The world today is filled with angry voices, voices that often call for isolation and even violence against those who differ from us by race, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, or lifestyle. At the same time there are many voices that call for us to change, to make peace, to open ourselves up to others and hear what they're saying. Most of these voices bring religious arguments to bear on the issue.
Rev. Janice Springer goes a step, indeed several steps, further. She tells us how to reach out, how to pray, to interact, and indeed to change ourselves. This book provides a powerful approach to creating new, peaceful relationships and learning to live together while celebrating our differences and growing from them.
The book includes guides to study, exercises, and activities, and a sample program for a retreat. It is written from the perspective of the author's Christian ministry, but it is inviting and useful to those of other faith traditions as well.
Who will you invite to join you at the table?
Much has been written about the political divide in this country and our need to find ways of getting along with those who have ideas and perspectives that are radically different from ours. Janice Springer has given us a perfect opportunity to finally tell the truth and find our way. The title grabs us and invites us inside where Janice outlines the tools we need to make peace happen -- and it's not as hard as you might think. These tools come straight out of her Christian ministry but they apply to all of us of any faith tradition. Janice uses her own journey to demystify the work we all must do. Her honesty and openness give us hope that we can also succeed to find compassion over judgment and transform ourselves and our community. She not only shows us the tools, she shows us how to be gentle with ourselves as we practice and how to share these tools with others in our communities. We CAN become the change we want to see thanks to Janice Springer.
- Betsy Mulligan-Dague
Executive Director, Jeannette Rankin Peace Center
Missoula, MT
The eye-catching title of this intriguing book is a gracious invitation to honestly embrace the reality of plurality in our lives when considering relationships and diverse angles of vision on controversial issues. The simple, yet poignant message regarding human relationships is encapsulated in the theme of this work to: "Bless them - Change me!" It is inevitable that we will come into contact with people with whom we differ in thought, word or deed; hence conflict is inescapable. The author judiciously proposes ideas and activities that create the possibility for transformation of our attitudes and actions. She draws from diverse religious traditions to illustrate her concerns by providing inspirational quotations followed by penetrating questions to clearly and cogently impact her audience.
Her refreshingly personal, honest, and humble authenticity and transparency is evident throughout the book and lends credibility to what she writes. She candidly uses narratives from her own experiences and identifies the barriers created by prejudicial postures that knowingly or unknowingly result in human division. The centrality of relationships, the necessity of community, the power of forgiveness and acceptance are precursors to the inner transformation that leads to loving and accepting relationships. This book can be utilized in diverse settings and is immeasurably helpful for individuals and communities in creating accepting and loving relationships.
- Robert H. Albers, PhD
Distinguished Visiting Professor of Pastoral Theology (retired)
United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities
In her inspiring book, Janice Springer helps us understand and live by this testing prayer: "O God, bless them. Change me." This remarkable and transformative book provides ample hands-on activities and prayers on how to love in action and how to live respectfully with our "enemies" from the same faith or different faiths without feeling threatened by them.
This book is an essential reading for intrafaith and interfaith peacemaking and community building. Though it is written from the perspective of a devout Christian, it could be modified to other faiths as well, as long as the participants are willing to listen patiently, and cherish the others' stories.
- Dema Kazkaz
President
Masjid Al Noor Islamic Center, Waterloo, Iowa
