LITERARY SPIRIT | Religion in the media

"Prayer" by Philip Yancey (Zondervan, 352 pages, 21.99): The problem with most recovering fundamentalists is that they never recover. They are, instead, forever locked in an approach to life's most important questions that is much like the approach they took as fundamentalists. Once convinced that they could "prove" that God exists and answer every question, they catapult to the skeptic's side of the ledger. There, based upon the same quest for proof and certainty, they argue instead that God cannot be proven and, therefore, doesn't exist. Philip Yancey is that rare example of a self-proclaimed recovering fundamentalist who is actually a spiritually healthy human being. As such, he is able to help others think about the troubling places in life. In his latest book, Yancey turns his attention to that dimension of life where some of the toughest questions intersect -- prayer.
"What Paul Meant" by Garry Wills (Viking Adult, 208 pages, 24.95): This is a companion volume to "What Jesus Meant," published last spring. It's a far more interesting examination, in part because its subject remains one of the most elusive characters in the annals of religion. Paul did as much as anyone to spread the glory of Jesus -- though the two never met (except in Paul's visions). He disagreed, at times vehemently, with the original apostles. Though heralded in various accounts as a devout Jew and a proud Roman, he managed to anger leaders in both Jerusalem and Rome (where he's said to have been put to death by Nero). Historian Garry Wills notes that Paul's letters were written decades before the four Gospels. "If we want to see what the original Jesus communities looked like," Dr. Wills writes, "the first and best witness to this is Paul." The author makes a case that Paul was neither the misogynist nor the anti-Semite his critics often portray. One of the most interesting chapters describes the historical context for six Pauline letters, written to address various crises brewing among followers of Jesus. Paul can come across as cantankerous, arrogant, dismissive. It helps to glimpse what he was up against -- his letters were often written to put out fires.
"Sailing Between the Stars" by Steven James (Revell, 12.99, 249 pages): "Sailing Between the Stars" is a compelling, quirky look at the mystery of faith. Through deft storytelling and poetry, Steven James urges readers to embrace the paradoxes of Jesus instead of trying to stuff faith into neat little boxes with no room for joy or wonder. Strife, stress and ugliness are rampant in the world, and try as we might we can't understand why, he says. Instead, he believes we must shun easy answers and just accept that there is much about God's plan for the planet that we will never understand. We must focus on God's boundless love and do what we can to combat injustice, help the homeless and live like Jesus, James says. But the sooner we accept the "uncommon sense" of Christianity, the more wonder and joy will fill our hearts, he believes. The story James tells about spilling Joy (dish soap) on his pants during a talk at his church -- and how he handles this occurrence -- is worth the price of the book by itself. "Sailing Between the Stars" is an insightful, quick read that is funny but also thought-provoking. The stories of his interactions with family and church members would elicit knowing smiles from most readers.
"On the Road With Rabbi Steinsaltz" by Arthur Kurzweil (Jossey-Bass, 295 pages, 24.95): Arthur Kurzweil is a practitioner of Jewish renewal who teaches spirituality. He found a role model in Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz -- a man of tradition who is attuned to contemporary realities. Kurzweil began reading the Talmud, the great repository of Jewish wisdom, about 30 years ago, but only began to understand it when he found Rabbi Steinsaltz's description: "It teaches us to always see the other side, to believe and to question at the same time. (It) has kept us sane by showing us that there are contradictions in the world and that we cannot solve them. We must learn to live with them." Kurzweil soon volunteered to help the rabbi on his frequent visits to New York -- and so became his regular "chauffeur."
"The Rule of Benedict" by David Gibson (HarperSanFrancisco, 400 pages, 24.95): Armed with a vast knowledge of church history and an intimate relationship with those in and close to the Vatican, David Gibson gives an intriguing behind-the-scenes glance at the inner mechanics of the papacy. Gibson offers his predictions and criticism not as an unattached outsider, but as a Catholic who wishes an optimistic future for the Catholic Church. He does, however, offer warnings of a Catholic Church led by Pope Benedict XVI that is determined to bring the Church back into line with a more conservative worldview.
"Goy Crazy" by Melissa Schorr (Hyperion, 352 pages, 15.99): Despite what some people think, "goy" is no slur. It's really just a Hebrew word for "people." Any people other than Jews, that is. So when the love bug bites 15-year-old Rachel Lowenstein, and the boy is a "goy" -- oy! This is journalist Melissa Schorr's first novel, inspired by her GQ article "The Joy of Goys." She went "goy-crazy" herself, she admits, before settling on a nice Jewish boy. Ah, the angst! Everything is in here: delicious dreams, resulting schemes, doubts, pouts and shouts. The story is Rachel's, told first-person in words ringing as true as her teenage experiences: making choices, coping with peer pressure, keeping secrets from parents, testing for the first time the fringes of sex and learning that family values may offer surprises.
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