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In Search of Belief
by Joan Chittister, Tom Roberts (Foreword by)
Her most personal spiritual work to date, Joan Chittister's In Search of Belief is both a disturbing and affirming book. Disturbing to our most comfortable notions concerning our "professed" beliefs; affirming of the very best of the Christian essence, the foundation for all belief. In this book, written to and for contemporary Christian seekers and believers, she virtually dissects the Apostles' Creed-phrase by phrase-reexamining and reflecting upon what she proffers as the core message, extracting a spirituality for the new millennium. In 27 essay-reflections she serves up profound insights, the fruit of her own mature spiritual study and practice, offering readers a meaningful, enriching interpretation and new way to understand the core beliefs that we profess regularly at church and in ritual (although, as she suggests, too often superficially and with little thoughtfulness.) Enlivened with personal anecdotes, and grounded in scripture and theology, In Search of Belief will be welcomed by anyone with serious, ongoing questions, for it sheds much-needed light and clarity on the most basic tenets of our faith, making the words and their meaning come alive in one's heart and mind-indeed, making faith come alive-perhaps for the very first time! Revised Paperback (Item #88895) $15.95

The Friendship of Women: The Hidden Tradition of the Bible
by Joan D. Chittister
Looking deeply into biblical stories of female friendships in order to extract greater truths, this compelling work explores the sacred dimension of friendship through the lenses of faith, tradition, and scripture, revealing the often overlooked voices and experiences of women in the Old and New Testaments. Recovering and reclaiming the witness and wisdom of such women as Lydia, Prisca, Phoebe, Martha, Deborah, Esther, Rachel, Ruth, Veronica, Elizabeth, Anne, and Mary Magdalene, and drawing a highly inspiring message from each of these women's lives, the book embraces friendship as it is embodied by women, between God and all of creation, and between all human beings. Paperback. (Item #87453) $14.95

Rule of Benedict: Insights for the Ages
by Joan D. Chittister, John Farina (Foreword by)
The Benedictine way is timeless and, as the author contends, is the spirituality of the twenty-first century because it deals with issues facing us now--stewardship, relationships, authority, community, balance, work, simplicity and prayer. Paperback. (Item #87090) $16.95

Scarred by Struggle, Transformed by Hope
by Joan D. Chittister

Publishers Weekly:
Chittister, a Catholic Benedictine nun who once dreamed of being a fiction writer, takes a major disappointment from her life and transforms it into a series of absorbing universal lessons in this book that is both contemplative and expository. The author (Heart of Flesh: A Feminist Spirituality for Women and Men) and lecturer tells how in the interest of "humility" she was instructed as a young nun to withdraw her application from a prestigious creative writing program and spend her summer as a camp cook. Although Chittister writes today as if she were still reeling from this disappointment's devastating blow, it is clear that in her struggle she found another way to express herself through writing. She ultimately discovered that she was still a writer, even though she was not free to write in the way she had hoped. Chittister uses the biblical story of Jacob wrestling with God to further illustrate the struggle that she says is part of every life, pointing out how such encounters can lead to growth and new direction. But even as she writes of the "gifts" of struggle, she is candid about its dark side and lasting impact. After all, she notes, Jacob got up limping from his night of wrestling with God. It is clear from Chittister's reflections that she has navigated the territory of which she writes. Her message should appeal to a diverse audience of readers who want more than platitudes and pat answers to life's challenges. (Mar.) Copyright 2003 Cahners Business Information. Paperback (Item #80002) $12.00

Wisdom Distilled from the Daily: Living the Rule of St. Benedict Today
by Joan D. Chittister
Wise and enduring spiritual guidelines for everyday living -- as relevant today as when The Rule was originally conceived by St. Benedict in fifth century Rome. (Item #97670) $13.95

The Story of Ruth: Twelve Moments in Every Woman's Life
by Joan D. Chittister, John August Swanson (Illustrator), John August Swnason (Illustrator)
The biblical story of Ruth is a woman’s story about a woman’s life. Though written thousands of years ago, it is nonetheless perennial. It calls us to reflect in every generation on what it means to be a whole woman, a spiritual woman. In The Story of Ruth Joan Chittister and John August Swanson reclaim this powerful biblical story as a model for contemporary women seeking a fully spiritual life.

Through complementary texts and illustrations, Chittister and Swanson explore a series of twelve defining moments in every woman’s life—moments of loss, change, transformation, aging, independence, respect, recognition, insight, empowerment, self-definition, invisibility, and fulfillment. Each chapter and each piece of artwork together illuminate the faithful life of Ruth in relation to these formative moments and lend insights into what it means to be a woman of God today.

A lovely combination of art and text, The Story of Ruth provides valuable help for women seeking to live wholly in a world still struggling with issues of faith and gender. Paperback (Item #80580) $20.00

In A Passion for Life the icons are male and female, Christian and non-Christian, married and single, religious and lay, from different times and diverse cultures. They are activists and mystics, their holiness recognized by due process, or acclaimed by those who lived in the shadow of their lives. Like us, they are not without flaws, but so luminous in their virtues as to be a light for the ages.

Joan Chittister presents some of these men and women to us, reveals their special gifts, encourages us to identify with them, and to follow their example. Robert Lentz's many stunning icons provide a third dimension for the reader, to feast the eye as well as the soul. Hardcover (Item #80302) $24.00

What does it mean to live out a feminist spirituality in a world that glamorizes violence and legitimizes domination? Best-selling author Joan Chittister takes a very real look at what it means to have a feminist spirituality—a "heart of flesh"—in today’s culture. She unmasks the effects of sexism on both men and women and describes a spirituality that makes healthier, happier human beings of us all.

According to Chittister, the patriarchal culture that has shaped our world has also brought us to the edge of destruction with its dualisms, hierarchies, and inequality. She outlines the historical realities that produced this situation and describes how patriarchal culture and spirituality maintain their hold on us. She then argues that there is another way which is better and introduces us to a feminist worldview that, in recognizing the full humanity of women, leads all of us to new, better ways of being and relating. Heart of Flesh: A Feminist Spirituality for Women and Men offers a dynamic vision of spirituality from one of our finest writers of spiritual literature. Paperback (Item #96683) $20.00