Islam: A Living Faith is the go-to primer for those interested in understanding the fastest-growing religion on earth. DeLong-Bas gives a thorough and concise presentation of Islam’s core beliefs, practices, and historical development in an accessible and engaging narrative. The text pays particular attention to issues of contemporary concern: the difference between Sunnis and Shia Muslims; the nature of the caliphate; Sharia and Islamic law; the status of women and non-Muslims; Sufism, Islamic spirituality, and mysticism; the nature of jihad; terrorism; and Islamic ideals of governance and international relations. With reviews, discussion questions, and suggestions for further resources provided for every chapter, I highly recommend it for teachers as well as students.

DeLong-Bas provides an excellent introduction to Islam for twenty-first century readers, introducing the major themes of the faith tradition and providing engaging portraits of historic and contemporary Muslims. One among the book’s many strengths is its presentation of topics of contemporary interest within the historical framework of the Islamic faith tradition. Her model analysis of the politics and theologies of gender examines historical developments and current controversies. Coverage of the history and evolution of Muslim-Christian relations from the time of Muhammad to the present contributes importantly to scholarship as well as adds a dimension not usually covered in books introducing Islam.

In this book, De-Long Bas writes about Islam not just eruditely—but engagingly and accessibly as well. The result is a broad-ranging discussion of many key issues that skillfully lays bare the diversity and complexity of the Islamic tradition. Highly recommended for all those who have been waiting for such a lucid introduction to what has been described as “the fastest-growing religion” in the world today.

DeLong-Bas’s Islam: A Living Faith is a must read. This exceptionally well-written, informative, and engaging introduction to Islam and Christian-Muslim relations ​will be welcomed by teachers, students, religious leaders, and the general public.

I strongly endorse All Creation Is Connected: Voices in Response to Pope Francis’s Encyclical on Ecology. The essays are an excellent companion to deepen understanding of the critical theological, social, and ecological insights and claims woven throughout Laudato si’.  The early chapters show both the continuity and new ground that Laudato si’ makes with earlier Catholic social teaching. The later essays, on Pope Francis’s critical contribution of the themes “Integral Ecology” and “Ecological Conversion,” are especially compelling.  The connections several authors make to Leonardo Boff’s liberation theology and Teilhard de Chardin’s and Thomas Berry’s cosmological theologies ground Laudato si’ in important contemporary theological conversations.  Especially important for theologians is Richard Miller’s stellar chapter, “The Cry of the Earth: The Scientific Background” . . . a clear and thorough discussion of the implications of breaching “planetary boundaries” through escalating climate change brought about by human activities—the central problem addressed in Laudato si’.  This book will generate and ground critical conversations and active responses to Pope Francis’s call for a global ecological conversion.