The Witness of Religion in an Age of Fear

by Michael Kinnamon

We live in a world driven by fear. But should we allow fear to play such a large role in our lives? According to the religions of the world, the answer is no.

In this helpful and illuminating book, Michael Kinnamon challenges readers to consider why we find ourselves in this age of fear and what we can do about it. Drawing on support from a diversity of religious traditions and teachers, Kinnamon argues that religious faith is the best way to combat a culture of fear. He explores fear in relation to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the American political scene, and he shares courageous examples of individuals from different religions working for peace.

Perfect for individuals or group study, this book helps readers understand the manipulative power of fear and how religious beliefs call us to reject fear at all costs. A study guide is included.

Genres: Religion

122 pages, Paperback

Published March 10, 2017

Reviews

[Clumsy Storyteller]

“The enemy is fear. We think it is hate; but it is really fear.”― Mahatma Gandhi

Great short book

ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Julianna]

Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" The Witness of Religion in an Age of Fear is another one of our church book club picks, and one that is very timely in its subject matter. Fear in our society has been on the rise for quite a while now, and it only seems to have been exacerbated by the recent presidential election. While some fears are legitimate, others, when looked at critically, are not. Eg. A recent study found that nearly half of Americans are very or somewhat fearful that they or someone they love will become the victim of a terrorist attack, when in reality, this risk is fairly minuscule. One is exponentially more likely to drown in a bathtub, die in a car accident, or get struck by lightening, statistics that are detailed in the book. One thing that the book points out that I wasn’t too surprised by is that studies have shown this high level of fear seems to primarily be a US phenomenon. While people in other countries have fears, too, they tend to exhibit less fear than Americans despite sometimes being at higher risk for certain situations. Another example is the recent Ebola outbreak, which had Americans freaking out, when it was the people in the affected countries or the surrounding areas who should have been the most fearful.

The author breaks his book into five chapters, the first of which takes a look at the rising culture of fear in America, which helps to put things in perspective. In many cases, it’s politicians who are fear-mongering, making constituents afraid of what might happen if they don’t elect a certain person to office. The media is also largely to blame, because, let’s face it, reporting of bad news – a form of fear-mongering – draws viewers and/or readers, which means more money for the various news outlets. The instant availability of news via social media doesn’t help matters either. So, what is to be done about this rise in fear? That’s what this book tries to answer, at least with regards to people of faith. The author examines the role religion can play in easing fears and how the faith community can help spread this into the wider world. One chapter is devoted to Judeo-Christian teachings since these two religions are so closely intertwined. Then the next chapter explores other religions, primarily Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. The author endeavors to explain each religion’s teachings on the subject of fear. I found it quite interesting that all of them have a similar focus on not fearing people or things that are happening in the world, but only to fear God (in the sense of awe or reverence). This served to show me that we actually share beliefs in common with our brothers and sisters of other faiths if we take the time to look for those things. The author then discusses the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a real-world example of the ways in which fear can take root and affect adversaries on both sides. Finally he wraps up with ten practical recommendations for ways faith communities “can model a world without fear by refusing to live in fearful isolation from one another.”

This is a very short book with less than 100 pages of actual text. The remaining 25 or so pages cover a study guide for small groups and end notes. In spite of its brief length, this is a rather dense book that took me longer than average to read. This is because I had to focus my attention more fully as I was reading it. Some places seemed a bit more philosophical and harder to follow, which is why I knocked off the half star, but I fully acknowledge that this isn’t necessarily a bad thing and that it might have just been me being overtired while reading those parts rather than a weakness of the book. Overall, this was a great read that can really challenge faith communities and people of faith to live out their religion’s teachings on overcoming fear if they can open their hearts and minds enough to accept this challenge. I fully agreed with all of Rev. Kinnamon’s suggestions for faith communities, and the idea that we, as people of faith, need to be leading the way in dispelling fear rather than encouraging it by marginalizing others for any reason. However, I can say that it’s probably going to be an uphill battle to convince my fellow persons of faith who harbor a certain mindset to get on board with these recommendations. Despite that, it won’t stop me from trying to make a difference in my little corner of the world and beyond when the opportunity arises, and I hope that other persons of faith will follow suit in promoting peace, understanding, and freedom from fear, so that we can live more emotionally healthy and productive lives.

[Robert D. Cornwall]

People are afraid. Fear has its benefits. It keeps us alert to danger. But too often fear and its partner, anxiety, take hold of our lives in dangerous and destructive ways. People today are afraid of any number of things, including changing demographics, religious others, economic uncertainty, terrorism, and the list goes on. We've become a rather phobic world. The question is -- will religion be a purveyor of fear or a force for calming our fears?

