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Interfaith as a Faith—A Way to Move Past Preaching about Love and Compassion to Actually Practicing Them
"A commitment to Interfaith is no small commitment. Nor is it an easy commitment. But I do believe it can be a rewarding and healing one. Interfaith widens our world. And, if we let it, Interfaith frees us from the imprisoning shackles of one of the most debilitating of all human emotions—fear of the 'other.'"
—from Chapter 6
The interfaith movement is taking root. More and more of us are exploring it. At the same time interfaith finds itself at a crossroads. Where do we go now?
Rev. Steven Greenebaum not only suggests the faith of Interfaith as a positive way forward but also offers a practical, down-to-earth approach to a more spiritually fulfilling life. In this accessible how-to guide, Greenebaum addresses:
- What it means to practice Interfaith as a faith and why you might want to embrace it.
- Why you can choose Interfaith as a faith and still keep your own spiritual tradition.
- How to establish the necessary foundations to start an Interfaith spiritual community.
- How to choose the right minister for your Interfaith community.
- What you can expect as your community forms and grows.
- And much, much more.
Along with offering resources such as Interfaith liturgy and guides to Interfaith church governance, he includes the voices of members of the Living Interfaith Church, the community he founded, to share their whys and hows of participating in an Interfaith church.
"Sensible, balanced, and yes, practical.… An education for those who practice one faith tradition and an affirmation for those who are, often intuitively, growing into and claiming a spiritual identity that is specifically 'interfaith.' Laudable."
—The Rev. John Mabry, PhD, editor, Spiritual Guidance across Religions: A Sourcebook for Spiritual Directors and Other Professionals Providing Counsel to People of Differing Faith Traditions
"New and potentially revolutionary…. This is a faith without an 'us' or ‘them,’ without ‘my truth’ and ‘your heresy’; a faith as inclusive and as rich as life itself…. I ask you to read it. I challenge you to live it."
—Rabbi Rami Shapiro, author, Perennial Wisdom for the Spiritually Independent: Sacred Teachings—Annotated and Explained
“Offers practical solutions for coming together around one of the most enduring sources of conflict—religion…. Both grounded and inspiring.”
—Kathe Schaaf, coeditor, Women, Spirituality and Transformative Leadership: Where Grace Meets Power; cofounder, Women of Spirit and Faith
“A wise and compelling guide to living the truth that Interfaith is not about conversion but about completion—becoming a more fully developed human being. Highly recommended!”
—Imam Jamal Rahman, coauthor, Getting to the Heart of Interfaith: The Eye-Opening, Hope-Filled Friendship of a Pastor, a Rabbi and an Imam
“A guide for bringing people together across boundaries…. [Does] for interfaith understanding what Eric Law’s fine books have done for multi-culturalism. As a Baptist pastor, I am deeply indebted to Steven Greenebaum for his profound understanding of our diverse faith paths and the potential of relationship between them.”
—Rev. M. Christopher Boyer, pastor, Good Shepherd Baptist Church; past president, Church Council of Greater Seattle
“An inspiring must-read both for students of interfaith and those who might want to explore Interfaith. Not only does Greenebaum give us some valuable Interfaith basics, he also provides us with a generous sharing of tools and resources for building Interfaith community.”
—Paul McKenna, Canadian interfaith educator
Preface vii
Part I The Call of Interfaith 1
1 Interfaith as a Faith 3
2 Guides or Rulebooks? 7
3 Why Are Our Paths So Different? 11
4 What We Call It Matters 17
5 A Blasphemous Look at Blasphemy 22
Voices of Interfaith 26
Part II Day-to-Day Interfaith 29
6 The Decision to Act 31
7 Why Interfaith Can Be Hard 35
8 What Does It Mean to Practice Interfaith? 42
9 The Foundation of Interfaith Dialogue 50
10 Broadening the Dialogue 57
Voices of Interfaith 61
Part III Starting an Interfaith Church 63
11 Holding Safe, Sacred Space 65
12 Foundations for Starting an Interfaith Spiritual Community 72
13 The Road to Living Interfaith 78
14 Joys and Bumps along the Way 90
15 Some Thoughts on Interfaith Ministry 97
Voices of Interfaith 100
Part IV Resources for an Interfaith Community 101
16 Choosing an Interfaith Minister 109
17 I Think I Want to Be an Interfaith Minister 114
18 Anatomy of an Interfaith Service 119
19 Some Interfaith Liturgy 125
Conclusion: Where Do We Go from Here? 135
Appendix: Possibly Helpful Documents 137
Notes 152
Suggestions for Further Reading 157