NOVALIS BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR
Who doesn’t love summer? It’s the perfect time to go with the flow, relax and enjoy the outdoors. But I have to admit that as the days grow shorter and the nights cooler, I look forward to the return to life’s usual rhythms and activities.
As fall approaches and the new school year looms, we can find ourselves getting into learning mode even if our school days are behind us. That’s a good thing! Many educational institutions and organizations promote ongoing learning as a way to stimulate our minds, explore topics of interest and expand our horizons. With that in mind, here are some books for people of faith to dive into this fall.
The Bible
Language of the Heart: How to Read the Bible – A User’s Guide for Catholics, by Noel Cooper: The revised version of this engaging bestseller continues to help Catholics become comfortable reading the Bible on their own. It has been updated to suit current scholarly understandings behind our sacred texts and has a new Introduction that situates the need for the Bible in a more secularized world.
How Not to Read the Bible: An Authentic Catholic Approach to Scripture for Today, by Scott Lewis SJ: Acclaimed biblical scholar Scott Lewis, SJ wants to help Christians approach the Bible with (renewed) confidence so they can explore for themselves the richness of Scripture and grow in faith. Lewis guides us on ways to read the Bible in a world where overly simplified and glib answers and approaches abound and helps us see why reading the Bible is more important than ever.
Discipleship
The Reluctant Disciple: Daring to Believe, by David Wells: A humorous and engaging account of highly acclaimed author David Wells’ journey to faith. He is a fantastic storyteller: wry, funny, self-deprecating and down to earth. Each chapter includes commentary and questions for reflection.
When the Disciple Comes of Age: Christian Identity in the 21st Century, by Diarmuid O’Murchu: With his trademark exploration of the meaning of “adult faith” in an age marked by new understandings of cosmology, anthropology, quantum physics and evolution, O’Murchu includes reflections on his own spiritual journey, offering an understanding of the Christian message that retains its power precisely by showing how it taps into deep archetypal and symbolic meaning.
Ecology
For Earth’s Sake: Toward a Compassionate Theology, by Stephen Bede Scharper: In reflecting upon the faith and fate of the Earth, Stephen Scharper reminds us that humans are part of the environment and encourages us to change our relationship to the planet. By engaging our minds, bodies and hearts, we can explore our faith from the point of view of the oppressed, alienated and suffering of our world in a self-critical way that is open to other ways of knowing the world.
Nurturing Ecological Conversion, by Yvonne R. Prowse, Trevor E. Scott, SJ and John W. McCarthy, SJ: This faith-filled retreat for groups – parishes, schools, religious communities, retreat centres and more – nurtures ecological conversion by immersing participants in prayerful listening, personal engagement and discernment.
Ethics
Bioethics Matters: A Guide for Concerned Catholics, by Moira McQueen: This succinct yet comprehensive guide, which has been revised to include new scientific developments, clearly sets out Catholic teaching on complex bioethical issues for lay people.
The Ethical Being: A Catholic Guide to Contemporary Issues, by Scott Kline: The author engages readers with a lively review of the history and framework of Catholic ethics, exploring the nature of ethics and the themes and sources of Christian moral thought to equip us with the tools for dialogue.
Politics
Politics and Faith in a Polarized World: A Challenge for Catholics, by John Milloy: As Canadians come to terms with our post-pandemic world, many believe that the last thing we need is religion. John Milloy, a former political advisor and Ontario Cabinet minister, challenges this view. Drawing upon his political experience, he argues that Catholicism can make an important contribution to society’s healing as well as addressing polarization.
Faith in History and Society: Toward a Practical Fundamental Theology, by Johann Baptist Metz: This book is universally acknowledged as the great classic of Metz’s remarkable career, and indeed of all political theology.
Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples
Come Dance with Me: A Medicine Wheel Practice of Anishinaabe Catholic Interculturation of Faith, by Eva Solomon CSJ, ssm: This book is an invitation to dance across the circular plane of the medicine wheel, a framework for Anishinaabe Catholic interculturation of faith. This rhythm of the dance is a means of healing, integrity, transformation and reconciliation. The invitation, “Come dance with me,” reflects the invitation of the Cosmic Christ to all creation.
Listening to Indigenous Voices: A Dialogue Guide on Justice and Right Relationships, by the Jesuit Forum for Social Faith and Justice: This book incorporates many Indigenous voices so that readers can increase their knowledge about the diverse Indigenous Peoples in Canada; explore the history, practices and underlying ideas of colonization in Canada; transform themselves in a way that seeks to redress past wrongs and move toward right relationships; and explore concrete pathways toward right relationships, decolonization and re-indigenization.
Happy reading and happy learning!
Anne Louise Mahoney is managing editor of Novalis. She is the editor of several books, including Pocket Book of Hope, and is the author of I Am and I Hope, part of the Seeds of Faith series for young children.