Michael Kinnamon, retired from being the Executive Secretary of the National Council of Churches and a Disciples of Christ theologian, has written a brief but deeply insightful book that shows how religion can be a force for good in an age of fear. He begins his book with a call to action. He notes that our society is "saturated with fear." This fear is "out of proportion to the actual threats we face" (p. ix). As I write this review, the President of the United States has turned in a budget request to Congress that is all about fear. It puts most of the nations eggs in the baskets of the military and homeland security. The budget has the look of a movement toward the creation of a "national security state." Fear of the other, especially immigrants and people whose religion is different from the majority, is running rampant. It can be "good" for some forms of politics, but not for the common good of the nation or the world.

With this in mind Kinnamon issues a call, as a Christian, "to interfaith engagement in the United States" As such, he suggests, rightly so, that "we need to relearn our teachings about fear and to make these teachings known, alongside neighbors who adhere to other faiths" (p. x).

When we talk about fear, we need to recognize, as Kinnamon does, that there are legitimate forms of fear, but we cannot become paralyzed by wrongheaded fears, especially fears that have no basis in fact. At the same time, recognizing that religion at its worst often contributes to fear-mongering, he invites us to embrace our better angels, offering not only comfort, but also "a word of challenge for those who manipulate fear to their own advantage or who succumb to such manipulation" (p. 5). In making his case, he notes that this is a prescriptive, not descriptive book. He wants to help us find those resources, so we can become a bulwark against fear and its corollary -- anxiety.

The book begins descriptively, laying out the picture of the culture of fear that dominates America today. He points to the "politics of fear" that has taken root, as seen in the success of anti-immigrant and anti-refugee efforts. In addition, we are seeing the development of what one observer calls the "fear industrial complex." He notes that as a result, we spend $500 million dollars per victim of terrorism, but only $10,000 per cancer death. The problem is this, fear of terrorism has distorted our political decision making. As this happening, we are socializing our children in the context of a culture of fear. That does not bode well for the nation. While there are valid reasons for people to be anxious, the problem is that fear and anxiety have become the primary lens through which we view the world.

That is chapter one. It lays the groundwork for what is to come. When we come to chapters two and three, we are introduced to ways in which religion can help us respond to fear. In the Bible, the one to fear is God, and by fear is meant reverence or awe. Such fear has ethical components -- not fear of punishment, necessarily, but the desire to please God by acting appropriately with regard to the others. He suggests, coming from a Christian or Jewish perspective, that anxiety results from trusting in the wrong things. Following the chapter on Jewish and Christian responses, Kinnamon takes us on a tour of responses rooted in other faith traditions, including Baha'i, Sikh, Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu. Taking a lead from Gandhi, who draws from Hinduism, Kinnamon writes that "Only those who are free from fear themselves can effectively lead a reviving nation" (p. 63). The point that he makes in these two chapters is that the religions of the world have sufficient resources to enable us to work together to challenge the fear-mongers in our midst, and point to a better way. Of course, this will require us to know our own traditions and begin the process of engaging one another, crossing barriers that we too often erect out of fear of the other.

Separation is a major contributor to fear. If we don't engage with people who are different, then it's easy to be afraid. To illustrate this point, Kinnamon draws our attention to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Without taking sides in the conflict, Kinnamon notes how the separation barrier, erected in order to "protect" Israeli citizens has only increased the level of fear and anxiety on both sides of the wall. Fear has become a barrier to peace. He suggests this is true for three reasons. First, fear freezes our belief about the causes of conflicts and the nature of the other, which keeps us from considering new possibilities and new information. He writes that "fear does not diminish the desire for information; rather, it affects the kind of information people choose to absorb" (p. 73). Second, it causes parties to be overly cautious and risk-averse, preventing the parties from seriously engaging with the other. Third, fear leads to hostile attitudes and actions toward the Other. The separation barrier has solidified these attitudes, making peace all the more dificult.

Kinnamon concludes the book with ten recommendations.Noting that the book is "a call to renewal," he wants us to understand that at our best, religions have a message that challenges the culture of fear. The teachings of these religions aren't identical, but they have sufficient commonality on this issue to help us join together to be a force of peace in an age of fear. The ten recommendations can be divided into two equal parts. The first five recommendations speak to what individual communities can do on their own. That is things like teaching about what the tradition says about fear and responding to it, as well as being intentional in our congregations about creating space to share and discuss our fears. The fifth recommendation is an essential one, for Kinnamon suggests that we make "welcoming the stranger a key part of the identity of ouir religious communities." That is, a true spirit of hospitality needs to be cultivated. The second five, focus on things we should do together, across religious lines. That starts with "seeking regular, constructive interfaith relationships." He notes that too often we know people of another faith as colleagues or fellow students, but not as people of faith. It involves joining together to speak with one voice against fear-mongering. The tenth recommendation involves turning our attention from fear to hope. Of course, as Kinnamon notes, hope is not the same as optimism, unfortunately in this current culture of fear, even optimism is uncool. Hope, unlike fear, looks forward to the future. That is what Kinnamon would have us do. Looking forward, will we the future be defined by fear? Will we, three decades from now sill be suspicious of the other? Or will we be telling a different story?

