Strange Gods: Unmasking the Idols in Everyday Life Paperback – May 6, 2013

"Elizabeth Scalia masterfully presents insights in regards to the first, and yet most frequently unobserved, of all the commandments: You shall have no other gods other than the one, true God. This book provides an important message for the culture and is a must read for all who seek the Lord in spirit and in truth." --Rev. Robert Barron, Founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries

"Provocative, insightful, bold, inspiring, and faith-filled, Elizabeth Scalia's musings as 'The Anchoress' never fail to gain wide readership among Catholics of every stripe. She is committed to her faith, to her church, and to God. And she uses her considerable talents to share these commitments, and her joy in being Catholic, with others--online and now in print." --James Martin, S.J. , Author of The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything

"Strange Gods will leave you shocked by just how many things you've turned into idols, and inspired to turn back to the only one who is really worthy of our worship. Thank you to Elizabeth Scalia for a much-needed wake-up call." --Jennifer Fulwiler, Blogger at Conversion Diary

"Creation is supposed to be sacramental: a windo¬w into and a rumor of the glory of God. But precisely because it's so beautiful, we can make the mistake of worshipping and serving created things instead of the Creator. We are like children who want the box and throw away the present on Christmas morning. Elizabeth Scalia shows us how to find the love and peace we've always really wanted by turning away from idols to the living God made fully manifest in Jesus Christ." --Mark P. Shea, Author of The Heart of Catholic Prayer

"In her important and courageous new book, Strange Gods, Elizabeth Scalia presents us with a truth we avoid at our own peril: that four thousand years after Yahweh declared, 'You shall have no other gods before me,' our own idol-making far outstrips that of the ancient world. A fascinating perspective on one of the most urgent spiritual problems of our era." --Paula Huston, Author of Simplifying the Soul

"Elizabeth Scalia is a true post-modern Anchoress, writing with honesty what she has learned of God's mystery from within her digital cell. Strange Gods is a meditation on a perennial truth: that all of us face the temptation of confusing God with our selves. Like her medieval ancestors in faith, this Anchoress sees through the distractions that ensnare us, and invites us to refocus our desire on what is most lasting-- a rich, broad, deep understanding of love, and an equally rich, broad, and deep probing into the mystery of God." --Tim Muldoon, Coauthor of Into the Deep

Elizabeth Scalia is a Benedictine Oblate and managing editor of the Catholic Channel at Patheos.com, where she blogs as The Anchoress. She is also a columnist at First Things and for The Catholic Answer. Scalia was a featured speaker at the Vatican's much-noted 2011 meeting with bloggers from around the world and has a multi-media presence that includes contributions to NPR and CBS News Online, and a stint as a regular panelist on the Brooklyn-diocese-produced current events program, In the Arena, seen at NETNY.net. She is the author of Caring for the Dying with the Help of your Catholic Faith, was a contributor to Disorientation: How to Go to College Without Losing Your Mind, and has been involved with the editing of both religious and secular books, most notably, Why We Hate Us: American Discontent in the New Millennium.