Seeking the Path to Life: Theological Meditations on God and the Nature of People, Love, Life and Death

In 45 intense meditations, each a page or two in length, Stone, a Philadelphia rabbi, brings a humanistic perspective to such topics as marriage, divorce, holiness, atonement, prophecy, miracles, Israel, the Holocaust and God's healing power. Stone defines evil as an accumulation of ``moments-of-death in life,'' which fosters sin and separateness. Choosing life over death-in-life is a daily task demanding awareness and faith, he asserts. Drawing on his experience in overcoming the deaths of his two infant sons, Stone outlines an inspiring path of renewal that includes love, prayer, study, constructive anger, communal energy and helping others. A liberal thinker, he maintains that same-sex relationships are natural and acceptable if arising out of love and a desire for psychological balance. In a postscript he interprets the Torah as revelation and as a signpost to redemption. (Nov.)