All That's Holy: A Young Man, An Old Car and the Search for God in America
Tom Levinson
Law School, University of Chicago
顿补迟别:听September 23, 2003
Event Recap
滨苍听All That鈥檚 Holy: A young guy, an old car and the search for God in America听(Jossey Bass, 2003), Tom听Levinson recounts the story of his听decision to drive听across America听and talk to people听about their relationship听to God, to听religion, and their听spiritual lives, in听a journey that ultimately听leads him听to a greater understanding听of his听own religious identity.听Visiting the听Boisi Center on听September 23rd,听Levinson read passages听from his听book that illuminated听the spiritual pathways he听uncovered in others, and hinted at听the discoveries these experiences also听revealed within himself.
Describing himself as a听fourth generation Jewish New Yorker,听Levinson鈥檚 religious quest took him听from an undergraduate degree in听religious studies from Princeton to听a Masters in Theological Studies听at Harvard Divinity School. After听graduation his听journey took him听to work in a听faith based social听justice organization听in Boston,听where he was also听struck by the idea听of producing a听Studs Terkel-like听oral history of听spirituality in听America.
He embarked听upon his journey听in the fall of 1999听and traveled by听car for three and听a half months, during which he听spent hours having conversations,听and listening to the stories of others,听only to find that he had embarked听upon a pilgrimage rather than a fact听finding mission as he had first听intended. His journey brought him听insight, understanding, and ultimately,听transformation.
Levinson read passages from听his narrative and answered questions听from the audience about how he was听received by the people he met on the听road. He was asked whether the people听he met tried to convert him to听Christianity and whether he encountered听any anti-semitism. Although he听did experience some attempts to convert听him he felt no ill feelings from听people he met towards his jewishness.听He said he found himself sharing听more of himself than he anticipated听in his conversations, most of听which lasted for hours and included听sharing meals and invitations into听the homes of people he met. His听encounters included a conversation听with a convicted killer days before his听execution, the owner of a caf茅 called听鈥淐offee Messiah鈥� who dubbed his听enterprise a 鈥減ostmodern church,鈥�听and a Buddhist seeker named Elvis听Miranda. Levinson is currently a second听year law student at the听University of Chicago.