Religions for Peace - USA November 2006 E-Newsletter

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In This Issue:

From Our Executive Director…

Making “Thanksgiving” More Meaningful
Yes, you gather with your family - for better or for worse! - and imbibe in turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie and maybe watch a parade or take in a football game, but how do you really celebrate “Thanksgiving?” In what ways do you stop to say “thank you” at Thanksgiving and mean it?

We think that there is no better month or holiday to say “thank you” to those who work for justice, to those who lead our faith communities, or to those who seek peace and we have arranged a special way for you to do it!

Between now and the end of the year, Religions for Peace would like to invite you to recognize a friend or colleague's tireless efforts for justice and priceless contribution towards peace by making a donation in their name. With your contribution of $50 or more to Religions for Peace-USA, we will send a card to the person of your choice, acknowledging your gift on their behalf and saying “thank you” to them for all that they do to make this world a better place. The gift can be made via credit card with our online donation system or you can mail a check/money order.

Nothing for Something?
This e-newsletter is free, but it takes resources to produce it. Two times a year, we turn to our readers to request support for the work of Religions for Peace-USA, including the production of this e-newsletter. What is it worth to stay informed? Here is what San Francisco’s most prominent interfaith leader just said in their local newsletter: “Religions for Peace – USA’s electronic newsletter continues to be the ‘must-read’ publication of the interfaith community.” Kind words. But he also puts his money where his mouth is and is a generous donor as well.

So what are you waiting for? The truth is that contributions of caring individuals do make a noticeable difference in our work. With your support, we:
• train young people in interreligious and peace work,
• create guides and resources to educate and inform,
• bring together religious leaders and their communities for collaboration,
• foster relationship building between various sectors of society, and
• challenge the faithful Americans on their unique role in the world

If you like what you see and read, let us know by offering your support. If you don't, let us know. We want to hear from you. Can’t give anything right now? Take a second to introduce a friend to our e-newsletter by forwarding it.

Now Showing: “Control Room” – A FREE Movie Event Toolkit
With our friends at the Stanley Foundation, we have a new event toolkit based on the documentary “Control Room.” It is yet another free movie/discussion kit for you. Control Room is a documentary featuring Al Jazeera's coverage of the current Iraq conflict. The movie will be included in a "Now Showing...Control Room" event toolkit. In addition to the Control Room DVD, the toolkit will include a discussion guide, the "24/7: The Rise and Influence of Arab Media" radio documentary, a recent issue of the Stanley Foundation’s quarterly magazine Courier focusing on Arab media, as well as the Open Media and Transitioning Societies in the Arab Middle East: Implications for US Security Policy report, and other materials.

Sign up now to receive the toolkit and find out how your organization can partner with the Stanley Foundation and Religions for Peace-USA. Once you have hosted a "Now Showing...Control Room" event, please fill out a brief survey.

Leveraging US Strength in an Uncertain World – December 7, 2006
Religions for Peace-USA’s -Executive Director, Rev. Bud Heckman, will be attending the Stanley Foundation’s Conference on National and Global Security in Washington D.C. on December 7, 2006. Traditionally these meetings are for select groups of key impactors, but in a new move by the folks at the Stanley Foundation this program is available to a larger public audience by pre-registration. The objective of the conference is to advance US debate on issues and policy considerations that must be addressed if the United States is to meet the real security challenges of the post-9/11 world while also maintaining its legitmiacy in the global arena. There is a fascinating array of speakers lined up. For more information, visit www.stanleyfoundation.org/securityconference and to register, please send your contact information to info@stanleyfoundation.org.

U.S.-Muslim World Relations: A Multimedia Discussion
Four in ten Americans said they have “at least some feelings of prejudice against Muslims.” And 90% of residents in predominantly Muslim countries view the U.S. as the primary threat to their country. (Read RFP-USA's blog post on this)

In an attempt to confront these issues, The People Speak is sponsoring an online discussion between students from all over the U.S. on Thursday, November 16 from 3-8pm EDT. Over 15 Muslim American college students from the Americans for Informed Democracy Hope not Hate program will be online in the TPS forum to answer questions and discuss their perspectives.

