David J. Wolpe

Why Faith Matters is an articulate defense of religion in America. It makes the case for faith and shows its relationship to history and science. Refuting the cold reason of atheists and the hatred of fanatics with a vision of religion informed by faith, love, and understanding, Rabbi David J. Wolpe follows in a literary tradition that stretches from Cardinal Newman to C. S. Lewis to Thomas Merton—individuals of faith who brought religion and culture together in their own works. Wolpe takes readers through the origins and nature of faith, the role of the Bible in modern life, and the compatibility of God and science, concluding with a powerful argument for the place of God, faith, and religion in today's world.

Why Faith Matters

Mitch Albom

Creating Meaning in Difficult Times

Making Loss Matter

This articulate defense of religion in America makes the case for faith and shows its relationship to history and science.

Why faith matters

Looks at the ancient traditions of the Bible, the Talmud, and the Midrash, showing how God can still speak to modern life

A Jewish View of God

The Healer of Shattered Hearts

In a work of remarkable clarity and wisdom, Rabbi Wolpe confronts a central dilemma of modern Judaism, combining his deep knowledge of ancient tradition with modern sensibilities to show contemporary Jews that God still speaks to them--to their daily struggles, angers, fears, and needs, offering comfort and inspiration.

We are taught to study, to learn, and to let ourselves grow Jewishly. But where does being the people of the book get us in the real world? David Wolpe's collection of essays responds to this question by exploring how Jewish values, such as scholarship and compassion, together with Jewish practice, enhance an individual's private and public life. How does Shabbat help deflect us from the pressures of the societal rat-race? How can Jewish learning subdue political unrest? Rabbi Wolpe draws the lessons of this collection from a variety of religious and historical sources, finding the importance of Israel in a Robert Frost poem, the nature of God in the words of Beowulf, and parenting lessons in the fatherly techniques of King David. The essays address diverse topics ranging from assimilation to Zionism to Jewish concepts of life and death. Rabbi Wolpe asks the questions, sometimes profound, sometimes light-hearted, that challenge us to consider how we live as Jews, how our Jewish lives are influenced by our secular surroundings, and how we can develop our Jewish souls by continuing to learn from new sources while remaining open to spiritual growth. Some of these questions include: Is it wrong to admire Kant, Voltaire, and Roald Dahl if they were anti-Semitic? How can we reconcile our American family traditions with our Jewish family traditions? In an evolutionary debate, do God and Steven Pinker stand behind opposite podiums? Do we need such a thing as a Jewish home? A Jewish homeland? Why does Walt Whitman think we should stay awake during the rabbi's sermon? What lessons of aging gracefully can we learn from Rabbi Akiba and Grandma Moses? An ideal gift for teachers, Confirmationstudents, grads, and new families that join the congregation.

Ancient Wisdom for a Modern World

Floating Takes Faith

Sharing a message of hope in difficult times, a rabbi explains how the inevitable appearance of loss in our lives can become a source of strength, faith, hope, meaning, and purpose rather than of despair.

David J. Wolpe

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