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Overview
Americans have always been stalwart in their faith - however they choose to define it. But in recent years, particularly in the realm of politics, this spiritual resolve has been dangerously misused: A fundamentalist fringe is claiming the mantle of our Judeo-Christian tradition to promote a political agenda of hatred and intolerance. While the compassionate, human side of our religious heritage struggles to be heard, the rhetoric of a self-righteous minority grows ever louder. Now, rising above the din of reactionary politics are four voices - strong, clear, and unified - to reclaim American values, to help us once again put religion in the service of our better impulses. In this beautifully written book, leaders of three establishment religions - Judaism, Roman Catholicism, and the Episcopal Church - along with a lay sociologist, offer a view of moral virtue that is distinct from the cold individualism put forth by conservatives and the religious right. Using the kind of storytelling that is common to their shared scriptural traditions, they explore values like caring for the needy, treasuring the gift of the earth, respecting differences within our communities, and using faith to help ourselves and others through adversity. These leaders take us on a metaphorical journey - across rivers, over mountains, through forests. It is a uniquely American journey, touching upon issues that concern us all, from affirmative action to school prayer, from gun control to breast cancer. Cutting down the myth that Americans succeed alone, they remind us that our institutions - both religious and political - have always aided the impoverished and dislocated. They call for a partnership - a triangle of care, comprising religious charities, community, and, yes, the federal government - to continue these efforts. They insist that, in one way or another, we are all travelers - and warn us not to blame the immigrant for society's ills. Each of us seeks renewal, a better life. ThroBook Details
Published
October 1, 1997
Publisher
Reading, Mass. : Addison-Wesley, c1997.
Pages
224
Format
Hardcover
ISBN
9780201132946