What are the “comma moments” in your life?

The Reverend Robert Chase, author and acclaimed interfaith activist, will facilitate a conversation on Wednesday, October 17, at Newtown Meeting House.

“Courageous Conversations In A Complex World,” scheduled to begin at 7 pm, will cover how anyone can learn from changes that occur after transitional moments in their lives.

Known for leading courageous conversations in volatile settings at home and around the world, Rev Chase will use selections from his new book, Beyond the Comma: Life at the Intersection, to spark dialogue on how to engage one another across lines of difference in our complicated age.

From New York City to rural Pakistan, Rev Chase builds on his experiences during his programs, challenging audience members to be attentive to the “comma moments” in their lives — moments that literally give one pause, increasing one’s awareness that life consists of multi-layered intersections — some deeply personal, some corporate, even global. As these intersections are experienced, and their interrelationship explored, people become more fully human.

Reza Aslan, the author of No god but God and Zealot, said Rev Chase has “written nothing less than a manifesto for how to live a reflective, active life in the modern world.”

Mike McCurry, former press secretary to President Bill Clinton, said the author “reminds us there are moments in life when we need to step back and consider the important things that define the path forward. Here is a roadmap on how to choose the right forks in the road.”

Rabbi Naamah Kelman, dean of Hebrew Union College, Jerusalem, said the book is “a clear and clarion call for building a just and compassionate society coming from deep religious pathos. This book raises all the crucial questions and answers with bold exclamation points!”

Rev Robert Chase is currently a Center Fellow at Seton Hall University’s School of Diplomacy and International Relations. For ten years beginning in 2007, he served as Founding Director of Intersections International, a global initiative of the Collegiate Church of New York and prior to that as Director of Communication for the United Church of Christ.

He is an award-winning video producer/director with more than 100 productions to his credit.

There is no charge for his October 17 program in Newtown. Signed copies of Beyond The Comma will be available for purchase, $20 each; cash, checks, and credit cards will be accepted.

The program is a 2018 Newtown Arts Festival event. The meeting house is at 31 Main Street.