Publishers Weekly
Maybe if Starr (Dark Night of the Soul) were less of a storyteller, her style would be less invitational, but she writes about the three Abrahamic religions as a woman in love, not as a tenure-hungry prof. The result, bearing the brilliance of her surname, plaits a strong braid from the essences of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: God is love. Starr’s interspiritual quest (a birthright, she asserts) follows the same formula in each chapter, covering topics such as suffering, silence, and the feminine. Each begins with quotations from the three religions’ holy books and seekers, then follows scenarios that define the theme in a warm second-person voice; for example, in the chapter “Welcoming the Stranger,” Starr, a workshop and retreat leader, describes doors you open—or do not. After knowledgeable and humbling descriptions, she lays out the religions’ teachings and profiles practitioners, for example, Christianity’s Dorothy Day, Judaism’s Baal Shem Tov, and the Sufi ecstatic Rabia Al-Adawiyya. In the nonfluffy afterword, Starr nudges travelers on the three paths, following her sure-footed approach. (Apr. 24)
God of Love: A Guide to the Heart of Judaism, Christianity and Islam
by Mirabai StarrGod of Love is Mirabai Starr’s passionate and personal exploration of the interconnected wisdom of the three Abrahamic faiths. She shares an overview of essential teachings, stories of saints and spiritual masters, prophetic calls for peace and justice, and for the first time in print, deeply engaging narratives from her own spiritual experiences. She guides
Editorial Reviews
From the Publisher
“God of Love celebrates the mystical and social justice teachings of the world's three monotheistic traditions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. This is a passionate defense of the hidden and often unacknowledged treasures of these complex and volatile paths.”—Spirituality & Practice, Awarded one of S&P’s Best Spiritual Books of 2012
“Maybe if Starr were less of a storyteller, her style would be less invitational, but she writes about the three Abrahamic religions as a woman in love, not as a tenure-hungry prof. The result, bearing the brilliance of her surname, plaits a strong braid from the essences of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: God is love. She writes about the three Abrahamic religions as a woman in love, not as a tenure-hungry prof.”—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
“The radiance of this book lies in the heartfelt and intelligent way it constructs a bridge not only between the three religious traditions but, equally important, a bridge between the moments when we recognize and know this God of love in our own lives and the moments when that love becomes invisible—obscured by clouds of anger, disbelief, sorrow, or despair.”—Tikkun.org
“Mirabai Starr’s new book, God of Love – A Guide to the Heart of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, will be disconcerting to many in an arena that seems sometimes to have been written to death – the complexities of the Abrahamic faiths. The interconnections Starr explores seem novel but obvious at first. As the interconnections accumulate, though, familiar sacred texts become powerful and compelling in new ways, a source of hope for those who’ve concluded that Abrahamic violence is forever intractable.”—The Interfaith Observer
“As a writer Starr is bold and daring and her love for God comes leaping off the pages. Her enthusiasm is so great, it’s hard not to get caught up in it.”—Patheos.com
Product Details
- ISBN-13:
- 9780983358923
- Publisher:
- Monkfish Book Publishing Company
- Publication date:
- 04/30/2012
- Edition description:
- New Edition
- Pages:
- 240
- Sales rank:
- 268,583
- Product dimensions:
- 5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.70(d)
Meet the Author
MIRABAI STARR is an adjunct professor of philosophy and world religions at the University of New Mexico-Taos. As a teenager, Starr lived at the Lama Foundation, an intentional spiritual community that has honored all the world’s faith traditions since its inception in 1967. At Lama she encountered many of the leading teachers and timeless traditions of diverse spiritual paths: Hindu, Buddhist, Sufi, Jewish, Christian, and Native American. This ecumenical experience was formative in the universal quality that has infused her work ever since. Starr is best known to readers for her acclaimed translations of Dark Night of the Soul by John of the Cross, and The Interior Castle and The Book of My Life by Teresa of Avila.
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