Love is the Way: Holding on to Hope in Troubling Times

by Michael B. Curry, Sara Grace

Walk the path of love with one of the warmest, most beloved spiritual leaders of our time, and learn how to put faith into action.

As the descendant of slaves and the son of a civil rights activist, Bishop Michael Curry's life illustrates massive changes in our times. Much of the world met Bishop Curry when he delivered his sermon on the redemptive power of love at the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle. Here, he expands on his message of hope in an inspirational road map for living the way of love, illuminated with moving lessons from his own life. Through the prism of his faith, ancestry, and personal journey, Love Is the Way shows us how America came this far and, more important, how to go a whole lot further.

The way of love is essential for addressing the seemingly insurmountable challenges facing the world today: poverty, racism, selfishness, deep ideological divisions, competing claims to speak for God. This book will lead readers to discover the gifts they need in order to live the way of love: deep reservoirs of hope and resilience, simple wisdom, the discipline of nonviolence, and unshakable regard for human dignity.

Genres: Nonfiction, Religion, Spirituality, Christian, Theology, Memoir, Faith

272 pages, Hardcover

First published September 22, 2020

About the author

The descendant of enslaved Africans brought to North America by way of the trans-Atlantic slave routes, Presiding Bishop Curry was born in Chicago, IL, on March 13, 1953. Presiding Bishop Curry’s father was an Episcopal priest and his mother was a devout Episcopalian. She died at a young age, and Presiding Bishop Curry, along with his sister, was raised by his father and his grandmother. His father, mother and grandmother grounded him in Christian beliefs and practices through their example and their teachings.

He attended public schools in Buffalo, NY, and, even at a young age, he learned about social activism through his father’s leadership and his own dedication to righting a broken world.

Presiding Bishop Curry was graduated with high honors from Hobart College in Geneva, NY, in 1975. He received a Master of Divinity degree in 1978 from Yale University Divinity School in New Haven, CT. He has furthered his education with continued study at The College of Preachers, Princeton Theological Seminary, Wake Forest University, the Ecumenical Institute at St. Mary’s Seminary, and the Institute of Christian Jewish Studies. He has received honorary degrees from Episcopal Divinity School; Sewanee: The University of the South; Virginia Theological Seminary; and Yale.

He is married to the former Sharon Clement, and they have two adult daughters, Rachel and Elizabeth.

Presiding Bishop Curry maintains a national preaching and teaching ministry, having been featured on The Protestant Hour and as a frequent speaker at churches, cathedrals, and conferences around the country and internationally.

He has authored five books: Love is the Way: Holding on to Hope in Troubling Times (2020); The Power of Love (2018); Following the Way of Jesus: Church’s Teachings in a Changing World (2017); Songs My Grandma Sang (2015); and Crazy Christians: A Call to Follow Jesus (2013). He was one of the subjects of In Conversation: Michael Curry and Barbara Harris by Fredrica Harris Thompsett (2017).

He has authored numerous publications including columns for the Huffington Post and the Baltimore Times.

In 2018, Religion News Association named Presiding Bishop Curry religion newsmaker of the year.

Reviews

[JA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to it all in one day because I could not stop, and I plan on playing it on repeat. Strength, courage, compassion, wit, and grace. Preach!

[J Adele LaCombe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't remember how this book ended up in my loan section on Libby but I'd delighted it did. His wisdom pours out of him. And in a time when there is so much anger, hate and venom this book was full of hope, love and solutions. One quote that stood out with me "I noticed something, while some people were upset ad expressing that, a majority were supportive or politely silent. There is very often a sensible center, a silent of quiet majority who are being drowned out by the loudest most extreme voices but they are there, many simply waiting for the angry to exhaust themselves. They listen patiently waiting for a deeper wisdom to emerge."

If you're stressed out by the Pandemic, or the election this book is worth getting. I appreciate his words, and thoughts.

[Bill on GR Sabbatical · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author Michael B. Curry was elected the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in 2015 and is best known to many for officiating at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018. In this book Bishop Curry makes the case for "a revival of love as a way to a liberating and life-giving relationship with God, with others, with all God's creation on this planet we call earth".

The book is organized around twelve questions, such as "Can love really change the world?" and "How can love overcome what divides us and move us forward together?", the answers to which are sprinkled liberally with anecdotes and lessons learned from the different stages of Curry's life, education, and career as an Episcopal priest and bishop.

