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