LOUISVILLE - Touchdown Jesus: The Mixing of the Sacred and Secular in American History kicks off the fall season of book discussions on PresbyNet, the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s computer communications network. The book-discussion series is co-sponsored by the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation.

The author of Touchdown Jesus, R. Laurence Moore, will lead online discussions of his book from Sept. 8 to Sept. 30. Moore is professor of American studies and history at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.

In October, the discussion shifts to Scripture on the Silver Screen by Adele Rinhartz, dean of graduate studies and a professor of religion and culture at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. She will lead the discussion of her book.

November's book for discussion is The Gospel According to Tolkien by Ralph Wood, a professor of theology and literature at Baylor University in Waco, TX.

A "Publishers Weekly" review from Aug. 25 says of Wood's book: "Even longtime fans of 'Rings' who have never questioned the books' Christian elements will undoubtedly discover new insights, so rich is Wood's analysis of Tolkien's gospel."

Information and links making it easy to join the discussions can be found at www.pcusa.org/presbynet/books.