The Faith Club: A Muslim, a Christian, a Jew--Three Women Search for Understanding [NOOK Book]

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Overview


"Welcome to the Faith Club. We're three mothers from three faiths -- Islam, Christianity, and Judaism -- who got together to write a picture book for our children that would highlight the connections between our religions. But no sooner had we started talking about our beliefs and how to explain them to our children than our differences led to misunderstandings. Our project nearly fell apart."

After September 11th, Ranya Idliby, an American Muslim of Palestinian descent, faced constant questions about Islam, God, and death from her children, the only Muslims in their classrooms. Inspired by a story about Muhammad, Ranya reached out to two other mothers ...

See more details below

More About This Book

Overview


"Welcome to the Faith Club. We're three mothers from three faiths -- Islam, Christianity, and Judaism -- who got together to write a picture book for our children that would highlight the connections between our religions. But no sooner had we started talking about our beliefs and how to explain them to our children than our differences led to misunderstandings. Our project nearly fell apart."

After September 11th, Ranya Idliby, an American Muslim of Palestinian descent, faced constant questions about Islam, God, and death from her children, the only Muslims in their classrooms. Inspired by a story about Muhammad, Ranya reached out to two other mothers -- a Christian and a Jew -- to try to understand and answer these questions for her children. After just a few meetings, however, it became clear that the women themselves needed an honest and open environment where they could admit -- and discuss -- their concerns, stereotypes, and misunderstandings about one another. After hours of soul-searching about the issues that divided them, Ranya, Suzanne, and Priscilla grew close enough to discover and explore what united them.

The Faith Club is a memoir of spiritual reflections in three voices that will make readers feel as if they are eavesdropping on the authors' private conversations, provocative discussions, and often controversial opinions and conclusions. The authors wrestle with the issues of anti-Semitism, prejudice against Muslims, and preconceptions of Christians at a time when fundamentalists dominate the public face of Christianity. They write beautifully and affectingly of their families, their losses and grief, their fears and hopes for themselves and their loved ones. And as the authors reveal their deepest beliefs, readers watch the blossoming of a profound interfaith friendship and the birth of a new way of relating to others.

In a final chapter, they provide detailed advice on how to start a faith club: the questions to ask, the books to read, and most important, the open-minded attitude to maintain in order to come through the experience with an enriched personal faith and understanding of others.

Pioneering, timely, and deeply thoughtful, The Faith Club's caring message will resonate with people of all faiths.

For more information or to start your own faith club visit thefaithclub.com

Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble
At first, it seemed like a good idea. In the wake of September 11, 2001, American Muslim Ranya Idliby contacted a Christian woman (Suzanne Oliver) and a Jewish woman (Priscilla Warner), proposing that the three of them write a children's book on the commonalities of these major religious traditions. Almost from the start, their "faith club" meetings devolved into wrangling; as one reviewer put it, "more Fight Club than book club." The three women argued with each other and also with themselves; even faith itself was brought into question. Through sheer stubbornness, the women continued their sessions, candidly tackling their own and each other's stereotypes, misconceptions, and deep beliefs. The Faith Club stands as a monument to their persistence, a testament to their faiths, and evidence of the difficulties that lay ahead.
Naomi Harris Rosenblatt
The dialogue among the three friends comes across as genuine and thoughtful. They try valiantly to be frank with one another, which becomes easier as they learn to trust one another's motives and to respect each other's integrity…The conversations recorded in this book engage our attention as the women search out spiritual values common to all the three faiths and learn more about their own in the process.
—The Washington Post
More Reviews (1) Fewer Reviews
From The Critics
In the wake of 9/11, Idliby, an American Muslim of Palestinian descent, sought out fellow mothers of the Jewish and Christian faiths to write a children's book on the commonalities among their respective traditions. In their first meeting, however, the women realized they would have to address their differences first. Oliver, an Episcopalian who was raised Catholic, irked Warner, a Jewish woman and children's author, with her description of the Crucifixion story, which sounded too much like "Jews killed Jesus" for Warner's taste. Idliby's efforts to join in on the usual "Judeo-Christian" debate tap into a sense of alienation she already feels in the larger Muslim community, where she is unable to find a progressive mosque that reflects her non-veil-wearing, spiritual Islam. The ladies come to call their group a "faith club" and, over time, midwife each other into stronger belief in their own respective religions. More Fight Club than book club, the coauthors pull no punches; their outstanding honesty makes for a page-turning read, rare for a religion nonfiction book. From Idliby's graphic defense of the Palestinian cause, Oliver's vacillations between faith and doubt, and Warner's struggles to acknowledge God's existence, almost every taboo topic is explored on this engaging spiritual ride. (Oct. 3) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780743298629
  • Publisher: Free Press
  • Publication date: 10/3/2006
  • Sold by: SIMON & SCHUSTER
  • Format: eBook
  • Pages: 320
  • Sales rank: 27,615
  • File size: 332 KB
  • Items ship to U.S, APO/FPO and U.S. Protectorate addresses.

