A look at the religious themes in the work of Stephen King in America’s Dark Theologian and the latest novel by The Wedding Dress author Rachel Hauck are among the big books coming from religion publishers in June.
Nonfiction
June 1
Little Book of Sufi Stories: Ancient Wisdom to Nourish the Heart compiled by Neil Douglas-Klotz (Hampton Roads, $15.95 paper, 978-1-57174-829-4) features modernized versions of classic stories by Sufis such as Rumi, Attar, and S’adi.
Pure Intention: On Knowledge of the Unique Name by Ibn Ata Allah Al-Iskandari, trans. by Khalid Williams (Islamic Texts Society, $14.95 paper, 978-1-911141-37-2) is the first English translation of a seminal work in the Sufi tradition surrounding the divine name Allah.
Why We Need Religion by Stephen T. Asma (Oxford, $29.95, ISBN 978-0-19-046967-2). Asma argues that, like art, religion touches the emotional inner life in ways that science does not, in this Darwinian defense of religious emotions and the cultural systems that manage them.
Mindful of Race: Transforming Racism from the Inside Out by Ruth King (Sounds True, $17.95 paper, ISBN 978-1-68364-081-3). King, an Insight Meditation teacher, provides mindfulness practices intended to help heal racial suffering and division on individual and societal levels.
From Kuan Yin to Chairman Mao: The Essential Guide to Chinese Deities by Xueting Christine Ni (Weiser $18.95 paper, ISBN 978-1-57863-625-9). Speaker on Chinese culture Ni recounts the stories of 60 Chinese gods and goddesses, selected from across the spectrum of China’s mythical beings, deified heroes, gods, goddesses, and immortals.
June 4
When God Happens edited by Angela Hunt and Bill Myers (Regnery, $24.99, 978-1-62157-713-3) features a collection of “real stories from real people” of divine intervention, according to the publisher.
June 5
Faith Finding a Voice by Cardinal Vincent Nichols (Bloomsbury Continuum, $28, 978-1-4729-5042-0) the Archbishop of Westminster in the U.K. shares personal reflections on divine revelation, the importance of theological literacy in education, and care for people in a global society.
Costly Grace by Robert Schenck (Harper, $26.99, 978-0-06-268793-7). Schenck, an evangelical minister who converted from Judaism to Christianity in his teens and now ministers to elected and appointed officials in Washington, D.C., shares personal stories about politics and faith.
In All Things: A Nine-Week Devotional Bible Study on Unshakeable Joy by Melissa B Kruger (Multnomah Books, $15.99 paper, 978-0-7352-9114-0). Geared toward women, this devotional centers on the book of Philippians and features passages from scripture on finding peace and joy.
Discipled by Jesus: Your Ongoing Invitation to Follow Christ by Robert Gelinas (NavPress, $14.99 paper, 978-1-63146-828-5) makes a case based on the Bible that Jesus is personally pastoring, teaching, and leading Christians today.
Be Still: Meditations on Stillness, Silence, and Mysticism in the Bible by Amos Smith (Paraclete, $16.99 paper, 978-1-61261-865-4) explores the contemplative elements of the Bible, including awareness, deep listening, and meditation, and the importance of each.
Writing on the Wall: Graffiti and the Forgotten Jews of Late Antiquity by Karen B. Stern (Princeton, $35, 978-0-691-16133-4) examines inscriptions and drawings by ancient Jews that represent ordinary life and beliefs of the era in what Stern argues is a perspective largely left out of rabbinic texts.
Zen in the Age of Anxiety: Wisdom for Navigating Our Modern Lives by Tim Burkett, edited by Wanda Isle (Shambhala, $16.95 paper, 978-1-61180-486-7) draws on Zen teachings to identify the causes of mental and emotional anxiety and find a path to peace.
Your Marriage Today…And Tomorrow by Crawford Loritts, Jr. and Karen Loritts (Moody, $15.99 paper, 978-0-8024-1815-9). Husband and wife of 45 years Dr. Crawford and Karen Lorritts collect stories and material from their career as speakers on marriage. 7,500 announced first printing.
Only One Life by Jackie Green and Lauren Green McAfee with Bill High (Zondervan, $16.99 paper; ISBN 978-0-310-35171-9). Mother-and-daughter Jackie Green and Lauren McAfee provide portraits of women of the Bible, women of history, and women shaping the world today in an effort to encourage readers to build a legacy of their own.
