"Bruce Feiler is Inspiring Me"
Wednesday, July 11, 2007

From a Christian blogger on WALKING THE BIBLE:

The first interesting thing I noticed about the book was that across the pages opposite the bindings it has JEWISH AUTHOR written in black, permanent sharpie. It struck me as amusing, mostly because they're still important to us too. But anyway...

So this guy spent three or something years of his life visiting all of the places we can locate in Genesis through Deuteronomy. And, what I think makes it the coolest is that he is a Jewish author and speaks so much of his spiritual connection to these places. I'm not sure that a Christian author/writer would focus nearly so much on the significance and connection to these places in the Middle East.

Feiler's account of being at these places and having them bring the Bible stories to life is absolutely inspiring. He started with the purpose of learning about where the Bible took place, purely as an archaeological and academic endeavor. But so far he continues to speak of his awe at visiting the geographic locations and how they give stories so much more meaning and give him a greater understanding of the people, their situations, and how they speak to us in contemporary society.

One really cool theme he explores through all of this is what we learn about the Bible and its stories through literal critique, archaeological exploration, and scientific knowledge.

Labels: Bruce in the Media

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Me and the Brad Pitt of Muslim Commentators
Wednesday, June 27, 2007

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Join an Online WALKING THE BIBLE Discussion
Monday, June 11, 2007

My emails suggest lots of people are looking for WALKING THE BIBLE discussion groups. Here's your chance to join one online:

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WALKING THE BIBLE Podcast
Monday, June 4, 2007

Dear Podcast Fans (including, it would seem, my Dad!) Dick Staub has made available a podcast of an interview I did with him a few years ago when WALKING THE BIBLE was first published. To download the interview, click here. The summary:

An encore presentation of The Dick Staub Show Interview with the irrepressible Bruce Feiler about his breakthrough bestseller. Last time I saw him was in a grocery store in Brooklyn with his wife and two kids! “Walking the Bible: A Journey by Land Through the Five Books of Moses is the story of Bruce Feiler’s 10,000-mile trek from Mount Ararat to Mount Nebo, undertaken for reasons he did not understand at the outset and accompanied by a companion who was very nearly a stranger…during his journey, Feiler’s previously abstract faith grew more grounded…The lessons he learned about the relationship between place and the spirit will be useful for readers of every religious tradition that finds its origins in the Bible.”

To see a picture of the supermarket where we ran into each other, click here.

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Me on NPR
Thursday, May 31, 2007

I did a fascinating one-hour interview on Thursday on the wonderful Minnesota Public Radio show "Mid-morning Live." The host took the conversation in unexpected bur continually interesting directions. To hear the interview, click here. The summary:

Author Bruce Feiler explores modern day Biblical lands and the landscape of faith. He talks about his journeys to Israel, Iran, Iraq and how his travels drew him away from structured religion.

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Five Questions About Religion for Every Presidential Candidate
Thursday, May 24, 2007

God is in the air these days, and He's threatening to take over the presidential campaign. Mitt Romney was asked on "60 Minutes" whether he obeyed Mormon dictates against premarital sex. Rudy Giuliani was asked whether his stance on abortion makes him a bad Catholic. The entire Republican field was asked whether they were against evolution. Expect the death of Jerry Falwell to provoke more questions about the role of the Religious Right in the GOP.

While Republicans notably are on the defensive about religion, Democrats are on the offensive: Barack Obama is claiming to be part of the "Joshua Generation" leading blacks into the Promised Land. Hillary Clinton is singing spirituals. John Edwards boasts how often he prays.

But while this God primary may be a welcome break for a media bored by benchmarks and 10-point plans, candidates' personal theologies are not the point ("Madame Candidate, how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?"). The real issue is how would-be Presidents understand the religious challenges facing the world today and how those beliefs might influence their decisions in office.

With that standard in mind, here are five questions about religion that all candidates should be asked.

1. Do you believe Jews, Christians and Muslims all worship the same God? George W. Bush answered this question affirmatively in 2004 and was heaped with brimstone by the Religious Right. Today, given events in Iraq and Iran, and fears of terrorism, anti-Muslim sentiment in America seems even higher - yet any attempt to address these issues depends on our ability to work cooperatively with the Muslim world.

