The Faith Between Us: A Jew and a Catholic Search for the Meaning of God [Hardcover]

Peter Bebergal (Author), Scott Korb (Author), Stephen J. Dubner (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 30, 2007

A religious "coming out" story by two young believers--one Catholic and one Jewish, with an introduction by Freakonomics coauthor Stephen J. Dubner.
 
Scott Korb and Peter Bebergal, two young progressives, share a secret: They believe in God. One is a former wannabe Catholic priest, the other a failed Jewish mystic, and they formed a friendship that's shaped by their common belief. In The Faith Between Us, they engage in a dialogue that ranges widely, from the mundane to the divine. They discuss finding religious meaning in their secular worlds, the moral implications of decisions both personal and political, their different religious cultures, and how their lives have been shaped by the pursuit of an authentic, livable faith. Both a spiritual memoir and an examination of contemporary religion as it's played out in unconventional ways, The Faith Between Us offers an alternative vision of faith in America, one that is equally irreverent and devout, ironic and earnest. For everyone interested in a modern take on keeping faith--and in reclaiming religion from the fundamentalists and literalists who have co-opted it for the right and those on the left who dismiss its redemptive power--The Faith Between Us will be an engaging and thought-provoking read.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. What's the saying? Never discuss sex, God or politics if you want to keep your friends? In this particular case, the questions of faith and God are actually what brought Bebergal and Korb together, initially through a correspondence related to their writings for various online magazines. Faith was not something either particularly discussed with their other friends, even though both hold advanced degrees in religion. Like a conversation that continues all night into the early light of dawn, this collection of stories is filled with the deepest of personal feelings and confessions as well as the mundane details of everyday life. The format-the telling of a story by one, followed by a reflective epilogue by the other-highlights not only the seamlessness of their dialogue, but the depth of their friendship and understanding of each other. No topic is taboo; amid their questioning of faith and God come tales of addiction, neuroses and ineptitude. These thirty-somethings are as diverse as their upbringings, and yet between them they represent a little bit of all of us in this thoughtful, engaging debate about the virtues of faith and the existence of God. (Nov.)
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Review

PRAISE FOR THE FAITH BETWEEN US:

 

"Old Jewish joke--woman buys her grown son two ties, he comes to visit her wearing one of them, she takes a look, frowns, says, 'What? You didn't like the other one?' That's how I feel sometimes when I'm reading one side or the other of this wise, warm, and often witty dialogue. Scott Korb and Peter Bebergal have not only illuminated issues of faith, but also literalized the process of friendship. A wonderful book." --Ben Greenman, author of A Circle Is a Balloon and Compass Both
 
"When was the last time two men sat down and wrote about their friendship? This is a beautiful book--frank, open, searching. It is, to be sure, a 'religious' book, but its great virtue is that it erases the quotation marks around that word and makes religious insight and longing seem, like friendship, a natural part of the world." --Jonathan Rosen, author of Joy Comes in the Morning
 
"Friendship between men is at the heart of this powerful and surprising story. But Peter Bebergal and Scott Korb's The Faith Between Us is also the story of their love affairs with God--entirely unsentimental and utterly passionate affairs that make compelling reading."--Sara Miles, author Take This Bread
 
"This unlikeliest of books--a tag team spiritual autobiography--is a remarkable achievement. It's part Confessions of St. Augustine, part Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, a true story that is both subtle and adventurous. Bebergal and Korb, a Jew and a Catholic, an ex-mystic and a reformed ascetic, transcend the clichés of spiritual memoir to create genuinely unique story of faith evolving. The Faith Between Us is a milestone in the genre of memoir and a crucial reflection on American religion, in all its eccentricity, diversity, and depth."--Jeff Sharlet, author of Jesus Plus Nothing and co-author of Killing the Buddha
 
"This is the book for this moment. In an era of rigid (and false) dichotomies--when one is told to be either a blind believer or a dogmatic atheist--Bebergal and Korb offer a third way, the path of respect, of common sense, of dialogue rather than doctrine.  There are fewer hot topics today than religion, and this book provides an accessible, heartfelt, compelling, and ultimately inspiring message that will speak to many of us, religionists and secularists alike.  If you think deeply and openly, go get a copy right now!"
--Niles Elliot Goldstein, author of Gonzo Judaism and founding rabbi of the New Shul in Manhattan

"Here are two ordinary young men, a Catholic and a Jew, journeying toward God. Lost in a wilderness of their own making, they find their way toward life's better possibilities. Their stories are deeply personal, while describing the raw need for meaning common to us all. The book reminds us that we may continue to seek God even in the noise of our chaotic and scientific age. Scott and Peter's friendship will long remain in my mind as will the complex bravery of this book."--Anne Roiphe, author of Up the Sandbox!, Generation without Memory, and 1185 Park Avenue

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA; First Edition edition (October 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596911433
• ISBN-13: 978-1596911437
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,836,456 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Seeking God, November 15, 2007

By 

Robert L. Neill - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Faith Between Us: A Jew and a Catholic Search for the Meaning of God (Hardcover)

This is an extremely moving book because, as a descendent of Augustine's Confessions, it is primarily about the experience of struggling with religious faith, not a catechism about what to believe. It has no designs on us. It aims only to involve us in two men's trying to come to personal terms with the idea of God and the experience of God. These two men begin in different places, pursue faith in different ways, and end up in different places. But as the counterpoint between them makes clear, they share the ultimate concern that is at the core of all religion. To have ultimate concern is to be religious. This book takes place inside the experience that so many of today's God Books remain outside of. It shows us that whatever God is or is not, if He is to be found, that is where He must be found: inside the human experience of seeking Him. It is written in the language of the confessional fiction (and non-fiction) that many of us grew up on in the last two generations of the twentieth century. It feels familiar and authentic. I am grateful for it.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Thing of Beauty, December 18, 2007

By 

Felix Rust (Cambridge, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Faith Between Us: A Jew and a Catholic Search for the Meaning of God (Hardcover)

Peter and Scott have created a thing of beauty. I am an atheist. I was an atheist before I read this book and I remain an atheist after. But this book is not about religion. It is about love, beauty, faith, parenthood, friendship, bird watching, death, sex, smoky lentils... life. It is beautifully written. It is fascinating. Would that everyone possessed the tender and earnest introspection of these two men- would that everyone were brave enough to admit it. The world would be a better place. Please read this book.