March 1, 2002
Source: The Chicago Tribune
On March 1, 2002, The Chicago Tribune reported that "part religious study and part social gathering, book clubs with a Buddhist, Christian, Jewish or other faith-based theme have popped up in the last decade, ignited by a boom in religious book sales... Faith-based book clubs are not Bible studies. Rather, members use books, ranging from best-selling novels like 'The Red Tent' by Jewish author Anita Diamant to texts written by Buddhist teachers or Christian mystics, as springboards for religious exploration... For many participants, the clubs are a way to deepen their faith."