You can post your question or comment any time before or during the November 16 chat. Please note: you must be a registered user of The People Speak site to participate in the forum. Register online today.

The People Speak - Ted Turner, Muhammad Yunus, and more...
The People Speak is going to be ending on November 30th, but that still gives you a few weeks to get into the game. Check out our blog, listen to podcasts, watch videocasts, and join the discussion!

Want to get involved?
• Write a blog post and e-mail it to thepeoplespeak@rfpusa.org
• Upload your own podcast or videocast
• Ask Muhammad Yunus a question
• Hear Ted Turner's answers to your questions
Or just keep playing with the site to see what's new and interesting.

Have you been enjoying this site and don't want to see it go? Are you joining a little late and don't want to miss anything? Don't worry! RFP-USA has our blog and podcasts mirrored on our site, so keep reading and listening and keeping sending in those blog posts and podcasts.

Listening to Leading Religious Voices - Subcribe to RFP-USA’s Podcasts
We bring you some of the most interesting voices in interfaith and peace work today. We know you are busy, so we have made it easy for you to listen when you have the time. How about listening to Gandhi’s granddaughter or the Chief Rabbi of Israel on the way to work this morning?

Don’t know what we are talking about? Visit here and click on any podcast. Want to do more and save them? You can set your iTunes to automatically check for and download new audio files from Religions for Peace - USA. For instructions, click here.

Religious Voices on Hallmark’s “New Morning” Show
Our partners at Faith and Values Media are looking for people of faith and goodwill who may have interesting stories of personal triumph, hope, and change. The following are themes being explored for future episodes of New Morning with host Naomi Judd: marriage, reinventing yourself, a pillar of strength, finding your purpose, parenting, time and stress, kids and values, uncluttering your like, who lifts you up, and dying to be thin. Do you have an idea or person to recommend? Past vignettes have featured people of faith from Religions for Peace’s networks. Contact Jeff Weber at Lightworks Production Group with ideas at jweber@lightworksgroup.com.

Beyond the Politics and Pundits – First Muslim Elected to Congress
In the midst of stories about pedophile Congressman IMing teenage pages and the character of change that will take place in Washington, did we let an historic interfaith landmark in politics slide by our radar this week? Let’s hope not. Keith Ellison made American political history on Tuesday, November 7th. He became the first Muslim elected to Congress. Congratulations, Keith!

Congress has had a very high percentage of representatives with Catholic and Protestant religious affiliations for many years. See the stats yourself here. Ellison’s election may open the door for a Congress whose religious affiliations are more in line with the actual percentages evidenced in the American population. Voice of America quotes the young Democrat as saying, “The first issue has got to be peace. We believe that peace should be the guiding principal of our country." We don’t parse politics here, but we like that.

Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise – The Accountability

According to UNAIDS estimates, there are now 40+ million people living with HIV, including millions of children, and during the last year over 4 million people became infected.

Started in 1988, World AIDS Day is about increasing awareness, education, and fighting prejudice, as well as raising funds for HIV/AIDS research. For many years, World AIDS Day was organized by UNAIDS. However, in 2005 UNAIDS handed over responsibility for World AIDS Day to an independent organization known as The World AIDS Campaign (WAC).

The WAC’s theme for their campaign is "Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise". "Keep the Promise" is an appeal to governments and policy makers to ensure they meet the targets they have agreed to in the fight against HIV and AIDS. For more information click here or visit the resources of Religions for Peace on role of religious leaders in addressing HIV/AIDS:
http://www.wcrp.org/resources/toolkits/HIV-AIDS
http://www.wcrp.org/resources/reports/response

Many religious communities produce their own resources to help bring attention to HIV/AIDS work and this particular day. For example, “Prevention That Empowers,” is a new resource packet for Unitarian Universalists. Check with your community for specific resources.

Religious Leaders Launch a Bond Fund To Front Load Development Work
Chancellor Gordon Brown has come up with a scheme to raise billions from bonds sales to enable vaccinations in countries like Africa and religious communities and their leaders are in the thick of it. The first bond sales were symbolically purchased by the Archbishop of Canterbury, England’s Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, the Muslim Council of Britain, the Hindu Forum of Britain, the Network of Sikh Organisations, and Cardinal Renato Martino, of the Vatican’s Justice and Peace Council, who purchased them in the Pope’s name.