I was moved by his accounts of his own evolution on the issue of same-sex marriage and his participation in the 2016 protest of the Dakota Access Pipeline on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. Those who embrace his and the Episcopal Church's liberal positions on these and other issues will be inspired by his message, while those who don't probably won't.

[Ben Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you don’t know Bishop Michael Curry, now is the time to discover him. This book is what the world needs in our current time of fear and division. Filled with hope and stories of love, my soul is lifted and I am thankful for Bishop Curry’s unique storytelling energy. By the way, the writing is masterful. Read this!!!

[William Burruss · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an Episcopalian, I would love to introduce you to, The Most Reverend Michael B. Curry. From what I can tell we are about the same age. We both have southern roots and stories. We love soul food and great literature. We lived in the inner city, and we were both created by the same God. The question is, and what the book is about, is LOVE, and yes how people who love deal with differences. I have never met Reverend Curry, but what I like in his writing is the fact that he does not come across as some stuffy preacher. Episcopalians have had a few. If he were one of my black college buddies, he’d be called the Most Reverend Right-On Michael B. Curry. Yes, he’s black, and I’m white, and I believe that Love, the type of Love he speaks about is the same Love that Jesus preaches: “Love your God, Love your neighbor, and Love Yourself.”

For me, this book is autobiographical and biographical. It is autobiographical because you learn how Michael Curry lived through the sixties and seventies and evolved to become The Most Reverend, and it is biographical because those were my times and I saw much of the same things through different eyes, the eyes of the young white teenager challenging his parents during the time of school integration.

Being the leader of the US Episcopal Church comes with many challenges. Michael tells many stories about how his journey got him to this position. He starts by telling how he became an Episcopalian when most blacks were Baptist. Another, more like a liberal arts lecture pertaining to the many Greek words for love: eros, philia, and agape, which show up in the Greek Bible. He ends with two stories that concern his ministry with the American Indians and the government taking of their land at Standing Rock, and his advocacy of gay marriage.

Jesus was tested when he was asked what is the greatest commandment. There were many laws he could have chosen, but he chose to Love your God and to Love your neighbor. Amen.

[Lucas Crossland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never was a book/message more needed than right now. Bishop Curry's book is an excellent and life changing read. It all comes down to love. He uses storytelling to reflect on his life and how moments of love have made him the man, Bishop, and leader he is today. If you need an inspirational yet practical read for the winter, pick it up, it will change your outlook on life and how to deal with conflict. Truly, one of the most powerful theological books of today.

[Colleen Rice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I needed this book so much. This year has been full of exquisitely painful and unexpected transitions and endings, but it's also been filled with peeling off layers of who I was become that didn't suit me anymore. In Love is the Way, I was reminded of how profoundly my life ethos and mission had been driven by love years ago, and how far I've moved away from that without meaning to. Bishop Curry's words broke me open in the gentlest of ways to welcome love back into my view of the world and my role in it. I am grateful, hopeful, and internally crying through grief and joy. If faith has ever been a part of your life, whether or not you practice any religion now, this is a must read.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as thank-you-for-your-donation gift from Sojourners. Because I trust and appreciate the work of Sojourners immensely, and because, like the rest of the world, I loved Bishop Curry's Meghan/Harry wedding sermon, I read it. Frankly, based on the title and the cover, I entered in skeptically, expecting that it might be a bit too upbeat and optimistic for these dark times of death-dealing injustice. And if it was the only thing someone read, maybe it would be. But as an accompaniment to digging in hard with multiple voices and conversations, I found this book to be a much-needed refreshment of hope for this long and arduous journey to which we are called, as Christians and as members of the human family. Is being centered in Love ever a bad thing? I hope not. Curry shares with conviction, transparency, honesty and grace from his lived experience as a black man of faith in America; I'm so glad I read this book!

[Katsmewsings · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovely message, an important message. But not overly well written. Which I think would have helped me enjoy it bit more. As it was..I liked the book, as I like him, and couldn’t agree more, that the transformative power of love is the true way forward.

