How to Be a Perfect Stranger (5th Edition)

The indispensable guidebook to help the well-meaning guest when visiting other people’s religious ceremonies—updated and revised. New edition!

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. Featured faith traditions include:

African American Methodist Churches • Assemblies of God • Bahá’í • 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

The indispensable guidebook to help the well-meaning guest when visiting other people’s religious ceremonies—updated and revised. New edition!

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. Featured faith traditions include:

African American Methodist Churches • Assemblies of God • Bahá’í • 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

Acknowledgments xi
Introduction xv
The "Everything You Need to Know Before You Go" Checklist xix
General Secretary, National Council of Churches 17
1 African American Methodist Churches 1
2 Assemblies of God 14
3 Bahá'í Faith 25
4 Baptist 36
5 Buddhist 46
6 Christian Church(Disciples of Christ) 58
7 Christian Science(Church of Christ, Scientist) 70
8 Churches of Christ 77
9 Episcopalian and Anglican 87
10 Hindu 100
11 Islam 110
12 Jehovah's Witnesses 124
13 Jewish 132
14 Lutheran 159
15 Mennonite/Amish 174
16 Methodist 191
17 Mormon (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) 203
18 Native American/First Nations 215
19 Orthodox Churches 227
20 Pentecostal Church of God 245
21 Presbyterian 258
22 Quaker (Religious Society of Friends)271
23 Reformed Church in America/ Canada 283
24 Roman Catholic 297
25 Seventh-day Adventist 309
26 Sikh 318
27 Unitarian Universalist 338
28 United Church of Canada 352
29 United Church of Christ 368
Glossary of Common Religious Terms and Names 382
The Meanings of Popular Religious Symbols 392
Calendar of Religious Holidays and Festivals 395
Summary of Proper Forms for Addressing Leaders of Various Faiths 401