Books Archive – Page 15 of 18

Creatures of the Same God

“I don’t know why you’re spending all your time on this. They’re only animals—for heaven’s sake!” That was the reaction of one of Andrew Linzey’s fellow students at King’s College, London, when he was studying theology in the 1970s. Since then, the now Rev. Dr. Andrew Linzey has been arguing that animals aren’t only anything, but rather that they matter to God, and should do so to us.

In this collection of essays, Linzey counters with his customary wit, erudition, and insight, some contemporary (and perhaps surprising) challenges to animal rights—from ecotheologians, the Church, and politicians. He contends that far from the sometimes shallow judgments of those who think animals unworthy of theological consideration, the Christian tradition has a wellspring of sources and resources available to taking animals seriously. Instead of being marginal to the Christian experience, Linzey concludes, animals can take their rightful place alongside human beings as creatures of the same God.

There is a long forgotten spiritual tradition that two children, both named Jesus, were born in Bethlehem to two sets of parents named Joseph and Mary. This tradition is supported by the different accounts of the nativity and life of Jesus Christ in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. Although the Church chose to ignore this tradition, something of it survived in early Christian art and symbolism. The full tradition was preserved only in the literature of esoteric sects such as Gnosticism, which remained outside the official teachings of institutionalized Christianity.

The Love-Powered Diet

This can be the last weight-loss book you ever read.

Finally, make peace with food and have a body you’re proud of by drawing on the wisdom and grace already inside you. Replace cravings with calmness. Relate to food as a loving friend, not a feared enemy.

In her own quest for freedom from compulsive eating and yo-yo dieting, Moran—once the chubby child of a diet doctor—discovered the power of combining the principles of the Twelve Step Program with the gentle way of eating espoused by yogis and mystics, and now supported by cutting-edge nutritional research. The result: falling in love—with yourself, your life, and The Love-Powered Diet!

By the Word of Their Testimony

In this stirringly honest autobiography, Fr. Ó Madagáin shares his story of how he felt called to serve God and others through the priesthood. He describes his experiences at Medjugorje and Lourdes and how he was moved by the extraordinary sacrifices of individuals both there and in Rome, where he completed his theological education.

By the Word of Their Testimony is no bland endorsement for the vocation of the priesthood, however. Twice Fr. Ó Madagáin suffered burnout caused by both the mental and physical demands placed upon him as a priest. These moments, described in harrowing detail, in turn led him to question not only whether he was suited for the priesthood, but the very nature of faith itself.

The Animal Activist’s Handbook

Matt Ball and Bruce Friedrich take the plight of the world’s animals seriously and have dedicated their lives to ending their suffering. The Animal Activist’s Handbook argues that meaning in life is to be found, quite simply, in turning away from the futile pursuit of “more,” and focusing instead on leaving the planet a better place than you found it. The critical component of creating a better world for all is thoughtful, deliberate, and dedicated activism that takes suffering seriously. The authors build a ground-up case for reasoned, impassioned, and joyous activism that makes the most difference possible, and suggest a variety of ways to live a meaningful life through effective and efficient advocacy.

“This book is so much more than a ‘how-to’ guide for activists. It is an inspirational and motivational opus from the two gentlest yet most effective giants in the movement. The Animal Activist’s Handbook will elevate your activism and forever alter who you are and who you want to be.”—Rory Freedman, #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of Skinny Bitch

“The Animal Activist’s Handbook is full of good sense, thoughtful advice, and practical action on helping all of us to reduce the needless suffering of our fellow creatures. I recommend it.”—Matthew Scully, author of Dominion

“The Animal Activist’s Handbook punches way above its weight. Rarely have so few pages contained so much intelligence and good advice. Get it, read it, and act on it. Now.”—Peter Singer, author of Animal Liberation and Ethics into Action

An Unchanged Mind

An Unchanged Mind begins with a clinical riddle: Why are American teenagers failing to develop normally through adolescence? We are presented with case studies from a therapeutic boarding school for troubled teenagers: All new students had been deemed treatment “failures” after conventional psychiatric care. All were bright teenagers, full of promise, not obviously “ill.” Yet they found themselves unprepared for the challenges of modern adolescence and inevitably failed—at school, at home, and among their peers socially.

An Unchanged Mind is the discovery of the essence of this problem—disrupted maturation and resulting immaturity. The book explains the problem carefully, with a brief review of normal development and an examination of the delays today’s teenagers are suffering: the causes of those delays and how they produce a flawed approach to living. There is a solution. With a sustained push to help troubled kids catch up, symptoms abate, academic and interpersonal functioning improve, and parents pronounce their teens miraculously recovered. This remedy is not a matter of pharmacology—and the cure is not in pills. The remedy is, instead, to grow up.