Meet the Author


Ranya Idliby was raised in Dubai and McLean, Virginia. She holds a bachelor of science from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, and earned her MS in international relations from the London School of Economics. She lives in New York City with her husband and two children.


Suzanne Oliver was raised in Kansas City, Missouri, and has worked as a writer and editor at Forbes and Financial World magazines. She graduated from Texas Christian University and lives in New York City and Jaffrey Center, New Hampshire, with her husband and three children.


Priscilla Warner grew up in Providence, Rhode Island, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, and spent many years in Boston and New York as an advertising art director, shooting ads for everything from English muffins to diamond earrings. Priscilla co-authored The New York Times bestselling memoir The Faith Club, then toured the country for three years, hyperventilating her way through an extended book tour. Finally, in the skies over Oklahoma, she vowed to find her inner monk, and began meditating her way from panic to peace.

Read an Excerpt


Preface

Meet the Faith Club. We're three mothers from three faiths -- Islam, Christianity, and Judaism -- who got together to write a picture book for our children that would highlight the connections between our religions. But no sooner had we started talking about our beliefs and how to explain them to our children than our differences led to misunderstandings. Our project nearly fell apart.

We realized that before we could talk about what united us we had to confront what divided us in matters of faith, God, and religion. We had to reveal our own worst fears, prejudices, and stereotypes.

So we made a commitment to meet regularly. We talked in our living rooms over cups of jasmine tea and bars of dark chocolate. No question was deemed inappropriate, no matter how rude or politically incorrect. We taped our conversations and kept journals as we discussed everything from jihad to Jesus, heaven to holy texts. Somewhere along the way, our moments of conflict, frustration, and anger gave way to new understanding and great respect.

Now we invite you into our Faith Club to eavesdrop on our conversations. Come into our living rooms and share our life-altering experience. Perhaps when you're finished, you will want to have a faith club of your own.

Copyright © 2006 by Ranya Idliby, Suzanne Oliver, and Priscilla Warner

Table of Contents


Contents

Preface

CHAPTER ONE In the Beginning

CHAPTER TWO A Muslim, a Christian, and a Jew Walk into a Room . . .

CHAPTER THREE The Abrahamic Family Feud

CHAPTER FOUR The Crucifixion Crisis

CHAPTER FIVE Stop Stereotyping Me!

CHAPTER SIX Could You Convert?

CHAPTER SEVEN Oh, Where Are You, God?

CHAPTER EIGHT Ranya's Madrassah

CHAPTER NINE The Promised Land

CHAPTER TEN Prayer

CHAPTER ELEVEN Rituals

CHAPTER TWELVE Intimations of Mortality

CHAPTER THIRTEEN Conversations with a Priest, an Imam, and a Rabbi

CHAPTER FOURTEEN A Day of Atonement

CHAPTER FIFTEEN Happy Holidays

CHAPTER SIXTEEN Facing Our Communities

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Awakenings

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN Faltering Faith

CHAPTER NINETEEN From Here to Eternity

How to Start a Faith Club

More Faith Club Questions

Bibliography

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Reading Group Guide

Summary

The Faith Club was started when Ranya Idliby, an American Muslim of Palestinian descent, recruited Suzanne Oliver, a Christian, and Priscilla Warner, a Jew, to write a children's book about their three religions. As the women's meetings began, it became clear that they had their own adult struggles with faith and religion, and they needed a safe haven where they could air their concerns, admit their ignorance, and explore their own faiths.

