Here are 100 books that Grace fans have personally recommended if you like
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I began as a Benedictine Oblate and then joined a monastery. I was drawn to women presiding at our own liturgy of the hours, a spirituality that seeks the Divine in music, art, and literature, alongside a passion for justice. Yet, I questioned history and began a pursuit of “what really happened.”
I’ve kept up with the growing literature on the Rule of Benedict, Benedictine history, and Benedictine Spirituality. I'm currently researching (a many-year project) the history of Benedictine women from the time of Benedict and Scholastica up to around 1850. The few histories out there are all about the men (who can be quite colorful characters), but very little on Benedictine Women.
I love this because Torvend gently but firmly tells us the truth.
St Benedict lived through a time of environmental devastation at the hands of the Imperial class, and rejected the way Christianity was being co-opted by the Roman Empire, where servant leaders were now princely lords.
Given our current situation on fragile Mother Earth, Torvend paints one of the most original takes on St. Benedict and his relationship with creation. Torvend invites us to listen to the Christ of creation.
Torvend is poignant when he points out that a distortion of Christianity is at the root of our current ecological crisis—something St Benedict knew well.
Can early medieval monasteries serve as a model of sustainable development and environmental conservation in today's world? Inspired by Pope Francis's encyclical Laudato Si and Benedictine communities around the world whose shared monastic values inform ecological practice, Monastic Ecological Wisdom uncovers the hidden story of early Christian and monastic care for the earth.
In Monastic Ecological Wisdom, Samuel Torvend shows how it is possible that medieval monastic values and practices could assist in the careful conservation of what we claim is God's first gift, God's first gesture of grace: the earth and all that dwells with it. By reflecting on…
It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.
The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to run…
I began as a Benedictine Oblate and then joined a monastery. I was drawn to women presiding at our own liturgy of the hours, a spirituality that seeks the Divine in music, art, and literature, alongside a passion for justice. Yet, I questioned history and began a pursuit of “what really happened.”
I’ve kept up with the growing literature on the Rule of Benedict, Benedictine history, and Benedictine Spirituality. I'm currently researching (a many-year project) the history of Benedictine women from the time of Benedict and Scholastica up to around 1850. The few histories out there are all about the men (who can be quite colorful characters), but very little on Benedictine Women.
And this is an excellent example of why so many spiritual seekers in so many traditions, languages, and cultures are finding grounding and guidance for their lives. Gioia is a great resource for anyone who desires a more authentic relationship with the Divine as Benedict offered in his Rule.
Gioia gifts us with deep and practical wisdom for anyone in any situation, not just monastics. Gioia is realistic about messy human nature and the challenges the human community is facing. He does not separate the sacred from the profane, as ALL of life is sacred. His writing is quite accessible for the "non-specialist" and the book is organized in a way that makes it “user-friendly."
I highly recommend it if you're serious about your inner spiritual journey.
Monastic spirituality has much to offer Christians who live far beyond monastery walls. In Saint Benedict's Wisdom Luigi Gioia, OSB, demonstrates that monastic spirituality is a gift for the whole Church. Because monastic vows are fundamentally a deep dive into one's baptismal commitments, monastic experience speaks to all the faithful who wish to do the same within different lifestyles. As an expression of divine wisdom, monasticism offers a way of deeply integrating spirituality with the rest of life, teaching us to seek holiness, not only in prayer, but also through work, sharing of food, sleep, and life in community.
I began as a Benedictine Oblate and then joined a monastery. I was drawn to women presiding at our own liturgy of the hours, a spirituality that seeks the Divine in music, art, and literature, alongside a passion for justice. Yet, I questioned history and began a pursuit of “what really happened.”
I’ve kept up with the growing literature on the Rule of Benedict, Benedictine history, and Benedictine Spirituality. I'm currently researching (a many-year project) the history of Benedictine women from the time of Benedict and Scholastica up to around 1850. The few histories out there are all about the men (who can be quite colorful characters), but very little on Benedictine Women.
Carmel uses her knowledge of women in early Christianity to create a life (“biography”) of St Benedict’s twin sister, Scholastica. Carmel uses the format for Pope Gregory’s Life of Benedict in a way that is quite plausible.
She begins by imaging, from the history we do have, a childhood for the two of them—and her teacher is called Sophia. Scholastica comes across as wise, and courageous, and a leader in her own right.
Meet a saint who confronts warring gang leaders, gives wise counsel (including to her brother), establishes monasteries, and leads an ascetical movement of women. Carmel retells the famous story of the last meeting of Benedict and Scholastica, then reimagines the death and burial of the twins.
Imagine the enduring legacy and ancient hagiographical method used to recover the missing life and voice of St. Scholastica of Nursia. In The "Lost" Dialogue of Gregory the Great, Carmel Posa, SGS, applies a “disciplined imagination” and the ancient hagiographical method to recover the missing life and voice of St. Scholastica of Nursia. Drawing on a wide range of scholarship, including Gregory the Great’s four famous dialogues, biblical models, and the Rule of Benedict, Posa follows a technique similarly used by Saint Gregory himself to create an engaging and credible account of Scholastica’s life. In The "Lost" Dialogue of Gregory…
The Year Mrs. Cooper Got Out More
by
Meredith Marple,
The coastal tourist town of Great Wharf, Maine, boasts a crime rate so low you might suspect someone’s lying.
Nevertheless, jobless empty nester Mallory Cooper has become increasingly reclusive and fearful. Careful to keep the red wine handy and loath to leave the house, Mallory misses her happier self—and so…
I began as a Benedictine Oblate and then joined a monastery. I was drawn to women presiding at our own liturgy of the hours, a spirituality that seeks the Divine in music, art, and literature, alongside a passion for justice. Yet, I questioned history and began a pursuit of “what really happened.”
I’ve kept up with the growing literature on the Rule of Benedict, Benedictine history, and Benedictine Spirituality. I'm currently researching (a many-year project) the history of Benedictine women from the time of Benedict and Scholastica up to around 1850. The few histories out there are all about the men (who can be quite colorful characters), but very little on Benedictine Women.
This is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to read the Rule of Benedict and appreciate non-scholarly commentary that is still based on solid scholarship.
St Benedict wrote his Rule for a bunch of guys, so it utilizes “guy language.” Most of the Rule can be presented with gender-neutral language, so women see themselves in his teaching.
A tradition among Benedictines is to read the Rule three times throughout the year. Sutera set this up so that anyone who chooses can follow this tradition. With each section of the Rule, she provides some background into the context in which the Rule was written, reflections on its meaning for contemporary life, and a few questions for pondering.
I highly recommend this, especially for those new to the Rule.
The Rule of St. Benedictforms the foundation for one of the oldest ongoing institutions in all of Western civilization. The Rule not only defines life for men and women in monasteries but has also become central to the spirituality of lay Christians across the globe.
This gender-neutral translation is true to the original text but provides an alternative for individuals and groups who prefer such a version over the masculine language of the original as it was written for St. Benedict's monks. It also offers some background into the context in which it was written, as well as reflections on…
I am a faith-based psychotherapist with over twenty years of experience working with couples, families, and adults recovering from trauma and relational wounds. I believe in evidence-based psychotherapy modalities, as well as the power of the Holy Spirit, to guide us each to our ultimate healing. I find journeying with others a sacred privilege and strive to foster love, authenticity, courage, and empowerment not only as a therapist but as a friend, wife, mother, and sister.
I absolutely loved this book and read it twice because there are such rich lessons for me to really integrate into my daily living that I didn’t want to miss an ounce of what Sue Monk Kidd was offering through her own journey of living more fully into who God made her to be.
Not only was this book beautifully written and engaging, but it helped me most to accept uncertainties in my life during a significant life transition that included countless losses. I felt seen by God and accepted the difficult journey of grieving but grieving with the hope of more to come.
From the bestselling author of The Secret Life of Bees, an inspiring autobiographical account of personal pain, spiritual awakening, and divine grace.
Blending her own experience with an intimate grasp of spirituality, Sue Monk Kidd relates the passionate and moving tale of her spiritual crisis, when life seemed to have lost meaning and her longing for a hasty escape from the pain yielded to a discipline of “active waiting.” Full of wisdom, poise, and grace, Kidd’s words will encourage us along our spiritual journey, toward becoming who we truly are.
I have a passion for becoming a better human being and helping others to do the same. I spent 28 years in parish ministry attempting to remind people of the call of Jesus and the needs of the human heart. I left ministry and operated a private practice as a registered psychotherapist for almost 20 years. I am now retired and an author of three books. I'm still working at the task of becoming a better human being and helping others to do the same. The books I have recommended in my book list are all examples of people with similar mindsets.
Exploring a spiritual tradition that predates by many centuries the fall/redemption ideology of mainstream Christianity (which Gandhi referred to as a "Christianity without Christ"), Fox presents an alternative quest for wisdom based on the fundamental conviction that we are, each one of us, born into this world not as blotches on creation but as blessings, precious, beloved and of enormous worth and promise.
Fox's theology eventually won him the ire of the Roman papacy and eventually expulsion from the Catholic Church. His response? "Sometimes you have to take your praise any way you can get it!"
Here is a reissue of the critically acclaimed bestseller, named one of the "20 books that changed the world" in New Age Journal's Annual Source Book for 1995. Maverick theologian Matthew Fox provides a daring view of historical Christianity and a theologically sound basis for personal discovery of spiritual liberation.
In this revolutionary work, Fox shows how Christianity once celebrated beauty, compassion, justice, and provided a path of positive knowledge and ecstatic connection with all creation.
Don’t mess with the hothead—or he might just mess with you. Slater Ibáñez is only interested in two kinds of guys: the ones he wants to punch, and the ones he sleeps with. Things get interesting when they start to overlap. A freelance investigator, Slater trolls the dark side of…
I’ve taught yoga and meditation for decades to children from ages 3 to 93. My Doctorate is in Education from the University of Illinois at Chicago. I love to experience personal development and child development has a very special place in my heart. I learn so much from them! It is particularly fun to watch children discover and explore life. Everything old is new again! Sages of Young Ages can open our eyes if we simply open our ears to each child’s unique spoken truths.