[Steve Fielding · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bishop Michael Curry's book, "Love is the Way," is a must read for anyone who is currently struggling with how to daily remain calm, positive and loving yet still actively protesting injustices in this wacko world. As an African American clergyman who knows all too well the injustices of being segregated and excluded from church in society, he has made a giant leap to believe that love is indeed the way. Michael gives the reader thoughtful references from religious and literary sources, and even the folks he grew up with that helped make a difference in his life. These different souces have all helped him discover that you have to be genuine about love, there's no pretending. Let's all hold on to hope in these troubling times.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this man. He is one of my favorite humans. Bishop Curry is the leader of the Episcopal Church, and came to national prominence when he delivered the sermon at the wedding of Prince Harry and Megan Markle. I am pretty much in love with the Episcopalians-- Barbara Brown Taylor, Marcus J. Borg, Sara Miles (who wrote Take This Bread: A Radical Conversion, Rachel Held Evans, and others. I also like the English Anglicans as well. They, literally, have the best churches.

I used to feel guilty about crushing on the Episcopalians since, as a person who was raised Catholic--and Irish Catholic in particular--I have a certain...animosity toward the English, who were unpleasant to the Irish for centuries. But after coming to a deeper understanding of the sickness of Irish Catholicism, I no longer choose one side over the other. With that said, the Episcopal Church is dying in the United States, and its competition--the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA)--is tiny and angry. So this particular branch of Christianity may not live long, which is tragic. I find the combination of high church and liberal theology to be very compelling. That's just me, though.

In any event, Bishop Curry's whole jam is love. Just that. Love. Love your neighbor as yourself. As you love each other so you love me. God is love. Love is the answer, no matter what the question is. Love makes us turn outward instead of inward. Love is like little seeds that sprout into gardens that we man never know or see. I am because we are. We must love each other or die. Stuff like that. Simple and beautiful. Christianity 101, and such a remarkable departure from the miserable "Jesus is my Republican capitalist gun-daddy" of current American evangelicalism.

I stopped going to church some time ago, more out of a sense resignation than a loss of desire. I actually like going to church, and having the traditions and community of Christianity as a part of my life. Now I feel myself being drawn back to these paths again, and if I do make the leap, it will be to the Episcopalians.

This is a lovely, uplifting book from a wonderful human being. Highly recommended.

[Ingrid Strelka · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have ever read! Bishop Curry writes from his heart, telling the stories that have shaped his faith and journey. He addresses everything from segregation, dreams for the future, political unrest, division as a nation, immigration and ties them all together with love. I honestly cried during several chapters, especially Ch. 11 which is solely about politics and our political climate today. In his words “you need to shift the conversation to higher ground-above and beyond the politics, and the issues as the players have defined them. Instead we search for values and principles that we share. In that higher moral and spiritual ground, we may find genuine common ground. When we wade back into the issues, it’s from a different perspective and place.” If we all read this book the world would be a very different place!

[Erin Isgett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the perfect book for me to read as one year closed and another opened. I'd listened to (and loved!) Bishop Curry's interview on Brené Brown's "Unlocking Us" podcast, and immediately requested his book from the library. I'd highly recommend it. Here are a few of my favorite excerpts:

"We're living, right now, in a world built on selfishness, indifference, and even hatred, and it doesn't look good. What does it get us? Mass shootings, the murder of innocents. Brutal dictatorships. The suppression of ethnic and religious minorities. The mistreatment of refugees. The rise of racism, anti-Semitism, nationalistic nativism, and xenophobia. Fear begins to rule our lives. People are hurting and hating others because they are different. We have wars and rumors of wars. We have an earth that has been exploited to a crisis point, despite the fact that, to quote a protest sign I saw recently, 'mass extinction is bad for profit.'

"What it all adds up to is just that: mutually assured destruction. Now that's insanity. Suddenly a world built on love starts to look like the sane one...

"Love is God's way, the moral way, but it's also the only thing that works. It's the rare moment where idealism actually overlaps with pragmatism. People don't think of Jesus as a strategist, but he was a leader who successfully built what was essentially a radical equal rights movement within a brutal empire. You don't do that without being a master strategist. When he said, 'Love those who curse you' in the Sermon on the Mount, his famous call for nonviolence, he wasn't just speaking about what kind of behavior his father preferred. He was offering a how-to guide on changing a negative situation into a positive one."

***

"These events would help shape my new office's priorities, which we summarized as *evangelism,* *racial reconciliation,* and *care of God's creation.* *Evangelism* is a word with a lot of baggage that to me simply means modeling Jesus's love in our daily lives and finding opportunities as a church to share that love. *Racial reconciliation* means healing the wounds that divide and separate us as children of God. And *care of God's creation* means helping to heal the planet from destruction and harm. These were all one with the foundational mission of the church: to follow the way of Jesus and his love to foster a loving, liberating, and life-giving relationship with God, with each other as children of God, and indeed with all God's creation. Therein is the work of building God's beloved community. That's e pluribus unum for real."

