Description
Book SynopsisIn
Making Peace with the Universe, Michael Scott Alexander reads diverse classic religious accounts as masterpieces of therapeutic insight. He recasts spiritual confessions as case histories of therapy, showing how they remain radical and deeply meaningful even in an age of scientific psychology.
Trade ReviewImpressively informative and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation,
Making Peace with the Universe is an extraordinary contribution to community and academic library Religious Philosophy collections in general, and Spiritual Healing reading lists in particular. * Midwest Book Review *
What happens when worlds fall apart? It’s a question that so many of us have asked ourselves in times of crisis. The marvel of Michael Scott Alexander’s book is that he has transformed his own search into a discovery of the wisdom of the ages. Erudite and deeply personal, this book captures the pain of losing faith and the joy of rediscovering a deeper meaning. -- Rebecca L. Davis, author of
More Perfect Unions: The American Search for Marital BlissWhat if the classics of religious thought actually made you feel . . . better? In this stunning, accessible book, Michael Scott Alexander—the most chill professor you never had—shows that the greatest minds of the past were deeply attuned to the crises of the present, midlife and otherwise. Their solutions, and his, map a path through the dark wood of our lives to the promised land of human flourishing. -- Noah Feldman, author of
Divided by God: America's Church-State Problem—and What We Should Do About ItA brilliant exploration of religious and spiritual experiences as they relate to the ability to heal the mind and promote psychological health. A missing piece of the puzzle of how religion intersects with psychological well-being. -- Andrew Newberg, author of
Neurotheology: How Science Can Enlighten Us About SpiritualityIt's not so hard to find a good book, but it's hard to find a book that's good in a totally new, surprising way. I've been reading about religion for 25 years, and I have never seen anything like
Making Peace with the Universe, which combines religion scholarship, memoir, marital gossip, pop-music criticism, and an ode to friendship into one potent cocktail of love. If you seek, find this. -- Mark Oppenheimer, author of
Knocking on Heaven's Door: American Religion in the Age of CountercultureThis incredible book mines the spiritual insights of history's deepest souls. Alexander speaks to the reality that some truths emerge outside of a classroom or lab. From Socrates to jazz great Mary Lou Williams, we see that wisdom's pursuit is often a torturous and tear-soaked journey. Yet it's worth the ride! -- Jonathan L. Walton, author of
A Lens of Love: Reading the Bible in Its World for Our WorldTable of ContentsPart I: The Problem1. The Path of Joy
2. Making Peace with the Universe
Part II: The Classics3. Socrates: An Old Man and His Daemon
4. Abu Hamid al-Ghazali: The Greatest Midlife Crisis in the History of Islam
5. Qiu Chuji: Chinggis Khan Learns to Cherish Life
6. Mary Lou Williams: Jazz for the Soul
Part III: A Recent Case7. Bobby Sichran and the Divine Presence
Conclusion: Giving Into Gravity
Acknowledgments
Notes
Bibliography
Index