Ranya, Suzanne, and Priscilla began to meet regularly to discuss their religious backgrounds and beliefs and to ask each other tough questions. As the three women met and talked, there were no awkward silences — no stretches of time with nothing for them to say to each other. Honesty was the first rule of the Faith Club, and with that tenet as a foundation, no topic was off limits.

With courage, pain, and sometimes tears, Ranya, Suzanne, and Priscilla found themselves completely transformed by their experience inside the safe cocoon of the Faith Club, and they realized that they had learned things so powerful they wanted to share them with the rest of the world. This is their story.

General Questions

  1. How did the book's format (a three-way memoir written in first person) contribute to the overall feel of the book? At what points did the women write different versions of the same event? (One specific example can be found when Ranya confronts Priscilla about the Israel/Palestinian conflict, pages 129-138.) How does each woman's individual prejudices and religion color her interpretations of the discussions?
  2. How does each woman's role as amother influence the direction and tone of the Faith Club? Would the club have been different if it included both mothers and women with no children? How did the children play a role in the challenges to each woman's faith?
  3. To which woman did you most relate, and why? Was it the one you expected to when you began the book? If you identified with one of the women because you share her religious beliefs, did you agree with her presentation of your faith? What did you disagree with, and why?
  4. Much of the first half of the book deals with Suzanne's and Priscilla's struggles to define anti-Semitism and to confront their prejudices about the other's faith. Did you feel that Ranya was unfairly relegated to the role of "mediator" (p. 46), or did she welcome it? "For months, I had to bide my time patiently" (p. 126). Why do you think Ranya waited to bring up her own struggles with Suzanne's and Priscilla's faiths?
  5. On page 106, Ranya says, "The more that science unravels about the wonders of life and the universe, the more I am in awe of it." Do you think this combination of science and faith is realistic, or must one ultimately take precedence over the other?
  6. Suzanne's first sentence speaks of the "cozy, homogeneous community" at her Episcopal church. What is Priscilla's "comfort zone"? What is Ranya's? How does each woman step out of her individual cozy and homogeneous comfort zone, and in what ways does each of them remain there?
  7. On page 147, Priscilla wonders if worrying is "a form of gratefulness." What do you think she means by this? Does Priscilla's worry ultimately strengthen her faith? How does each woman show gratitude in her life and in her faith?
  8. On page 204, Craig Townsend tells Suzanne, "The opposite of faith is not doubt, it's certainty." What does he mean by this? Is doubt necessary for true faith?
  9. In Chapter 12, "Intimations of Mortality," the women discuss their differing views about death and the afterlife. Which understanding of death was most comforting to you? Which image of the afterlife was most comforting? Are they from the same religion?
  10. When Priscilla confronts Suzanne about her confession that she was uncomfortable being mistaken for a Jew, Ranya says, "She wouldn't want to be a Muslim either." Do you agree? Why or why not? Is Suzanne's discomfort an inevitable result of being a member of the majority, of "not [being] forced to accommodate [herself] to the culture, religion, or even friendship of minorities"?
  11. Ranya provides a vivid description of her own method of prayer on page 175: "My prayer is essentially a form of meditation in which I singularly apply my limited human physical capacity to try to connect with that omnipresent universal unknown force: God." (Suzanne's description of her prayer is on page 162; Priscilla's is on page 175.) How is each woman's method of prayer different? How is it similar? How do Suzanne's, Ranya's, and Priscilla's prayer styles reflect the differences and similarities in their childhoods?

