HOLIDAY BEST OF: Susan Katz Miller on Interfaith Families at the Holidays

Published: Dec. 4, 2023, 10:30 a.m.

b"We\\u2019re in Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa Countdown! To keep you company while you slowly lose your mind, we\\u2019re re-running some of our favorite holiday episodes. This week we're revisiting our interview with Susan Katz Miller, author of THE INTERFAITH FAMILY JOURNAL.\\nThe holidays are always intense, and if your family is an intersection of multiple traditions, it can really ratchet up the pressure for perfection times two. Which is when it\\u2019s time to maintain perspective. As Susan explains:\\n\\u201cI try to help people to understand that if they're having conflict often, it's not about religious difference. It's not about theology. It's not about whether there was an actual physical resurrection or not. It's usually about whether to put the fried onions on the green bean casserole or not.\\u201d\\nIn this episode we discuss\\n\\t-why every family is an interfaith family\\n\\t-how to reduce conflict about traditions with your spouse\\u2019s extended family\\n\\t-how to help your spouse when the hard feelings are on your family\\u2019s side\\n\\t-how to push back on the pressure to do \\u201cboth\\u201d traditions perfectly\\n\\t-how to help your kids navigate being of a different faith than most people in your community\\n\\t-how to handle it when you\\u2019re observant but your spouse is not (or vice versa)\\n\\t-the resentment that can occur when the mom in a family is expected to carry the weight of passing on a religious tradition that's not even hers\\nIt\\u2019s worth it to have the conversations, do the work, and delineate a \\u201csacred circle\\u201d that works for your immediate family. As Susan explains, when you and your spouse come from different traditions, \\u201cyou\\u2019re going to be doing the work anyhow.\\u201d But challenging your own mindset and context is also an incredible opportunity for growth\\u2013 even if the way your spouse\\u2019s family opens their holiday gifts is completely and totally wrong.\\xa0\\nHere are links to some other writing on the topic we discuss in this episode:\\xa0\\n\\t-Pew Research Center: Why America\\u2019s \\u2018nones\\u2019 don\\u2019t identify with a religion\\n\\t-Stina Kielsmeier-Cook: Blessed Are the Nones: Mixed-Faith Marriage and My Search for Spiritual Community: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9780830848270\\n\\t-Buy THE INTERFAITH FAMILY JOURNAL: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9781558968257\\n\\nWe love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website:\\nhttps://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/\\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices"