Liberating Faith: Religious Voices for Justice, Peace, and Ecological Wisdom
Roger Gottlieb has done us all an enormous service by bringing together in this volume the words of the most inspiring and insightful thinkers of our time, from all over the world. We learn here, in passage after passage of surpassing eloquence, that political activism on behalf of peace and justice cannot live and grow unless suffused with spiritual powers. I hope this book will be widely read in classrooms all over the country, because it is a needed corrective for politics without heart, and religion without justice. (Howard Zinn, author of A People's History of the United States and professor emeritus of Political Science, Boston University)A powerfully inspiring interfaith overview of social change perspectives. (Free Associations)A must-read for those who want to rejuvenate their spirit, fire their religious imagination, and live interdependently with earth. (Kwok Pui-lan, Episcopal Divinity School, Cambridge, Massachusetts)Roger Gottlieb has gathered for us voices that bring together passion for justice, reverence for nature, religious depth, and a commitment to act. They sharpen our vision of what is and what could be. They speak with the peace and perserverance that arises from spiritually rooted political engagement. These are voices we dearly need. Listen. (David Landis Barnhill, director of environmental studies and professor of English, University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh)This volume could hardly be more timely! It appears just as new alliances of religious progressives are most needed. For discouraged progressives of all persuasions, it is an inspiring and instructive reminder of what has gone before, with remarkable achievement along the way. And for those who don't know the deep running streams of progressive religion, it is a vital education at the right time. (Larry Rasmussen, Reinhold Niebuhr Professor of Social Ethics, Union Theological Seminary, New York City)Roger Gottlieb offers a splendid anthology of sanctity and hope. Religious and secular voices, in the best tradition of each, speak up, loud and clear. The sum is a synthesis of enlightened, courageous idealism. In a dark time, gratitude befits. (Daniel Berrigan, author ofLamentations: From New York to Kabul and Beyond)The first word that came to mind was, very simply: exciting! This is the kind of collection for which many of us have yearned: ethically strong and substantive selections rooted in religious vision and devoted to social and environmental transformation. The readings reflect the breadth and depth of the editor's learning and moral commitments. This book will be a boon for the classroom and for religious leaders of all kinds. These readings can do more than inform; they have the power to inspire and enlightened activism in the quest for social justice and ecological integrity. (James A. Nash, Boston University School of Theology)What a treasure-troveLiberating Faithis. Reading it is both intellectually enriching and spiritually nourishing. It offers an alternative to 'repressive fundamentalism' and 'spiritless secularism.' Truly, it is a rich resource for the seasoned social activist and beginner alike. (Religious Studies Review)