Muslims; Hindus; Buddhists; and adherents of other non-Western religions have become a significant presence in the United States in recent years. Yet many Americans continue to regard the United States as a Christian society. How are we adapting to the new diversity? Do we casually announce that we "respect" the faiths of non-Christians without understanding much about those faiths? Are we willing to do the hard work required to achieve genuine religious pluralism? Award-winning author Robert Wuthnow tackles these and other difficult questions surrounding religious diversity and does so with his characteristic rigor and style. America and the Challenges of Religious Diversity looks not only at how we have adapted to diversity in the past; but at the ways rank-and-file Americans; clergy; and other community leaders are responding today. Drawing from a new national survey and hundreds of in-depth qualitative interviews; this book is the first systematic effort to assess how well the nation is meeting the current challenges of religious and cultural diversity. The results; Wuthnow argues; are both encouraging and sobering--encouraging because most Americans do recognize the right of diverse groups to worship freely; but sobering because few Americans have bothered to learn much about religions other than their own or to engage in constructive interreligious dialogue. Wuthnow contends that responses to religious diversity are fundamentally deeper than polite discussions about civil liberties and tolerance would suggest. Rather; he writes; religious diversity strikes us at the very core of our personal and national theologies. Only by understanding this important dimension of our culture will we be able to move toward a more reflective approach to religious pluralism.
#141295 in Books Princeton University Press 2004-01-25 2004-01-25Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.10 x 1.02 x 6.00l; 1.25 #File Name: 0691118450408 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Masterpiece.By Paul V. KATCHALOVSuch an ambitious project to cover in the same book so vast and heterogenous aspects of Russia's impact on contemprary world seemed me impossible to execute. But after reading the book; I have to admit; that the author succeeded masterfully. He is laconic; but not at all boring. He is certainly a great erudite in all things Russian. Thus; I can honestly recommend this book as excellent and succinct textbook in Russian studies; or just as a good and amusing pastime for any intelligent reader.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy Tara L. TappertWonderful book . . . used as part of an NEH Summer Institute.4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Straddling the ContinentsBy Randall L. WilsonI purchased; "How Russia Shaped the Modern World" at the New York Public Library's stunning exhibit on "Russia Engages the World." The show covered Russia primarily in the 17th and 18th century so I thought I'd take a leap forward and read this book."Russia" covers a lot of ground including subjects ranging from anarchism to painting and shows the impact of Russian ideas on authors in the United States as well as dictators in Africa. Frequently; I found myself wanting more from a discussion about an artist or a movement but the purpose of the book is to chart influences and make connections not to detail specific movements and individuals. Russia is unique in that it brings together both European and Asian influences commingling the foreign with the familiar that is so intriguing to cultures around the world.I found the book most compelling when it looked at Russian literature; dance and painting. There are several reasons for this. First; the arts are full of hope; originality; vision and joy. Second; the story of how Russian artists influenced the rest of the world is unfamiliar to me. Third; Russia's political influence has been largely harsh; destructive; sad and all too familiar to someone who lived through the cold war.The prose style is more analytic than descriptive and incisive but not personal. I think it fits the subject matter but borders on the dry side. My biggest complaint is that the book could have been divided into two sections; one that focused on the Russian artistic contributions and the other on the political. The impact of each of those areas is different and would have benefited from separate but rigorous analysis.
