The Amish Way

Patient Faith In A Perilous World

BY DONALD B. KRAYBILL, STEVEN M. NOLT, AND DAVID L. WEAVER-ZERCHER
This book introduces readers to the ways and beliefs of the Amish, a "peculiar people," to explain the reasons behind their extraordinary forgiveness and tight-knit communities.

Jossey-Bass-Wiley 2010 267 PP. Cloth

$24.95 (in stock)

Approaching The Quran

The Early Revelations Second Edition

INTRODUCED AND TRANSLATED BY MICHAEL SELLS
This new edition from Quaker Michael Sells offers, important new translations of Quranic suras, details of the controversy over teaching about Islam and the Quran in American Universities, an Introduction to the Quran, commentaries on the suras, a glossary, discussion of the sound nature and gender aspects of the Arabic text. These are translations of the suras, associated with the first revelations to the Prophet Muhammad. Complex and powerful, most appear at the end of the Qur'an's written text and are commonly reached only by the most resolute reader of existing English translations. Containing the Qur'an's prophetic and revelatory passages, the suras offer a vision of a meaningful and just lif.

2007 224 PP. Paper

$22.95 (in stock)

The Battle For God

BY KAREN ARMSTRONG
Now in Paperback! "Karen Armstrong has given us a wide-ranging review of the wrenching 'Battle for God' between the forces of modernism and fundamentalism. Too many prefer to curse and denigrate the rise of fundamentalism. Karen Armstrong chooses to light a candle of understanding and comparative analysis."-Rabbi Irving Greenberg

Ballantine 2001 464 PP. Paper

$15.95 (in stock)

Buddhism Without Beliefs

A Contemporary Guide To Awakening

BY STEPHEN BATCHELOR
The former monk gives here a solid, straightforward introduction that demystifies Buddhism and explains simply and plainly how its practice can enrich our lives. Avoiding jargon and theory, Batchelor concentrates on the concrete, making Buddhism accessible and compelling and showing how anyone can embark on this path-regardless of their religious background.

Penguin 1998 127 PP. Paper

$13.00 (out of stock but can be backordered)

Bushido

The Soul Of Japan

NITOBE, INAZO
In this eloquent work, Japanese Quaker Inazo Nitobe explains the persistence of early Japan's morals, ethics, and etiquette into modern times. He takes a far-reaching approach,drawing examples from indigenous traditions -- Buddhism, Shintoism, Confucianism, and the philosophies of samurai andsages -- as well as from ancient and modern Western thinkers.

Nuvision 1908 74 PP. Paper

$10.99 (in stock)

Dao De Jing

A Philosophical Translation

BY ROGER AMES, DAVID HALL
In this elegant volume, Ames and Hall feature the original Chinese texts of the Dao de Jing and translate them into crisp, chiseled English that reads like poetry. Each of the eighty-one brief chapters is followed by clear, thought-provoking commentary exploring the layers of meaning in the text. The book's extensive introduction is a model of accessible scholarship in which Ames and Hall consider the origin of the text, place the emergence of Daoist philosophy in its historical and political context, and outline its central tenets.

Ballantine Books 2003 256 PP. Paper

$13.95 (in stock)

The Essential Rumi

TRANSLATED BY COLEMAN BARKS WITH JOHN MOYNE
A collection of the ecstatic poetry of the well known thirteenth century Islamic mystic. "Perhaps the world's greatest spiritual poet - the gold of Rumi pours down through Coleman's words. The words leap off the page and dance!" -Jack Kornfield

HarperCollins 1996 310 PP. Paper

$15.95 (in stock)

God Is One

The Way Of Islam

BY MARSTON SPEIGHT
Recommended at workshops in the FGC Gathering, God Is One confronts some of the barriers to understanding Islam as it describes the Islamic way that binds together millions of people from Africa and Asia to Europe and North and South America. Illustrated throughout with examples of Islam's contributions to science, art, medicine, architecture, and literature, this book demonstrates the significance of Islam as a world religion.

Friendship Press 2001 175 PP. Paper

$6.00 (in stock)

A God Of One's Own

Religion's Capacity For Peace And Potential For Violence

BY ULRICH BECK
A sociologist seeks to reach beyond the commonly-used "methodological secularism" meant to explain away the importance of religion. He explores the complexities of personal and communal faith and the need for religious tolerance.

Polity Press 2010 231 PP. Paper

$19.95 (in stock)

The Great Transformation - Paper

The Beginning Of Our Religious Traditions

BY KAREN ARMSTRONG
In this book Karen Armstrong reveals how the sages of this pivotal "Axial Age" can speak clearly and helpfully to the violence and desperation that we experience in our own times. Armstrong traces the development of the Axial Age chronologically, examining the contributions of such figures as Buddha, Socrates, Confucius, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, the mystics of the Upanishads, Mencius, and Euripides. With regard to dealing with fear, despair, hatred, rage, and violence, the Axial sages gave their people and give us, Armstrong says, two important pieces of advice: first there must be personal responsibility and self-criticism, and it must be followed by practical, effective action.

