Huge mountain ranges and vast uninhabited areas characterize the Mountain West. The region is home to several dense urban centers, but there is enough space between cities for three very distinct religious cultures to develop. Arizona and New Mexico's religious public life is still dominated by the Catholic church which was in place three centuries before these areas became U.S. states. Mormons came to Utah and Idaho in the 19th century to set up their own church-state and only later were ...

Called to work on social justice in the church in the early 1960s, Paul Kittlaus tells his story of defining the issues for his time, finding colleagues who would be trusty companions on a rather rough path, learning and teaching skills for social change, and empowering both clergy and laity to define their faith in terms of justice for those who are poor and marginalized. He also calls to the church of today to place social change and justice at the center of its ministry.