Short interesting titles to profound short stories. Each story offers a lesson to clearer soulful understandings. Humor, insights, simplicity – all the things I treasure and hope to be as a writer. Anthony deMello has influenced my world with new ways of looking at old things. I find this in children too – their new eyes looking at old things reminds me of how important fresh perspectives are to enjoying and appreciating life.
"Every one of these stories is about YOU." --Anthony de Mello
Everyone loves stories; and in this book the bestselling author of Sadhana: A Way to God shares 124 stories and parables from a variety of traditions both ancient and modern. Each story resonates with life lessons that can teach us inescapable truths about ourselves and our world.
De Mello's international acclaim rests on his unique approach to contemplation and ability to heighten self-awareness and self-discovery. His is a holistic approach, and in the words of one reviewer: "his mysticism cuts across all times and peoples and is truly a…
From about the age of 14, I have been exploring how unusual ideas and experiences might change a person’s life. This led me to become an author and experimental psychologist studying the effects of religious beliefs, rituals, and meditation exercises on our minds and bodies. I have spent a good part of the last 4 years putting together a book which tries to answer many of my questions on the varieties of meditation practices around the world.
Here we have fragments of the lives of female and male hermits living in the Egyptian desert, trying to live the Christian life away from the temptations of cities. Colourful depictions of their relationships, experiences with angels and demons, and the techniques used to move closer to God and conquer human frailty. These accounts are a superb antidote to today’s mindfulness which feels rather mind-numbing compared to these accounts of meditation.
The Desert Fathers were the first Christian monks, living in solitude in the deserts of Egypt, Palestine, and Syria. In contrast to the formalised and official theology of the "founding fathers" of the church, the Desert Fathers were ordinary Christians who chose to renounce the world and live lives of celibacy, fasting, vigil, prayer and poverty in direct and simple response to the gospel. Their sayings were first recorded in the 4th century and consist of spiritual advice, anecdotes and parables. The Desert Fathers' teachings and lives have inspired poetry, opera and art, as well as providing spiritual nourishment and…
As a moral philosopher, I ask practical questions: What kind of person am I becoming? What kind of life will I live? What loves, hopes, and fears drive my choices and shape my relationships? Character formation moves us from vice to virtue. It starts with self-reflection and moves toward intentional practice. Over time, those practices shape us and add up to a way of life. You will be formed—but how? Glittering Vices, like my job, combines my passions for character development and wise teaching. Enduring the fiery furnace of cancer treatment made formation an urgent, life-changing topic for me. I hope these books open your life to renewal too.
I love Barton’s personal and practical approach to a key cluster of spiritual disciplines in this accessible overview. She explores how to encounter God in Scripture and in prayer, how to practice solitude, self-examination and discernment, how to honor the body and keep sabbath. Individual chapters are framed by an introduction to spiritual formation and book-ended by combining them into a single rule of life. Think of this book as a fresh update of Richard Foster’s classic, Celebration of Discipline. (See her Transforming Center website for more.)
Do you long for a deep, fundamental change in your life with God? Do you desire a greater intimacy with God? Do you wonder how you might truly live your life as God created you to live it?
Spiritual disciplines are activities that open us to God's transforming love and the changes that only God can bring about in our lives. Picking up on the monastic tradition of creating a "rule of life" that allows for regular space for the practice of spiritual disciplines, Ruth Haley Barton takes you more deeply into understanding seven key disciplines along with practical ideas…
I've always loved reading to myself and others. I've been an English teacher for years. I love sharing good books and have the reputation of being a good resource, especially for moms with children. I’m happy to share everything from memoirs and history books to classics and children’s picture books. Walking through a library or a bookstore is a favorite activity, so finding not only new books but excellent books about books is always a treat. I love to understand what makes a book work well as a story, thus books that delve into the richness of a story through personal narrative or literary criticism have been favorites to keep on my shelves.
The words and life of Eugene Peterson have been important to my own spiritual formation, so finding a book that shares the books he read that formed him was a must. He recommends classic books, a wide variety of theologians and Bible scholars, poetry, and contemporary and mystery novels. Eugene Peterson had a large and generous heart and a deep-thinking mind, and finding out that I had read many of his favorites already was an encouragement. And looking for more of his recommendations has proved useful.
Spiritual reading has fallen on bad times. Today, reading is largely a consumer activity, done for information that may fuel ambitions or careers -- and the faster the better. Take and Read represents Eugene H. Peterson's attempt to rekindle the activity of spiritual reading, reading that considers any book that comes to hand in a spiritual way, tuned to the Spirit, alert to intimations of God.
Take and Read provides an annotated list of the books that have stood the test of time and that, for Peterson, are spiritually formative in the Christian life. The books on this list range…
