Where Has Oprah Taken Us: The Religious Influence of the World’s Most Famous Woman

In recent years, Oprah Winfrey has made a huge impact on our culture. This book chronicles Oprah’s life with a particular focus on her quest for spiritual enlightenment. It begins with Oprah’s rough (to say the least) adolescence and it details the events in her life that have led her to a “church-free spirituality” . Mansfield explores her shift from a biblical faith rooted in the worship of God to an eastern type, meditation-driven spirituality rooted in the worship of self. She has rejected her Baptist roots and has become a champion of the Course in Miracles, a seminar in which Christianity is reinterpreted in terms of self-actualization, personal divinity, and self-empowerment. She has also become a disciple of Eckhart Tolle, the increasingly popular teacher of a form of spirituality that blends Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, and Christianity.

I enjoyed this book. I was intrigued by much of the material and was very impressed with the way Mansfield very tactfully and clearly draws the line between the philosophy of Oprah and that of traditional Judo-Christian beliefs. The book is very well written and researched. Mansfield  was very gracious not to attack Oprah as a person, but he explicitly differentiates her beliefs from those outlined in the Word of God.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com  book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Behind the Veils of Yemen by Audra Grace Shelby

In Behind the Veils of Yemen, author, Audra Grace Shelby shares her journey as a Christian woman in a culture very different from her own. Audra, her husband and their children uprooted their lives in the U.S. for a life of missions deep in the heart of conservative Islam. This 238 page book details Audra’s journey, struggles and intense doubts while trying to get “behind the veils” of muslim women. Audras’s deep desire to know these women on a personal level and share her love of Jesus Christ with them was truly inspiring. She definitely built some strong relationships and I was very impressed with her level of commitment to uphold their conservative appearance.

I could not put this book down, it was incredibly fascinating to learn more about the Muslim faith and their views on Christianity. Audra doesn’t share a lot about her family in the book and I guess that would be my only complaint, I would love to know how her children felt and coped with being in culture so different and dangerous. As a Christian, I am reminded that God loves people of every religion, background and nation. It’s very easy to not see past our borders, I am in awe of what this woman was committed to doing for the Kingdom of God. I would recommend this book to anyone. I have never been interested in missions but I have a completely different view after reading this. The story flowed very well and was a fast read for me. I LOVED IT!

I received this book from Bethany House publishers review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.