2. With religious issues dominant in the world today, wouldn't our children be more prepared for the 21st century if our schools taught them about religion? The 1963 Supreme Court decision that outlawed using the Bible for religious purposes in schools explicitly stated that teaching religion in a nondenominational way was allowed. Teaching children to live and work with those who disagree is a defining challenge of the new century.

3. Do you believe that Israeli settlers have a God-given right to the West Bank? American politics has seen a curious alliance between Israel-loving Jews and evangelical Christians - like Falwell - who believe Jewish residence in Israel is a precondition for the return of Jesus. Yet peace in the region depends on dismantling some settlements. Which voters are more important: Those who believe God should help determine the fate of Israel, or those who fault Washington's reluctance to push for a two-state solution?

4. Given the Bible's role over the years in defending slavery, repressing women and justifying violence, can you pledge that you will keep it out of policy decisions? American history shows that advocates on all sides of major debates cite the Bible to support their position, rendering it almost meaningless. Maybe the time has come to purge the Bible from policy debates entirely.

5. Do you believe liberty is God's gift to mankind, and that it's America's obligation to spread this blessing to the rest of the world? President Bush evoked the spread of God's freedom when going into Iraq but balked at doing the same in Darfur. President Bill Clinton intervened in Kosovo but failed to see a greater plight in Rwanda. Perhaps the most important question about God in politics today is whether Americans wish to see our struggles with religion played out on an international stage.

The Constitution says that "no religious test" shall be required as a qualification for office. But given the platitudes served up by politicians, perhaps it's time for a real exam.

This article originally appeared in the New York Daily News.

Labels: Bruce in the Media, Politics in America, Religion in America

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What Do I Have in Common With Billy Graham and Rick Warren?
Friday, May 18, 2007

This blog post says we can't be quoted in academic papers.

Hopefully, neither students nor scholars would quote sermons or devotional texts to try to support an academic case. Henry’s commentary belongs in this category. In the post mentioned above, Jim West also panned Rick Warren. For some reason, Jim has an irrational hatred for Rick Warren, but he’s right to say that Rick Warren shouldn’t be quoted in academic papers; the same goes for T.D. Jakes or Bruce Feiler or Billy Graham or Lee Stroebel or Josh McDowell or Philip Yancey or any of the authors popular in evangelical bookstores. Some of these guys may be great homiletical/devotional writers, some less so (and some may produce outright dreck), but they’re not academics, and their books are not good sources for academic papers. From this point of view, citing Matthew Henry in an academic paper is a category mistake, like wearing a Mavericks jersey to a Cowboys game.

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The God Primary
Wednesday, May 16, 2007

My take on the real questions we should be asking every candidate for president. From today's New York Daily News:

God is in the air these days, and He's threatening to take over the presidential campaign. Mitt Romney was asked on "60 Minutes" whether he obeyed Mormon dictates against premarital sex. Rudy Giuliani was asked whether his stance on abortion makes him a bad Catholic. The entire Republican field was asked whether they were against evolution. Expect the death of Jerry Falwell to provoke more questions about the role of the Religious Right in the GOP.

While Republicans notably are on the defensive about religion, Democrats are on the offensive: Barack Obama is claiming to be part of the "Joshua Generation" leading blacks into the Promised Land. Hillary Clinton is singing spirituals. John Edwards boasts how often he prays.

But while this God primary may be a welcome break for a media bored by benchmarks and 10-point plans, candidates' personal theologies are not the point ("Madame Candidate, how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?"). The real issue is how would-be Presidents understand the religious challenges facing the world today and how those beliefs might influence their decisions in office.

With that standard in mind, here are five questions about religion that all candidates should be asked.

To read the questions, click here.

Labels: Bruce in the Media

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Paperback Row
Monday, April 23, 2007

From "Paperback Row" in Sunday's NYT:

WHERE GOD WAS BORN: A Daring Adventure Through the Bible’s Greatest Stories, by Bruce Feiler. (Harper Perennial, $14.95. ) In his books “Walking the Bible” (2001) and “Abraham” (2002), and again in “Where God Was Born,” Feiler — accompanied by an Israeli archaeologist — visits biblical sites throughout the Middle East, rereading the scriptural episodes that took place there.