June 8
Labyrinth: Your Path to Self Discovery by Tony Christie (Llewellyn $21.99, ISBN 978-0-7387-5661-5). Spiritual teacher Christie shares techniques for exploring the healing energy and wisdom of the labyrinth to help readers quiet their minds and cultivate a sense of balance.
June 12
America’s Dark Theologian: The Religious Imagination of Stephen King by Douglas E. Cowan (New York Univ., $30, ISBN 978-1-4798-9473-4). Cowan investigates Stephen King’s use of religious imagery, themes, and characters in his horror fiction.
June 26
Tiny Buddha’s Worry Journal: A Creative Way to Let Go of Anxiety and Find Peace by Lori Deschene (HarperOne, $24.99, 978-0-06-284987-8) features prompts, quotes, and questions for reflection from the founder of the online community Tiny Buddha.
Prayers of My Heart: A Personal Prayer Journal by Debbie Taylor Williams (Harvest House, $14.99 paper, 978-0-7369-7397-7) is a guide to prayer that includes calendar reminders and suggested meditations.
June 12
Faith of Dolly Parton by Dudley Delffs (Zondervan, $22.99, 978-0-3103-5292-1) features 10 “lessons” on being trustworthy, generous, faithful, and more as gleaned from the life, music, interviews, and attitude of Dolly Parton.
Julian of Norwich by Veronica Mary Roth (IVP, $18, 978-0-8308-5088-4). Rolf, an academic scholar, examines Julian of Norwich’s fourteenth-century work, Revelations of Divine Love.
June 15
Give Love and Receive the Kingdom by Benedicta Ward (Paraclete, $22.99, 978-1-64060-097-3). Ward, a theologian and historian of early Christian spirituality at Oxford, collects writings from Cuthbert to seventeenth century preachers in order to help educate and inspire today’s Christians.
June 19
The Magic Ten and Beyond by Sharon Gannon (TarcherPerigee, 978-1-5247-0517-6). Yoga teacher Gannon offers customizable daily spiritual practices, incorporating yoga poses, meditation, blessings, and other spiritual practices, intended to help “begin one’s day in a positive and life-affirming place,” according to the publisher.
Once Upon a Farm by Rory Feek (W Publishing, $24.99; ISBN 978-0-7852-1672-8). Feek, who first shared his story of his wife’s cancer and subsequent death in This Life I Live, delves further into the life choices he and his late wife made for their family, including their four-year-old daughter.
June 26
Christianity in the Twentieth Century by Brian Stanley (Princeton, $35, 978-0-6911-5710-8) tracks the evolution of Christianity from how it was defined in Europe to what the faith looks like today amid its growing popularity in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, China, and other parts of Asia.
June 30
Christian Ethics: An Introduction to Biblical Moral Reasoning by Wayne Grudem (Crossway $59.99, ISBN 978-1-4335-4965-6). Grudem, professor of theology at Phoenix Seminary in Phoenix, Ariz., details what the Bible says about living ethically in this broad volume.
Fiction
June 5
Where the Fire Falls by Karen Barnett (WaterBrook, $9.99, 978-0-7352-8957-4). Olivia Rutherford, a watercolorist, hopes to lift herself and her sisters out of poverty by painting illustrations of the Firefall event at Yosemite National Park.
A Rebel Hart by Beth White (Revell, $15.99 paper, 978-0-8007-2689-8) follows Selah, the eldest daughter of a Mississippi family swamped by debt in the years after the Civil War.
The Solace of Water by Elizabeth Byler Younts (Thomas Nelson, $15.99 paper, 978-0-7180-7566-8). A bereaved mother Delilah strikes a surprising friendship with her reclusive Amish neighbor Emma and finds a fresh start.
June 12
The Love Letter by Rachel Hauck (Thomas Nelson, $15.99, 978-0-3103-5100-9). From the author of the bestselling The Wedding Dress is the story of an actress, Chloe Daschle, who must break out of her career rut with the role of a lifetime in an epic love story.
Children’s
June 5
100 Bible Stories for Children by Copenhagen Publishing Co. (Tyndale Kids, $17.99, ISBN 978-1-4964-3160-8). This volume compiles 100 stories from the Bible, written in clear language and paired with illustrations.
June 7
Gifts of Our Lady of Guadalupe: Patroness of Latin America by Demi (Wisdom Tales, $17.95, ISBN 978-1-937786-73-1) tells the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe, also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe, when she appeared to Juan Diego in Mexico City in 1519.
