From Library Journal
Although some religions outright forbid interfaith marriage while others are uncomfortable with them, and although they can bring difficulties, such marriages are quite common in the United States. As a result, there is a good body of literature aiming to help interfaith marriages work and thrive. Schaper, an ordained United Church of Christ minister, whose husband is Jewish, contributes her own insights, focusing on the children of interfaith marriages. Many interfaith couples choose, or let their children choose, one faith to practice. Schaper and her husband chose to raise their child as both Christian and Jewish. Not all would agree that such an approach is possible, let alone legitimate. Schaper's book, however, is a personal and theological reflection on why she sees this choice as right: because ultimately God is one and the same despite the religious prism through which God is viewed. Helpful especially for people in Schaper's situation who desire a thoughtful foundation, this book is a good acquisition for public and academic libraries.AJohn Moryl, Yeshiva Univ. Lib., New York
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Schaper isn't just a Christian woman who married a Jewish man; she is also an ordained Protestant minister. From the beginning, Schaper and her husband decided that their children would be raised in both religions. Consequently, the children attended Christian churches for the first years of their lives, until it was time for them to begin training for their bar and bat mitzvahs. Shaper's account of the family's experiences isn't really a "how-to" about raising an interfaith family, although there is some of that. Much more, the book brings together Schaper's philosophical musings on different aspects of the idea of interfaith living: the ways that God is represented in the community and in the lives of each person; the feelings that intermarriage generates in the participants and their families; and how fundamentalism in all faiths collides with the acceptance required in intermarriage. Schaper's message, most of all, is one of support. Her belief in the power of love is powerful in itself, and despite doubts, missteps, and even fear, she is sure that inclusion is always the better path than polarization. Although the writing is at times repetitive, it is also honest, heartfelt, and comforting. A strong choice for libraries who serve interfaith families.
Ilene Cooper