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"If You're Reading This I'm Probably Dead"
Tuesday, April 3, 2007

A blogger, "Random Thoughts and Nonsense," reviews WHERE GOD WAS BORN:

I picked this up at the airport bookstore on the way back from the More Light Presbyterians winter board meeting in Santa Fe. I like to find reading material at airports sometimes -- the selection is limited, and sometimes I'll find something that I wouldn't have picked up otherwise. I'm often suspicious of books on the bestseller list, which is probably a sign of my intellectual snobbery (I grew up in a trailer park and went to a public university, so go figure), and also tend to roll my eyes at books that tend to pander to the fluffy religiousity of some parts of the evangelical movement. So it seemed like I might be taking a chance on this book on Biblical history from the ABQ book mart.

This turns out to be a great read. Feiler, an American Jew, is interested in the relationship between the stories in the Bible, and the places where those stories took place, and the people who live there now. He has written two earlier books which look at Abraham and the first five books of the Bible, and the intersections between Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. This book focuses on the prophetic texts of the second half of Hebrew testament, and follows his journeys to Israel, Iraq, and Iran.

At times the book reads like a journalistic adventure yarn, other times like a starter course in old testament theology or biblical archeology. Himself a fairly secular Jew, Feiler encounters people with deep faith and a strong connection to the places where the live and the history of those places.

The moments that made the strongest impact on me are the contrasts between his preparations for leaving for Iraq and Iran, and what he finds in both places. Given the danger for an American Jew in Iraq, Feiler doesn't take his wife with him, and pens a "If you're reading this I'm probably dead" note which he hides in case he doesn't return. His wife does accompany him to Iran, and they both fall in love with the land and the people there. I found these portions especially eye-opening, as much of the history of this part of the world is mostly unfamiliar to most Americans.

I've decided to read the rest of these, although I'm a contrarian so I'll read them in reverse order.

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Is Obama a Prophet? Does Hillary Have a Jewish Problem?
Friday, March 30, 2007

A reminder that there is still time to watch the diavlog (that's a special, web-only television chat) I did with Bob Wright at bloggingheads.tv on God in the 2008 election, the rise of Iran, and "Is Osama bin Laden the new Martin Luther?" After a few days, I'm pleased to report that the grilling I was taking in the comments section has lessened somewhat.

Here's a list of the topics:

Will (growing) Islamophobia sink Obama? (07:02)

Bruce: `Obama is running as a prophet' (09:07)

Obama's Jewish problem (and Hillary's) (05:52)

Bob to Dems: Easy on the God-talk! (08:50)

Mormonism's (and Romney's) weirdness problem (03:28)

Sunni vs. Shia or state vs. state? (13:27)

Is there an 'Islamic Reformation'? Is that good? (22:05)

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Mrs. Feiler Faster: In the Land of Veils and Hostages

A former Christian preacher and blogger, Mike Barker, posted this thoughtful review of WHERE GOD WAS BORN:

I recently finished WHERE GOD WAS BORN by Bruce Feilor (ISBN 0060574879). Feiler's purpose in this book is to write about people and places in the Bible while in those places. Thus he writes three large sections on David in Jerusalem, Abraham in Iraq, and Esther in Iran. I was drawn the potent mixture of Feiler's writing about matters of the Bible and travel. In a sense he reminded me of the incredible travel books by Robert D. Kaplan, who has traveled and written extensively around the world. While I love the things of Robert D. Kaplan that I have read, Bruce Feiler brings to the table an added dimension. Feiler writes in a manner that clearly conveys he is a spiritual person, while at the same time in a manner which shows him attempting to delve deeper into the history of his faith, and how time and circumstances have molded that faith.

Feiler melds matter of theology, finely wraught descriptions of potently relevant locales, and history and current geo-politcal events into a very fine first-person narrative. As such, theologians, travel buffs, historians and poli-sci majors will all find the book sadly wanting. I however, was captivated by the subjects, theology and insights. Though he probably does not consider himself a theologian, Feiler articulates some mighty fine points about Christianity, Judaism and Islam; twenty years after giving up my preaching orders, I found several insights that were imminently "preach-able." In focusing on three such enigmatic characters in the Bible, Feiler has put his finger on an important truth: the people most of us embrace as paragons of our faith not only had their faults, but could even be thought of as really poor models for generations of faithful persons. And writing so intimately about people he has met over several years of travel and writing, reminds me that the great cloud of witnesses up in heaven might be better thought of as a enveloping fog in my own Swannanoa valley.

