Portraits in Faith by Daniel Kalman Epstein

For 18 years, Daniel Epstein, a Marketing Director at one of the world’s largest corporations, Procter & Gamble, traveled the world for business and for faith. Motivated by his own search to fill the "God-sized hole" in his life, he did not know where it would lead. He felt that if he did not develop some type of spiritual faith, he would die. Born and raised a Jew, Daniel’s challenges with relationships, work, and "life" forced him at age 36 to get on his knees and pray to a God he did not know, a higher power not specific to either his own Judaism or any religion, and ask for help. In order to keep his new found sense of faith alive and to gain from the experience of others, Daniel created a spiritual exercise out of interviewing people around the world about the role of faith in their lives. As a photographer, Daniel also captured a moment with each person in a black and white portrait meant to evoke their true spirit. To-date, Epstein has interviewed and made portraits of 450 people in 27 countries. This book represents the first 125 portraits to be published along with quotes and reflections from Daniel on what got provoked in him spiritually by each interview.

 
Ken Burns, Emmy Award winning documentary producer/director

"I was—we were (as several folks in the office crowded 'round)—completely blown away. By its power and dignity, its implicit compassion and yet unblinking eye. What a wonderful project and I only wish I hadn't been on the road for the last three and a half months because I would have been able to see this amazing project sooner."

 
Brian D. McLaren, former pastor, author, activist

“When we hear the word faith, many of us think of words like theology and orthodoxy. But thanks to Daniel Epstein's beautiful new book, perhaps in the future more of us will think of two new words: biography and photography. Portraits in Faith invites us to see faith embodied in people's stories and faces, and as I go from page to page, I feel reverence, awe, humility, wonder, and joy. A beautiful gift for anyone you love, and a masterpiece to grace any coffee table or library.”

 
Neshama Carlebach, Award winning singer, teacher, and social activist

“Portraits in Faith is a masterpiece of our collective humanity. It brings to light and reminds us of many deep and crucial messages: how we must honor each other and our journeys, how holding tight to our own integrity and individual mission help us to remain whole within ourselves, and how we must, no matter what, strive to connect with the greater universe and with the Divine Light. My prayer is that the spirit of this beautiful book and project resonates throughout the world and brings each of us just a little bit closer to healing.”

Rabbi Irwin Kula, rabbi and author, President of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership (CLAL)

“Portraits in Faith is a revelation in the mystical, spiritual, OMG meaning of the word. In a world of spectacle and appearances, Daniel Epstein has magically mixed images and stories of great depth and authenticity. Here are hero journeys of Faith Innovators of the next operating system of our humanity. Portraits in Faith is a contemporary sacred text reminding us that faith is a verb—a current that runs in myriad forms from the same source and that there are some among us who are Masters of Faith-ing from whom we can learn to transform our world.”