A bracing rejoinder both to religious fanaticism and to recent books decrying religion
The United States is the most religiously diverse nation in the world and the most religiously diverse collection of people in history. And even in this age of increasing religious violence, there is a growing movement of cooperation: thousands of devout worshippers who are willing to take a gamble on people of radically different faiths.
In this insightful, deeply felt examination of the nature of community and religion, former New York Times religion reporter Gustav Niebuhr traces the roots of religious freedom in America and the setbacks and triumphs it has encountered along the way. From Hindus and Quakers in Queens to Catholics and Jews in Baltimore, to black Baptists and Catholics in Louisville, to Catholics and Buddhists in Los Angeles, Niebuhr focuses on the ways people build ties between groups. He looks at why this movement is a particularly American endeavor and how it can save us all. Beyond Tolerance is a handbook for religious cooperation in our fractured times.
"Gustav Niebuhr's remarkable and absorbing Beyond Tolerance comes at a time when religious fanaticism, with its perversion and violence, has emerged as a threat to civilization. Anyone involved or at least interested in dialogue among individuals, communities, and nations, will benefit from its wisdom and humanity."
âElie Wiesel
Gustav Niebuhr is the former religion reporter for The New York Times and an associate professor at Syracuse University. He has written for The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He is a frequent commentator on NPRâs All Things Considered.
Imprint: Viking Adult
Distributor: Penguin Group USA, Inc
Publication Date: 07-31-2008
Pages: 256
Measurements: 8.54in X 6.00in X 0.90in X 0.80lb
