Why We’re Publishing “The World Is About to Turn”

You may have heard a little recently about an election. It seems the United States had an election that statistically was very, very, very close, with the presidential race unofficially separated by about 3% of the total vote margin. With a margin that tight, the division is clear. With the rhetoric ratcheted up to unprecedented levels on both sides, the animosity won’t clear up any time soon. The votes may be cast, but the work is just beginning.

As the publishing house of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), a faith tradition founded on the principle that people of different ideologies could and should worship the same God in the same places, Chalice Press walks that tightrope. Our social justice outlook is the same – we welcome everybody who wants to worship God, no ifs, ands, or buts. For some, those two concepts are difficult to reconcile, but we see the holy at work when we try to bridge differences, embrace God’s diversity, and work for the common good.

The World Is About to Turn arrived, it was a natural fit. Veteran authors and speakers, Rouse and Ingram crafted an American vision of interfaith, intercultural partnership, focused on shared values like justice, compassion, and humility, healing our wounded society. From there, a country that values diversity can again be the world’s moral and ethical leader.

“We are called to learn to know and understand our neighbors and to work together for their well-being,” they write. “We are called to work with them to overcome the obstacles and suffering they face, and to build justice and peace for all people and for God’s creation. We are called to overcome the isolation that separates neighbors from one another. Having heard the good news of Jesus Christ, we are called to live in hope and engagement, not fear and inaction.”

To be clear, this isn’t a diatribe against one political party or another, one faith tradition or another. America has been wrestling with the demons of division based on ethnicity and religion, certainly since 9/11 but going back much further to the World Wars. But we can’t go back in time and rectify those tragic decisions; we can only address the repercussions in our current society.

Rouse and Ingram pull from holy texts from many faiths and contemporary theologians to build a practical guide for dialogue and mutual understanding for leaders of congregations, synagogues, mosques, and more, creating pathways for transformative leadership. Those faith communities and their participants can take those lessons out into our communities, where we will all share in the much-needed, long-overdue healing.

All this may seem daunting; what good is a book that leaves you flustered by what to do next? That is certainly not the case here. Each chapter of The World Is About to Turn closes with discussion questions to help you connect what you’re reading with what you’re experiencing in your own faith journey. Best of all, the final chapter is a 10-step guide to keeping moving forward, a great way to make sure everybody is on the same page, focused on the same goal.

We know these are difficult times in so many ways. We are proud to share The World Is About to Turn because we believe Rick and Paul’s work will change the way you see the world around you and how you choose to engage in productive change. We hope you enjoy the experience.

Gratefully,
Brad