CONWAY, Ark. (May 12, 2006) - Gandhi's Hope: Learning from World Religions as a Path to Peace, a book written last year by Hendrix College Religion Professor Jay McDaniel, has been selected by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat of Spirituality and Health magazine as one of the top 50 Best Spiritual Books of 2005.
The Brussats, the magazine's media editors, selected Gandhi's Hope in the hospitality category. The couple, who has covered contemporary culture and the spiritual renaissance for three decades, made their selections of the top books from more than 300 books they reviewed over the past year.
"Since we only review books that we want to recommend to you for your spiritual journey, this selection actually represents the best of the best," they said.
Inspired by a public lecture at Hendrix College given by Mahtma Gandhi's grandson, Arun Gandhi, McDaniel wrote Gandhi's Hope to help readers learn about world religions as a way to find both personal and world peace. The 160-page book, published by Orbis Press, is available at most bookstores and at Amazon.com.
Commenting on the award, McDaniel said, "I don't know if I deserved this award, but I am pleased to be in the company of some truly gifted authors: Ann Lamott, John Shelby Spong and Steven Levine."
Author of several books on religion and ecology, McDaniel said his book addresses five serious challenges. "These challenges are to live compassionately, to live self-critically, to live simply, to live ecologically and to welcome religious diversity."
The Brussats are also web editors for SpiritualityHealth.com, the 2005 Webby Awards People's Choice Winner for Religion and Spirituality. Mary Ann is a consultant to and a regular guest talking about films on New Morning, a daily show on the Hallmark Channel. Frederic is a United Church of Christ clergyman with a journalism ministry.
Hendrix, founded in 1876, is a selective, undergraduate liberal arts college emphasizing experiential learning in a demanding yet supportive environment. The college is among 150 colleges featured in the 2007 edition of the Princeton Review America's Best Value Colleges. Hendrix has been affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884. For more information, visit www.hendrix.edu.
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Media contact: Judy Williams, 501/450-1462, williamsj@hendrix.edu