Paths of Faith

by Ford, Michael Thomas

• ISBN13: 9780689822636
• ISBN10: 0689822634
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-12-01
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Summary

In a series of revealing interviews, several prominent religious figures discuss the tenets and traditions of their religions, and focus on the personal side, sharing how they came to their religious beliefs, the issues they've struggled with, and the challenges they've faced. Each interview is prefaced with an overview of the religion.

Table of Contents

Authors Note	ix
Former Archbishop, the Catholic Diocese of New York	1	(20)
John Cardinal O'Connor
Eldress, Sabbathday Lake Shaker Community	21	(23)
Sister Frances Carr
President, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion	44	(22)
Rabbi Sheldon Zimmerman
American Buddhist Nun and Cofounder, Sakyadhita: The International Association of Buddhist Women	66	(25)
Karma Lekshe Tsomo
The Right Reverend John Shelby Spong, D.D. Bishop, the Episcopal Diocese of Newark	91	(27)
Cofounder, the Reclaiming Witchcraft Tradition	118	(28)
Starhawk
The Reverend Dr. J. Philip Wogaman President, the Interfaith Alliance	146	(19)
President, the Hindu Temple Society of North America	165	(22)
Dr. Uma Mysorekar
Member, the Religious Society of Friend	187	(27)
Stephen Cary
Assistant Professor of Religion, University of Florida	214	(20)
Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons
Founder, Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches	234
Troy Perry

Excerpts

Author's Note

There are as many different ways of expressing religious faith and spirituality as there are people in the world. The purpose of this book is to show you how a handful of people do just that. It would be impossible to include in one book representatives from every religion, or even to discuss what the different groups within each religion believe. The eleven people whose stories are included here come from a variety of religious traditions. But while they may be members of a particular religion, they speak only for themselves. They tell their personal stories, not the stories of anyone else in their tradition, or even the stories of the traditions themselves.

Each interview begins with a brief overview of the religion being discussed, but this is not intended as a book to explain the history and beliefs of any religion. In fact, you'll find that some of the people included here don't always agree with the traditional beliefs of their religion. Instead, each interview is meant to show how one person living and expressing spirituality within a tradition has done that, and what the joys and challenges of living in that tradition have been. If you wish to find out more about a particular religion discussed in the book, there are sources of additional information listed at the end of each interview.

Some of the people in this book may come from the same tradition that you yourself do. Others may come from traditions you have never even heard of. You might agree with some of the things that are said, and you might disagree with some of them. As you read these stories try to keep in mind that these are the personal, individual stories of people who have spent a large part of their lives living, working, and celebrating within particular religions and spiritual traditions. Hear what each of them has to say. See what each of them has in common, what makes each of them unique, and how your own beliefs compare. Think of this book as a beginning, a place to start exploring how different kinds of people celebrate the many voices of the spirit.

Michael Thomas Ford

Copyright © 2000 by Michael Thomas Ford