Radical Revolution of Values
Reclaiming Our Spiritual Heritage, Preserving Our Freedoms, and Countering Terrorism
Thoughtful and thought-provoking, Radical Revolution of Values highlights religion’s complex, evolving, and vital role in the world.
Azam Saeed explains what role he believes religion must play in modern times in his book Radical Revolution of Values.
Saeed asserts that most religions have, at one time or another, been misused and misappropriated by political groups and religious institutions in order to harm, oppress, and control populations. While some believe that religion should therefore have no part in modern life, Saeed argues the opposite: by reconnecting with the lessons of humility, open-mindedness, inclusivity, and thoughtfulness taught by many religions, he says that believers can better equip themselves to fight back against the harmful ideas and ideologies that threaten humanity’s future.
Citing prominent thinkers and texts from various faiths, the book begins by painting a bleak, compelling portrait of the problems facing the world, including the role that religious institutions have had in creating or exacerbating these problems. Following a logical train of thought, it then moves on to the strategies people can employ to better both themselves and all of humanity and the obstacles stopping people from implementing these strategies. In quoting and drawing inspiration from so many sources, it highlights the necessity of studying religion in general, not just one’s own faith: all religions offer precious insights, it says, that can expand one’s view of the world, whether or not one accepts them as gospel.
This is a dense, serious study that demands concentration and critical thinking. It covers a very broad range of topics that influence or threaten the modern world, showing how religion touches all of them. For example, it cites divisions between different groups as a major threat and describes how faith can help heal these rifts: by accepting that humans can never know everything about God, believers free themselves from the temptation to label their own interpretation of scripture as the only “true” one and then to use this assertion as a cudgel against those with different beliefs.
The book asks tough but pressing questions that seldom have clear answers. Instead of dictating solutions or promising miracle cures, it encourages everyone to evaluate these questions on their own. This is in keeping with its overall thesis: everyone has a right and responsibility to think for themselves, and accepting the “other” as ourselves is crucial to humanity’s future. Through its high-level language, abundant research, and occasional personal stories, the book is thoughtful and thought-provoking, highlighting religion’s complex, evolving, and vital role. It leads by example, promoting more benevolent uses of scriptures that can be employed by people of all faiths.
Radical Revolution of Values is a social science book that examines what it means to be religious or spiritual, showing how these qualities can heal (or hurt) the world.
Reviewed by
Eileen Gonzalez
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
