Communities in Conversation

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

Join us for this five-week series of scholar-led,
interfaith study and discussion exploring three
great religions (Christianity, Islam and Judaism)
and their modern relationships.

Please register through links below...

Chagrin Falls Branch Library

 –  Thursays at 6:30 PM

       • March 1       • March 8       • March 15      • March 22      • March 29 

Associated reading ^{_{(with links to our catalog for easy requesting)}} list below.

 The Faith   |   The Faithful   |   Sacred Books |   for Children

Faith in Context: Getting Perspectives

God: A Brief History   

by John Bowker

This generously illustrated survey, chock-full of legends,
stories, and fast facts, is perfect for the casual reader
desiring to understand how God is variously
conceived by all the world’s major faiths.

The Illustrated World's Religions:
 Our Wisdom Traditions

by Huston Smith

Huston Smith, one of the most beloved and respected voices
in interfaith studies, offers a lavishly illustrated and eminently
readable account of the world’s major religions.

The Ornament of the World: 
  How Muslims, Jews, and Christians Created
    a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain

by Stephen Prothero

Studies and polls show that while a large majority of Americans
profess religious convictions, very few in fact know much about
their religion. Prothero painlessly fills in the gaps.

Our Sacred Signs: How Jewish, Christian, and
   Muslim Art Draw from the Same Source

by Ori Soltes
Religious art is not, nor ever has been created in a vacuum, contends
art historian Soltes. Here he reveals the deep antiquity and
interconnectedness of the images and symbols employed
in the religious art familiar to followers of the three faiths.

Peace Be Upon You: Fourteen Centuries of Muslim,
   Christian, and Jewish Conflict and Cooperation

by Zachary Karabell

In a compelling narrative, Karabell reveals a long history
of peaceful coexistence among followers of the three
Abrahamic faiths.

Religious Foundations of Western Civilization:
  Judaism, Christianity and Islam

by Jacob Neusner

This scholarly but accessible history, considered essential
reading by one reviewer, deals with the ongoing
interrelationships among the three religions that
ultimately culminated in Western Civilization.

Religious Literacy:
What Every American Needs to Know – and Doesn’t

by Stephen Prothero

Studies and polls show that while a large majority of
Americans profess religious convictions, very few in
fact know much about their religion. Prothero painlessly
fills in the gaps.          Also CD Book 

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The Faithful in Context: Getting Personal

Acts of Faith: The Story of an American Muslim,
 the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation

by Eboo Patel

Patel’s heartfelt autobiography is one of unremitting struggle against
the forces of ingrained bias and intolerance. His work resulted in the
formation of the Interfaith Youth Core, a community service
organization uniting youth of different faiths in worthy causes.

Beyond Tolerance:
 Searching for Interfaith Understanding in America

by Gustav Niebuhr

With a keen journalistic eye, Niebuhr scans America’s religious
landscape and finds hope that interfaith dialog can transcend
mere tolerance.

The Faith Club:
 A Muslim, Christian, Jew– Three Women Search for Understanding 

by Idliby, Warner, Oliver

After a tumultuous beginning, the collaborative efforts of
three women of differing faiths become a shining model
for others desiring to engage in interfaith dialog.
Also  Large Print, Book Discussion set 

In God's Name: 
 Wisdom From the World’s Great Spiritual Leaders

by Virginie Luc, et al.

Here is a unique collection of interviews in which
today’s leaders of Christian, Jewish and Muslim
faiths tell of their personal spiritual paths.

You Don’t Have to Be Wrong for Me to Be Right:
 Finding Faith Without Fanaticism

by Brad Hirschfield

Popular Orthodox Rabbi Hirschfield holds forth
on building bridges across the religious spectrum.

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The Sacred Books: Going to the Source

The Holy Bible

This Christian Bible uses Today’s New International Version (TNIV), a
revision of the popular Protestant Evangelical New International Version.
The TNIV strives for greater gender inclusivity in its phrasing.

See also other Bible versions & formats 

The Inclusive Bible:
The First Egalitarian Translation by Priests for Equality

Starting fresh from the original sources,
this new Bible translation by the grassroots
organization, Priests for Equality, aims to
avoid the class and gender bias inferred in
most other English language versions.

The Qur'an: A New Transaltion 

by Tarif Khalidi

This acclaimed new translation of the Muslim sacred text
(“Qur’an,” formerly spelled “Koran”) is distinguished by
language that captures the rhythms and structure of the
Qur’an in the original Arabic.

Tanakh: A New Translation of the Holy Scriptures 
  According to the Traditional Hebrew Text

Considered the standard English language version of the Jewish Holy Scriptures, this contemporary translation was accomplished over three decades by American Jewish scholars using the original Hebrew texts.

The Voice, the Word, the Books: 
  The Sacred Scripture of the Jews, Christians and Muslims

by F.E. Peters

A fascinating look at the emergence and life of
the shared sacred texts that each of the three
Abrahamic religions made their own.

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CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Building Foundations

A Faith Like Mine:
 A Celebration of the World’s Religions Through the Eyes of Children

by Laura Buller

A delightfully colorful, kid-friendly introduction to religion around the world, offering basic facts as well as commentary from children of each faith.

One World, Many Religions: The Way We Worship

by Mary Pope Osborne

An engaging child’s introduction to world religions, Osborne’s lucid text is nicely complimented by color photography throughout. .

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