I was able to visit Israel and Jerusalem in the late 1980's so I could appreciate Feiler's writing about that city. Very, very few people have been to Iraq, especially in the aftermath of 9/11 and the US war in that region. So Feiler's writing about Bahdad and Ur were wonderfully eye-opening for me. The fact that he found a committed and articulate Army chaplain to dialogue with was a bonus. Finally, Iran has for nearly two generations been an utterly shrouded place for us all. Feiler made it in (with his wife no less) and reveals vast treasures, and incredibly heart-wrenching losses, in the land of veils and hostages.

I count myself a deeply devoted Christian, but at the same time hold my faith and its sacred book with an odd mixture of adoration and suspicion. I found in this book the writings of a kindred spirit, I think. feiler seems at once keenly aware of his place in the world and in his faith tradition and at the same time not at all afraid to take it on and ask the big questions. The book had several incredibly poignant moments, but ultimately was full of hope for people journeying torward deeper faith, for those who seek peace, and for those who know there is more to the people in the history of our faith than what we read about them and their homes in the Bible.

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If Obama is a Prophet Does that Make Hillary a King?
Monday, March 26, 2007

Discuss. Actually, I did!

I participated in a novel, maybe even cutting-edge blogosphere phenom this weekend. My friend Bob Wright, author of The Moral Animal, polymath, and former columnist for The New Republic, runs a site called blogginheads.tv that allows two bloggers to appear side-by-side in an unedited and unrehearsed conversation about, well, whatever, but usually current events. The site was made popular by Bob's conversations with Mickey Kaus, also a friend of mine and author of the famed Feiler Faster Thesis, based on a theory I mentioned to him one night many years ago and that prompted the name of this blog. (And, yes, sooner or later I'll explain the story behind both. Actually, I do in the diavlog with Bob.)

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Caleb's Dad on WALKING THE BIBLE
Wednesday, March 14, 2007

I stumbled onto another blogger who said some nice things about my work. People write me letters that say similar things, I'm pleased to say. These letters have been the best thing about having a website, until I started this blog. But reading them on a blog is a different experience. I still don't know quite what to make of it, but I am certainly grateful for his nice thoughts. Here's just the opening paragraph:

One of my "new" favorite authors is Bruce Feiler. A little over a year ago I picked up his book Walking the Bible and was really taken by his insights and personal spiritual journey. I am not concerned that he does not express "faith" as it classically might be understood, and I am not threatened by the musings about the discussion about how our understanding of God may have developed as a cultural phenomenon over time (I actually think that God has revealed himself over time and in the midst of relationships and culture). Having never journeyed the lands of the Middle East myself I particularly enjoyed Bruce's adventure. In fact, I ended up buying the PBS documentary Walking the Bible as well, along with the picture book.

He goes on to purchase ABRAHAM and keep on reading. Thanks, and good luck with your new boy Caleb (due in May). I love that name!

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"Take This Walk"
Thursday, March 8, 2007

The blogger Cipriano sent me this link to a review he wrote of WALKING THE BIBLE, from his blog "bookpuddle, splashing around in books. " It's called "Take This Walk" and here's how it closes:

Walking the Bible is a profoundly enlightening, rewarding read. I highly recommend Feiler's book to all readers interested in the subjects of the Middle East and Old Testament biblical interpretation, in general. I liked his style and approach so much that I went and purchased his Learning To Bow: Inside The Heart of Japan, and am currently waiting for the slightest excuse to open that first page, and go walking….

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Lost Tomb of Jesus?
Thursday, March 1, 2007

I appeared on the NPR show "Here and Now" to discuss the Jesus tomb controversy on Thursday. Here's the description on the website: The claim that Jesus wasn't physically resurrected is made in the new James Cameroon documentary which will air on the Discovery Channel this coming Sunday. The film "The Lost Tomb of Jesus" says the burial boxes discovered in this tomb years ago are inscribed with the names "Jesus", "Mary," "Mary Magdalen," "Matthew," "Joseph," and "Judah." It also claims that Judah was the son sired by Jesus and Mary Magdalen. We speak with journalist Bruce Feiler about this claim.

To listen to the interview click here. To see me discuss the show on CNN, click here. To see me debate the director on CBS, click here.

