Synopses & Reviews
In a world increasingly laden with unspeakable crimes against humanity all in the name of pious compliance, the lameness and lethal silence of the ecclesia are disillusioning. More is expected of religion. Does religion have the capacity, or more poignantly, does it have the will to counter the suppressive culture of obedience with the culture of moral courage and compassion? Can it motivate its disciples to shout 'No ' in the presence of killers of the dream?
from the Introduction
In this passionate meditation on the human condition, Rabbi Harold Schulweis challenges us to overthrow our current religious climate in which conscienceless obedience is honored and moral dissent condemned. He calls on religion to provide the resources needed to resist immoral authority, making way for courage and conscienceour responsibility to justice, compassion, and moral sensibilityto blossom.
Drawing from sacred texts, philosophical writings, contemporary literature and personal experience, Schulweis builds a foundation for conscience rooted in Jewish tradition. He draws on the actions of scriptural figures to illustrate acts of moral conscience not as defying God's will but as confronting divine authority with awe and respect.
Provocative, honest, and wisethese reflections of a great spiritual leader will lead you on a quest to find your own capacity for moral conscience.
Synopsis
At this critical moment in our nation's-and the world's-history, we are called sharply but lovingly to think in new ways about our moral and political behavior by Harold Schulweis, one of America's great spiritual leaders. Like the biblical prophets, he speaks to people of all faiths, all backgrounds in this call for renewal of conscience. A provocative book, it examines the idea of conscience and the role conscience plays in our relationship to law, ethics, religion, human nature and God-and to each other. From Abraham to Abu Ghraib, from the dissenting prophets to Darfur, he probes history, the Bible and the works of contemporary thinkers for ideas about both critical disobedience and uncritical obedience, illuminating the potential for evil and the potential for good that rests within us as individuals and as a society.
Synopsis
Questions religion's capacity-and will-to break from mindless conformity. Challenges us to counter our culture of obedience with the culture of moral compassion, fulfilling religion's obligation to make room for and carry out courageous moral dissent.