Our library in Hewett Centre is open every Sunday after service during Coffee Hour in Hewett Centre, and our Library Team offers related reading lists based on the topic of the Sunday service. Here is their list for the upcoming service on “A Tale of Two Frances”, featuring Janet Pivnick on Sunday, March 1, 2026 at 11 a.m. All are welcome in Hewett Centre after the Sunday service to check out some books, and to have coffee and conversation.
VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:
Note that one of the main guiding principles of St. Francis of Assisi was to try to live like Jesus did, including a life of poverty, and also to encourage others to do likewise. He also taught love and reverence for all living creatures, and is considered the patron saint of ecology. Francis David was an early Unitarian leader in Hungary and Transylvania during the second half of the 16th century.
1. Jesus and the Disinherited, by Howard Thurman, 1996, 261.8 THU [Beacon Press publication. From LibraryThing: “… helped shape the civil rights movement and changed our nation’s history forever. In this classic theological treatise, the acclaimed theologian and religious leader Howard Thurman (1900-1981) demonstrates how the gospel may be read as a manual of resistance for the poor and disenfranchised. Jesus is a partner in the pain of the oppressed and the example of His life offers a solution to ending the descent into moral nihilism. Hatred does not empower–it decays. Only through self-love and love of one another can God’s justice prevail.”].
2. For Faith and Freedom: A Short History of Unitarianism in Europe, by Charles A. Howe, 1997, 289.14 HOW [Published by Skinner House Books. From LibraryThing: “Untangling Polish, Transylvanian and English Unitarianism is a challenge even for the serious student. Charles Howe’s lucid account reclaims for modern readers the heroic martyrdom of Michael Servetus, the humane leadership of Faustus Socinus, the eloquent conviction of Francis David and the literary genius of Harriet Martineau.”].
3. Christianity and Ecology: Seeking the Well-Being of Earth and Humans (Religions of the World and Ecology), edited by Dieter T. Hessel and Rosemary Radford Ruether, 2000, 261 HES [From LibraryThing: “What can Christianity as a tradition contribute to the struggle to secure the future well-being of the earth community? This collaborative volume, …, announces that an ecological reformation, an eco-justice reorientation of Christian theology and ethics, is prominent on the ecumenical agenda. The authors explore problematic themes that contribute to ecological neglect or abuse and offer constructive insight into and responsive imperatives for ecologically just and socially responsible living.”].
4. The Jesus Sayings: The Quest for His Authentic Message, by Rex Weyler, 2008, 232 WEY [From LibraryThing: “Is it possible to reconcile Jesus, the Prince of Peace, with religious violence? From the Inquisition to the burning of women healers to modern pedophilia scandals, spiritual leaders and followers are deeply divided about how to reconcile the teachings of Jesus with the atrocities of church history. How did his message get misinterpreted, and what relevance does that message have in the 21st century? … explores the mystery surrounding the historical Jesus, whose voice and words have been distorted by centuries of revision. …”].
5. A History of Transylvanian Unitarianism Through Four Hundred Years of Sermons, by Imre GelleÌrd, 1999, 289.1 GEL [Gift of Mary Lage and Partner Church Committee. From AbeBooks: “… This very comprehensive history . . . is a portrayal of the content of beliefs and the structure of spiritual life that have nourished Transylvanian Unitarianism while it endured political and religious oppression during much of the four hundred years of its life. . . . Gellérd has provided not only an impressively complex account of major Unitarian preachers in the sixteenth through the nineteenth centuries (and even some account of the early years of the twentieth century). He has also linked the ideas forming the contents of sermons to the dominant philosophical and religious currents that were encountered by ministers who lived at a particular time. His interpretive chapters include an especially useful account of the influences of the Enlightenment on Transylvanian Unitarian thought and an interesting concluding chapter on the early years of the twentieth century.”]
6. Let Me Explain, by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, 1973, 194 DeC [From GoodReads: “Extracts from Pierre Teilhard’s major works are presented to provide a basic understanding of his thought”. It also explains about the author: “… was a visionary French Jesuit, paleontologist, biologist, and philosopher, who spent the bulk of his life trying to integrate religious experience with natural science, most specifically Christian theology with theories of evolution. In this endeavor he became enthralled with the possibilities for humankind, which he saw as heading for an exciting convergence of systems, an “Omega point” where the coalescence of consciousness will lead us to a new state of peace and planetary unity. Long before ecology was fashionable, he saw this unity as being based intrinsically upon the spirit of the Earth. …”].
7, A History of Unitarianism: Socinianism and its Antecedents, by Earl Morse Wilbur, 1945, 288 WI [From AI summary of a Bing search: “… is a comprehensive exploration of the Unitarian movement, focusing on its origins and development within European Christianity. The book is a two-volume set that delves into the history of Unitarianism, including its roots in Transylvania, England, and America. Wilbur’s work is a significant contribution to the understanding of Unitarianism and its historical context.”].
8. The Day the World Stops Shopping: How Ending Consumerism Saves the Environment and Ourselves, by J.B. MacKinnon, 2021, 339 MAC [Gift of Mary Bennett. From LibraryThing: “… investigates how we may achieve a world without shopping. We can’t stop shopping. And yet we must. This is the consumer dilemma. The economy says we must always consume more: even the slightest drop in spending leads to widespread unemployment, bankruptcy, and home foreclosure. The planet says we consume too much: in America, we burn the earth’s resources at a rate five times faster than it can regenerate. And despite efforts to “green” our consumption-by recycling, increasing energy efficiency, or using solar power, we have yet to see a decline in global carbon emissions. Addressing this paradox head-on, …, What would really happen if we simply stopped shopping? Is there a way to reduce our consumption to earth-saving levels without triggering economic collapse? At first this question took him around the world, seeking answers from America’s big-box stores to the hunter-gatherer cultures of Namibia to communities in Ecuador that consume at an exactly sustainable rate. Then the thought experiment came shockingly true: the coronavirus brought shopping to a halt, and MacKinnon’s ideas were tested in real time. Drawing from experts in fields ranging from climate change to economics, MacKinnon investigates how living with less would change our planet, our society, and ourselves. Along the way, he reveals just how much we stand to gain: An investment in our physical and emotional wellness. The pleasure of caring for our possessions. Closer relationships with our natural world and one another. …”].
9. Our Unitarian Heritage: An Introduction to the History of the Unitarian Movement, by Earl Morse Wilbur, 1925, 288 WIL [From AI summary of a Bing search: “… a comprehensive guide that delves into the history of the Unitarian Movement. …, Wilbur’s work is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the roots and development of this religious movement. The book is published by Beacon Press and is a must-read for those seeking to understand the historical context of Unitarianism.”].
10. Epic of Unitarianism, by David Parke, 1992, 289.1 PAR [Unitarian Universalist Association. From LibraryThing: “This collection of writings spanning four hundred years provides a rich portrait of early Unitarian thought.”].