A Practical Guide for Embracing the Growing Religious Pluralism in America "In the process of [interfaith] engagement, we discover ... a world in which our faith is richer, deeper, and more contextualized, and God's very Self is seen in more of its fullness." -from the Introduction This practical guide to the key methods and resources of the interfaith movement will help you effectively engage people of other faith traditions in order to increase understanding and acceptance in your community and beyond. Drawing on the knowledge and experience of interfaith leaders from the world's many faith traditions-Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Bahá'í Faith, Jainism, Shinto, Sikh Faith, Taoism, Zoroastrianism-this comprehensive resource provides practical ideas for connecting with people of all faiths and backgrounds through common concerns and activities that promote respect and support. It enables communities rich with diversity to work together to create paths toward peace and justice. Contributors: Rev. Dirk Ficca * Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy * Rabbi Carol Harris-Shapiro * Bud Heckman * Abby Stamelman Hocky, MSW * April Kunze * Rev. Dr. Clark Lobenstine * Rori Picker Neiss * Dr. Eboo Patel * Noah Silverman * Rev. Susan Teegen-Case * Rev. Dr. Francis Tiso Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly America is coming to a tipping point, a critical crossroads after which no one will be able to avoid dealing with our growing religious diversity. So writes Heckman, a seasoned director of interfaith programs and former executive director of Religions for Peace-USA. This book, which brings together five original essays filled with case studies on interreligious dialogue, serves as a primer to those who may be new to the movement or find themselves in need of fresh ideas. Its basic premise is that the elements of commonality between religions are greater than their differences. Heckman starts out with a glossary of important terms, which are followed by essays on different ways to facilitate engagement. Eboo Patel, who is called a rock star of the movement, contributes a piece on his Interfaith Youth Core. The volume closes with a brief review of the dozen or so most common world religions, a thorough list of interfaith organizations and a comprehensive bibliography. This book should be required reading for clergy and anyone else interested in furthering the cause of pluralism. (Aug.) Copyright ® Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Review "Provides vital [information] on how interreligious dialogue can be developed on a community level. Contributors ... share valuable insights in a very readable fashion." -John T. Pawlikowski, OSM, PhD, professor of social ethics and director, Catholic-Jewish Studies Program, Catholic Theological Union; president, International Council of Christians and Jews "A critical resource for those leading their communities past intolerance and fear into hope, understanding, and social change. Inspires the reader while providing cutting-edge methods to help communities build trust and celebrate our diversity and common goals." -Rev. Jennifer Butler, executive director, Faith in Public Life "A wonderful handbook that should be on the bookshelf of every member of the clergy. It provides practical and inspirational resources for communal interfaith programming." -Rabbi Leonard A. Schoolman, director, The Center for Religious Inquiry, Saint Bartholomew's Church, New York; author, The Changing Christian World: A Brief Introduction for Jews "Shows how practically dialogue can deepen our understanding and practice of our own faith traditions and at the same time help us to develop an understanding and respect for the faith traditions of others." -Dr. Sayyid M. Syeed, national director, Interfaith and Community Alliance, Islamic Society of North America "A book that can make a dramatic difference. Will enable communities to think constructively about religious difference in conversation across the divides. Anyone seriously interested in dialogue and peace between the different religious traditions must read this book." -The Very Rev. Ian Markham, PhD, dean and president of Virginia Theological Seminary "A must read for those of us involved in national faith-based organizations and an excellent guide for working in our local communities. It has a wealth of background information and a very useful resource section. The guidelines for language use is very important for our dialogue in multifaith groups. Our communication colleagues will find this a very important book to have in their libraries for reference." -Shirley Whipple Struchen, executive director, Religion Communicators Council