***

"When Jesus talked about love, he was talking about a commitment and a way of life. Emotions come and go. But when Jesus of Nazareth tells the parable of the Good Samaritan, the love he's demonstrating is a determination and a commitment to do what is best and right and good, as well as you can figure it out, for the other. Jesus didn't say, 'like your enemies.' Because you don't have to like them--you only have to love them. You've got to keep your commitment to seek the common good, and figure out what 'good' looks like for each relationship, even the ones with people you'd rather not have over for dinner.

"In the United States and in the world, we have different cultures, different politics, different experiences that have shaped our beliefs. But if we can establish that we're working toward some common good, whether we like each other or not, then we can be brothers and sisters even when we want to fight like hell. Let's all stop worrying about whether we like each other and choose to believe instead that we're capable of doing good together. That doesn't solve all our problems, not by far, but it at least gets us in the starting gate. It gets us unstuck. It's how human beings can live together in profound difference. It's the start of an e pluribus unum that's safe for everybody.

"Later in 2016, when Donald Trump was elected, the Washington National Cathedral prepared to host the Inaugural Prayer Service, a nonpartisan practice that goes back decades. But this time, there were many good folk who seriously questioned whether the service should be held. My answer was a resounding yes. During the election, we had learned things about the president-elect that created great concern and worry. To pray for him could bring pain to many.

"And yet if love is your purpose, that was exactly the time to pray, for the president and the nation. It was and still is the time to double down on prayer. Because prayer, real prayer, is both contemplative and active. Quietly, we pray for the president. But then there's the active side of prayer, as we live the truth of 'love your neighbor as yourself.' Part of that is working for a good, just, humane, and loving society. That means getting on our knees for the president, and it *also* means standing on our feet and marching in the streets. It means praying through participation in the life of our government and society. Through caring for others. Through working for policies and laws that reflect Jesus's call to love your neighbor, to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Through fashioning a civic order that reflects goodness, justice, and compassion, and the very heart and dream of God for all God's children and God's creation."

[Cienna Rianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

5 stars for content, but I’m giving 3 just because it wasn’t particularly gripping or groundbreaking as a book. Maybe it would be if I wasn’t already a progressive Episcopalian haha. Regardless, love you PB <3

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bishop Curry sent me a signed edition of his book (which I will always cherish), but we heard that it was better to listen to him reading it. And we weren't disappointed! Love is definitely the Way! My husband and I liked it so much that we are going to offer it as a book study for our Diocese during Eastertide.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I appreciate that this was my last completed book of 2022! While nothing seemed too profoundly new, it was so refreshing to read a religious leader writing about how important/vital it is to lead a life through the love of all and what it means to do so.

Favorite excerpts (there are many):
"Love as an action is the only thing that has ever changed the world for the better."

"Midnight is the darkest hour, but it's also the potential break of a brilliant new dawn."

"Dreams are love's visions- the boundless faith that the world can be remade to look more like what God hoped for his creation."

"Or as old Black preachers used to say, "What are you gonna do with your dash?"-that space between the birth date and and date on your tombstone."

"It is impossible to know, in the moment, how a small act of goodness will reverberate through time. The notion is empowering and it is frightening-because it means that we're all capable of changing the world, and responsible for finding those opportunities to protect, feed, grow, and guide love. We can all plant seeds, though only some of us may be so lucky as to sit in their shade. Since we can't start twenty years ago, the best time to start is today."

"Faceless systems and power structures can do horrible things that good and decent people benefit from, often without even knowing... When the mob does evil, we blame it on the mob, and ignore that we are complicit when we are passive."

"It's all to easy for faith communities to drift slowly toward existing primarily for the good of their members."

"If the church truly believed that we all are the children of God, and equal before God, then we had to learn how to truly own that and live that. Our commitment to be an inclusive church is not based on a social theory or a cultural trend, but on our belief that the outstretched arms of Jesus on the cross are a sign of the very love of God reaching out to us all. It was time to own that-and yet do it in a way that respected those who saw things differently."

