When "Spiritual but Not Religious" Is Not Enough

Starred review from November 12, 2012
In this wise and witty collection, some of them short musings and others in-depth theological explorations, United Church of Christ pastor Daniels (This Odd and Wondrous Calling: The Public and Private Lives of Two Ministers) makes a welcome contribution to the conversation about the role of religion in contemporary life. Venting in her title essay about people who feel compelled to tell her they find God in nature, as if Christians “never heard all those Old Testament psalms that praise God in the beauty of natural creation,” she dissects shallow, individualistic spirituality, and evokes the rough beauty of church where “we are stuck with one another.” Whether pondering the reality of never-completed jobs (like parenting), sharing lessons learned from teaching in Sing Sing prison, or describing her personal struggles with yoga and meditation through the lens of the Martha and Mary story, Daniels offers an honest, often hilarious perspective on faithful living. Intelligent, inviting and nurturing, these essays, categorized in sections entitled “Searching and Praying,” “Confessing,” “Communing,” “Wandering,” “Wondering,” “Remembering and Return,” offer a rich banquet for pastors, lifelong congregants, disaffected Christians, and confused seekers alike.

Starred review from November 15, 2012
Daniel made a splash on the religious-debate scene in 2011 with an op-ed piece for the Huffington Post. It berated people who eschew formal religious practice for their own brand of personally manufactured spirituality. The post, titled Spiritual but Not Religious? Please Stop Boring Me, went viral on the Internet, and a year later Daniel is back with a similarly titled book that expands on her now-famous commentary. From the death of a close, irreligious friend to the difficulty in sitting still at yoga class, no subject is too large or small for Daniel to take on. She does so in short, zingy anecdotes with a marvelously gritty wit that pokes holes in the spiritual laziness and self-aggrandizing behavior of which she believes so many spiritual but not religious people are guilty. But pointing out the utter ridiculousness of self-satisfied personal faith is only part of the story, and the true thrust of her argument lies in making an impassioned and winning case for why church, community, and formal religious traditions are so integral to creating a fulfilling life. One might not agree with everything Daniel says, but her ideas are thought provoking and her conviction infectious.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)