September Publications

Between 1975 and 1994, the Christian feminist magazine Daughters of Sarah published women's poetry, articles on feminist theology, personal essays and art. In The Wisdom of Daughters: Two Decades of the Voice of Christian Feminism, Reta Halteman Finger and Kari Sandhaas offer what they consider to be the best contributions from the magazine's two decades in print. The collection's "best of" format and relatively low price should garner some classroom orders for courses on women and religion. (Innisfree, $17.95 paper 228p ISBN 1-880913-47-X)

Martial artist and ordained Zen priest Linda Myoki Lehrhaupt offers T'ai Chi as a Path of Wisdom, an anecdotal description of how t'ai chi is more than just a martial art, but a way of life. The book contains some advice on technique, as well as useful exercises for readers to practice their methodology, but its core is a personal story of how the author came to understand chi as a life force. It's surprisingly well-written for a debut book. (Shambhala, $15.95 paper 272p ISBN 1-57062-445-3)

Torah Study

What is worth knowing? How do we distinguish what is worth knowing from what is not? In Tree of Life, Tree of Knowledge: Conversations with the Torah, Michael Rosenak applies the discipline of Torah study to the philosophy of education more generally. Although the book is a bit too scholarly to reach the parents and teachers to whom it is directed, it is also provocative, drawing on Torah commentators such as Hillel and Rashi and addressing important issues in Jewish education. (Westview, $26 368p ISBN 0-8133-6561-9; Oct.)

The first new Torah commentary for Conservative Judaism in over 70 years, Etz Hayim: Torah and Commentary, boasts an all-star editorial cast. Harold Kushner's d'rash (interpretive commentary) explores the importance of social justice in Judaism, while Chaim Potok's contributions attempt to ground the Torah historically by ascertaining its meaning to the ancient Israelites. A special section edited by Elliot Dorff and Susan Grossman investigates the Jewish legal tradition and its foundations in the Torah; biblical scholar Michael Fishbane offers commentary on the haftarah (Torah portions to be read in the synagogue throughout the year). This commentary is a monumental achievement, incorporating recent archaeological findings, textual interpretations and (for the first time) the opinions of female rabbis. (Rabbinical Assembly, $72.50 1,560p ISBN 0-8276-0712-1; Oct. 12)

Mystics and the World's Religions

In Mystics, Masters, Saints, and Sages: Stories of Enlightenment, Robert Ullman and Judyth Reichenberg-Ullman comb the world's religions for examples of human beings who have apparently transcended earthly limitations and achieved a state of higher consciousness. These enlightened masters, say the authors, have experienced a sense of interconnectedness with all life. Casting a wide net, the authors include writings from Krishnamurti, Saint Catherine of Siena, the Baal Shem Tov, Paramahansa Yogananda, Peace Pilgrim and the poet Rumi, among others. Each primary source is introduced by a brief (and somewhat superficial) biography of the mystic who wrote it. (Conari, $16.95 paper 260p ISBN 1-57324-507-0; Oct.)

In contrast to the Ullmans' book, which addresses mysticism in all eras and cultures, Dick Ryan's Straight from the Heart: Reflections from 20th-century Mystics presents writings from Christian (primarily Catholic) spiritual leaders of the last century. In this brief collection, he includes pieces by "official" (i.e., ordained) thinkers such as Henri Nouwen, Thomas Merton, M. Basil Pennington and Robert Morneau, as well as laypersons like W.B. Yeats and Joyce Rupp. Feminist theologians Joan Chittister and Elizabeth Johnson crop up often. The "mystics" of the title is a bit of a stretch, since the collection is arranged according to themes such as suffering, prayer, justice and faith, and does not typically attempt to describe the ineffable. (Crossroad, $19.95 180p ISBN 0-8245-1923-X; Oct.)

Another title that digs deeply into one religious tradition is Teachings of the Hindu Mystics, edited by Andrew Harvey. Harvey includes mystical texts from the Vedas, the Upanishads and the devotional classic the Bhagavad Gita, as well as writings of individuals such as Mirabai and Aurobindo. Considering the importance and ubiquity of the mystical element within Hinduism, Harvey has done a fine job assembling a judicious collection. (Shambhala, $12.95 paper 144p ISBN 1-57062-449-6; Nov.)