Anchor Books 2007 565 PP. Paper

$16.00 (in stock)

Hindu Scriptures

TRANSLATED BY DOMINIC GOODALL
Bargain priced, but a good selection. The Vedas (most of them) The Bhagavad gita, an almost complete version of the Brhadaranyaka and Chandogya Upanisads , Yajnavalkya smriti a sampling of late medieval tantra and bhakti literature.

Phoenix (UK) 2005 410 PP. Paper

$5.00 (in stock)

How To Be A Perfect Stranger

The Essential Religious Ettiquette Handbook

EDITED BY STUART MATLINS AND ARTHUR MAGIDA
Lively, straightforward guide to the basic services and ceremonies of all major religions and denominations in the United States. Winner of the best reference book of the year ward. Now available as a single updated volume.

SkyLight Paths Publishing 2006 Paper

$19.99 (in stock)

I Have Always Wanted To Be Jewish

And Now, Thanks To The Religious Society Of Friends, I Am - Php 350

BY CLAIRE GORFINKEL
The author's story of her spiritual journey through Quakerism home to Judaism.

Pendle Hill Pamphlet 2000 32 PP. Paper

$5.00 (in stock)

The Illustrated World's Religions

A Guide To Our Wisdom Traditions

BY HUSTON SMITH
"In lucid and captivating prose, Smith, the dean of world religionists, conducts readers on a whirlwind tour of the beliefs, practices and experiences of the world's religious traditions. Smith explores the major features of these religions by combining his own worlds with passages from the sacred texts of each. .The words and images of this book continually remind us that the world's faiths are not stagnant pools of decaying values but dynamic and vibrant waters from which their practitioners daily drink. .If one buys only one of the number of recent introductions to world religions, this should be it."- Publishers Weekly

HarperSanFrancisco 1995 256 PP. Paper

$24.95 (out of stock but can be backordered)

Interfaith Dialogue At The Grass Roots

EDITED BY REBECCA KRATZ MAYS
These essays seek to empower Quakers, rabbis, imams, pastors, and their congregants to take up the work of interreligious dialogue as a peacemaking activity. The book provides guidelines for conducting interfaith encounters, showing how storytelling and conversations can make these meetings productive and constructive. Additional chapters reveal how to establish and inspire peace. Lastly, Joseph Stoutzenberger writes questions for reflection and suggestions for action at the end of each chapter. The editor is Quaker Rebecca Kratz Mays.

Ecumenical Press 2008 131 PP. Paper

$16.00 (in stock)

Islam From A Quaker Perspective

Updated 2008 With Friends And The Interfaith Movment

BY ANTHONY MANOUSOS
This pamphlet was written shortly after 911 to help facilitate an understanding of Islam and Quakerism and to encourage interfaith dialogue and work towards a cooperative peace. This new edition has an additional section describing the rise of Interfaith groups that bridge the world religions with understanding and Friendship. The modern equivalent to citizen diplomacy.

Friends Bulletin/Quaker Universalist Fellowship 2008 30 PP. Paper

$5.00 (in stock)

Jerusalem

KAREN ARMSTRONG
Unfolds a complex story of spiritual upheaval and political transformation--from King David's capital to an administrative outpost of the Roman Empire, from the cosmopolitan city sanctified by Christ to the spiritual center conquered and glorified by Muslims, from the gleaming prize of European Crusaders to the bullet-ridden symbol of the present-day Arab-Israeli conflict.

Ballantine 2005 512 PP. Paper

$18.00 (in stock)

The Koran

TRANSLATED WITH NOTES BY N J DAWOOD
It is hard to know what is the best English translation of the Koran, Dawood first completed this translation in 1956, and it is a considered and flowing narrative, probably the easiest to read of any I have come across. He has revisited it many times as it was reprinted each time refining the translation. It is short of footnotes, and is best thought of as an introduction, but for the average reader this is probably the best place to start.

Penguin 2006 455 PP. Paper

$12.00 (in stock)

The Koran. A Very Short Introduction

BY MICHAEL COOK
In this Very Short Introduction, Michael Cook provides a lucid and direct account of the significance of the Koran both in the modern world and in that of traditional Islam. He gives vivid accounts of its role in Muslim civilization, illustrates the diversity of interpretations championed by traditional and modern commentators, discusses the processes by which the book took shape, and compares it to other scriptures and classics of the historic cultures of Eurasia. Muslims are suspicious of the author because of his earlier writings on Hagarism from which he has now distanced himself.

