Donald G. Bloesch provides incisive guidance toward a genuine Christian spirituality that is firmly rooted in biblical faith and fully aware of the positive contributions of various streams of Christian tradition.

How do pastors live their spiritual lives, both as private persons and as professionals? How can their spirituality be characterized and understood? Drawing on in-depth interviews with Norwegian clergy as well as literature from the fields of Christian spirituality, practical theology, congregational studies, and the sociology of religion, this book offers a nuanced understanding of clergy spirituality. Tone Stangeland Kaufman identifies three locations and sources of spiritual nurture for pastors: the ministry itself (vocational spirituality), daily life (everyday spirituality), and spiritual practices located at the margins of daily life (intentional spirituality). The participants in this study engage in classic Christian practices, yet approach them in a subjective and new way that also potentially revitalizes their spiritual lives. Hence, the author makes the case that their spirituality can aptly be described as “a new old spirituality.” The book also seeks to nuance Paul Heelas’s and Linda Woodhead’s Spiritual Revolution claim, and thus engages in the broader spirituality vs. religion discourse. A New Old Spirituality is an exciting example of how qualitative empirical research can be used in creative ways to make a practical theological argument. It is a book for scholars, students, and practitioners.

How did the maestro advise the young violinist? There is a story of a young violinist who had an audition at Carnegie Hall. As she hurriedly exited the subway, she was momentarily disoriented. To her relief, she saw an old man with a violin under his arm and thought that surely he would know. “Sir, can you tell me how to get to Carnegie Hall?” she asked. “Practice,” he said, with a grin. It’s the same way with Catholic spirituality–growing in faith is all about practice. This collection by today’s most respected Catholic writers offers a compendium of these practices, traditional and contemporary, that can enable us to sustain and grow a vibrant spiritual life. This must-have volume will quickly become a trusted companion for an entire lifetime of engagement with the beauty and richness of the Catholic faith. Contents: Catholic Spirituality in Practice / Colleen M. Griffith Practices of Prayer The Lord’s Prayer / N. T. Wright Praying with the Saints / Elizabeth A. Johnson, CSJ The Jesus Prayer / Joseph Wong, OSB, CAM Intercessory Prayer / Ann Ulanov and Barry Ulanov Centering Prayer / Joseph G. Sandman The Rosary/ Thomas H. Groome Liturgy of the Hours / Elizabeth Collier Praying with Images / Colleen M. Griffith Everyday Prayers / Compiled by Thomas H. Groome Practices of Care Living the Sacramental Principle / Esther de Waal Practicing Hospitality / Ana María Pineda, RSM Practicing Forgiveness / Marjorie J. Thompson Family Life as Spiritual Practice / Wendy M. Wright Día de los Muertos / Alex Garcia-Rivera Practicing Care for the Environment / United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Practices of Spiritual Growth The Ignatian Examen / Dennis Mamm, SJ Spiritual Direction / Kathleen Fischer Retreats / Anne Luther Lectio Divina / Sandra M. Schneiders, IHM Discernment / David Lonsdale Eucharistic Adoration / Brian E. Daley, SJ The Angelus / Thomas H. Groome Stations of the Cross / Thomas H. Groome Fasting / Joan Chittister, OSB Thanksgiving after Communion / Thomas H. Groome Spiritual Practice Goes Digital / Barbara Radtke Conclusion: Keep on Practicing, You’ll Get Better at It / Thomas H. Groome

Old Vishal Mangalwadi shows why the New Age movement has disappointed the hopes of many followers, and points to answers to their questions and longings that lie beyond the New Age--in the person of Jesus. 287 pages, paper

Offers a Buddhist perspective on aging well, with anecdotes of the author's experiences with illness, aging, and transformation, and guided meditations.

A foremost historian of religion chronicles the arrival of Christianity in the New World, tracing the turning points in the development of the immigrant church which have led to today's distinctly American faith.

