My Neighbor’s Faith: Stories of Interreligious

Encounter, Growth, and Transformation

Part 1 – Encountering the Neighbor

 

Sept. 16, 2024 | 11:15am PST

Welcome! The book we will be studying is, in Editor Jennifer Peace’s words, “a collection of personal narratives” – stories that people from 5 different faith backgrounds have shared, about encountering other people living different faith lives than their own. There are 8 essays in Part One of the book, which will mean reading more than one each day. That said, I invite you to give yourself a little time in-between stories; maybe take a coffee or tea break, get up to stretch for a few minutes, and let the storyteller’s experiences percolate and sink in a little before reading another. Allow yourself to feel whatever reaction you may have had to what that person shared and write down anything you want to bring up in discussion.

 

Reading Prompts

Each week I will give a couple of prompts or guidelines to consider while you read. For this first week:

  1. Of the spiritual encounter essays in Part One, did any one story resonate with you on a deeper level than the others?
  2. Have you had an interreligious experience similar to something you read this week?

 

Recorded Zoom Discussions

I will be recording group discussions each week and posting them on these Study Guide pages. Click on the link below to view this week’s “Session Zero” Zoom discussion. We went over introductions, group norms, and questions so especially if you were not able to join us, please view it if you have the time.

[Video of Session 0] 

Passcode: =8Wc9?Jc (case sensitive; I recommend copying & pasting it)

 

Read

Before our first meeting, please read Peace, et al Part One – Encountering the Neighbor.

 

A Note on Close-Reading

“Close Reading” is reading verbatim for detail and content – rather than skimming or reading for a general summary. I invite you to take your time reading through each week’s stories; sit with what you’ve read, maybe meditate or pray on an essay that particularly stands out to you, look at the study prompts ahead of time and be present with it as much as time and circumstance allow.

 

[Return to Book Study: Neighbor’s Faith home page]