"While some people were upset and expressing that, the majority were supportive or politely silent. There is very often a sensible center, a silent or quiet majority who are being drowned out by the loudest, most extreme voices. But they are there. Many are simply waiting for the angry to exhaust themselves. They listen patiently, waiting for a deeper wisdom to emerge."

"Doing so was not unlike an act of civil disobedience in which one violates an unjust law both to change the law and, more importantly, to prick the conscience, awakening the heart to the universal human cry. The prick may not yield immediate resolution, but it creates room and space for relationships that in time find a way forward honoring the dignity of all."

"I said to lawmakers and advocates, 'If you're making laws that impact human beings, those laws should pass the test of Jesus's Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.' "

"We were not protestors but protectors of Jesus's way of love."

[Kristie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found the second half of the book more compelling than the first. I especially enjoyed his teachings about unity and found interesting his discussion of the Anglican communion and the importance and efforts of keeping it together.

I loved this description of the meaning of faith:
“Faith is trusting God or just holding on to God when your heart is breaking, when it’s hard to see, when you don’t understand, and even when you’re mad at God. Many of the psalms in the Bible are expressions of people hurt, disappointed, angry at life, and even angry with God. At the same time, the expression of that hurt, and even anger, is an expression of faith. It’s ok to be angry with God. The anger tends to shift from hurt to hope, but it takes time.”

And a cool idea/question for creating better discussion and conversation among people:
“Charles told me that when he facilitates, he likes to ask participants a question: For a particular issue, what is the story of your life that brought you to that conclusion. After a speaker finishes, Charles invites others to reflect on what they heard and understood in that person’s story. This exchange of stories creates that communion of spirits. Suddenly there is a context for healing and the possibility for a relationship between people who were accustomed to interacting with their hackles up.”

[Jennifer Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredibly encouraging and much-needed book. As an Episcopalian, I was really excited to hear that Bishop Curry had published a book, and I was even more excited when I read the title. Since I was a teenager, I have always wrestled with and learned from the calling for love by Jesus. What was even more compelling about this book was how it centered on social justice. For Curry (as it should be), Christianity is a natural path towards working to make the world a better place for all. Curry's teachings can be good lessons for your personal life, but he invites you to take a step further, as he has done all of this life, and work towards making the world a better place. And Curry doesn't just talk about this. He does it. He has been an active advocate for those marginalized in this country including black lives, Native Americans, and our brothers and sisters in the LGBTQ+ community. I knew that Curry was a great guy because of these actions he has taken in leading our church, but my gratitude is extended by learning about his message in this book. I definitely recommend this book!

[Dan Connors · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a religious skeptic, I tend to look at preachers, bishops, and popes with caution. They are both politicians and healers, salesmen and counselors, interpreters of the words of Jesus Christ yet bound by the expectations of the people who pay their salaries. These men see us at our best during weddings, and at our worst during funerals and hospital visits. We count on them to both inspire and comfort us, but they are human beings just like us, and far from heavenly ambassadors.

So it was with great caution that I took on Bishop Curry's new book, Love is the Way. I have seen him on television, and he has become a celebrity as the first black head of the Episcopal Church, presiding over the wedding of prince Harry and Megan Markle, as well as the funerals of John McCain and George Bush. Curry has a way with words, and this book on the power of love shows me that his heart is in the right place.

The Episcopal Church is far from America's biggest church, currently ranking at 14th with maybe 1% of the population. Mainline Protestant churches have taken a beating over the past few decades, as has the Catholic Church, and it was nice to see something different than the typical entreaties to give your life over to someone who died 2000 years ago while giving your money to people who are very much still alive.

Love is the Way is sort of an autobiography, detailing personal stories from Bishop Curry on how he lost his mother at a young age, and how the community came to help his family in that difficult time. He tells of his days in a small, mostly black church in Ohio, moving to an inner city church in Baltimore, and then to a larger responsibility as bishop of North Carolina. His churches, especially the one in Baltimore, were in poor areas, and he tells of efforts he and his flock made to reach out to the community at large. He is now the chief presiding officer over the entire American church, and has a unique perch as a religious leader.

This book is mostly about love- specifically agape love, which is the love for others, society, and the world. He brings in stories about how love has transformed other lives, referencing John Lewis, Martin Luther King, Desmond Tutu, and Dolly Parton. Love builds and hate destroys, and he devotes several chapters to the second theme of his book- holding on to hope in difficult times. He uses King's words especially to describe the hope that comes to us through our dreams during the darkest times of history. With those dreams we can move onward in dark times towards love and justice. We may not live to see the fruits of all our efforts, but by planting seeds of love early and often, progress is inevitable.

