Why am I passionate about this?

My passion for studying religion started decades ago, now culminating in a master's degree from Harvard in religion. My main interest is religious literacy, and my master's thesis is on religious literacy among healthcare providers, which is not surprising since I myself work in healthcare. I am particularly interested in interfaith approaches that unite people of diverse religious and nonreligious backgrounds in a common goal of doing some good in the world.


I wrote

It's Considerate to Be Literate about Religion: Poetry and Prose about Religion, Conflict, and Peace in Our World

By Steven Clark Cunningham, Susan Detwiler (illustrator),

Book cover of It's Considerate to Be Literate about Religion: Poetry and Prose about Religion, Conflict, and Peace in Our World

What is my book about?

Called a “must-read” by experts in the field, this book of nonfiction poetry and prose is for all ages, with…

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The books I picked & why

Book cover of Religions Explained: A Beginner's Guide to World Faiths

Steven Clark Cunningham Why did I love this book?

I like this book because it tries to be nonjudgmental and to explain why certain religions have the beliefs, practices, rites, rituals, and ceremonies that they do. It is, however, a little judgmental and Christian-centric in places. For example, it presents some ancient transcendent beliefs as "superstitious" but not other, modern ones, and it presents core beliefs of Christianity, such as the resurrection of Jesus Christ as a matter of fact, i.e., without qualifying text such as "Christians believe that…" but for similarly central Muslim beliefs, such as that Allah made revelations to the Prophet Muhammad, it uses the appropriately qualifying text, "Muslims … believe that…" All in all, not a bad intro to religions of the world.

By Anita Ganeri, Marcus Braybrooke,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Religions Explained as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

An illustrated history of world religion ranges from the ancient beliefs of Egypt, Babylonia, Greece, and the Americas to the origins and practices of modern faiths, discussing the worship, festivals, and tenets of each religion.


Book cover of Religions Of The World: The Illustrated Guide To Origins, Beliefs, Traditions & Festivals

Steven Clark Cunningham Why did I love this book?

What I like best about this book is that it is particularly well edited by one of the best scholars of religion today (Martin Marty), and that it is very unbiased, not favoring any one religion over others, simply stating what believers in each faith tradition generally believe and do. It is a little light on indigenous religions but gives a good overview of and introduction to the major faith traditions, covering the Abrahamic, Vedic, and other major traditions in adequate, appropriate detail. Highly recommended.

By Elizabeth Breuilly, Joanne O'Brien, Martin Palmer , Martin E. Marty (editor)

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Religions Of The World as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Faith plays an important part in the lives of people around the world, and often the faith of one person or nation has an effect on other individuals or countries. The importance of religion is apparent in the daily routines of people around the world. Ideal for both student and as a family reference, Religions of the World, Revised Edition is an objective guide to understanding faith in the modern world. Religions of the World, Revised Edition examines thekey issues of faith as it exists today. Filled with full-color photographs and illustrations, it explores the beliefs, traditions, festivals, and practices…


Book cover of Who Believes What? Exploring the World’s Major Religions

Steven Clark Cunningham Why did I love this book?

What I really like about this book is that the one-page introduction, "What is Religion?" mentions several important tenets of religious literacy as described by the American Academy of Religion, such as the fact that religions are internally diverse, and that religion is deeply embedded in most or all aspects of human culture and life. The latter of these underscores the importance for all to be religiously literate, even people who self-identify as nonreligious. The book covers only five major religions (Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam), and doesn’t seem biased towards any one of them, giving the usual general description of each. The full-spread illustrations showing many different aspects of life within each religious tradition are engaging for kids (and adults!).

By Wills, Nora Tomm (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Who Believes What? Exploring the World’s Major Religions as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 7, 8, 9, and 10.

What is this book about?

In today’s multicultural cities and interconnected world, understanding different belief systems can help kids appreciate the differences of people they see every day, or people who live on the other side of the globe. This book introduces readers to the five major world religions by population: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism.

Each mini-section opens with a fully illustrated spread representing one religion. Designed in a search-and-find style, the illustrated spreads are busy, bright, and jam-packed with details that show people worshipping among symbolic places, rituals, and objects. A text spread follows, pulling out details from the illustrated page and…


Book cover of What Do You Believe? Big Questions About Religion

Steven Clark Cunningham Why did I love this book?

