Interfaith initiatives are increasingly prevalent on college and university campuses around the country. In large part, this trend responds both to ongoing religious violence throughout the world and to increasing religious tension in the United States. As such, these interfaith initiatives often attempt to bolster interfaith collaboration and increase awareness of different religious cultures, identities, beliefs, and traditions. In this book, Edwards reviews the various goals and processes associated with the interfaith movement, and offers both warnings and suggestions for those who are interested in pursuing an approach to interfaith dialogue that is oriented toward social justice. In doing so, this book fills a critical gap in academic literature surrounding the impact of religious identity and interfaith relations on pedagogy, educational experiences, and campus climates. Through three descriptive case studies set in a large public university in the United States, Edwards explores the use of Intergroup Dialogue as a pedagogical model for interfaith dialogue. While the goal of this pedagogy is to increase student understanding of privilege, oppression, and social injustice pertaining to religious identity, the cases in this book demonstrate how and why social justice oriented interfaith dialogue can be easily derailed and, if so, may potentially have harmful implications for religious minorities. Accordingly, Edwards offers five necessary conditions for assuring that social justice oriented interfaith dialogue (which Intergroup Dialogue is intended to be) succeeds. By focusing on the unique perspectives of four particular student participants (all of whom have religious identities outside of the three dominant Abrahamic religions) Edwards also highlights the experiences of those from religious identity groups that are the most overlooked and under?represented in the discourse on interfaith dialogue.

Christian parents need to be prepared to answer the myriad challenges teens might hear in today’s increasingly pro homosexual culture. “Why shouldn’t gays get married?” “Who says gay sex is wrong?” “Does the Bible actually say there’s anything wrong with homosexuality?” “Don’t you care that kids are being bullied just for being themselves?” To start the discussion, Gilson provides a brief history of the issues beginning with the sexual revolution of the 1960s. He explains how and why cultural attitudes have reversed on this subject in such a short timespan, leaving Christians scrambling for answers. This is perhaps the most complicated and contentious issue Christians face in today’s culture. Most churches are poorly equipped to handle it; parents are even less prepared. The good news is that parents need not have pat answers ready before they dive into conversations with their teens and preteens on this difficult topic. Learning together—parents struggling through these issues alongside their kids and leading them to biblical answers— has relational benefits. Answers are important, though, so manageable, nontechnical answers to common questions surrounding this issue are provided, as well as a guide to further resources.

Critical Conversations provides a series of theological engagements with the work of Michael Polanyi, one of the twentieth century's most profound philosophers of science. Polanyi's sustained explorations of the nature of human knowing open a range of questions and themes of profound importance for theology. He insists on the need to recover the categories of faith and belief in accounting for the way we know and points to the importance of tradition and the necessity sometimes of conversion in order to learn the truth of things. These themes are explored along with Polanyi's social and political thought, his anthropology, his hermeneutics, and his conception of truth. Several of the essays set Polanyi alongside the work of other thinkers, particularly Karl Barth, Lesslie Newbigin, Hans-Georg Gadamer, and Rene Girard, and they discuss points of comparison and contrast between the respective figures. While all the essays are appreciative of Polanyi's contribution, they do not shy away from critical analysis--and take further, therefore, the critical appreciation of Polanyi's work.

First Published in 1997. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Most Christian parents know that the best way to leave a God-honoring legacy to their family is to nurture their children's faith...but many don't know where to start! This new resource from Jim Burns, founder of HomeWord, will equip parents to start important conversations with their kids- family time with an eternal impact. Faith Conversations for Families makes it easy to invite God into quality family time. Each section of the book outlines an easy-to-follow dialog, which is flexible for children of different age groups. In addition, suggested activities and exercises make spiritual formation adaptable for kids with varying learning styles. The six family friendly topics included in this book are: *Who is Jesus and Why it Matters- Help parents talk with their kids about why His life, death and resurrection are so important. *What Prayer Is All About- Parents can introduce vibrant conversation with God into their family's time together *What It Means to Be Christian- Parents can lead their kids toward a faith commitment and spiritual growth, through open communication and exciting biblical expression. *A Strong Family- Parents can teach, guide and strengthen healthy bonds within the family *Loving and Serving Others- Parents can talk with their children about servant leadership and self-sacrifice and be challenged to serve in and outside of their home *Building Morals and Values- Parents can help their kids discern and navigate cultural influences that run contrary to a biblical worldview In the heart of every Christian parent is a desire to help their children grow spiritually. Faith Conversations for Families helps parents make that desire a beautiful reality.

This book empowers the average Christian to have life changing conversations that will produce spiritual growth, and advance the Kingdom of God.