Strategic Action for Animals

The animal liberation movement is growing in size and strength, but so are the industries that exploit animals. These industries have vastly more resources at their disposal than activists do. Given this tremendous power differential, how can activists hope to compete? The good news is that there is a way to shift the balance of power in favor of the movement. And strategy is the way.

In Strategic Action for Animals, Melanie Joy explains how to use strategy to exponentially increase the effectiveness of activism for animals. Drawing on diverse movements and sources, she offers tried and true tactics based on well-established principles and practices. She also explains how to address the most common problems that weaken the movement, such as dissidence among organizations and activists, inefficient campaigns, wasted resources, and high rates of burnout. Whether you are working alone or with a group, whether you are a seasoned activist or new to the movement, Strategic Action for Animals, can help you make the most of your efforts to make the world a better place for animals.

“An empowering and invaluable book, instructing us on the next steps for effective activism.”—Carol J. Adams, author of The Sexual Politics of Meat

“Is it really possible that we’ve had to wait three decades since the launch of the modern animal liberation movement for such a brilliant book on strategy? If only it had been written thirty years ago, I believe the liberation of animals from exploitation and cruelty would be close at hand. Thank goodness we now have Melanie Joy’s profoundly important insights in this short volume, and every animal advocate can read and heed them.”—Zoe Weil, president of the Institute for Humane Education and author of Most Good, Least Harm, Above All, Be Kind, and The Power and Promise of Humane Education.

“I found Strategic Action for Animals to be a useful guide for improving our advocacy skills as well as working towards building a stronger movement. Whether you are an individual activist or work for a large organization, this book serves as an important reminder that each of us plays a crucial role in helping create a more compassionate world, and that the animals are counting on us to be as effective as possible in bringing about positive and meaningful changes.”―Erica Meier, Executive Director, Animal Outlook

“I heartily recommend this book. Joy makes a strong case that animal advocates should seek, as Gandhi said, to bring opponents to their senses and not their knees.”―Gene Baur, author of Farm Sanctuary

Social Creatures

Other-than-human animals are an overwhelming presence in our collective and individual lives and, at the same time, are taken for granted by human animals. Sociologists have neglected the study of human-animal interaction and the role of animals in society. This is true, despite the fact that animals are an integral part of our lives: in our language, food, families, economy, education, science, and recreation.

In more than thirty essays, Social Creatures examines the role of animals in human society. Collected from a wide range of periodicals and books, these important works of scholarship examine such issues as how animal shelter workers view the pets in their care, why some people hoard animals, animals and women who experience domestic abuse, philosophical and feminist analyses of our moral obligations toward animals, and many other topics.

Social Creatures includes work by Peter Singer, Tom Regan, Carol J. Adams, Josephine Donovan, Barbara Noske, Arnold Arluke, Ken Shapiro, and many leading scholars, anthropologists, and psychologists. The book also comes with an extensive bibliography of hundreds of articles and books.

Featuring: Carol J. Adams—Arnold Arluke—Frank R. Ascione—Michael J. Barnes—Alan M. Beck—Nancy S. Betchart—Clifton Bryant—Josephine Donovan—Clifton P. Flynn—Stephanie S. Frommer—Gerald H. Gosse—Kathleen M. Heide—Harold Herzog—Leslie Irvine—Aaron H. Katcher—Andrew Linzey—Linda Merz-Perez—Lyle Munro—David Nibert—Barbara Noske—Hannah L. Osbourne—Gary J. Patronek—Elizabeth S. Paul—Rose M. Perrine—Mary T. Phillips—Robert B. Pitman—Tom Regan—Harriet Ritvo—Andrew N. Rowan—Clinton R. Sanders—James A. Serpell—Kenneth J. Shapiro—Ira J. Silverman—Peter Singer—Tracey Smith-Harris—Marjorie Spiegel—Michael Tobias.

Spirituality, Contemplation, & Transformation

In Spirituality, Contemplation, & Transformation, some of the leading practitioners of centering prayer—the contemporary expression of the Christian contemplative tradition as developed by the desert fathers and mothers and elaborated by mystics such as saints John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila—write about the many and varied benefits of this dynamic and intimate means of connecting with the Divine. Thomas Keating and David Frenette examine the sources of centering prayer; Justin Langille and Jennifer Michael explore different facets of the wisdom of silence; and Paul David Lawson, David G.R. Keller, and Tom Macfie explain the vital role centering prayer can play in fostering communities of faith. Cynthia Bourgeault explicates philosopher and spiritual practitioner Beatrice Bruteau’s study of the meaning of contemplation; Brian Taylor uncovers the positive mental changes that centering prayer can bring about; and Thomas Ward reflects on spirituality in the twenty-first century, as well as the inspiring experience of attending a centering prayer retreat.