Labels: Biblical Archaeology, Bruce in the Media

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"The Bloody Mix of Politics, Violence, and Faith"
Tuesday, February 27, 2007

A little update on what's happening around here. As many of you know, I've been inundated with media requests for comment about the new documentary purporting to have found the tomb of Jesus. To follow how the controversy unfolded on Feiler Faster click here, here, and here. I appeared on CNN last night, ABC's "Good Morning America" this morning, and, in what turned out to be a somewhat heated exchange, with the director himself, live, on the CBS "Early Show" this morning. Put it this way: At the end of our conversation, he stormed out of the studio without saying goodbye. Please check back a little later, when I hope to have a video of some of these appearances.

In the meantime, I have to leave for the airport for Louisville, where I'm giving a talk tonight, and to Dallas, where I'm giving a talk tomorrow. For details, click here. The paper in Louisville ran a wonderful piece this weekend.

Growing up in Chicago, my only exposure to farming was the Farm in the Zoo and for many years I thought that every farm in America had one cow that lived in the stall next to the one goat that lived in the stall next to the one pig, and so on. Similarly, my early years in Sunday school gave me the impression that Abraham lived next to Solomon who lived next to Esther who lived, if not next to King David, at least in the next village.

Bruce Feiler's books have, thankfully, driven out all remaining notions I may have had as a child that everything in the history of all religions happened in the same place at the same time by skillfully, artfully and frequently poignantly walking me through what the German philosopher Karl Jaspers termed the Axial Age -- the years between 800 and 200 B.C., when the relationship between God, faith and reason were born.

In his early writing career, Feiler took us into the worlds of circuses, scholars and singers before he began writing about the Bible and the Middle East. His first two books in this series, Walking the Bible and Abraham were written prior to 9/11. This sequel, however, is much more than an engrossing biblical travelogue. In Where God Was Born, Feiler carries us beyond history and into his personal spiritual exploration, confronting the same ambiguities about the role of religion in his life that many of us face today.

As we are drawn into his physical journey of discovery, the larger theme of the book becomes clear. His search for actual biblical locations with a map in one hand and a Bible in the other becomes a metaphor for the truth that the bloody mix of politics, violence and faith that form the core of these biblical stories create an uncanny prism through which we can see what is happening today.

As violence in the name of faith threatens to imperil our world, Where God Was Born is an enlightening way to explore the question of whether religion is just a source of war, or is it also a way to help bring about world peace.

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The Bible is a Moon Rock
Wednesday, February 21, 2007

I'm a bit late in linking to this. But here is an excerpt of a piece that appeared in the Florida Sun-Sentinel about an appearance I made there recently. It begins: "Bruce Feiler treats the Bible like a moon rock -- a rare, touchable sample of another world. And one that can change your outlook. 'Almost everyone I know who has done been to the desert has felt a powerful connection between the land and the stories,' says the author of the best-seller Walking the Bible. 'Whether you've been to the Holy Land 25 times or never, and see a rock in the exhibit, you're there.'"

Feiler, 42, has apparently stumbled onto a red-hot demand by American readers: background on holy writ that doesn't push a theological agenda.

He first saw that need in 2001 with Walking the Bible, his account of his 10,000-mile trek to the sites of the big events of the Torah: Eden, Ararat, the Red Sea, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem -- "real stories in real places," as he told a Fox News interviewer.

Feiler followed up in 2002 with a book on Abraham, then in 2005 with Where God Was Born: A Journey by Land to the Roots of Religion, looking up locations for the likes of David and Joshua. He also hosted a PBS miniseries last year on Walking the Bible, a special now out on DVD.

But he thinks more than rock-solid certainty is at work in the popularity of his work. He says it's also the freedom to voice doubts about the literal truth of the Bible stories, even as he visited the sites -- like Kaumah, Iraq, the traditional site of Eden -- to check them out.

"Most people who speak about religion do so from a position of certitude; they either feel they have it, or that they should have it," says Feiler, who attends a synagogue in Brooklyn. "It was hard for me to write about my struggles. But people have given me the most e-mail on that -- thanking me for talking about doubt."

He doggedly believes that the battle is being won for interfaith understanding, whatever it may look like day to day. On the ground level, he notes a lot of anger over Islam, both by and at Muslims. But at "30,000 feet," progress is visible, he says.

One example: the criticism of Pope Benedict XVI for his verbal attacks on Islam. "Popes have attacked Islam for 500 years, but no one objected. That's what popes did. Now there's a blowback.

"A hundred years ago, America was called a Christian society. Fifty years ago, people started calling it a Judeo-Christian society. After 9-11, people realize we live in an Abrahamic society, that we have to bring Islam into the conversation.

