Oprah Winfrey is a talk show host, film producer, philanthropist, and initiator of the largest book club in the world — and in all these roles she demonstrates a spiritual perspective. That is the message of Marcia Z. Nelson's spiffy and edifying portrait of this multimedia wizard. Nelson writes for Religious News Service, the Christian Century, and Publisher's Weekly. She is also the author of Sit: A Week Inside Meditation Centers.

In 2004, the United States audience for Oprah's television show was 10 million. Her program has a worldwide audience in 108 countries. Her magazine, begun in 2000, has a readership of 2.7 million. And her website, www.oprah.com encourages all visitors to "live your best life." There are web support groups for a wide variety of needs and information on life coaches on personal growth, better health and much more.

According to Nelson, Oprah is a compelling and successful spiritual teacher for the following ten reasons:

  1. She is very human (look at her struggle with weight loss).
  2. She acknowledges the reality of suffering and wants to do something to relieve it.
  3. She provides community.
  4. She encourages self-examination.
  5. She teaches gratitude.
  6. She is easy to understand.
  7. She listens.
  8. She teaches generosity by highlighting and encouraging role models.
  9. She explores forgiveness and tries to demonstrate that it is possible and how it is possible.
  10. She is a reminder service: a reminder of what is good, what is important, what one person can do.

Anyone who has watched Oprah over the years knows the truth of these reasons. And there are more virtues that she affirms and demonstrates such as kindness, generosity, play, compassion and justice.

Nelson states: "Oprah believes in her own viewers and their values as well as herself. Politically, this means she believes in human dignity and equality within democracy; psychologically, she models self-esteem; morally, she argues for community improvement that flows from personal decisions you can live comfortably with, including a decision to share and give back as you have been given to. Oprah reaches her viewers through stories, which teach values. Oprah tells stories well, using a language that makes the connection."

Thank goodness that Spirit has found so many diverse and wonderful people to carry her messages into our hearts and minds!