My hope is that we will be telling a different story. It won't be easy. The forces of fear are strong, but they not define us. So we come back to the point of the book -- will religion be a force for fear or hope? Kinnamon believes that a core value of the major religions is a message of hope that tells us to be afraid. That is my hope as well.

This is a brief book -- under 100 pages in length. It's not a difficult read. It is an important read, however. To get us started on the conversation within our own communities, so we can discover these resources, Kinnamon has created a study guide. May the conversation begin!

[Adam Ogg]

This is a short, helpful read. I'm always a little suspicious when we talk about any religion's "usefulness" or the way religion "contributes" to society, because then religion becomes a means to an end, when religions make slightly stronger claims. Talking about religion from the outside can often miss talking about religion on that religions terms.

This book does take other religions seriously, mostly interacting with Judaism and Christianity. He mines the different religions very quickly for the ways in which they can speak about "fear".

As a Protestant, I found his use of Thomas Aquinas to be fascinating and quiet helpful.

[Steve]

This short monograph is superlative.

Kinnamon unpacks the current roots of our fear amid a time of abundant security. Using both quantifiable research and divergent religious traditions, he examines American's sky high levels of fear even amid devout religious traditions which tell the faithful to "fear not."

The first chapters are an examination of the current state of American life. Americans exist in a culture terrified of things with almost zero chance of happening while ignoring the abundance of positives. Connected, he notes how the drive for greater security leads to ever increasing levels of paranoia and expense to glean security. He notes, "Those who make security their goal will never have enough." This assertion is finely documented as correct.

At the same time, he notes the paradox of how virtually all the major faith traditions are based on a refusal to fear - whether that fear is of others, of power or even death. A strong spirituality is also a strong antidote to fear, for those willing to live prophetically and joyfully see God as the ultimate holder of the soul.

That does not mean he suggests one should never fear nor that there are serious things in life one should fear. Fear, he would note, is a gift that keeps us from doing stupid and painful things. However, the vast majority of fear in American culture is manufactured by a few who push it into irrationality. For example, look at the huge expense we make for "airport safety" while the odds of dying while driving on the highway are exponentially higher.

The weakest part of the book is a somewhat overly detailed exposition into world religions. It's not bad, but not nearly as clear and exciting as the rest of the book.

It's short, reasonably easy to read, chock full of good data, suggestions for dialog and thoughtful questions.

[M Christopher]

As noted on the back cover of this slim paperback, Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon "is one of the most widely respected leaders and scholars of the ecumenical movement." He also has substantial bona fides in interfaith work. So when he sets out a course of action for the Church, the Synagogue, the Mosque, and other religious communities to follow in helping the world to cast off what seems to be a smothering blanket of fear, readers would do well to pay attention.

One can hardly scan the headlines and op-ed sections of any major newspaper, listen to broadcast news, or dip into social media without becoming aware of just how pervasive fear is in the developed world. Whether it is fear of the other (racism, sexism, hetero-normativity) or its denial, fear of climate change or its denial, fear of pandemic disease or its denial, the whole world seems caught up by fear. And yet, every major religion, Dr. Kinnamon points out, speaks strongly against allowing fear to dominate our lives.

This is, essentially, the third book on this subject, all written by authors I know and respect, that I have read in the past 18 months. I hesitate to compare them, as all three are very much worth reading, but Rev. Dr. Kinnamon's may nose out the others thanks to his excellent final chapter of "Recommendations for Religious Communities" and concluding study guide for small groups. Those make this book an excellent choice for book groups, religious education gatherings, and the like.

If you are wondering how you can rise above the climate of fear and help others to do the same, this book is highly recommended.

[Jeanie]

Out of 122 pages, Netgalley only provided the first 14, so in lieu of that information, it makes it difficult to access what his message is about and how it affects the gospel. Kinnamon encompassed all religions in how fear is used to oppress the masses. So the question becomes does fear oppress or does it warn and what I have read in the short 14 was not sufficiently answered but it gave food for thought that fear is greatly used in politics, the media, and social media to divide and conquer.

In my own mindset, fear only divides when not used to bring people together to solve injustice. When blame is the driving force, fear follows. The topic interests me so if netgalley and the publisher is willing, I would be willing to read the rest of the text.

A Special Thank you to Netgalley and Westminster John Knox Press for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

[Susan]

Excellent book - I read it for our Lenten book club at St. Paul's Cathedral. The author came to speak. We read it in small groups meeting at individual homes. The discussion of fear in society and the role of religion in that equation is compelling. The accompanying questions provided food for thought in our group. Best was the author's prescription for combatting fear- communication and dialogue with those or about which one fears.

[Steve]

An amazing read! Michael Kinnamon hits a timely target with a timeless message about the power of faith over fear.