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

Updated and Revised! Includes Glossary of Popular Religious Symbols We North Americans live in a remarkably diverse society, and it's increasingly common to be invited to a wedding, funeral or other religious service of a friend, relative or coworker whose faith is different from our own. These can be awkward situations ...What will happen? What do I do? What do I wear? What do I say? What should I avoid doing, wearing, saying? Is it okay to use a video camera? How long will it last? What are their basic beliefs? Will there be a reception? Will there be food? Should I bring a gift? When is it okay to leave? These are just a few of the basic questions answered in How to Be a Perfect Stranger. This easy-to-read guidebook, with an "Everything You Need to Know Before You Go" checklist, helps the well-meaning guest to feel comfortable, participate to the fullest extent possible and avoid violating anyone's religious principles while enriching their own spiritual understanding. For people of all faiths, all backgrounds. African American Methodist Churches Assemblies of God Baha i Faith Baptist Buddhist Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) Churches of Christ Episcopalian and Anglican Hindu Islam Jehovah s Witnesses Jewish * Lutheran Mennonite/Amish Methodist Mormon (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) Native American/First Nations Orthodox Churches Pentecostal Church of God Presbyterian Quaker (Religious Society of Friends) Reformed Church in America/Canada Roman Catholic Seventh-day Adventist Sikh Unitarian Universalist United Church of Canada United Church of Christ

Table of Contents:
Contents Foreword by Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell Preface by Sanford Cloud, Jr., Former President, The National Conference for Community and Justice Acknowledgments Introduction The "Everything You Need to Know Before You Go" Checklist 1 · African American Methodist Churches 2 · Assemblies of God 3 · Bahá'í Faith 4 · Baptist 5 · Buddhist 6 · Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 7 · Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) 8 · Churches of Christ 9 · Episcopalian/Anglican 10 · Hindu 11 · Islam 12 · Jehovah's Witnesses 13 · Jewish 14 · Lutheran 15 · Mennonite/Amish 16 · Methodist 17 · Mormon (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) 18 · Native American/First Nations 19 · Orthodox Churches 20 · Pentecostal Church of God 21 · Presbyterian 22 · Quaker (Religious Society of Friends) 23 · Reformed Church in America/Canada 24 · Roman Catholic 25 · Seventh-day Adventist 26 · Sikh 27 · Unitarian Universalist 28 · United Church of Canada 29 · United Church of Christ Glossary of Common Religious Terms and Names The Meanings of Popular Religious Symbols Calendar of Religious Holidays and Festivals Summary of Proper Forms for Addressing Leaders of Various Faiths

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. Arthur J. Magida is a freelance editor and author.

Review :
"The things Miss Manners forgot to tell us about religion." —Los Angeles Times "Finally, for those inclined to undertake their own spiritual journeys ... tells visitors what to expect." —New York Times “Deftly edited ... outstanding.... [A] well-researched guide to a significant understanding of many of today's religions.... Very strongly recommended.” —Midwest Book 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 “The central idea here is excellent.... A perfect gift.” —Publishers Weekly “Highly recommended.” —Library Journal “Invaluable.... Concise, readable and user-friendly.... Responds to a vital need.... Builds bridges between faith communities.” —Montreal Anglican “Should be on the bookshelves of anyone who has family members, friends or colleagues belonging to different religions.... Remarkably comprehensive.” —Interfaithfamily.com “[An] incredible resource.” —Messenger: A Guide for Life’s Adventure “[This] book couldn’t have come at a better time.... A welcome Stranger.” —Chicago Sun-Times “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