Books on religion are plentiful – in the United States alone, religious books sales generate hundreds of millions of dollars annually. This should come as no surprise; if we define religion as “a set of beliefs dealing with the cause and the purpose of the universe,” who wouldn’t want to dig deeply into this powerful and mysterious topic?
It’s fascinating to contemplate the many variations on religion that have taken root around the globe. But when I randomly selected two books for this column, I discovered deep synchronicities between them, despite the fact that one is rooted in Catholicism and the other in Buddhism. No matter how different the origin story or the trappings, there is still room for meaningful participation on the part of the individual.
“A Still and Quiet Conscience” is the biography of the late Seattle Archbishop Raymond G. Hunthausen. He may have come from humble Montana roots, but when Hunthausen became archbishop, he wound up challenging, as the subtitle boasts, “a Pope, a President and a Church.”
Inspired by the Vatican II conference, which he attended 50 years ago as a young bishop, Hunthausen reached out to pacifists, women, gays and other people on the margins of society. He was the first American bishop to advocate for tax resistance as a way of protesting nuclear warfare. Hunthausen was ahead of his time in many ways, and Rome was not ready for it.
“A Force for Good” shares the Dalai Lama’s insights into how we might lead more compassionate and purposeful lives.
Unfortunately, author Daniel Goleman sometimes seems star-struck and plays the name-dropping game. Certainly the Dalai Lama has associated with powerful and famous figures, but focusing on this seems unnecessary when juxtaposed against his compelling messages of composure, empathy and dialogue – attitudes or actions that any of us can employ.
Barbara Lloyd McMichael is our ground reporter in South King County, Wash., and author of the syndicated book review column “The Bookmonger.” Her PR for People® Book Review is written exclusively for The Connector.
Cultivating conscience
by Barbara Lloyd McMichael
A Force for Good – Daniel Goleman
Bantam – 260 pp - $26
A Still and Quiet Conscience – John A. McCoy
Orbis – 368 pp - $26
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