Book details

  • Genre:religion
  • Sub-genre:Faith
  • Language:English
  • Pages:76
  • Paperback ISBN:9798881704612

Embracing the World's Faiths

By Freddie Kelvin

Overview

This short book is intended to be a concise resource for individuals, religious organizations, schools, and libraries to better appreciate and learn about the world's faiths. We all need to have an understanding of other's belief systems so that we can live in relative harmony rather than discord.

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Description

Respect for other faiths and religions requires learning how they evolved and what are their basic practices and beliefs. The main faiths in our current world, Hinduism, Buddism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are summarized in an easily digestible form, as well as those with less numerous adherents such as Baha'i, Sikhism, Jainism, Paganism, and Sufism. The authenticity of these accounts, almost without exception, has been greatly aided by additional information provided by practitioners of these faiths who are members of the Center for Interfaith Cooperation in Indianapolis. In writing about the world's faiths, a sincere attempt has been made to be as accurate and neutral as possible in their description. We are all too aware of the unwanted and dangerous consequences that have resulted throughout history when one religion is misinformed and indulges in using stereotypes when viewing the beliefs of others. Both the primary author and his collaborators within the Center for Interfaith Cooperation believe in the need for building empathy between different faiths and facilitating safe and healthy interfaith encounters. It is our wish that a more tolerant, pluralistic, and understanding global community will result if we all read, listen, and respect each other. That is the message and hope that underscores why this short book was conceived and written.
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About The Author

Freddie Kelvin was born in Leeds, England after his parents narrowly escaped the increasingly dangerous grip of the Nazis in Austria. There, he grew up in a highly protective Jewish community. He rebelled against this restrictive background by changing his last name from Kohut to Kelvin, and completely abandoning any connection to Jewish social circles. He became a doctor, even though he didn't understand science. It wasn't until late in his career that he had an epiphany...realizing that his heart lay truly in the arts, not science. Traveling far and wide outside the United States, he experienced many different cultures. He developed a passion for the performing arts and photography and developed an interest in becoming an author. His varied travels abroad greatly expanded his appreciation of other ways of life. Inspired by the wanderings of both his parents and himself, he developed an urge to write his memoir, Urban Nomad, which was published in August 2022. Since retiring, he sees a world of people who need to respect each other. Mere tolerance is not going to be enough. Nationalism is rife and mutual respect is falling more and more under the gun. Suspicion, populism, and alternate facts increasingly rule the day. His intense curiosity about the cultures and faiths of the outside world led him to join the board of Center for Interfaith Cooperation. In conjunction with this organization, Embracing the World's Faiths came to be written. Freddie lives in Indiana with his wife, Anne, and their irrepressible dog, Sophie.
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