Oxford University Press 2000 162 PP. Paper

$11.95 (in stock)

The Lion Encyclopedia Of World Religions

BY DAVID SELF
Combining accurate and concise information with elements of storytelling and discovery, this one-stop guide to the world's most prominent religions is the perfect resource for young, inquiring minds. The fundamental beliefs and tenets of all Abrahamic, Eastern, East Asian, and modern religions-including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, and the Baha'i faith-are addressed in full, and details of the religions' stories, prayers, and people are also included. Lavishly illustrated and entirely unbiased in content, this is an engaging look at religions past and present. Ages 8-12 and up

Lion (UK), 2008 128 PP. Cloth

$19.95 (in stock)

The Mindful Quaker

A Brief Introduction To Buddhist Wisdom For Friends

BY VALERIE BROWN
In recent decades, many Quakers have been drawn to the study of Buddhist teachings and to the practices of meditation and mindfulness as taught in Buddhism. Valerie Brown, who is both a Quaker and a Buddhist, explores the gifts that Buddhism has to offer Friends in our search for unity with the Divine Ground, for clarity in our worship, and for equanimity in our lives. Writing as a dedicated seeker in both traditions, she identifies the points of commonality as well as the valuable insights and techniques that Friends can derive from a discipline that has developed through more than 2,500 years of practice.

Pendle Hill Pamphlet 2006 36 PP. Paper

$6.50 (in stock)

Patterns And Examples

Experiencing The Spirit Of Other Faiths

EDITED BY PETER JARMAN
A collection of writings by 14 Quakers describing their thoughts and experiences of other faiths, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism. In the quest for spiritual fullfilment following the advice of George Fox to "be patterns, examples in all countries, then you will come to walk cheerfully over the world, answering that of God in every one," Jonathan Fryer, Peter Jarman, Jennifer Kavanagh, Alison Leonard, John A. McConnell, Judy Moody-Stuart, lhsam R. Rasmy acknowledge the jewel of Love and Truth at the heart of all beings through their experience of the Spirit of other faiths.

Sessions of York 2005 155 PP. Paper

$25.00 (in stock)

A Quaker In The Zendo

Php 370

BY STEVE SMITH
"At a time of my life when I had drifted far from my Quaker origins, I found the practice of Zen meditation to be clarifying, healing and liberating. Curiously this Asian spiritual practice led me back to the Society of Friends: the more I practice Zen, the more thoroughly Quaker I become. The spiritual insights of Christianity and Quakerism have regained for me fresh depth, power and charisma. Within the earliest records of Quakerism, in the writings of George Fox and other early Friends, I find - to my wonder and delight - remarkably explicit guidelines for spiritual practice that are often diluted or obscured in contemporary unprogrammed Friends' worship.".

Pendle Hill Pamphlet 2004 38 PP Paper

$6.50 (in stock)

Quakers And The Interfaith Movement

A Handbook For Peacemakers

EDITED BY ANTHONY MANOUSOS
Editor Anthony Manousos recognizes the growing importance of interfaith cooperation in order to foster peace, and collects here the writings of dozens of Quakers with thoughts about and experiences with interfaith efforts. These essays are bookended by an interfaith "Advices and Queries" and a list of resources.

Quaker Universalist Fellowship 2011 263 PP. Paper

$14.95 (out of stock but can be backordered)

The Tent Of Abraham

Stories Of Hope And Peace For Jews, Christians, And Muslims

BY RABBI ARTHUR WASKOW, JOAN CHITTISTER, MURSHID SAADI SHAKUR CHISHTI
Provides readers with stories that can bring all the faiths together., the book explores in accessible language the mythic quality and the teachings of reconciliation that are embedded in the Torah, the Qur'an, and the Bible. It also weaves together the wisdoms of the Jewish, Muslim, and Christian traditions into a deeper, more unified whole.

Beacon Press 2007 240 PP. Paper

$15.00 (in stock)

The Ultimate Dimension

An Advanced Dharma Retreat On The Avatamsaka And Lotus Sutras

BY THICH NHAT HAHN
Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, presents an advanced new audio learning retreat with this complete series of Dharma talks on two of Buddhism's most beloved texts, the Lotus Sutra and the Avatamsaka Sutra. Here, he discusses: "interbeing" and the transcendence of self, the practice of non-practice, overcoming the fear of death, mindfulness as the key to nirvana, and more.Quite abragain if you had been thinking of buying it for the recomended price of $60.

Sounds True 2004 7 HOURS Disk

$16.50 (in stock)

The World's Wisdom

Sacred Texts Of The World's Religions

COMPILED BY PHILIP NOVAK; FOREWORD BY HUSTON SMITH
An essential collection of the world's spiritual wisdom--a world bible for our time from Buddhist, Hindu, Confucian, Taoist, Jewish, Christian, Islamic, and primal religion sources. "Philip Novak's loving and imaginative presentation of key texts from several traditions offers an excellent resource . . . showing that all the wisdom we need is already available to us in abundance." - Thomas Moore

HarperSanFrancisco 1995 448 PP. Paper

$16.95 (out of stock but can be backordered)

Zen For Christians

A Beginners Guide

BY KIM BOYKIN
Boykin is both an experienced Zen practitioner and a seasoned Christian. Here she has written a deep but readable book about them both. An excellent introduction to Christianity and Buddhism and how the practices and how their insights can complement each other and help you grow in your spiritual life.

Jossey Bass 2005 208 PP. Cloth

$16.95 (out of stock but can be backordered)