"The day-to-day struggles are messy, but the long term struggle is being won."

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Blurbee-In-Chief
Monday, February 19, 2007

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Colbert Ice Cream

Stephen Colbert goes frozen!

Note: To see the video of me on The Colbert Report, click here.

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"I Saw You on C-SPAN"
Sunday, February 18, 2007

Over the years, of all the remarks I've heard about how people discovered my work (The TODAY Show, Good Morning America, CNN, NPR, TIME, the remainder bin at the bookstore), by far the most common has been, "I heard you on C-SPAN." BookTV is a Godsend for authors, and for readers. Everyone who watches it believes they are the only one. But they are many, and they are loyal, and I, for one, am extremely grateful. As I once remarked to one of the cameramen, who at this point has filmed me so often that he could give my speeches, every time I'm on C-SPAN one of my books goes into another printing.

Today, C-SPAN2 re-aired an interview I did with Brian Lamb about ABRAHAM back October 2002 (it aired in December of that year). It's somewhat legendary in my family because near the end Brian asked me if I was married. I answered, truthfully, "No." At the time, I had been dating the future Mrs. Feiler Faster for about a year. This was the second time we had dated for a year, the previous time ending in a break-up that had last a year itself. (I know that's hard to follow, but it's early Sunday morning with crying twins...) Anyway, Brian asked me the question, and C-SPAN didn't exactly seem like the time or place to rehash my dating history. But when my future mother-in-law watched the interview and saw the answer, she was on the phone with my future wife within seconds lambasting me, how I wasn't serious about her, how she never wanted to see me again, ad infinitum like one of those C-SPAN callers who gets cut off by the host.

What neither of them knew is that a few days after the show eventually aired, I had plans to whisk the future Mrs. Feiler Faster off on a plane to an undisclosed location to propose to her. The storm became so heated that, for a time, I considered calling Brian Lamb and asking him if he would record a short statement for my mother-in-law in his wonderful deadpan way. I still regret that I never did that, but the logistics would have been too complicated to pull off in a matter of days. And when I heard that they were going to re-air the show this week, after the president mentioned on C-SPAN this week that he had just read the book, I wanted to reach out to Brian again. I immediately teased my now mother-in-law about all of this --she's actually visiting this weekend -- and she actually didn't remember for a minute or two! I take that as a sign of progress.

Notes: To watch the program, click here. If you're new to the site, read the story of the origin of this blog here. To download the materials about hosting an interfaith "Abraham Salon" mentioned on the show, click here. To send me (or my mother-in-law) an email, click here.

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UPDATE: Me on C-SPAN2 Sunday at 11 AM
Saturday, February 17, 2007

C-SPAN2 is carrying live coverage of the Senate debate on the Iraq resolution (the Senate defeated a measure to vote on the matter, a victory for the GOP). As a result, the interview I did with Brian Lamb that was scheduled to air today was pre-empted and will now re-air, according to a scroll on the screen, at 11 AM on Sunday, February 18th. That's this weekend. For more information, click here.

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Me on C-SPAN2 Saturday at 2:30 PM
Friday, February 16, 2007

As readers of Feiler Faster know by now, President Bush was asked on Monday what books he had been reading lately. Here's what he said.

Well, I just finished a book called Abraham," by a guy named Feiler. And it's a really interesting book that studies the prophet Abraham from the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim perspective. And the lesson is, is that if you -- you can look at Abraham as a unifying factor. In other words, all three of our -- all three of those religions started from the same source, which means it's possible to reconcile differences. And I was impressed by his writing. I really enjoyed the amount of study he did on the subject. And I appreciated his lessons that sometimes as each religion appropriated Abraham to suit their own needs, but, ultimately, we could view Abraham as a way to find a common God.

He mispronounced my name (saying Feeler not Filer). Anyway, there has been lots of interesting fall-out from this, but one unexpected result is that C-SPAN will re-air an interview I did with Brian Lamb about ABRAHAM on Booknotes this Saturday at 2:30 pm on BookTV. Here's the description on the website.

