How to be a Perfect Stranger: The Essential Religious Etiquette Handbook - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1893361675 ISBN 13: 9781893361676

Publisher: SkyLight Paths Publishing,US, 2003

Synopsis

A straightforward guide to the rituals and celebrations of the major religions and denominations in the United States and Canada helps the well-meaning guest feel at ease when visiting other people's religious ceremonies, participate to the fullest extent possible, and avoid violating anyone's religious principles or hurting their feelings.

About this title

Review

"Enables the stranger to hold fast to the integrity of their own tradition while stepping onto someone else's holy ground....Concise, informative, and eminently practical." Rev. Christopher Leighton, executive director, Institute for Christian-Jewish Studies

"Highly recommended....We encourage all people of faith to read it, refer to it often and use it as their guide when visiting other communities of faith." Rev. Ken Brookner Langston, director of education, The Interfaith Alliance

"Enables strangers to be better neighbors in a global community." Prof. John L. Esposito, director, Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown University

"You ll never again feel uncomfortable attending services of a religion not your own, after reading this wonderful book." Rabbi Jack Bemporad, director, Center for Christian-Jewish Understanding, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, Connecticut"

"Enables the stranger to hold fast to the integrity of their own tradition while stepping onto someone else's holy ground....Concise, informative, and eminently practical."
--Rev. Christopher Leighton, executive director, Institute for Christian-Jewish Studies

"Highly recommended....We encourage all people of faith to read it, refer to it often and use it as their guide when visiting other communities of faith."
--Rev. Ken Brookner Langston, director of education, The Interfaith Alliance

"Enables strangers to be better neighbors in a global community."
--Prof. John L. Esposito, director, Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown University

"You'll never again feel uncomfortable attending services of a religion not your own, after reading this wonderful book."
--Rabbi Jack Bemporad, director, Center for Christian-Jewish Understanding, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, Connecticut

About the Author

Stuart M. Matlins is founder, editor-in-chief and publisher of Jewish Lights Publishing and SkyLight Paths Publishing. Both imprints focus on religion and spirituality from a broad non-denominational perspective. He is author or editor of several books, including the best-selling How to Be a Perfect Stranger: The Essential Religious Etiquette Handbook (SkyLight Paths); The Jewish Lights Spirituality Handbook: A Guide to Understanding, Exploring & Living a Spiritual Life (Jewish Lights); The Perfect Stranger's Guide to Wedding Ceremonies: A Guide to Etiquette in Other People's Religious Ceremonies; and The Perfect Stranger's Guide to Funerals and Grieving Practices: A Guide to Etiquette in Other People's Religious Ceremonies (both SkyLight Paths).

Stuart was the 2014 recipient of the Abraham Geiger Medal, an award recognizing outstanding service to religious pluralism, and the 2006 recipient of the American Jewish Distinguished Service Award, an annual presentation of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. He was a member of the First Catholic/Jewish Lay Conference at the Vatican in October 2007, an event under the auspices of the Interreligious Information Center.

Among his many speaking appearances, Stuart has been the scholar-in-residence or guest lecturer at the National Funeral Director's Association convention, Temple Isaiah (Palm Springs, CA), The Jewish Center of the Hamptons (East Hampton, NY), Temple Sholom (Plainfield, NJ), Israel Congregation (Manchester, NH) and at the annual gatherings of the Jewish Community Centers Association and the Jewish Outreach Institute. He also has been a featured speaker or panel member at many Book Expo America conventions, and at the biennial Festival of Faith and Writing at Calvin College, as well as at churches and other conferences.

Before publishing took over his life, he was a management consultant for over thirty years as a managing partner with Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc. and then heading his own consulting firm.

He is the cofounder of an innovative synagogue in Woodstock, Vermont, with his wife, Antoinette Matlins, and served as lay spiritual leader for nineteen of its twenty-one years. He has served for over twenty years on the Board of Governors of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, and was chair of the Board of Overseers of its New York School. He is widely recognized as a leader in the spiritual transformation of Judaism in our time.

Stuart is listed in Who's Who in America.

Edition details

• Publisher: SkyLight Paths Publishing,US
• Publication date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1893361675
• ISBN 13: 9781893361676
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 3
• Number of pages: 432
• Editor: Matlins Stuart, Magida Arthur J.