Historically, religious communities have taken the lead in pooling how their institutions’ resources might be responsibly and ethically invested in the stock market through the efforts of organizations like the Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility.

This bond sale is the first of its kind, though, and is aimed at fighting preventable diseases like measles, polio and tetanus, which kill more than two million children a year in impoverished countries. Brown said, "This will immunize 500 million children by 2015 saving ten million lives, and help to eradicate polio from the world."

The United States is not taking part because it is reluctant to have aid pledges leveraged as collateral for the bonds, given possible changes in conditions or administrations.

Alliance of Civilizations’ Final Report
The final report from the Alliance of Civilizations is due out on November 13, 2006. The Report will be presented to outgoing Secretary General Kofi Annan at the groups final meeting in Instanbul, Turkey. Tune back in to the Alliance of Civilizations’ website next week for the report, but tune in now if you want to see some stimulating video interviews with the participants of the High-Level Group of eminent persons, in the meantime.

The 27th Annual Interfaith Concert of IFCMW
The Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington D.C.’s Sacred Music Celebration returns to historic Washington Hebrew Congregation on Tuesday, November 14, 2006 at 7:30 p.m. Under the theme of “A Celebration of the Sacred in Song, Dance and Chant,” the concert features artists from the Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Islamic, Jain, Jewish, and Mormon traditions.

This concert series is a gleaming example of best practices in interfaith work. It engages all aspects of the community and helps build interfaith understanding, while at the same time raising funds for the ongoing work of a respected interfaith center. For more information or tickets, please visit www.ifcmw.org.

Ecumenical Advocacy Days – March 9-12, 2007
Save the dates of March 9-12 on your 2007 calendars as that is when Ecumenical Advocacy Days for Global Peace with Justice meets again. For more information, please visit Advocacy Days.

Toward Building a Peaceful Society – February 19-21, 2007
The Punjabi University, in collaboration with the International Interfaith Centre, is organizing a three-day international seminar on the theme of "Towards Building a Peaceful Society: Role of Religion" at Patiala, India. The objective of the seminar, to be held February 19-21, 2007, will be to provide scholars working in the field of different religious traditions an opportunity to come together to discuss issues of common concern. For more information, visit the Interfaith Centre’s site.

New Staff Members
Zack Shaeffer originally hails from Southern California, and is in his second year at Princeton Theological Seminary. He says, "I am excited to be on the RFP-USA team for the academic year. I come to RFP-USA with a longstanding interest in interreligious dialogue and peace and justice issues. I hope to grow in my understanding of such issues, and gain experience in working for change and in non-profit work generally." Zack is curently working on the Interfaith Academies, Hope for Children, and Interfaith Directory Projects.



Nahid Noori is a third-year student at Hunter College with a double major in economics and political science along with a minor in religion. After college she hopes to pursue either law school or her PhD in International Politics. Ultimately, she would like to be a political voice between the East and West and work with the fledgling government of her parents home country, Afghanistan.

Alicia Allison joins us at RFP-USA after obtaining a BA in Religious Studies, with a focus on Early Christianity, at Franklin and Marshall College and studying Bible and Semitic Languages at the Jewish Theological Seminary. Her interest is primarily in conflict resolution and interfaith dialogue between Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Alicia is currently working on the RPF-USA online interfaith calendar, interfaith dialogue book, and a project on conflict resolution in congregations. Along with RFP-USA she also works for a Synagogue in Westchester, NY.

We at Religions for Peace - USA would like to congratulate our colleagues and counterparts in the Asian Conference of Religions for Peace (ACRP) and the Korean Conference of Religions for Peace (KCRP) as they celebrate two significant milestones. We join ACRP as they celebrate thirty years of working towards peace and justice and KCRP as they celebrate twenty years of the same hard work and devotion.

Representatives of the Five-Party Talks, seated in the innermost circle, at the Eighth World Assembly in Kyoto, Japan, including five US representatives.

