A thoughtful introduction to prayer across world religions that challenges (without belittling) readers.
Heflich reflects on the value of prayer in this nonfiction book.
“Praying is the one human activity that has been practiced universally by all peoples for thousands of years, states the author in this book’s opening lines. Yet, Heflich argues, despite its ubiquity throughout human history and across religious affiliations, much prayer in modern society is practiced in isolation or recited through rote memorization of verses that are disconnected from our daily lives. For the author, prayer is not simply a “skill” that requires practice and thoughtful preparation, or merely “something we do,” but rather “is an awareness of our inner thoughts.” At only 20 total pages, including frontmatter and endnotes, this concise book is a remarkably thorough introduction to the importance of prayer. Though many of its citations and examples of famous prayers come from Catholic sources (ranging from the 13th-century Dominican friar Meister Eckhart to the 20th century’s mystic Trappist monk Thomas Merton), the book deliberately includes diverse perspectives on prayer that reference, among others, the Dalai Lama, Muslim scholar Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali, and Jewish philosopher and rabbi Moses Maimonides. A central theme of the book is its titular claim that prayer is a unifying force that bridges religious divides (prayers “from every faith and creed are remarkably the same,” per Heflich), and unites us with the Divine. Drawing on contemporary scientific theories of multidimensional universes, the book also speculates on the concept of Heaven and divinity. God, the author posits, is the source of energy that created life, and if “everything is energy, including us,” then we are intrinsically connected to God. Prayer, in this context, helps us realize and reflect on our interconnectivity with the universe.
The book supplements its metaphysical ruminations with practical answers to some fundamental questions of prayer-skeptics (“To Whom are We Praying?”; “Does Prayer Work?”). Perhaps most insistently, it encourages readers to shift their approach to prayer and focus on “real action” rather than passively waiting for God to act first. While personally believing that prayers can be answered through divine intervention, the most meaningful prayers, the author contends, are not those that ask “God to solve our problems,” but those that prompt us “to look inside of ourselves to find God there.” Heflich, a businessman and author of multiple self-help books on leadership and healthy lifestyles, brings a relentless optimism to his writing and is careful not to offend readers by favoring one particular belief system over another. While readers of some faith traditions may not agree with the book’s conceptualization of God, its uplifting and welcoming tone keeps a laser focus on the commonalities that unite world religions. This is an admirable aim, but scholars may note that the book’s idealized interpretations erase important differences and historical contexts (while all broad appeals to the Divine, the Hail Mary and Catholic Rosary are distinct from Islam’s salat al-jum’ah Friday prayer or the mantras found in Hindu scripture). Unity is a worthy pursuit, but some readers may look askance at efforts to homogenize religious expression through ecumenical platitudes. These criticisms notwithstanding, this is a solid introduction to prayer and the nature of God and packs a treasure trove of insights into less than two dozen pages.
A thoughtful introduction to prayer across world religions that challenges (without belittling) readers.Pub Date: Oct. 23, 2023
ISBN: 9798865247265
Page Count: 30
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A remarkably thorough and thoughtful case for the reconciliation between science and faith.
A duo of French mathematicians makes the scientific case for God in this nonfiction book.
Since its 2021 French-language publication in Paris, this work by Bolloré and Bonnassies has sold more than 400,000 copies. Now translated into English for the first time by West and Jones, the book offers a new introduction featuring endorsements from a range of scientists and religious leaders, including Nobel Prize-winning astronomers and Roman Catholic cardinals. This appeal to authority, both religious and scientific, distinguishes this volume from a genre of Christian apologetics that tends to reject, rather than embrace, scientific consensus. Central to the book’s argument is that contemporary scientific advancements have undone past emphases on materialist interpretations of the universe (and their parallel doubts of spirituality). According to the authors’ reasoned arguments, what now forms people’s present understanding of the universe—including quantum mechanics, relativity, and the Big Bang—puts “the question of the existence of a creator God back on the table,” given the underlying implications. Einstein’s theory of relativity, for instance, presupposes that if a cause exists behind the origin of the universe, then it must be atemporal, non-spatial, and immaterial. While the book’s contentions related to Christianity specifically, such as its belief in the “indisputable truths contained in the Bible,” may not be as convincing as its broader argument on how the idea of a creator God fits into contemporary scientific understanding, the volume nevertheless offers a refreshingly nuanced approach to the topic. From the work’s outset, the authors (academically trained in math and engineering) reject fundamentalist interpretations of creationism (such as claims that Earth is only 6,000 years old) as “fanciful beliefs” while challenging the philosophical underpinnings of a purely materialist understanding of the universe that may not fit into recent scientific paradigm shifts. Featuring over 500 pages and more than 600 research notes, this book strikes a balance between its academic foundations and an accessible writing style, complemented by dozens of photographs from various sources, diagrams, and charts.
A remarkably thorough and thoughtful case for the reconciliation between science and faith.Pub Date: Oct. 14, 2025
ISBN: 9789998782402
Page Count: 562
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Oct. 7, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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