Activities

  1. Before the meeting, visit the authors' website, www.thefaithclub.com, to explore viewpoints about your own and others' faiths. Use the Faith Club Guide in the back of the book to suggest journaling topics; have each member select a topic and bring in questions and reflections to share with the group.
  2. During the meeting, serve some of the food that Priscilla, Ranya, and Suzanne served at many of their Faith Club meetings. For example, you could serve hot chocolate and jasmine tea to your guests. And don't forget Priscilla's favorite — a variety of chocolate bars for a special treat!
  3. An important aspect of the authors' Faith Club is their visits to each other's places of worship. Schedule a weekend visit to your local mosque, synagogue, and church. If you can, set up a discussion with the imam, rabbi, or priest.

Reading Group Guide


Reading Group Guide

Summary

The Faith Club was started when Ranya Idliby, an American Muslim of Palestinian descent, recruited Suzanne Oliver, a Christian, and Priscilla Warner, a Jew, to write a children's book about their three religions. As the women's meetings began, it became clear that they had their own adult struggles with faith and religion, and they needed a safe haven where they could air their concerns, admit their ignorance, and explore their own faiths.

Ranya, Suzanne, and Priscilla began to meet regularly to discuss their religious backgrounds and beliefs and to ask each other tough questions. As the three women met and talked, there were no awkward silences -- no stretches of time with nothing for them to say to each other. Honesty was the first rule of the Faith Club, and with that tenet as a foundation, no topic was off limits.

With courage, pain, and sometimes tears, Ranya, Suzanne, and Priscilla found themselves completely transformed by their experience inside the safe cocoon of the Faith Club, and they realized that they had learned things so powerful they wanted to share them with the rest of the world. This is their story.

General Questions

  1. How did the book's format (a three-way memoir written in first person) contribute to the overall feel of the book? At what points did the women write different versions of the same event? (One specific example can be found when Ranya confronts Priscilla about the Israel/Palestinian conflict, pages 129-138.) How does each woman's individual prejudices and religion color her interpretations of the discussions?
  2. How does each woman's role as a mother influence the direction and tone of the Faith Club? Would the club have been different if it included both mothers and women with no children? How did the children play a role in the challenges to each woman's faith?
  3. To which woman did you most relate, and why? Was it the one you expected to when you began the book? If you identified with one of the women because you share her religious beliefs, did you agree with her presentation of your faith? What did you disagree with, and why?
  4. Much of the first half of the book deals with Suzanne's and Priscilla's struggles to define anti-Semitism and to confront their prejudices about the other's faith. Did you feel that Ranya was unfairly relegated to the role of "mediator" (p. 46), or did she welcome it? "For months, I had to bide my time patiently" (p. 126). Why do you think Ranya waited to bring up her own struggles with Suzanne's and Priscilla's faiths?
  5. On page 106, Ranya says, "The more that science unravels about the wonders of life and the universe, the more I am in awe of it." Do you think this combination of science and faith is realistic, or must one ultimately take precedence over the other?
  6. Suzanne's first sentence speaks of the "cozy, homogeneous community" at her Episcopal church. What is Priscilla's "comfort zone"? What is Ranya's? How does each woman step out of her individual cozy and homogeneous comfort zone, and in what ways does each of them remain there?
  7. On page 147, Priscilla wonders if worrying is "a form of gratefulness." What do you think she means by this? Does Priscilla's worry ultimately strengthen her faith? How does each woman show gratitude in her life and in her faith?
  8. On page 204, Craig Townsend tells Suzanne, "The opposite of faith is not doubt, it's certainty." What does he mean by this? Is doubt necessary for true faith?
  9. In Chapter 12, "Intimations of Mortality," the women discuss their differing views about death and the afterlife. Which understanding of death was most comforting to you? Which image of the afterlife was most comforting? Are they from the same religion?
  10. When Priscilla confronts Suzanne about her confession that she was uncomfortable being mistaken for a Jew, Ranya says, "She wouldn't want to be a Muslim either." Do you agree? Why or why not? Is Suzanne's discomfort an inevitable result of being a member of the majority, of "not [being] forced to accommodate [herself] to the culture, religion, or even friendship of minorities"?
  11. Ranya provides a vivid description of her own method of prayer on page 175: "My prayer is essentially a form of meditation in which I singularly apply my limited human physical capacity to try to connect with that omnipresent universal unknown force: God." (Suzanne's description of her prayer is on page 162; Priscilla's is on page 175.) How is each woman's method of prayer different? How is it similar? How do Suzanne's, Ranya's, and Priscilla's prayer styles reflect the differences and similarities in their childhoods?

