Encountering the Holy
The Life of Meaning: Reflections on Faith, Doubt, and Repairing the World, edited by Bob Abernethy, host of the PBS show Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly, and William Dole, is comprised of reflections from 59 guests interviewed on the show during the last 10 years. Desmond Tutu, Phyllis Tickle, Thich Nhat Hanh, Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Anne Lamott, and others share their insights, fears, and questions about living a faithful life. Seven Stories Press
Video Seminary
If seminary is out of your regional (or financial) range, video-based courses from the Wesley Ministry Network may fit the bill. British Bishop N.T. Wright's book Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense is the newest in a series of courses, which contain 20-minute lectures and questions for discussion. The series comes with workbooks and leader's guides. Other course topics include ethics, women and church history, and the psalms. www.wesleyministrynetwork.com
Beholding the Divine
At nearly three hours, Into Great Silence, a film about the monks of the Grande Chartreuse monastery in the French Alps, becomes an experience in meditation itself. Director Philip Gröning lets the monks' daily lives unfold through stunning cinematography: a shaved head bowed in prayer, gnarled hands cutting cloth. With no musical score and little dialogue (the monks live in perpetual silence), some may find the slow pace uncomfortable. Others will appreciate a retreat into this beautiful, contemplative world. Zeitgeist Films
A Gospel Economy
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