The two most fascinating stories he tells involve the 2003 split in the church on gay marriage, and the 2016 uprising by the Sioux nation in Standing Rock, North Dakota. The idea of gay marriage had been opposed by the Episcopal Church and its parent organization, the Anglican Communion, since their inception. Marriage was between a man and a woman, period. But starting in 2000, an Episcopal Bishop in New Hampshire broke with tradition and came out as gay, wanting to perform same-sex marriages. For nearly a decade this change threatened to split up the church, and Bishop Curry tells of his own personal transformation on the issue, and how he was able to use love, foot washing, and understanding to get the rest of his church to come around.

Foot washing, it turns out, is an effective way to get people on your side. Jesus used it with his disciples, and it has been used famously by Gandhi, Mister Rogers, and religious people of all types. Apparently the skin-on-skin contact, combined with the healing properties of water transform human relationships and make possible love, humility, and communication.

The Standing Rock Reservation in the Dakotas is one of the largest in America and was the site of a huge protest in 2016 over the Dakota Access Pipeline. The pipeline was opposed by Native Americans because it crossed into their sacred lands and also threatened their water supply. Bishop Curry was one of many religious leaders who came to the reservation that year to join in the protests, and his descriptions of the event show how loving and respectful the Native Americans were during the entire standoff. "Water is Life", was their motto, and even though they lost and the pipeline eventually went through when President Trump took office, they were able to bring together a large network of people from remote tribes and religious traditions to spread love and ideas.

The best idea from the book has to do with something called truth force and deep listening. Bishop Curry worries a lot about how polarized America has become, and encourages people to build bridges, not walls, because at our core we are all decent, loving children of God. To get to that core and away from the things that divides us, he proposes beginning every debate with the following question:
"For this issue, what is the story of your life that brought you to that conclusion?"
By focusing on personal stories, and not rumors, social media, or talking points, we can get to the heart of what is bothering people and find more common ground.

Love is the Way meanders a bit and doesn't always come to the point, but it's an interesting point of view from someone who has seen a lot, and reflected deeply on all of it. I am hoping that Bishop Curry's newly found celebrity status doesn't ruin his spirit, but we shall see. I take the words of religious leaders with a grain of salt, and judge them more by their actions than their interpretations of ancient scriptures. To me, love is what life is about, and God is a concept that our tiny minds can't properly understand. Unfortunately, we live in troubling times, and any reminders to love our neighbors are always welcome.

[Janis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved The Way of Love: Holding on to Hope in Troubling Times. Even though this book was cowritten with Sara Grace, I could hear Bishop Michael Curry’s voice while reading these pages. I especially liked how he focuses on social justice as a logical response to love. This uplifting book reminds us to follow Jesus’ response to the lawyer in Matthew 22: “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He [Jesus] said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard Bishop Michael Curry on the PBS News Hour. I was very impressed with his kindness and courage. I ordered the book and read it. This is not the kind of book that I normally would read. I did enjoy it and felt like I learned from it. I wish it was a requirement for our lawmakers to read. Politics is so tribal and so hate fueled. Love can help all of us to live in better world. It did take me a long time to make it through the book. I took time to mediate and to think about it as I read.

[LeAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lovely read and delivers on its promise to show us how to hold on to Hope in troubling times. From his early days growing up to his early days in the seminary and as a young parish pastor, Bishop Curry's life lessons build a strong case for showing up for others and serving with love. These life lessons are rooted in understanding the Bible and builds his case for loving well - loving your enemy well -- and serving others as a way to move forward toward the common good.

Lots of nuggets to think about - Here are a few of my favorites:
"Love creates room and space for others." (p6)
"Love is a firm commitment to act for the well-being of someone other than yourself." (p14)
"If hope and faith are the wind and sails, love is the rudder. It's God's GPS." (p26)

Chapter 6! "It's not easy" This chapter gives a historical framework for the past struggles we've endured for human progress. It also draws from his personal experiences that are encouraging and hopeful.

"This feels like the end of the world, but it's not. It's just the struggle continuing. ... Our job is to do our job in God's great movement of love in this world." (p 135)

Bishop Curry writes "Our stories have power." (pg 218). He is a master story teller and wise leader.


p.s. I first listened to the hour interview with Brene Brown and Bishop Curry discussing this book in her "Unlocking Us" podcast. It is a joy to listen to -- highly recommend that too!