This book packs a lot into <100 pages and does so very comfortably. Although there are other books better focused on the key issue of religious literacy, I particularly like that this book specifically includes several aspects of religious literacy, such as the fact that religions are all internally diverse, not monolithic, and that we all have a perspective, a situatedness, from which we see and interpret the world around us. In addition to familiarizing readers with common features of common religions like many books do, this one goes further and includes sections on philosophy of religion, on religion and violence in our world, and on religion and science, all of which encourage valuable thinking and reflection. The book does a relatively good job of meeting the stated goal of promoting understanding and respect of different people and different types of belief and nonbelief.

By DK Publishing,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked What Do You Believe? Big Questions About Religion as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 7, 8, 9, and 10.

What is this book about?

What was the first religion and where did it start? What is atheism? Why do some people wear turbans? Made for kids who ask the hard questions, this book gives answers to these and many more questions about religion.

What Do You Believe? is a perfect introduction to all the main faiths, including Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism. The book traces the history of different religions and faiths around the world and deconstructs complex topics into easy-to-consume sections.

From the oldest beliefs to new religious movements and modern spirituality, What Do You Believe? presents the facts in an unbiased…


Book cover of The Story of Religion

Steven Clark Cunningham Why did I love this book?

I particularly like the way this book embraces pluralism. Although the term "pluralism" is sometimes maligned by friends who lean right politically, a few facts are clear, including that our society is becoming more and more multicultural and pluralistic, and that diverse people will generally live more harmoniously together the more they understand and respect each other. This is a profoundly important truth for kids to learn in this book. The less we and our kids "other" (exclude or see as a threatening other) people outside of our own ingroup, and the more we live by the Golden Rule, applied to all other humans, not just to people in our ingroup(s), the better off we will all be in our increasingly diverse religious landscape. Religious literacy is more important now than ever.

By Betsy Maestro, Giulio Maestro (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Story of Religion as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

For the five billion people who inhabit the earth, religion is an important part of culture and identity. From the Buddhists of China to the Muslims of the Middle East, people of different origins, languages, and customs have also embraced varied ways of worship. Through detailed illustrations and descriptions, Betsy and Giulio Maestro take a historical look at religious--and show that faiths around the world are as diverse as the people who practice them.


Explore my book 😀

It's Considerate to Be Literate about Religion: Poetry and Prose about Religion, Conflict, and Peace in Our World

By Steven Clark Cunningham, Susan Detwiler (illustrator),

Book cover of It's Considerate to Be Literate about Religion: Poetry and Prose about Religion, Conflict, and Peace in Our World

What is my book about?

Called a “must-read” by experts in the field, this book of nonfiction poetry and prose is for all ages, with lyrical poems and engaging B&W pencil illustrations by award-winning illustrator Susan Detwiler. Part I explains and illustrates the American Academy of Religion's definition of religious literacy in a widely accessible way, and Part II uses that foundation to review several conflicts around the world that revolve around religion, examining them through the lens of religious literacy. Themes are diversity, equity, peace/violence (cultural, structural, and direct violence/peace), human agency, prejudice, and understanding. Each poem is followed by a “Learn More” section, a fulsome Glossary defines terms, and a Reading-Group Guide offers suggestions for further reading and topics and questions for discussion. 

You might also like...

Secret St. Augustine: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure

By Elizabeth Randall, William Randall,

Book cover of Secret St. Augustine: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure

Elizabeth Randall Author Of Secret St. Augustine: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Reader Baker Teacher Matriarch Adventurer

Elizabeth's 3 favorite reads in 2024

What is my book about?

Tourists and local residents of St. Augustine will enjoy reading about the secret wonders of their ancient city that are right under their noses. Of course, that includes a few stray corpses and ghosts!

Secret St. Augustine: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure

By Elizabeth Randall, William Randall,

What is this book about?

It is no wonder the ancient city of St. Augustine is steeped in secrets.

St. Johns, the oldest continuously occupied county in America, celebrated its 450th birthday on September 4, 2015. More like a European enclave than an urban landscape, it is a place of cannon fire, street parties, historical reenactments, concerts, and more. From admiring replicas of fine art at Ripley’s Believe or Not, to hunting haunts in restaurants and museums, to eating ice cream from a recipe originated by World War II bombardiers, St. Augustine has it all from beaches, gourmet dining, festivals, and attractions.


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in spirituality, Christianity, and Buddhism?

Spirituality 314 books
Christianity 679 books
Buddhism 294 books