On Saturday, February 17 at 2:30 pm

Abraham: A Journey to the Heart of Three Faiths

Bruce Feiler

Description: Bruce Feiler was a guest on Booknotes to talk about his newest book, "Abraham: A Journey to the Heart of Three Faiths." In writing the book, the author explored the modern Middle East in order to better understand the region that Abraham lived in, hundreds of years ago. Mr. Feiler argues that Abraham is the central religious figure in whom Judaism, Christianity, and Islam find their origins. The author also makes the claim that in order for those three religions to better understand each other's differing viewpoints, they need to better understand Abraham. In an interview conducted by C-SPAN on Monday, February 12th President Bush stated that he just finished reading the book.

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When the President Blurbs Your Book ...
Wednesday, February 14, 2007

I'm going to have a lot more to say about this later, but suffice it to say that we're all still abuzz around here about this unexpected bouquet I received from the White House yesterday.

Apparently he mispronounced my name, saying Feiler as "Feeler" not "Filer," but who cares?!

Update: And one consequence already. C-SPAN's BookTV is going to reair a Booknotes interview I did with Brian Lamb a few years back about ABRAHAM this Saturday, February 17th, at 2:30 PM EST.

Please check back for more news about this soon!

Labels: Bruce in the Media, Interfaith Relations

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The Power of Place

The reaction to the Speaking of Faith broadcast on Abraham has been enormous. Thanks for all your letters and emails. Here's a story on the web that really touched me, from a blogger who identifies himself as a "twenty-something Baptist minister":

I already knew that my feelings for home were that of a love/hate nature. I already knew that geographical place could hold great power in human ties and relationships, not to mention culture and religion. I also knew that the ties I have to the Appalachian Mountains of Southwest Virginia are strong ones. I hadn’t realized how strong they are, however, until this past Sunday evening, during my one-hour-twenty-minute drive home, listening to Bruce Feiler on the radio. I began crying while Feiler, author of, “Abraham: A Journey to the Heart of Three Faiths,” talked about the power of place. More specifically, he was talking about the power of place in the three great monotheistic religious traditions (i.e. the Middle East).

While listening to Feiler, I could not help but think about the ties between Appalachia and religion. The church in Appalachia is so intertwined with the land and culture that one can hardly separate the three. Indeed, it is difficult for the individual who has lived nowhere else to pull up her/his Appalachian roots without carrying at least some of the soil along.

I have been a part of the Appalachian land-religion-culture mix my entire life. The church of my childhood traces its roots to a West Virginia coal mining community. The faith of my childhood is that of Christian fundamentalism, but with a very Appalachian twist. That means that this faith runs deep and it cannot be easily separated from the culture, daily life, or the land.

The book of mine that most resonates with this theme is WALKING THE BIBLE, which is really about the relationship between the people, the land, and God. I've been struck over the years by how many people have said to me that the feelings I experienced in the Middle East were similar to ones they felt upon, say, going to their ancestral home in Italy or walking in a beloved landscape, like the southwest. Appalachia seems to fit that description perfectly.

PS: To listen to a netcast or podcast of the show, click here.

Labels: Bruce in the Media

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BREAKING NEWS: When the President Blurbs Your Book
Tuesday, February 13, 2007

This just in:

Labels: Bruce in the Media, Interfaith Relations

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Bob Dylan on the Bible
Saturday, February 10, 2007

Labels: Bruce in the Media, Interfaith Relations

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Me on NPR
Thursday, February 8, 2007

I am in Seattle on my book tour talking about the paperback release of WHERE GOD WAS BORN. On Thursday I spent a delightful hour with Steve Scher on KUOW, the public radio station in town. The highlights: The burning bush, chaplains in Iraq, Esperanto, and what the Ninevehites really thought of Jonah. To hear the interview, click here. It's also available on podcast.

Here was his intro: When it comes to the Middle East, there are two histories we frequently hear about in the United States. First is modern history in the making. Each day the news gives play by plays of our current conflicts there; the war in Iraq, Afghanistan, constant tensions between Israel and Lebanon. Secondly, we hear or read about the Middle East depicted in the Bible. How can we reconcile the two images? How does Middle Eastern history contribute to religion in West? Can exploring the Middle East in its current form help us understand the past?

Labels: Bruce in the Media

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Me (and Bob Dylan) on National Public Radio
Monday, February 5, 2007

I've just received word that the public radio program "Speaking of Faith" will air a special show "Children of Abraham," based on my book Abraham: A Journey to the Heart of Three Faiths, beginning this Thursday, February 8th. As the producer wrote me: "The program will air on public radio stations nationwide from Thursday, February 8 - Wednesday, February 14, and it will be featured on our Web site, www.speakingoffaith.org, during the same time. Speaking of Faith is now carried on 188 public radio stations nationwide, and we also have a growing audience through podcasting."