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

You may recognize Bishop Curry from his preaching at the royal wedding of Megan and Prince Harry. His book is as good as that sermon was! In it, Bishop Curry discusses the problems and issues that plague our deeply divided society. He shares personal stories of his childhood and the influences loving adults had on him. During his lifetime, he has had similar challenges as other non-white Americans. Curry reminds us of many truths the we know in our hearts, that agreeing with everyone and liking everyone are not the same as loving everyone. This book is such a comfort to read!

[Valeska · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent and approachable book. I first learned about Bishop Michael Curry when he officiated Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding. His sermon about love was so profound that I was excited to learn that he wrote an entire book about Love. His life story about becoming Episcopalian from being raised as a Baptist and taking part in some pretty historic events such as Standing Rock and the American Episcopalian allowance of the blessing of LGBTQ unions was fascinating. He never strayed from the theme of Love though. It really made me want to be a better person and to do more in my community.

[Stefanni Lynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Over the past two years, I have committed to reading about racial reconciliation and social justice, to listening instead of talking, to learning more about this life we live. Many times, I am discouraged and feel overwhelmed by all that is wrong, by all that needs to be done. Bishop Michael Curry’s book does not gloss over the way things are, but gives me hope and energy as I continue down this path. It is a balm for my soul. I encourage you to hear what he has to say.

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

CW: death of a parent (recounted), racism, slavery (recounted), sexism, Xenophobia, homophobia

Profound, moving. Bishop Michael Curry provides a better way of being in his book, Love is the Way. Detailing his life from growing up in Buffalo to serving at various Episcopal churches to becoming the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, Curry’s words and life experiences provide hope in a deeply flawed world amidst troubling times.

[MaryBeth Nolt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t think I have ever copied down so many quotes and nuggets of wisdom from one book. Certainly this book is written for those that are interested in faith and spirituality - but Curry brilliantly weaves his own faith journey and the importance of faith against the challenging backdrop of our current times. This is a book that I will certainly come back to for comfort and guidance.

[Anné Jude Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ambled through this book, slowing down at parts that caught my eye to give them a second look. I love Rev. Curry’s optimism alongside his realism. I especially loved the quotes he included from others—quotes he’s found influential and inspirational throughout his own life. I love his energy, and while I think hearing him speak is my preferred medium of his gospel, I really enjoyed his written word, too.

[Craig Amason · Rating 3 out of 5]

I discovered this book because Brene Brown had Bishop Curry on her podcast in late September to talk about it. I greatly admire Curry, who is the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, of which I am a member. Coming from humble beginnings and growing up without a mother, who died when he was a young boy (he still refers to her as Mommy), Bishop Curry rose up through the ranks of the church to become the first African-American to hold its top position.

In recent years, Curry has become more outspoken on the most crucial and controversial issues of our time, and his thinking on some of those issues has evolved even since becoming the Presiding Bishop, namely on same-sex marriage. As an African-American religious leader, there may be an expectation that Bishop Curry would always lean as left as possible on issues of race, but based on his book, I'm not so sure. For example, I suspect that some of his ideas about love and hope in these troubling times will not exactly resonate with the more passionate leaders of Black Lives Matter. I also imagine that the best way forward is somewhere between boiling activism and his emphasis on love, respect, and nonviolence.

One of Bishop Curry's most admirable qualities is his understanding of human nature, where there are no flawless heroes. He has a strong belief that God works miracles in spite of the shortcomings of even the most honorable people, including Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcom X, Bobby Kennedy, and Nelson Mandela. He is charmingly self-deprecating, funny, sensitive, and extremely practical. He also includes enough of his own life journey to help the reader understand his perspective and appreciate the obstacles he has overcome to get where he is today. He has definitely paid his dues.

This is one of those books that is best as an audio version with Bishop Curry reading it. His inflections and soothing tone effectively transmit the love and hope he espouses in the text. There are plenty of books available today to let us know how bad our situation is, here and around the world. And, maybe Bishop Curry's book tends to lean toward idealism and even wishful thinking at times, but it is definitely an oasis for our troubling times.

[Lisa Trank · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a treasure and a gift for our times. I'm so moved by the storytelling, the messages of love that are in every chapter and the personal honesty of the writer. I listened to this book and his voice soothed. Amazing!