A Monitor Guide to Religion Bestsellers

1. The Purpose-Driven Life

by Rick Warren

Zondervan, $19.99

Pastor Warren thinks there is one thing wrong with self-help books: too much focus on the self. He's designed his book to put the focus back on God, a chapter a day, for 40 days. It's refreshing to put aside personal goals for a service- and community-based purpose, but Warren hangs a lot on his claim that God is using our time on earth to put us through a series of tests. The suggestion that God might seem to take off for awhile because all relationships need "space" is also disturbing. His God sounds surprisingly human and manipulative. (336 pp.) By Kendra Nordin

2. Wild at Heart

by John Eldredge

Thomas Nelson, $19.99

Eldredge says God designed men to be dangerous, adventurous, and heroic. He rejects society's praise for the "nice guy," insisting that our emasculating culture forces men to deny their true nature, and he challenges men to live lives full of risk. At times, Eldredge seems to offer an excuse for recklessness, but ultimately he believes God alone gives men the answer to their true identity, and he points to the Bible to support his idea of masculinity. Many men (and women) will relate to his anecdotes, but readers shouldn't expect more than fleeting inspiration. (224 pp.) By Christian Scripter

3. Everyday Grace, 9.95

by Marianne Williamson

Riverhead Books, $1

Available on tape

It is not enough to recognize God's grace in daily life; you must also respond to and express it. This is what Marianne Williamson's book seeks to equip the reader to do. The first of her three parts presents a series of 'Wands' to help reclaim a latent sense of wonder and mysticism. The second features chapters corresponding to hours of the day (a not-quite-successful device that nevertheless yields some good advice). And the last tackles how to approach life with compassion and grace. A radical quest, but one that could transform our global community. (252 pp.) By Leigh Montgomery

4. The Prayer of Jabez

by Bruce Wilkinson

Multnomah, $9.99

Bruce Wilkinson, founder of the Walk Thru the Bible Ministries, is convinced that the prayer of a man named Jabez could change your life - if you're Christian, that is. Found in I Chronicles, the prayer of Jabez is brief, but Wilkinson believes that when used daily, it opens the doors to God's blessings. Although his book glimmers with moments of inspiration and even aspiration for humanity, by packaging those ideas as a strictly Christian ministry, Wilkinson will leave many seekers of faith on the sidewalks of the road he claims to have found. (144 pp.) By Christy Ellington

5. Abraham

by Bruce Feiler

William Morrow, $23.95

Available on tape

When he began his study of Abraham - the one man to whom Judaism, Islam, and Christianity all trace their roots - Feiler was hoping to find a character of the sacred texts who could serve as a bridge for all the faithful. Instead, he encountered a multitude of Abrahams as the interpretative works of each religion over four millenniums reshaped and often made more exclusive the story of this remarkable figure. His wonderfully readable book inspires, and its realistic understanding provides a basis for genuine communication. (224 pp.) ( Reviewed Oct. 17 ) By Jane Lampman

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