God, the Wordsmith

Salt of the earth. Peace offering. Scapegoat. Holier than thou. These English expressions all made their debut in the Good Book. In Coined by God: Words and Phrases That First Appear in the English Translations of the Bible, Stanley Malless and Jeffrey McQuain trace the origins of 131 words and phrases that were first published in English translations of the Bible. Some entries are quite surprising; the word "female," for example, first appeared in the printed English language in Wycliffe's 1382 translation of the Bible, and the now-hackneyed adjective "beautiful" debuted in Tyndale's 1526 New Testament. Other expressions are clearly tied to their biblical roots, such as "no man can serve two masters," "two-edged sword," and "eat, drink, and be merry." This book, conveniently arranged from A to Z, is a treasure trove of lexicographical information. As Shakespeare said in Hamlet, "sweet religion makes a rhapsody of words." (Norton, $23.95 256p ISBN 0-393-02045-2; Feb.)

Bittersweet Memoir

In Waiting with Gabriel: A Story of Cherishing a Baby's Brief Life, AP journalist Amy Kuebelbeck shares the heartbreaking story of the brief life of her son, Gabriel, born with a rare heart defect. Kuebelbeck and her husband learned of the problem during the second trimester of her pregnancy, when they were told that he would only live for a few days after birth. In the memoir, she recounts that he actually lived only a few hours, but explains that his life was invested with meaning for his family and the hospital staff. This is not so much a book about grief and loss as it is a testament to the importance of recognizing grace and beauty in the here and now; faced with the imminent death of their son, Kuebelbeck learned to appreciate every moment with her husband and their other children. Although the book is enriched by a strong Roman Catholic perspective, readers of any faith will connect with Kuebelbeck's tale of spiritual growth through love and bereavement. (Loyola, $19.95 174p ISBN 0-8294-1603-X; Feb.)

Physical & Spiritual Healing

In The Spirituality That Heals: God's Provision for Your Soul's Deepest Need, Michael Youssef discusses the characteristics of "true spirituality" as formulated according to evangelical Christian doctrines of sin and salvation, arguing that physical and spiritual healing is an outgrowth of salvation. While the book contains some fine moments, too much of it is taken up with shadow-boxing what Youssef calls "shadow spirituality," a popular humanistic understanding that he says is based in New Age teachings. Youssef does not cross the line into polemics, but his characterizations of "shadow spirituality" are sometimes misleading, as when he lumps ancient Eastern religions together with contemporary New Age beliefs. The writing style can also be overly forceful, ridden with rhetorical questions that are then answered by exclamatory declarations. Still, there are some strong thoughts here on the healing power of God's love and, intriguingly, God's joy. (Water Brook, $14.99 208p ISBN 1-57856-555-3; Feb. 18)

January Books

Dorothy Morrison, Wiccan High Priestess bestselling author of Everyday Magic, applies her craft to the Tarot deck in Everyday Tarot Magic: Meditation & Spells. Building on the popularity of Tarot, Morrison shows readers how to get started with Tarot, how to find the right deck and how to understand the various cards and where they fit into the system. The second half of the book explores "Tarot magic," helping readers use the cards to deal with specific situations such as anxiety, forgiveness, healing, new endeavors, travel and unwanted guests. There's even a special charm for finding a parking place. Morrison cautions that people are often searching for "the best case scenario" when reading their own cards, and that it's more accurate to have an objective outsider interpret the cards for them. (Llewellyn, $12.95 paper 264p ISBN 0-7387-0175-0)

While much attention has been paid to the role of religion in the civil rights movement, most of that has been lavished on ordained clergy and prominent male leaders. Rosetta Ross builds a strong case for women's grassroots importance to the movement in Witnessing and Testifying: Black Women, Religion, and Civil Rights. Ross examines six Christian and one Muslim woman activist, exploring how the history of black women's religious experience in America informed their sense of social responsibility. Ross, an associate professor of ethics at United Theological Seminary in Minnesota, adopts a writing style that is most suited for an academic audience, but the subject matter will have broad appeal. (Fortress, $23 paper 296p ISBN 0-8006-3603-1)