After a dry spell in reading, I suddenly found the time and energy to blade through several books in one week! Then I lost motivation to actually review any of them… until now.
On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends in an Unapologetic World by Danya Ruttenberg
This book tackles the question, what does it mean to repent and repair— as individuals both private and public, as governments, even as nations? The author is a rabbi and her framework for dealing with this huge question is the philosophy of the medieval Jewish author Maimonides. It's a great blend of philosophical and practical, using stories and examples to explore what these concepts can look like in real life (for better or for worse). She talks back against the common cultural narratives about "forgiving and forgetting," and brings a lot of really important insights to the conversation, such as the fact that repentance and forgiveness are two completely independent processes.
There is a lot to mull over here, but it was still a quick read— I finished it in just a few days. It was incredibly thought-provoking and I know I'll go back and read it again.
Storied Witness: The Theology of Black Women Preachers in 19th Century America by Kate Hanch
Written by my very own pastor, this book is a theological trio of biographies, focusing on three preachers in the 19th century: Zilpha Elaw, Julia Foote, and Sojourner Truth. It covers both their theological frameworks and how their lives expressed and taught their faith, even as they faced fierce opposition to their preaching on all sides. I hadn't even heard of the first two before, so I welcomed the chance to learn more about their stories and the way the three of them contributed to the American faith tradition.
Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult by Michelle Dowd
It had been a while since I'd read an "author escapes from a cult/cult-like childhood situation" memoir (a la The Glass Castle, Unfollow, Educated), so I picked this one up as a whim at the library. It tells the author's story of growing up in a doomsday cult in California, whose members were encouraged to learn survival skills, evangelize the lost, and obey the patriarch-prophet's every whim. The narrative arc wasn't as strong as others I'd read, but the writing was vivid, and I especially liked her descriptions of the various foods she learned to forage in the woods.
Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church by Nijay K. Gupta
This short book is a nice introduction to the women of the Bible who led, particularly in the early church. The author focuses on names that we often skip over in Scripture reading, making a compelling argument for the way that women were key in leadership and decision-making processes during the early years of Christianity. It wasn't as in-depth as I would like, and some chapters were shakier than others (you can tell he's a New Testament scholar!), but it was still an interesting and compelling read.
Felicity: Poems by Mary Oliver
I always try to have a Mary Oliver book on rotation, basking in the simple beauty of her words. I like her nature poems better than her love poems, but both are beautiful.
Previously on What I've Been Reading:
All What I've Been Reading posts
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