How to be a Perfect Stranger

Stuart M. Matlins is founder, editor-in-chief and publisher of Jewish Lights Publishing and SkyLight Paths Publishing. Both imprints focus on religion and spirituality from a broad non-denominational perspective. He is author or editor of several books, including the best-selling How to Be a Perfect Stranger: The Essential Religious Etiquette Handbook (SkyLight Paths); The Jewish Lights Spirituality Handbook: A Guide to Understanding, Exploring & Living a Spiritual Life (Jewish Lights); The Perfect Stranger's Guide to Wedding Ceremonies: A Guide to Etiquette in Other People’s Religious Ceremonies; and The Perfect Stranger’s Guide to Funerals and Grieving Practices: A Guide to Etiquette in Other People’s Religious Ceremonies (both SkyLight Paths).Stuart was the 2014 recipient of the Abraham Geiger Medal, an award recognizing outstanding service to religious pluralism, and the 2006 recipient of the American Jewish Distinguished Service Award, an annual presentation of Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion. He was a member of the First Catholic/Jewish Lay Conference at the Vatican in October 2007, an event under the auspices of the Interreligious Information Center.Among his many speaking appearances, Stuart has been the scholar-in-residence or guest lecturer at the National Funeral Director’s Association convention, Temple Isaiah (Palm Springs, CA), The Jewish Center of the Hamptons (East Hampton, NY), Temple Sholom (Plainfield, NJ), Israel Congregation (Manchester, NH) and at the annual gatherings of the Jewish Community Centers Association and the Jewish Outreach Institute. He also has been a featured speaker or panel member at many Book Expo America conventions, and at the biennial Festival of Faith and Writing at Calvin College, as well as at churches and other conferences.Before publishing took over his life, he was a management consultant for over thirty years as a managing partner with Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc. and then heading his own consulting firm.He is the cofounder of an innovative synagogue in Woodstock, Vermont, with his wife, Antoinette Matlins, and served as lay spiritual leader for nineteen of its twenty-one years. He has served for over twenty years on the Board of Governors of Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion, and was chair of the Board of Overseers of its New York School. He is widely recognized as a leader in the spiritual transformation of Judaism in our time.Stuart is listed in Who’s Who in America.Arthur J. Magida is a freelance editor and author.

"The things Miss Manners forgot to tell us about religion."—Los Angeles Times"Finally, for those inclined to undertake their own spiritual journeys ... tells visitors what to expect."—New York Times“Deftly edited ... outstanding.... [A] well-researched guide to a significant understanding of many of today's religions.... Very strongly recommended.”—Midwest Book Review“Enables the stranger to hold fast to the integrity of their own tradition while stepping onto someone else's holy ground.... Concise, informative and eminently practical.”—Rev. Christopher Leighton, executive director, Institute for Christian-Jewish Studies“The central idea here is excellent.... A perfect gift.”—Publishers Weekly“Highly recommended.”—Library Journal“Invaluable.... Concise, readable and user-friendly.... Responds to a vital need.... Builds bridges between faith communities.”—Montreal Anglican“Should be on the bookshelves of anyone who has family members, friends or colleagues belonging to different religions.... Remarkably comprehensive.”—Interfaithfamily.com“[An] incredible resource.”—Messenger: A Guide for Life’s Adventure“[This] book couldn’t have come at a better time.... A welcome Stranger.”—Chicago Sun-Times“Highly recommended....We encourage all people of faith to read it, refer to it often and use it as their guide when visiting other communities of faith.”—Rev. Ken Brookner Langston, director of education, The Interfaith Alliance“Enables strangers to be better neighbors in a global community.”—Prof. John L. Esposito, director, Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown University“You’ll never again feel uncomfortable attending services of a religion not your own, after reading this wonderful book.”—Rabbi Jack Bemporad, director, Center for Christian-Jewish Understanding, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, Connecticut

• ContentsForeword by Rev. Dr. Joan Brown CampbellPreface by Sanford Cloud, Jr., Former President, The National Conference for Community and Justice AcknowledgmentsIntroductionThe "Everything You Need to Know Before You Go" Checklist1 · African American Methodist Churches2 · Assemblies of God3 · Bahá'í Faith4 · Baptist5 · Buddhist6 · Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)7 · Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist)8 · Churches of Christ9 · Episcopalian/Anglican10 · Hindu11 · Islam12 · Jehovah's Witnesses13 · Jewish14 · Lutheran15 · Mennonite/Amish16 · Methodist17 · Mormon (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)18 · Native American/First Nations19 · Orthodox Churches20 · Pentecostal Church of God21 · Presbyterian22 · Quaker (Religious Society of Friends)23 · Reformed Church in America/Canada24 · Roman Catholic25 · Seventh-day Adventist26 · Sikh27 · Unitarian Universalist28 · United Church of Canada29 · United Church of ChristGlossary of Common Religious Terms and NamesThe Meanings of Popular Religious Symbols Calendar of Religious Holidays and Festivals Summary of Proper Forms for Addressing Leaders of Various Faiths