"Many years ago, my friend and colleague Andrew Greeley persuaded me that stories are the essence of religion. Ever since, I've been on the lookout for good examples. The present book is an exceptional collection. The stories here show clearly how spiritual convictions motivate people to engage with the most important social issues of our time." -- Robert Wuthnow, Princeton University, USA "In Engaged Spirituality Ken Chitwood brings together the best spiritual stories from a deep and broad research project. The chapters in this volume are united in their emphasis on representative stories. The stories show that spirituality is active; it inspires and shapes humanitarian work across spiritual traditions and across global contexts. The stories will make you weep and make you think, often at the same time.
They challenged me as a scholar but also as a citizen and more importantly as a human being to do better and be better, to uphold my own values of seeing the profound dignity in all people." -- Elaine Howard Ecklund, Rice University, USA " Engaged Spirituality arrives at a moment when academic inquiry into religion and public life has never been more necessary. This anthology demonstrates how religion and spirituality can be a vital resource for confronting some of the most intractable issues of our era: environmental degradation, inequality, gender injustice, and xenophobiaEach chapter offers finely-crafted cases drawn from diverse traditions and global contexts, bringing together insights from journalists, scholars, and practitioners in a way that is both rigorous and deeply human. Engaged Spirituality's potency lies not only in its empirical value, but in its insistence that stories do more than illustrate: they call us to reimagine how we live, who we serve, and what it means to act on faith in service of the common good." -- Simran Jeet Singh, Union Theological Seminary, USA "Through vivid storytelling, this is a book that shows how faith and spiritual values fuel efforts to repair a fractured world. These portraits of courage and compassion not only highlight what's possible when belief meets action - but also invites readers to find hope and purpose." -- Clemente Lisi, Executive Editor, Religion Unplugged "These sacred stories of spiritual exemplars will deepen your faith, enrich your life and inspire you to compassionate action. I highly recommend this book.
" -- Eboo Patel, Founder and President of Interfaith America, USA "We live in a world where hate, fear, and conflict seem to be the main drivers. This wonderful book shows us another way by telling the stories of exemplary religious people. They give us hope for a just world." -- Amir Hussain, Loyola Marymount University, USA.