Description
Book SynopsisInsights from a pioneering leader in world religion, on the intersections of the sacred & the secular. "As Christians - indeed as people of faith of any tradition - we are called to tend to the needs of the least among us. Our response to them must be the response of faith. God gives us a new heart to do this work, and every time we gather to do it, God offers a pacemaker jolt to tweak our heart's rhythm. The challenge is this: will our hearts respond with a strengthened beat, in tune with God's own heartbeat, sending more life out into the world?" - from the Introduction Explore our connections - as human beings with each other, as one nation with all other nations, as the human species with the whole of our environment - through the lens of faith. Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church, examines these connections as she looks at the intersections of faith with the major issues of our day: How does faith speak to poverty, climate change, the economy, health care, and what is the faith response? How can believers from many faith traditions find common ground while honoring the Divine, serving one another, and creating deeper community? How do we best use the resources of faith to connect us to the hearts of our neighbors and to the heart of God?
Trade Review"Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, with her elegant, light touch, shows how an authentic Christianity demands a concern for, and an involvement with, thoroughly mundane issues such as ending poverty and hunger, providing health care, and dealing with climate change, gender equality, and crime. In her version of reality, everything is sacred except sin." —The Rt. Rev. Desmond Tutu "By meditations on scripture and personal anecdotes, Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori calls the Church to love our neighbor as ourselves and gives examples of how to do so." —John C. Danforth, Episcopal priest; former U.S. senator from Missouri; special envoy for peace in Sudan; U.S. ambassador to the United Nations “A down to earth, heartfelt exposition of biblical truth for everyday life—from a remarkable, barrier-breaking woman.” —Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell, director of religion, Chautauqua Institution; author, Living into Hope: A Call to Spiritual Action for Such a Time as This “With a sense of proportion informed by hope ... gives us a great gift: the sound of a voice of calm in the midst of seemingly perpetual storm.” —Jon Meacham, author, American Gospel; winner of the Pulitzer Prize “Uses a sensitive spiritual stethoscope to detect the 'heartbeat of God' among people crying out for justice…. A wonderful invitation to join Bishop Katharine in a powerful and prayerful twenty-first-century reflection.” —Maureen Fiedler, host of Interfaith Voices (a public radio show); editor, Breaking Through the Stained Glass Ceiling: Women Religious Leaders in Their Own Words “Bishop Jefferts Schori wrestles—sincerely and fearlessly—with the call of the gospel and with every kind of impediment we have to a vibrant response to that call. Her exploration of the core teachings of Christian texts will challenge and illuminate people far beyond the Episcopal world.” —Andrea Cohen-Kiener, author, Claiming Earth as Common Ground: The Ecological Crisis through the Lens of Faith
Table of ContentsForeword ix Acknowledgments xi Introduction xiii Part One Connecting with the Margins 1 Serving the Poor 3 Healing for All 20 Listening for the Voice of God 25 Creative Survival 30 Opening Doors to Women 35 Seeking Our Roots 41 Peace Work 46 Part Two Connecting Faith with Public Life 51 Immigration and Faith 53 Salt of the Earth 57 Heaven on Earth 62 Blessed Are the Change Makers 67 Provoking Love 72 Interrupting Business as Usual 77 Mission Possible 82 Ubuntu 87 Part Three Connecting with Creation 93 God on the Gulf Coast 95 Science and Faith 99 The Ecology of Faith 106 Good Shepherd 112 Part Four Connecting with the Heart of God 117 Who Is Jesus in the World Today? 119 Finding Our Way Home 127 Stardust 131 The Dream of God 134 Called by Name 139 The Web of Life 143 Saints and Superheroes 148 Holy Conversation 153 Part Five Healing Broken Connections 159 Practicing Peace 161 Pentecost Continues 166 Living the Questions 172 High Anxiety 177 Pushing the Boundaries 182 Go Forth for God 187 Fossils 192 A Moveable Feast 196 Healing Division 201 Finding God in Dissent 206 Notes 211 Suggestions for Further Reading 213