Here's a description from the show's website:

The sacred story of Abraham traverses the geography of the most bitter political conflict in the modern world—beginning in what is now southern Iraq and ending in the West Bank city of Hebron. Yet Abraham is the common patriarch of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. We explore the story of Abraham in several traditions and why he might be important for people in our time. The hour also includes readings from the Bible and the Qur'an as well as music from the likes of Bob Dylan and Benjamin Britten on the figure of Abraham.

Labels: Bruce in the Media, Interfaith Relations

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One Book, Philadelphia
Wednesday, January 24, 2007

In my in-box this morning, an article in Sunday's Philadelphia Inquirer forwarded by my sister. Read through to the bottom. It's a Q & A with Todd Bernstein, president of Global Citizen and founder and director of the Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service.

Quotation to live by: "Life's persistent and most urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others? ' " The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Books on my nightstand right now: The Audacity of Hope, by Barack Obama; At Canaan's Edge, by Taylor Branch; The Holy Experiment, by Violet Oakley.

Favorite author, nonfiction: Tom Friedman.

Favorite poet: Maya Angelou.

Favorite beach reading: New York Times, without wind.

Book or author other people have praised but I never liked: Moby-Dick, by Herman Melville.

A book that influenced how I live my life: The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair.

TV shows I'm not ashamed to admit I watch: Hardball With Chris Matthews (MSNBC), 60 Minutes (CBS), The Daily Show With Jon Stewart (Comedy Central), Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO), Antiques Roadshow (PBS), The Dog Whisperer (National Geographic Channel).

TV show I hate to admit I like: 24 (Fox).

Movie I love so much I've watched it more than twice: Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. It's better if you get it.

Web sites I visit regularly: Google; CNN; Philly.com; Corporation for National and Community
Service (www.cns.gov); eBay.

Magazines I read regularly: Preservation, Philadelphia Magazine, Bicycling.

Favorite types of music: Jazz, blues, funk.

Last concert/performance attended: Bonnie Raitt and Keb' Mo' .

Recording I play when my soul needs a lift: "Give up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off)," by Parliament Funkadelic.

Person in my field whom I most admire: Former Pennsylvania Sen. Harris Wofford.

Living person I'd most like to join for dinner and conversation: Cory Booker, mayor of Newark, N.J.

Heroes from history: The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Mohandas Gandhi, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and the man who stood in front of the column of tanks on Changan Avenue near Tiananmen Square in Beijing on June 5, 1989.

If I had the power to order all of the Philadelphia region to read one book, it would be: Abraham, by Bruce Feiler.

And here's why: The book analyzes the common values among several of the world's predominant religions. If we had better understanding about the common roots of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, perhaps we might embrace our common humanity.

At as my sister comments: "How cool is this!?"

Labels: Bruce in the Media

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"Everybody reads 'Southern Living'"
Monday, December 25, 2006

I have been fortunate enough to be profiled over the years in a number of newspapers and magazines. No publication worked harder, no reporter took his assignment more seriously, and no article took longer to get done -- and get right -- than one that appears in the December issue of Southern Living, written by Gary Ford, with photos by Blake Sims. I have a rule of thumb about media, which is that you don't have to guess what the reaction will be, you'll know. A few weeks after the article appeared, my father reported from Savannah, "I can tell you, 'Everybody reads Southern Living.'"

The article is not available online, so I've scanned it and posted it here. As a bonus, you can see our girlies, Eden and Tybee, circa nine months ago.

Labels: Bruce in the Media

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Me on "Here and Now"
Thursday, December 21, 2006

I've gotten a number of emails from friends in New England who heard an interview I did with the NPR show "Here and Now," with the great Robin Young. They've posted the interview on their website and you can hear now at your computer. Thanks, WBUR.

Update: And to the reader who wanted to hear me on podcasts, "Here and Now" provides that service, too!

Labels: Bruce in the Media

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Me on Bob Edwards Show, Tuesday 12/12
Sunday, December 10, 2006

I've just been told that The Bob Edwards show will air an interview with me, probably up to 30 minutes long, on Tuesday, December 12th at 8 am on XM Satellite Radio Channel 133. The show reairs on a frequent basis. The schedule is here.

Labels: Bruce in the Media, Where God Was Born

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