Shadow & Light: Literature and the Life of Faith

Now in its third edition, Shadow & Light continues to stand apart because of what it offers readers: rich, inspiring, and challenging excerpts from great literature, spanning centuries and cultures, all exploring the texture of faith and spirituality. Unlike comparable titles that draw on explicitly Christian works, this important anthology mines spiritual moments in so-called religious and secular texts alike, introducing readers to a broader spectrum of literature and inviting them to expand the capacity of their souls.

A perennial favorite among professors, students, and general readers seeking wisdom and illumination, this revised edition of Shadow & Light features several key changes. Most substantially, the editors have deleted the full-length plays, responding to reader comments that they'd prefer to supplement the text with full-length dramas of their choice. This omission has made the anthology more affordable, allowing readers to spend the balance on outside plays as desired. The editors have further updated the poetry section and expanded the essay section to include timely works on environmental issues.

The third volume continues to include works from Langston Hughes, Flannery O'Connor, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Horton Foote, Li-Young Lee, Annie Dillard, Emily Dickinson, and many more.