Activities

  1. Before the meeting, visit the authors' website, thefaithclub.com, to explore viewpoints about your own and others' faiths. Use the Faith Club Guide in the back of the book to suggest journaling topics; have each member select a topic and bring in questions and reflections to share with the group.
  2. During the meeting, serve some of the food that Priscilla, Ranya, and Suzanne served at many of their Faith Club meetings. For example, you could serve hot chocolate and jasmine tea to your guests. And don't forget Priscilla's favorite -- a variety of chocolate bars for a special treat!
  3. An important aspect of the authors' Faith Club is their visits to each other's places of worship. Schedule a weekend visit to your local mosque, synagogue, and church. If you can, set up a discussion with the imam, rabbi, or priest.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating 4
( 44 )

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  • Posted December 26, 2009

    faith?

    While each of the authors are religious and identify with a certain faith (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam), not one was active in their faith. They may have gone to church or the mosque but it didn't seem like any was actually involved in a relationship with their God. I was expecting to hear about their personal relationships and walks with God, but all I heard was traditions. This should be called "Religion Club" not "Faith Club." All it did was irritate me that I could have read a book on each individual religion and experience the same knowledge.

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 28, 2011

    0 stars

    DO NOT READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Awful book!!!!!!!!!!!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted April 26, 2010

    HATED THIS SO MUCH I COULDNT FINISH IT! HORRIBLE, INACCURATE, STEREOTYPED

    As an American Muslim who's name is also Ranya, I was intrigued at the idea of this book. But not even 1/2 way into it, I could no longer continue. Ranya Idliby needs to get her facts straight. She flat out misquoted the Quran, gave incorrect facts and was very weak/shallow in her religion. I am not that religious, I dont wear a head scarf or anything but even I was outraged. I know several Jewish women who also hated this book saying Pricilla was very sterotyped and a horrible portrayal of a Jewish woman. DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY! Just talk to your friend's to get the inside scoop on different cultures/religions...you'll learn more that way!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted October 4, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    Three brave women cross barriers, educate and inspire!

    I was asked to read this and lead a bookclub at my church. At first I was put off by the oversensitivity and whining of the main characters, but as the book progresses, they begin to confront their assumptions, challenge themselves and each other, and grow as friends and human beings. Lots of new information about each religion is included, which serve to educate the reader as well, as we begin to question our own stereotypes around people of other faiths. I felt I had important insights about the point of view of someone from another experience than my own, and I grew fond of these brave, tenacious women, who wouldn't stop trying to find common ground or come to a place of respect and appreciation for each other's beliefs! I love the way the book is organized, alternating transcripts of recordings from their actual meetings in real time, with look-back commentary from three perspectives. A quick and easy read, and made for a very lively discussion at the book club. If EVERYBODY read this, there would be a lot more harmony between neighbors of differing faiths, and a lot less misinformation circulating! And there are ample materials included to help readers who wish to follow their lead and form their own Faith Club discussion groups. Well worth the time and effort.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 11, 2008

    Faith 'less' Club

    Where is the 'faith' in the faith club? Disappointing from a 'religious' stand point. Interesting women, kind women, caring women -- but none of them except for Ranya have any idea on what it means to have 'faith' in their religion. Most disappointing is the Christian author - what a sell out - she folded to the others thoughts and ideas and didn't stand on her own two feet on what Christianity is all about. Very disappointing. I was left feeling cheated at the end..I thought each would strongly stand for what they believed instead of the 'new age' feeling I came away with.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 20, 2008