Religions for Peace International has its roots in Asia. We had our First Assembly in Asia in 1970, and ACRP was founded only six years later, followed by KCRP. We recently gathered together for our Eighth World Assembly in Kyoto, Japan where we pledged to confront violence and to advance shared security.

Throughout its twenty-year history, KCRP—representing Buddhist, Protestant, Catholic, Salvation Army, Won Buddhist, and other affiliations—has worked steadily in five local istricts to promote multi-religious cooperation. Among their programs are reconciliation and confidence-building exchanges between religious leaders from North and South Korea, young adult exchange programs in collaboration with Religions for Peace–Japan, a peace education center, and various inter-religious seminars throughout the country.

Since there are no national Hindu religious community structures, Religions for Peace-USA has included prominent leaders from regional Hindu organizations in its leadership, such as the Adhyayana Universal Hindu Mission in New York City or the Hindu Temple and Cultural Center of South Carolina. Ms. Arunima Sinha (pictured below right) is a member of the Hindu Temple and Cultural Center of South Carolina and a long-time contributor to the work of Religions for Peace, both in the United States and internationally. She is currently a member of the Executive Council of Religions for Peace-USA.

The Hindu Temple and Cultural Center of South Carolina was established in 1983 to meet the needs of thousands of Hindus in the South Carolina region to worship and pray together, to perform sacraments and rituals, to observe and celebrate festivals, and to enable humanitarian and educational activities. Today it serves as a home to persons of other Indian-originated traditions, as well, such as the Jains and Brahma Kumaris.

It started with an informal meeting called for the purpose in Sesquicentennial Park in the summer of 1982. As a result of a long search and hard work, 1.38 acres of land were purchased. Free legal services for this transaction were provided by Hon. Congressman Joe Wilson. The Temple was incorporated on February 2, 1983.

On November 5, 1983, Swami Bhashyanandji of Ramakrishna Mission, Chicago, performed the ground-breaking ceremony for the Temple. The Temple was opened for the devotees and the public on March 29, 1985 on the auspicious Ramnavami, the birthday celebration of Lord Sri Rama. The installation of the murthi's (images) of the deities and the infusion of life (pranpathista) in them spiritually was celebrated on October 30-31, 1986.

Ever since the Temple activities started, the Temple has been increasingly serving the Hindus and the wider community in a dynamic way. It is active in interreligious activities, both cultural and humanitarian. Students of schools and colleges visit the Temple to learn about Hindu ideals, traditions, and practices. Once a year, adherents celebrate "India Day" in which the general public is invited to attend Indian dance and music, as well as taste Indian delicacies.

The Temple is involved in the exchange of ideas and mutual visits to institutions of higher learning such as University of South Carolina, Benedict College, Bible College, Columbia College, and Furman University.

This issues features a special series of reviews of religious works by/for women from the recent “Women in Religion in the 21st Century” conference.

God’s Troublemakers: How Progressive Women of Faith are Changing the World
by Katharine Hendersen
This inspirational new book explores the journeys of 11 women who are engaging their faith for personal and social transformation. Representing diverse religious traditions, all of the women demonstrate creative leadership around issues such as the separation of church and state, the relationship between politics and religion, and the contemporary reality of religious pluralism. God's Troublemakers gives voice to the religious and spiritual experiences of women determined to change the world, including anti-death penalty activist Sr. Helen Prejean; executive director of American Jewish World Service, Ruth Messenger; and Helen LaKelly Hunt, who has been a national activist funding women’s causes and a leader in persuading secular feminists to make common cause with religious women.

Katharine Rhodes Henderson is an ordained Presbyterian minister, who for the past decade has been the executive vice president of Auburn Theological Seminary in New York City. She is co-founder of Face to Face/Faith to Faith, a multifaith leadership bringing together teenagers--Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus--from the Middle East, Northern Ireland, South Africa, and the US.

On Women and Judaism
By Blu Greenberg
This book is a fabulous resource that explores the historical and present-day role of women in Judaism. Taking seriously both contemporary feminist theory and Jewish law, Blu Greenberg examines the possibilities for women’s participation in the synagogue, the family, and secular society, focusing specifically on issues such as liturgy, divorce, abortion, and purity laws. Both Jewish and non-Jewish women have considered On Women and Judaism an invaluable resource for addressing issues relevant to women and religion.