Of interest to anyone involved with contemporary Christian life, these essays, originally published in the Sewanee Theological Review, contribute to the growing body of literature on centering prayer—its practice, theory, and applications—and offer valuable entry points for all those interested in deepening their spiritual practice and fostering a more profound relationship with the Divine.

Contents:

“A Traditional Blend: The Contemplative Sources of Centering Prayer” by Thomas Keating, OCSO
“Three Contemplative Waves” by David Frenette
“There Is Nothing Between God and You: Awakening to the Wisdom of Contemplative Silence” by Justin Langille
“Beatrice Bruteau’s ‘Prayer and Identity: An Introduction with Text and Commentary’” by Cynthia Bourgeault
“Reading Living Water: The Integral Place of Contemplative Prayer in Christian Transformation” by David G. R. Keller
“Binding Head and Heart: A Conversation Concerning Theological Education: The Contemplative Ministry Project” by David G. R. Keller
“Centering Prayer and the Work of Clergy and Congregations: Prayer, Priests, and the Postmodern World” by Paul David Lawson
“Seeking a Deeper Knowledge of God: Centering Prayer and the Life of a Parish” by Tom Macfie
“Spirituality, Contemplation, and Transformation: An Opportunity for the Episcopal Church” by Thomas R. Ward, Jr.
“Keep the Rest: Practicing Silence while Professing Poetry” by Jennifer Michael
“Changing Your Mind: Contemplative Prayer and Personal Transformation” by Brian C. Taylor
“Centering Prayer Retreats” by Thomas R. Ward, Jr.

The Longest Struggle

From the first hominids who hunted woolly mammoths to today’s factory farms and bio-engineering labs, The Longest Struggle: Animal Advocacy from Pythagoras to PETA tells the story of animal exploitation and the battle for animal justice. After describing the roots of animal rights in the ancient world, author Norm Phelps follows the development of animal protection through the Enlightenment, the anti-vivisection battles of the Victorian Era, and the birth of the modern animal rights movement with the publication of Peter Singer’s Animal Liberation.

In a brisk, readable narrative, The Longest Struggle traces the campaigns of animal rights pioneers like Henry Spira, Alex Hershaft, and Ingrid Newkirk, as well as leaders who have come more recently on the scene like Heidi Prescott, Karen Davis, and Bruce Friedrich.

Always grounding his story in its historical setting, Phelps describes the counterattack that the animal abuse industries launched in the 1990s and analyzes the controversies that have roiled the movement almost from the beginning, including “national groups vs. grass roots,” “abolitionists vs. new welfarists,” and activists who favor arson and intimidation vs. those who support only peaceful, legal forms of protest. The Longest Struggle concludes with an overview of current campaigns and tactics, and an assessment of the state of the movement as we enter a new century, including the threat represented by an overzealous “war on terror.”

Thoroughly researched and annotated, The Longest Struggle reflects its author’s two decades as an animal rights activist and his access to movement leaders who have shared with him their personal stories of campaigns that made animal rights history. At once an accessible history of animal protection thought and a revealing narrative of campaigns for animal rights, The Longest Struggle is must read material for everyone who wants to understand the most radical social justice movement of our time.

Aftershock

Aftershock is about the real war against terror—the struggle for a world in which nobody lives in fear of atrocities perpetrated by human beings. Every day, people who push against violence and injustice or pull for peace and freedom must face their own fears. Many activists also must struggle with “aftershock,” the physical and emotional reverberations of frightening, horrifying, or otherwise traumatizing experiences endured in the course of their activism.

This book is for aftershocked activists and their allies, as well as for people and organizations that practice high-risk activism. It includes practical tips for individuals, organizations, and communities, as well as information about how traumatic events affect our bodies and abilities.

Aftershock explores the culture of trauma that people have created through our violent exploitation of the Earth, other animals, and one another. As long as we continue to perpetrate such violations, we will never fully heal our own traumatic injuries. This book, therefore, is for survivors of all kinds of trauma, for therapists who treat trauma, and for anyone who hopes to reduce the amount of terror in the world.

“pattrice jones sets the stage to begin healing the trauma associated with not just resisting oppression and injustice, but having to experience it. She offers real steps toward recognizing and correcting the problems facing humans, our planet and our animal relations. This book is a light in the dark for those of us who have dared to challenge the status quo.”—Jeffrey “Free” Luers, Imprisoned Eco-Activist

“pattrice jones has her finger on the pulse of the real America . . . a country teeming with homeless shelters, alcohol and drug rehab centers, rape crisis hotlines, battered women’s shelters, prisons, law enforcement agents, and soldiers. Aftershock is a manual for the many wounded souls seeking to survive such trauma and to participate in the struggle for a more just society.”—Mickey Z., author of The Seven Deadly Spins and 50 American Revolutions You’re Not Supposed to Know

“Listen to pattrice. pattrice jones is one of the most important new voices in the animal liberation movement.”—Josh Harper, SHAC7