Acting on Faith: Stories of Courage, Activism, and Hope Across Religions
By Diane Faires Beadle, Jamie Lynn Haskins
Indiebound | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million |
Different faiths, shared hopes. Are we more alike than we know? In 30 first-person stories from eight different faith traditions, hear from people whose faith inspires acts of justice and love amidst our world’s violence and divisions. Gain a deeper understanding of the diverse beliefs practiced by your neighbors and our shared hopes for building a better world. Reflection questions with each chapter make this book perfect for small group study or read as a private devotional. Acting on Faith inspires hope and encourages personal action through concrete examples of faithfulness, justice, and love from those on the front lines of activism and advocacy.
A portion of the proceeds from this book will be donated to Habitat for Humanity of Wake County’s (NC) Interfaith Build.
Download the Acting on Faith Discussion Guide
Chapters Include:
- Introduction
- Stories
- Care for the Environment
- Race and Privilege
- Immigration and Refugees
- Sexuality and Gender Identity
- Gender and Women’s Leadership
- Interfaith Conflict and Extremism
- Resources for Engagement
- Acknowledgments
Endorsements
“Read this book and feel God tapping you on the shoulder every few pages as I did. Youthful voices finding wisdom in their friendships, pain and questions, alongside experienced faith leaders surprised by the joy of discovering justice in new corners as they wrestle their faith to the ground.”—Rob Wilson-Black, CEO, Sojourners
“I LOVE this book. It has wisdom from different traditions, friendship across faiths, learning through engaging diversity, stories of vision turned into concrete action, and so much more. It brought me back to the core idea behind Interfaith Youth Core – all traditions call on us to serve others, and there is no greater joy or more important task than to do so together. Thank you to everyone involved in this project for this gift to the world.”―Eboo Patel, Founder and President, Interfaith Youth Core
“This poignant look into the heart of our various religious traditions is a celebration of the power of The Holy moving in us and through us in many voices and spiritual traditions. Telling stories, human stories, helps lead us into faith-filled celebration of our differences as grace marks and reminds us do the work of everyday justice.”―Emilie M. Townes, Dean and E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Professor of Womanist Ethics and Society, Vanderbilt University Divinity School
“An unprecedented and deeply important work! Many in our time see religion either as an escape from the challenges of the world, or as a source of division, exploitation, and oppression. Tragically, too often leaders and practitioners, acting in the name of religion, reinforce those perceptions. Thank God, Acting on Faith reminds us that at the heart of religion indeed, of all religions are the principles of human dignity, equality, and responsibility to each other and the planet. This inspiring book challenges us all, regardless of our background or beliefs, to work individually and collectively with people like us and with people different from us to advance love, justice, and peace. Acting on Faith is exactly what our world needs right now.”—Michael Rose Knopf, Rabbi of Temple Beth-El and author of Thirty Days of Liberation: Pathways For Personal And Social Transformation Inspired By The Book Of Exodus
“Most people, no matter how many newspapers they read or diverse twitter feeds they follow, hear only a tiny percentage of the stories this world and its people have to tell. We mostly hear stories from others like us, whose lives and neighborhoods and daily struggles look a good deal like our own. Such is the particularity of human life, which seems only exacerbated by recent political and cultural polarization. Acting on Faith: Stories of Courage, Activism, and Hope Across Religions grants readers access to life changing stories offered in truly diverse voices. Though the responses to the most pressing challenges and questions of our age are unsurprisingly varied across religious traditions, the good will, self-reflection, and commitment to interfaith justice work articulated by each contributor promises a future — and present — in which that polarization can be transformed. Faires Beadle and Haskins have assembled a hope-filled, and very necessary resource.”―Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan, Associate Pastor, Union Church of Hinsdale, author of Good Christian Sex: Why Chastity Isn’t the Only Option and Other Things the Bible Says About Sex, co-author of Hopes and Fears: Everyday Theology for New Parents and Other Tired, Anxious People, co-editor of When Kids Ask Hard Questions: Faith-Filled Responses for Tough Topics
Acting on Faith Acting on Faith Acting