    Setting the record straight

    I was really looking forward to reading this. It seemed so promising. However, I need to clear something up. Judaism DOES believe in the afterlife. We call it the World to Come, and it will happen when the Messiah comes. I was upset that such incorrect information was allowed to be included in this book. I did learn a lot about Islam, which was positive, but towards the end, I felt like the book took a more political stance, rather than a spiritual or religious one. I'd love to be able to contact Priscilla and talk over Judaism issues. I don't really want to recommend this book, due to its misinformation concerning Judaism.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted August 10, 2007

    disappointed with the entire book

    I was so thrilled with the idea of this book, I waited and waited for it to come out so that I could read it.I love the idea and get the point, but I already know bible stories. I wanted to hear passion and read a great story of faith. This was bible stories and he said she said stuff. I was very sad, I quit half way through the book.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 15, 2006

    The Faith is Worth Joining

    I¿d like to recommend to you a book I¿ve just read. The Faith Club arose out of the rubble of 9-11, as three young mothers living in New York City ¿ a Muslim, a Christian, and a Jew ¿ agreed to meet together to discuss their differing faiths and how they might learn to live together in peace. They could not have imagined what was in store for them. At a minimum, it meant hours of gut-wrenching, painful, honest self-disclosure, as they explained to each other, as best they could, what they believed and why, and as they challenged each other with the obvious ambiguities and inconsistencies of their different faith perspectives. It also meant a lot of personal growth as, through the process of interfaith dialogue ¿ and we¿re talking about a period of over two years here ¿ the women grappled with what they really believed, as opposed to what they had always been taught ¿ and as they seriously considered the faith and understanding of each other. No holds were barred. They talked openly and honestly about everything you can imagine: The Christian understanding of Jesus¿ crucifixion and whether or not the Jews were to blame the Jewish claim to a Promised Land and what that meant for Palestinians the suspicion that all Muslims are terrorists-in-waiting, versus the fact that the majority of Muslims are as peace-loving as everyone else. Out of their dialogue, the women came to appreciate and accept each other as individuals who share a common humanity and a common quest for peace, albeit from different faith perspectives. More than that, they came to love each other, and that love helped them bridge the gap between their different religious traditions. What I appreciated most about The Faith Club is its raw, often brutal, honesty. Here are three women who are willing to let you in on their often down and dirty efforts to come to grips with each other. What I found myself struggling with was the often simplistic way in which the women were able to resolve fundamental differences of religion by stressing such commonalities as their love of God, generally, while, for example, ignoring the critical issues of such Christian beliefs as the Incarnation and the Atonement. But, to be fair, the authors never claim to be theologians, and that may be the most compelling reason to read the book: It doesn¿t seek to answer all your questions about Islam, Judaism or Christianity, and it doesn¿t pretend to offer a panacea about how our differences can be resolved rather, it offers a first-hand look at how three women from these differing religious perspectives found, through the process of interfaith dialogue, a better understanding of themselves and each other, and how people of differing faiths can live in peace and harmony in love with each other. I recommend the book highly. Whether, in the end, you agree or disagree with their conclusions, you¿ll be enriched by their journey of faith.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 2, 2012

    Recommended for those who appreciate ALL religions.

    If you are secure enough in your own faith in God, and open minded enough to believe your own religion isn't the center of the universe, and that all religions are equal paths to God - then you'll enjoy this book.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 21, 2011

    Most eye opening book ever

    This book is a must read! This will either change your way of thinking about different people or you are to cold hearted to care. We all share a common element...we are human!

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  • Posted May 4, 2011

    Do not waste your time or money!

    If you have trouble sleeping at night, just pick up this book, you will be out in no time! I loathed this book. There is no story line, there is nothing to make you want to read this book. It is 300 pages of three women talking on and on and on. The three women came from three different religions, but none of them had any kind of faith in their religions and they had no idea what they were talking about. The Jewish woman did not know if she even believed in God and the Christian woman wanted to be on both sides of the fence sort of speek, she wanted a God but when it was convenient for her. The Muslum woman did not know what she believed. I was so disappointed because at the end, the Christian woman decided that she "hopes there is a God." (You have got to be kidding) And then turns into a Universalist. She was more worried about offending the other two women, than she was about practicing Christanity. She was a Fraud! Do not bother with this book. Spend your time and money on something else worth reading.

