Sundays
10:00 AM
Tue Jan 31, 2012
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
First Parish Sanctuary
225 Cabot St. Beverly, MA 01915
A powerful read during the long dark January nights. Acts of Faith is Eboo Patel’s remarkable account of what led him toward religious pluralism rather than hatred. His story is a hopeful and moving testament to the power and passion of young people, and to the notion that we find the fulfillment of our identities in the work we do in the world.
This Beacon Press book, originally published in 2008, has been selected as the 2011-12 Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Common Read. A 2008 speaker at the UUA General Assembly, Patel is founder and executive director of the Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC), an international, nonprofit, youth service leadership organization.
This young Muslim activist explains our critical need to counter the recruitment of youth by religious fundamentalists. Ten years after 9/11, the book describes the vulnerability of youth to violent, fundamentalist influences and makes a case for all of us, particularly youth, to promote pluralism by engaging in interfaith dialogue and social justice work.
The church has purchased one copy of this book for circulation. If you would like to purchase this book, the church can order multiple copies at a discount. Speak to Steve Hoy to order a copy. The UUA Bookstore is supporting this Common Read with a 10% discount on orders of 5-9 books and 20% off orders of 10 or more books. Acts of Faith is also available online where e-books are sold, and in public libraries.
What others have said about this book:
“A beautifully written story of discovery and hope.” —President Bill Clinton
“Visionary . . . The tale of a man’s increasing understanding that traditions of mercy, compassion, and social justice are embedded in every faith, and accessing them is the key to creating a pluralism that enhances faith rather than threatening it.” —Adam Mansbach, Boston Globe
“Eboo Patel is an exciting new voice of a new America: diverse but not divisive, hopeful but not utopian. He speaks for all of us from a rising generation of bright, brown and bold Americans who have much to offer a country embarking on a new millennium and in need of new blood.” —Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, executive director of the Zaytuna Institute
“[Patel] shows how educating a new generation to reject religious intolerance and work for the common good is the only way the world can avoid growing fanaticism and violence. This hopeful book shows the power that is waiting to be engaged for a better future.” —Jim Wallis, author of God’s Politics
“Eboo Patel has crafted an elegantly written and brilliantly argued manifesto—a call to arms, really—about the importance, not of interfaith dialogue, but of interfaith cooperation. His thesis is simple: children are not born to hate; hatred is taught to them. And in a time when religion is used increasingly to justify bigotry and violence, it is up to people of faith everywhere who believe in peace, and tolerance, and pluralism, to stand up to those who preach hatred in the name of God. Acts of Faith is more than a book, it is an awakening of the mind. It should be required reading for all Americans.” —Reza Aslan, author of No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam
“A remarkable book by a young Muslim and a Rhodes Scholar with a vast spiritual vision: a future in which young people join hands in service across the lines of religion. Refreshing, honest, and hopeful, it will speak to the soul of a generation yearning for a new way ahead. Give it to every young person in your life—and to yourself.” —Diana Eck, author of A New Religious America: How a Christian Country Has Become the Worlds Most Religious Diverse Nation
