Interfaith Leadership: A Primer

by Eboo Patel

A guide for students, groups, and organizations seeking to foster interfaith dialogue and promote understanding across religious lines

In this book, renowned interfaith leader Eboo Patel offers a clear, detailed, and practical guide to interfaith leadership, illustrated with compelling examples. Patel explains what interfaith leadership is and explores the core competencies and skills of interfaith leadership, before turning to the issues interfaith leaders face and how they can prepare to solve them. Interfaith leaders seek points of connection and commonality—in their neighborhoods, schools, college campuses, companies, organizations, hospitals, and other spaces where people of different faiths interact with one another. While it can be challenging to navigate the differences and disagreements that can arise from these interactions, skilled interfaith leaders are vital if we are to have a strong, religiously diverse democracy. This primer presents readers with the philosophical underpinnings of interfaith theory and outlines the skills necessary to practice interfaith leadership today.

Genres: Religion, Theology, Nonfiction, Spirituality, College, Reference

208 pages, Paperback

Published July 5, 2016

About the author

Named by US News & World Report as one of America’s Best Leaders of 2009, Eboo Patel is the Founder and President of Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC), a Chicago-based organization building the global interfaith youth movement. Author of the award-winning book Acts of Faith, Eboo is also a regular contributor to the Washington Post, USA Today and CNN. He served on President Obama’s inaugural Advisory Council of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships and holds a doctorate in the sociology of religion from Oxford University, where he studied on a Rhodes scholarship.

Reviews

[Adam]

Pay no attention to the author's guidance on who this book is for. This book is for ANYONE who is interested in a religiously diverse democracy and pluralism. Thoughtful and thought provoking. I loved it.

[Katie Ruth]

Eboo Patel presents a logical and compelling outline of what it means to be a leader working at the intersections of different religious traditions. He defines an interfaith leader as “...someone who can create the spaces, organize the social processes, and craft the conversation such that people who orient around religion differently can have a common life together.” This theme of unity across differences is one that returns throughout each of the chapters as Patel takes us on a journey of understanding the theory and applicability of his approach.

The theory Patel presents behind the ideas of both “inter” and “faith” are important, particularly his point that the very same tools used to build interfaith bridges can and have been used as tools of harm. He models inclusion and respect for multiple religious traditions as a true interfaith leader throughout the book, and this is effective at helping solidify the message.

Patel clarifies that respect must be coupled with commitment to the common good. While this commitment is laudable, it still leaves me with a lot of questions. How do we determine what the common good is, what happens when religious thought is in conflict with the greater good, and at what point are we tolerating harm in the name of pluralism? At times it is unclear in the book if his goal is social change or pluralism - I think both terms are inextricable from each other and I would have liked to see him develop this more fully. With that said, this is an important book and I commend to all who work at the many intersections of religious and public life.

[Ryan]

While I've been involved with Patel's organization, InterFaith Youth Core, for some time and was already familiar with all of the principles in this book, I have given it five stars because it is an essential work for those who are wanting to get engaged with interfaith work and become an interfaith leader. While this book is intended as an introductory work for those interested in beginning this work, it could also be a good review for those who have been engaged in the work and need to be reminded of some of these core principles that will contribute to their success.
One of the things that I think is most beneficial about this book is how it makes the core principles of interfaith leadership relatable and relevant for everyone. Whether someone is a leader in a religious organization and is looking to lead or engage in interfaith initiatives, or whether someone just lives in a religiously diverse neighborhood and wants to get to know their neighbors and work with them to build a more harmonious community, this book is a great resource and instructional guide. I look forward to using this book in my Interfaith Leadership courses which I am about to begin teaching. It will be very useful for those who take the class as they go out into the world and assume such roles wherever they may be.

[David]

This was a book I really needed to read as Executive Director of Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES. I was so happy to find many of my own insights affirmed here, but so wonderfully organized and articulated. I’m new to this work in many ways and so appreciate deeply the longer, deeper experience of Eboo Patel. I was impressed by his scholarship, citing among others, Jeffrey Stout, whose class I was able to take at Princeton. Patel has read in areas not only of religious studies, but also In philosophy especially as it pertains to democratic practices, sociology and community organizing. He is a compelling storyteller, as well. The book is both accessible to a wide audience and is visionary about the kind of work that interfaith organizations can do. I give it a 5-star rating, which is the rating I give to essential books in my read library.

[Abigail]

This book is so important and it’s executed so well. Anyone who’s going to be involved in social issues needs to read this. Even if interfaith leadership isn’t a passion of yours, or you don’t think it necessary, trust me you’ll need many of the skills and stories in this book. It moved me so much, and as someone who had grown up with interfaith relationships as a major part of my life, touched me to read someone else advocate for how important it is.
The advice is incredible and extremely beneficial. The stories are powerful and moving (both to tears and anger). What else is there that you need to convince you to read a book?

[Taylor Emmaus]

Great resource for anyone entering into interfaith work, with some helpful frameworks and approaches for interfaith leadership skills and suggestions for activities. It also has some autobiographical information from the author about his own challenges and successes that I think would be beneficial for those just beginning to discover faith traditions outside their own.

[Jonathan Greer]

Solid book for those who are new to interfaith concepts and leadership ideas. I give it three stars not because it wasn't successful at its purpose, but because I found it remedial since I've read several other denser volumes on the same subject. A bit too much anecdotal and light on practice and theory in my opinion.

[Greer Rutt]

Incredible work! I appreciate how this book didn't take a universalist approach because he would have lost a lot of readers quickly. It was really helpful in my work as a chaplain at the moment in working with many different students on their own faith journey. Sometimes, it's hard knowing how to have these conversations respectfully and healthily, so this was a great introductory tool!

[Heidi]

One of the essential books for multi-religious and interfaith work.

[Betsy D]

Provides very helpful frameworks for thinking about and preparing oneself for interfaith leadership.

[Melanie Dahlstrom]

Patel is a genius

[Timothy White]

Even better the second time! A wonderful resource for aspiring interfaith leaders and for ones already on the journey.

[Tom Julius]

Who knew Patel is a Deadhead!

[Lilly Ruiter]

for religions class, learning on how to be an interfaith leader!

[Theresa]

A must for all religious and community leaders.

[Owen Cutler]

Other leadership books talk about what to do to improve yourself. Interfaith Leadership describes what to do to improve your community. Eboo Patel has such a great understanding of how to work with people of other faiths to create a better society. I loved hearing the myriad diverse examples of interfaith in action. I am excited to carry the ideas he presents in my leadership journey.

[Hogan]

Interfaith leadership and cooperation are essential, but Patel often disregards the factor that power plays in interfaith relationships, assuming that the metaphorical playing field is equal when relationships begin. This primer also leans deeply into a sense of nationalism that I feel harms the message Patel is trying to share. For a primer, its a good introduction, but it is limited in its willingness to engage with the real-world issues of interfaith cooperation.

[Bryan Burke]

I thought that this was a fantastic book. I have read it twice already and I have found it to be an invaluable resource. I was even able to introduce some of the tools and strategies that Patel suggested into the local interfaith organization of which I am a member.

[Melissa Greene]

Very informative and inspiring.

[Mills College Library]

201.5 P2952 2016