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  • Posted October 6, 2010

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    By Far The Most Life Changing Book I've Read This Year

    When I first saw this book, I was immediately sold. I picked it and refused to leave without it. I love learning about religions and I was intrigued by the idea of the three monotheistic religions coming together and trying to understand each other.
    From beginning to end, I was hooked. I would read a chapter and stop for a day or two to really get the full impact of it. These women were incredibly brave and through their quest to find similarities, they found that they grew individually in their own faiths as well as growing together and embracing all three.
    It truly is an inspirational read and I recommend to every one who has ever had a small inkling of interest in these three religions.

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  • Posted October 7, 2009

    I Also Recommend:

    They Began With a Goal to Learn About Each Other's Religions - Ultimately They Grew into Intimate Friends and Grew Stronger in Their Respective Faiths

    I won't repeat what other reviewers have written. I merely add my observation that these three women met regularly, over coffee/tea and baked goodies, taking turns hosting the meetings in their homes. They had some tense moments as they questioned and answered one another about their beliefs. But in the end, I believe, they grew to value each other's friendship so highly that it enabled them to get past the tensions. Instead of merely viewing one another as spokesperson for a particular religion, they became to each other the embodiment of a "person living a life of faith" in the best and truest sense of that phrase. Reading the book was like seeing an illustration of the growth of three souls from learning the tenets of a theology, to experiencing the character of the living Creator of All Things. I highly recommend this book to women who are members of, or who want to understand better, any of the three faiths discussed in "The Faith Club."

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  • Posted August 1, 2009

    This book had me from the beginning. It was a quick very thought provoking read.

    This book was so good that I have recommended it to my women's book club at church and it is our current reading selection. It was originally recommended to my by someone whose opinion I value which is why I purchased it.

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  • Posted July 4, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    Educational and informative of the three religions

    I would feel so lucky to have three intelligent friends to discuss religion. This book enthralled me to the point that I thought I was there having coffee with those ladies. We need more books on the subject of the different religions. I was brought up a Christian and married a Catholic. Both religions gave me faith and a feeling of belonging. After I was divorced I did not go to church, but now have returned to a non-denominational church. The Faith Club brings up many questions and makes one wonder why did this separation of faiths happen.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted June 13, 2009

    educational

    I applaud these ladies for their candor and honesty as they dealt with the differences in their religions. The book becomes a lesson in tolerance for all who read it as well as an education in these religions. The reader cannot come away unmoved.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted June 13, 2009

    Definitely recommend

    Frankly, I thought this would be kind of a dopey book. But I loved it! I thought I knew a bit about these faith traditions, but I learned something about each of them. And I've given it as a gift to four different people, all of whom love it as well.

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  • Posted April 26, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    Inspiring and educational

    I love this book. I was looking for answers as to the similarity between Jewish, Islam and Christianity. This book was a great introduction into the three religions and how they are misunderstood by our own prejudices (even the ones we don't realize we have). It is a wonderful conversation between 3 women of different faiths. You get to not only hear the conversation but you get to see into the intention, thoughts and history behind what is said. It is really educational and inspiring.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted November 15, 2008

    Genuine and honest

    I loved this book and plan to give it as a gift too. These women are honest and inspiring. I think every woman should read this because they will be moved to open their minds and hearts to those who they don't think they have anything in common with. They will realize that their likenesses are much bigger than their differences.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 9, 2008

    Thought Provoking

    I became part of the book's conversation immediately. I understood what these women were exploring and I respected their committment to their project. Listening to their questioning, as well as following the ups and downs of their deepening trust and friendship, offered intelligent/insightful conversation. It made me think. This book positively elevates 'girlfriend conversation' to topics not normally discussed at lunch or dinner. The Reading Group Guide at the back of the book provides a basic structure for book clubs. The How to Start a Faith Club 'also at the back of the book'may inspire others to open a dialogue with their neighbors, etc. Paulette Millander

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