.” That process involves analyzing how shadows were created (often through formative traumas), using “affirmative prayers” to “shift our internal view of ourselves,” and establishing such healthy habits as meditation. In cogent prose, Wadleigh gently guides readers through her program while making clear that assuming personal agency is the first and most important step toward meaningful change (“All efforts to place responsibility outside ourselves by blaming another for our situation... weaken our resolve. When you take responsibility, you are in alignment with your personal power”). Seekers will be eager to embark on this spiritual yet practical path to greater self-acceptance. (Sept.)

Reviewed on 07/05/2024 | Details & Permalink

DeGroat (When Narcissism Comes to Church), a pastoral care professor at Western Theological Seminary, grounds this empathetic meditation on “reconnecting” with oneself in moments of crisis on the biblical account of Adam and Eve’s fall from grace. Like much of scripture, the story is on its face one of “alienation and exile,” as Adam and Eve, riddled with anxiety and shame, are “interrogated” by God. But when they’re framed compassionately, DeGroat suggests, the questions God asks can guide one through a process of self-examination and healing. For example, “where are you?” is an invitation to take stock of one’s life and suffering; “who told you?” is a call to recognize past pains that block connection to God; and “have you eaten from the tree?” is an encouragement to tap into a “deep hunger” for meaning that often gets filled with superficial coping mechanisms like binge eating and redirect it to seeking “union and communion with God.” Buttressed by therapeutic insight, reflection exercises, and suggested practices including yoga and breath work, DeGroat’s creative and sympathetic interpretation recasts the fall as a story defined by both sin and the promise of “restoration and redemption.” Christians seeking spiritual and emotional succor should take note. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 07/05/2024 | Details & Permalink

Comedian Skrmetti adapts her online video series of the same name into a chatty and colorful debut collection on faith, Southern culture, and middle age. Among other topics, she recalls how she found a surprisingly strong sisterhood in the “blush and boob tape”–filled world of beauty pageants as a preteen; relates how a quest to lose weight helped her to find self-acceptance (“I could lose all the weight in the world, but if I didn’t love myself, it wouldn’t matter”); and in one especially captivating essay, details how she battled her anxieties about aging by chasing a comedy career at age 45, first by frequenting open mic nights and then by posting videos that went viral. Readers should likewise chart their own paths, Skrmetti advises (“Just because no one is looking for you doesn’t mean they won’t be happy they found you.”) Skrmetti’s ability to find humor in faith—and faith in the everyday—makes for delightful reading, whether she’s drawing an unlikely comparison between Weight Watchers and church— in both, “you are welcomed back no matter what you ate the day before”—or reassuring readers that God is “in every little thing.” Equal parts sincere and sassy, this is a treat. (Sept.)

Reviewed on 07/05/2024 | Details & Permalink

In this candid debut, married couple Adaeze and Chad Brinkman share “some of the more difficult conversations we’ve had about race” and the lessons they’ve learned. Detailing an incident early in their relationship, when Chad made an inadvertently offensive comment about Adaeze’s headwrap, the authors stress that hurdles can “draw you closer together” if both parties are willing to listen and grow. They describe how Chad’s parents were initially averse to the relationship, but changed their minds after spending time with Adaeze (“It takes a willingness to stay in the fight even if you get a little bruised”), highlight the importance of supporting each other’s interests and cultures (Chad watched Beyoncé’s Black Is King with Adaeze even though he didn’t totally “understand” the film), and provide such practical suggestions for white partners as consuming more diverse news, music, and television. Their dual perspectives draw out the nuances of interpersonal interactions—including gaps between intent and outcome—and reinforce the overarching theme that white people should make an effort to understand their loved one’s experiences while acknowledging they’ll never know what it’s like to live in their shoes. For those looking to become better allies, it’s a valuable resource. (Sept.)

Reviewed on 07/05/2024 | Details & Permalink

Rabbi Cosgrove (coeditor of Jewish Theology in Our Time) grapples in this rigorous outing with the implications of the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel for the American Jewish community. He recounts how his Sabbath was interrupted by a call from his sister-in-law in Israel who reported the then-ongoing assault, the confusion that followed, and how he began fund-raising for Israeli communities during that day’s services. Broadening his discussion, Cosgrove draws on a theory from Rabbi David Hartman to delineate a shift that he feels has occurred after October 7. Prior to the assault, he writes, American Jews were “Genesis Jews,” whose religious identity derived from “positive Jewish identification.” But the shock of October 7 and the subsequent spike in antisemitic incidents transformed many American Jews into “Exodus Jews,” whose Jewish identity is “defined by others, by those who ignore our pain, exclude us, hate us... and in some cases kill us.” The challenge, Cosgrove explains, is to integrate these identities. While the larger implications of the Israel-Hamas war are sometimes glossed over, Cosgrove expertly navigates salient questions about Jewish faith and identity against a backdrop of rising antisemitism, while stressing throughout that “this thing we are fighting for, Jews and Judaism... is a joy, a privilege, and a blessing to... all people.” This is an eye-opener. (Sept.)

Reviewed on 06/28/2024 | Details & Permalink