For Immediate Release
Interviews Available on Request
Press Contact:
Caren Browning/Elizabeth MacEnulty
The Morris + King Company
212-561-7464/7457
caren.browning@morris-king.com
elizabeth.macenulty@morris-king.com
Feiler Calls for Questions to Ask President Bush in Upcoming Oval Office Visit -
New York, NY – July 25, 2007 – Beliefnet.com announced today that renowned author and biblical explorer Bruce Feiler will relocate his popular blog, Feiler Faster, to Beliefnet.com. As the best-selling author of seven books, including Abraham, Where God was Born and Walking the Bible, which is also the name of the popular PBS series he hosts, Mr. Feiler has inspired penetrating conversations about the relationship between Western civilization, geography, and God – conversations that web users can now join online at Beliefnet.
Earlier this year, as the 2008 presidential campaign gained increasing momentum, Mr. Feiler posed five questions about religion that he suggests every presidential candidate should be asked. For his first Beliefnet post, he asks readers to submit their own questions for President Bush, with whom he has been invited to meet on Friday July 27, in the Oval Office, and who has praised his book Abraham, which explores the role of the biblical patriarch in Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
“Feiler Faster is a unique combination of history, spirituality and journalism,” said Steven Waldman, Editor-in-Chief and CEO of Beliefnet.com. “Having guided millions through the lands of the Bible, Bruce now offers observations on the rest of the world, from politics to Harry Potter. We’re thrilled to welcome him aboard!”
What began for Mr. Feiler as a personal quest to better understand the Bible, ultimately became a life-altering spiritual transformation. By following in the footsteps of biblical characters, from Noah to Abraham to Moses, Mr. Feiler has intimately explored some of the most magical and volatile areas of the world – places that still appear at the top of the news thousands of years later.
“I first became interested in the Bible because I couldn’t go a day without hearing some reference to it – from the front page of the paper, to the leading character in a blockbuster movie. With Feiler Faster I’ve tried to relate experiences and insight I gleaned from a decade spent retracing biblical stories through the Middle East, back to the news of the day,” said Mr. Feiler. “I have been a fan of Beliefnet.com from its earliest days, and think it’s a perfect place to engage the most passionate participants in a conversation about the changing role of religion in the world.”
Feiler’s most recent best-selling book, Where God Was Born: A Daring Adventure Through the Bible’s Greatest Stories, continues the journey he began in Walking the Bible. Traveling 10,000 miles through Israel, Iraq and Iran – from the Garden of Eden to the rivers of Babylon – the book chronicles Feiler’s discovery of little-known origins of Western religion.
An array of Beliefnet blogs offers insightful debate and inspiration from a variety of spiritual voices, covering topics as diverse as politics, parenting, pop culture, mental health and more. Feiler Faster joins Neale Donald Walsch’s also recently relocated blog “Conversations with God,” along with other popular blogs including Idol Chatter (featuring Donna Freitas, Douglas Howe, Paul O’Donnell, Kris Rasmussen and Esther D. Kustanowitz); Beyond Blue, with Therese J. Borchard; Crunchy Con, with Rod Dreher; God’s Politics, with Jim Wallis, J-Walking, with David Kuo; and Virtual Talmud, a blog in the spirit of the rabbinic tradition, where three rabbis comment on Judaism and the world today.
Check out Bruce Feiler’s new blog at: http://blog.beliefnet.com/feilerfaster/
###
About Beliefnet
Beliefnet, winner of the 2007 National Magazine Award for General Excellence Online, is the largest online community for spirituality and inspiration. Its mission is to help people find and walk a spiritual path that instills comfort, hope, clarity, strength and happiness for people who are exploring their own faith or curious about other spiritual traditions. Beliefnet offers a wide variety of resources including articles, quizzes, devotionals, sacred text searches, photo galleries and intimate interviews with noted politicians, celebrities and the world’s most esteemed clergy and spiritual leaders. Beliefnet, Inc. is an independent, privately held company with more than 2.8 million unique visitors each month according to Media Metrix, and a daily newsletter readership of nearly 10 million subscribers. The company is not affiliated with any spiritual organization or movement.
