In this second book by Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori, she explores issues and challenges of deep concern to the Episcopal Church, the wider Body of Christ, and the world at large. Arranged thematically, her essays reflect on the travel, issues, people, and passions that have driven the first three years of her primacy. She places particular emphasis on the Millennium Development Goals, plus the turmoil within the Anglican Communion and the Episcopal Church in the United States.
Excerpt:
“Beware of religious leaders who are unwilling to serve the greater good, who insist that God loves only some, or who say that a portion of humanity is not worthy of respect or dignity. That is a hamstrung and limping version of the great dream of shalom, salaam, or shanti (the Sanskrit word for peace). As in the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr., we seek a world in which all children can grow and play together, unconcerned by those accidents of birth or life that others see as all-defining. We seek a world where the poor hear good news, the ill are healed and the hungry fed; where prisoners are forgiven, set free, and restored to community; where no one studies war any more. We seek a world in which the systems that maintain some in servitude or slavery are abolished, where all have the minimal right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But even more, we seek a world where all have the right to full and abundant lives at peace with their neighbors.”
"Katharine Jefferts Schori is an extraordinary figure, and this is an extraordinary book. In clear and compelling terms she preaches the Gospel and offers a vision of service that is rooted in, but not exclusive to, the Christian tradition. This is a journey worth taking." —Jon Meacham, editor of Newsweek, bestselling author, and commentator on polictics, history, and religious faith in America.
“In this collection of pioneering addresses, the presiding bishop points the Church away from ecclesiastical self-absorption to the world beyond its walls. By encouraging the Church to ‘think bigger,’ she provides clear direction for an expansive mission of justice and healing.” —John C. Danforth, former U.S. Senator, Episcopal priest, and author of Faith and Politics.
“This is a splendid collection of addresses and sermons . . . Katharine Jefferts Schori uses elegant language, arguing her points cogently and persuasively, her chief reference point being the Millennium Development Goals, to speak eloquently about God’s Kingdom of shalom, justice, and compassion, when we will know war no more, disease, and hunger, and poverty will have been eradicated because we are sisters and brothers in one family and these awful things are an abomination. My admiration for her has grown after reading these pieces.” —Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peach Prize-winner and retired archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa
