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Paths Of Faith: Conversations About Religion And Spirituality

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This is a fine book for teenagers, many of whom have serious and important questions about spirituality and religion. Libraries would do well to own it, as would browsers and thoughtful seekers. Here we find interviews with Americans from a range of faith traditions - everyone from a Catholic Bishop to a Quaker pacifist to a Wiccan writer to a Hindu doctor. Each one recounts their own personal experiences, and how they were drawn to the paths they chose to follow. It is this personal storytelling that makes the book most appealing - too often religion is seen merely as a set of stories or rules. Here we see it operating in the lives of individuals. There is a distinct emphasis on interfaith tolerance, acceptance of all (women, gays, etc.), and social activism that may prove inspiring to young people. Some interviews are more interesting or relevant than others to me, but of course it depends on your point of view. Each chapter ends with a helpful list of further readings and approved web sites.