For 20 years, students, scholars, and activists have heralded Curtiss Paul DeYoung's Living Faith as an insightful resource for understanding the ways that faith and activism intersect.
DeYoung argues that certain types of religious experiences often animate highly impactful social justice leaders, who commonly discover their vision and reason for activism through their faith.
Now, Living Faith's 20th anniversary edition retraces the activist-faith trajectories of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Malcolm X, and Aung San Suu Kyi--luminaries each from a different generation, faith community, and continent. DeYoung's portraits continue to show how these activists' mystic faith remain relevant for today's generation--perhaps even more so. DeYoung's engaging narratives highlight how these mystic-activists embodied four ways of being that empowered their lives.
Plus, this expanded and revised edition examines the challenges that can arise for mystic-activists. In doing so, DeYoung continues to follow Suu Kyi's path and examines how a former activist for liberation can end up embracing the role of an oppressor. The new edition also adds fresh perspectives from 21st century mystic-activists, who often are informed by current issues and movements such as Black Lives Matter, climate change, and the Palestine-Israel conflict. DeYoung delivers compelling portraits that help readers better understand this generation's unique ways of intersecting with faith.
The concept of mystic-activists has been a defining one for understanding the ties between faith and social justice. Living Faith's new edition helps expand readers' understanding this dynamic. Students and scholars of religious studies as well as social and reconciliation movements as well as congregations and activists working for social justice will find that book as an insightful resource for leading and sustaining social change.