Blu Greenberg has been active in the movement to bridge feminism and Orthodox Judaism since 1973. She is the co-founder and first president of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance and has served on the boards of many organizations, including EDAH, the Covenant Foundation, Project Kesher, U.S. Israeli Women to Women, and the Jewish Foundation for Christian Rescuers. She serves on the editorial board of Hadassah Magazine and on the advisory boards of Lilith, the Jewish Student Press Service, and the International Research Institute on Jewish Women.

Transforming the Faiths of our Fathers: Women Who Changed American Religion
edited by Ann Braude
Published in 2004, Transforming the Faiths of our Fathers is the result of a historic conference that brought together 25 pioneers of religious feminism in 2002. With contributions from feminist leaders within the Catholic, Protestant, Evangelical, Jewish, Muslim, Mormon, and Goddess traditions, this book is an incredibly rich resource for anyone interested in feminism’s influence on the interpretation and practices of the world’s major faith traditions.

Ann Braude is the director of the Women's Studies in Religion Program and also serves as Lecturer on American Religious History at Harvard Divinity School.

Many Mansions: Multiple Religious Belonging and Christian Identity
edited by Catherine Cornille
An exploration of multi-religious belonging throughout the world. The compilation includes critical reflections from prominent scholars Jan Van Bragt, Francis Clooney, Elisabeth Harris, John B. Cobb, Jr., Jacques Dupuis, Werner Jeanrond, Claude Geffre, Joseph O'Leary, Raimon Panikkar and Catherine Cornille. Many Mansions is a unique resource for those who identify personally with more than one religious tradition, or for anyone seeking greater understanding of this fascinating global phenomenon.

Catherine Cornille is Associate Professor in the theology department at Boston College. She continues to write and conduct research on topics including the Theology of Religions, the theory of Interreligious Dialogue, Hindu-Christian and Buddhist-Christian dialogues, and the phenomenon of inculturation and intercultural theology.

The Ties That Bind: Women’s Public Vision for Politics, Religion, and Civil Society
by Amy Caiazza
This book describes the motivations, values, and experiences of women working as activists and leaders of social justice-oriented religious organizations. Based on a series of interviews, it documents the passion and unique approaches that these women bring to their work, including a focus on mutual responsibility and interconnectedness that redefines the language of morality and politics.

Amy Caiazza is study director at the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, where she leads a variety of projects on women’s political and civic participation. She has directed IWPR’s Status of Women in the States program since 1998.

Monopoly on Salvation? A Feminist Approach to Religious Pluralism
By Jeannine Hill Fletcher
A re-examination of missionary history shows how Christians have engaged with people of other religious traditions in the past. Jeannine Hill Fletcher explores examples from Christian history such as Paul's letters, the Acts of Thomas, the colonial encounters of Christopher Columbus and Bartolome de las Casas, and modern missions in Africa and India. The book offers an alternative theology modeled on the life, practice, and witness of Jesus of Nazareth that remains open to the many practices and understandings of the world’s diverse religious traditions.

Jeannine Hill Fletcher is Assistant Professor of Theology at Fordham University. Her work has largely been focused on the theoretical aspects of dialogue, more precisely, on how the experience of dialogue impacts theologies of religious pluralism.

Ties That Bind
By Dr. Ann Feldman and artistic circles
Ties That Bind is an Emmy-nominated video documentary that captures the conversations of seven Chicago women who joined in an effort to discuss what unifies and divides us. The documentary focuses on these women as leaders and their Jewish, Christian, Muslim, African American and Hispanic communities.

In addition to the documentary created through artistic circles, a non-profit run by Dr. Ann Feldman, a discussion guide with DVD excerpts accompanies the project. This discussion guide is used to create and facilitate diversity discussions: at corporate diversity sessions at Exelon Corporation, with high school students from the National Conference for Community and Justice’s “Youth in Diversity” Program, and at 22 interfaith town hall meetings facilitated by the Muslim American Society. For further information, please visit their website at www.artisticcircles.org .

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