Estonia is often described as one of the most secularised countries in the world in terms of de-institutionalisation and de-Christianisation. Old Religion, New Spirituality: Implications of Secularisation and Individualisation in Estonia, edited by Riho Altnurme, starts with the question: what are the historical reasons for Estonia to be so secularised? The decisive factor in the diminishment in the importance of Christianity was the overlap between social classes and ethnicities. The national identity of Estonians became disconnected to any religion. Second, what are the consequences? How are the secularity of Estonia and the picture of individualised religiosity in this country linked? This book provides fresh results from surveys, archival work and analysis by a group of Estonian researchers. Contributors include: Riho Altnurme, Lea Altnurme, Priit Rohtmets, Indrek Pekko, Toomas Schvak, Ringo Ringvee, Alar Kilp, and Marko Uibu.

"An exciting vision of the future" --Michael Eric Dyson Everything Is Spiritual is an unexpected and compelling invitation to see your life in a whole new way. We have the great moments of our lives, the highs, those times when we soar, when it all makes sense, when it feels like it all has purpose and meaning. And then there are all those other moments—the lows and aches and failures and struggles and experiences that leave us wondering what the point of it all is. Are our lives ultimately bits and pieces and fragments—you try to find a little peace and hope and then it’s over? Or is there more going on here? In our increasingly polarized and disoriented world, Everything Is Spiritual gives us a radical new take on how it all fits together, how it works, how it’s all connected. Part memoir, part extended riff on the quantum nature of reality, part history of the universe, Rob Bell takes us back through the twists and turns and struggles of his story in order to help us see the larger story so that we can reconnect with our story.

How important is religion for young people in America today? What are the major influences on their developing spiritual lives? How do their religious beliefs and practices change as young people enter into adulthood? Christian Smith's Souls in Transition explores these questions and many others as it tells the definitive story of the religious and spiritual lives of emerging adults, ages 18 to 24, in the U.S. today. This is the much-anticipated follow-up study to the landmark book, Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers. Based on candid interviews with thousands of young people tracked over a five-year period, Souls in Transition reveals how the religious practices of the teenagers portrayed in Soul Searching have been strengthened, challenged, and often changed as they have moved into adulthood. The book vividly describes as well the broader cultural world of today's emerging adults, how that culture shapes their religious outlooks, and what the consequences are for religious faith and practice in America more generally. Some of Smith's findings are surprising. Parents turn out to be the single most important influence on the religious outcomes in the lives of young adults. On the other hand, teenage participation in evangelization missions and youth groups does not predict a high level of religiosity just a few years later. Moreover, the common wisdom that religiosity declines sharply during the young adult years is shown to be greatly exaggerated. Painstakingly researched and filled with remarkable findings, Souls in Transition will be essential reading for youth ministers, pastors, parents, teachers and students at church-related schools, and anyone who wishes to know how religious practice is affected by the transition into adulthood in America today.

The inspirational wisdom Oprah Winfrey shares in her monthly O., The Oprah Magazine column updated, curated, and collected for the first time in a beautiful keepsake book. As a creative force, student of the human heart and soul, and champion of living the life you want, Oprah Winfrey stands alone. Over the years, she has made history with a legendary talk show - the highest-rated program of its kind, launched her own television network, become the nation's only African-American billionaire, and been awarded both an honorary degree by Harvard University and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. From all her experiences, she has gleaned life lessons—which, for fourteen years, she's shared in O, The Oprah Magazine's widely popular "What I Know For Sure" column, a monthly source of inspiration and revelation. Now, for the first time, these thoughtful gems have been revised, updated, and collected in What I Know For Sure, a beautiful cloth bound book with a ribbon marker, packed with insight and revelation from Oprah Winfrey. Organized by theme—joy, resilience, connection, gratitude, possibility, awe, clarity, and power—these essays offer a rare, powerful and intimate glimpse into the heart and mind of one of the world's most extraordinary women—while providing readers a guide to becoming their best selves. Candid, moving, exhilarating, uplifting, and frequently humorous, the words Oprah shares in What I Know For Sure shimmer with the sort of truth that readers will turn to again and again.