RFP-USA Newsletter

Executive Director's Updates

RFP-USA Presents Interfaith Academies for Religious Leaders
Religions for Peace Apparel Now Available
Save Darfur Faith Action Packets
Global Days for Darfur
Public Service Announcement for RFP-USA wins Aurora Award
Conference in Washington, DC for Christian/Muslim Dialogue
Interfaith Event in LA to Explore Commonality, Differences
Kick off Earth Day with Environmental Education Guides from Sojourners
Earn a Master’s in Coexistence and Conflict
The People Speak Video Contest
RCC Convention in Kentucky
Divided We Fall
Interfaith Summer Institute
Interview with Lutheran Reverend from Jordon on YouTube

We Are All Connected
- North America: North American Women of Faith Network
An Introduction to:

International Council of Christians and Jews

Off the Shelf
- Living Faith: How Faith Inspires Social Justice
- Encyclopaedia Judaica
- Faith Works: How to Live Your Beliefs and Ignite Positive Social Change
- Grace Under Fire
- Church Signs Across America
Food for Thought
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International Council of Christians and Jews

The International Council of Christians and Jews (ICCJ) is part of an organization that comprises 38 Jewish-Christian dialogue organizations worldwide. Over the past fifty years ICCJ has been successfully engaged in the historical renewal of Jewish and Christian relations.

The organization was founded as a reaction to the Holocaust in the awareness that ways must be found to examine the engrained roots of hate, mistrust and fear between Christians and Jews. In recent years the ICCJ has engaged in Abrahamic dialogue with Christians, Jews and Muslims, which has promoted wider interfaith relations. The ICCJ formulates a platform through annual conferences where people of different religious backgrounds give their experience and expertise on current issues and topics.

The mission of the ICCJ is to promote understanding and cooperation between Christians and Jews with respect to each other's identity and integrity, address issues of human rights and human dignity, counter all forms of discrimination, intolerance and prejudice, and encourage research and education within and among universities and theological seminaries in order to foster understanding among teachers, students, religious scholars and leaders.

For more information on the ICCJ please their website.

Sister Joan Chittister, a Benedictine nun, tells the following Sufi story.

Once upon a time there was an old woman who used to meditate on the bank of the Ganges. One morning, finishing her meditation, she saw a scorpion floating helplessly in the strong current. As the scorpion was pulled closer, it got caught in roots that branched out far into the river. The scorpion struggled frantically to free itself but got more and more entangled. She immediately reached out to the drowning scorpion, which, as soon as she touched it, stung her. The old woman withdrew her hand but, having regained her balance, once again tried to save the creature. Every time she tried, however, the scorpion's tail stung her so badly that her hands became bloody and her face distorted with pain. A passerby who saw the old woman struggling with the scorpion shouted, "What's wrong with you, fool! Do you want to kill yourself to save that ugly thing?" Looking into the stranger's eyes, she answered, "Because it is the nature of the scorpion to sting, why should I deny my own nature to save it?"

[Taken from The Language of God, by Dr. Francis Collins]

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Religions for Peace - USA April 2007 E-Newsletter Having Difficulty Viewing This E-mail?, Please Click Here. In This Issue: Executive Director's Updates RFP-USA Presents Interfaith Academies for Religious Leaders Religions for Peace Apparel Now Available Save Darfur Faith Action Packets Global Days for Darfur Public Service Announcement for RFP-USA wins Aurora Award Conference in Washington, DC for Christian/Muslim Dialogue Interfaith Event in LA to Explore Commonality, Differences Kick off Earth Day with Environmental Education Guides from Sojourners Earn a Master’s in Coexistence and Conflict The People Speak Video Contest RCC Convention in Kentucky Divided We Fall Interfaith Summer Institute Interview with Lutheran Reverend from Jordon on YouTube We Are All Connected North America: North American Women of Faith Network An Introduction to: International Council of Christians and Jews Off the Shelf Living Faith: How Faith Inspires Social Justice Encyclopaedia Judaica Faith Works: How to Live Your Beliefs and Ignite Positive Social Change Grace Under Fire Church Signs Across America Food for Thought Donate to Religions for Peace - USA Subscribe/Unsubscribe


From Our Executive Director… RFP-USA Presents Interfaith Academies for Religious Leaders Religions for Peace – USA is now accepting applications for its Interfaith Academies for Religious Leaders! The United States today is an increasingly multi-religious society, and many who are engaged in religious formation, training, and ministry are seeking opportunities to dialogue with people outside their religious tradition. Religions for Peace – USA is offering two Academies where people from diverse religious traditions can learn about each other’s faiths with and from each other. The Interfaith Academy for Emerging Religious Leaders is a two-week course for people in the process of formation for leadership/ministry in their religious community. Applicants should be active in their religious community and known to the judicatories or administration of their community, either on the local or national level. While there is no age limit, this academy is intended for people in training for leadership, not for persons already ordained or otherwise recognized as leaders in their religious body (these individuals should apply to the Interfaith Academy for Religious Professionals). The Interfaith Academy for Religious Professionals is a similarly-structured week-long course for people already active in religious leadership as clergy, professors, teachers, or in other vocations. For more information, and to download an application, please visit here or send an e-mail to: interfaithacademy@rfpusa.org. Religions for Peace Apparel Now Available Religions for Peace – USA has now made it even easier to wear your message of peace splashed across your chest… or your bag, or your coffee mug, or your dog. With over five different designs to choose from, and more created each week, you can find the perfect gift for all the peacemakers in your life. All proceeds go to support Religions for Peace – USA. Visit our new store here today! And if there's anything that you would like to see on a t-shirt, let us know. E-mail briana@rfpusa.org. Save Darfur Faith Action Packets SaveDarfur.org is encouraging individuals to organize their congregations in order to raise consciousness about Darfur and help end the genocide. The organization suggests sermons dedicated to educating parishioners about Darfur, community fundraising and information dissemination, and prayers for peace in the war torn region. In order to achieve these goals, SaveDarfur.org has created faith action packets, including sample sermons, prayers, and congregational bulletin inserts, targeted to Christian, Jewish and Muslim Communities. To learn more and download the packets for free, visit here. Global Days for Darfur In addition to mobilizing faith communities, SaveDarfur.org is mobilizing groups nationwide for a concentrated week of activism, from April 23 to April 30, called "Global Days for Darfur." SaveDarfur.org emphasizes the direness of the situation, with 400,000 people already dead, 2.5 million displaced, 4 million dependent on aid agencies for food, and no end of conflict in sight. They hope that a campaign of rallies, marches and vigils nationwide will attract international attention. Visit the Global Days campaign website to sign up for an event in your area, or create a new event. Resources on the web site include an event planning guide and a guide for getting media attention. Donations can be made here. Public Service Announcement for RFP-USA wins Aurora Award! Faith and Values Media created a PSA for RFP-USA called “Breakfast,” which won a Platinum Best in Show Aurora Award, the highest honor the Awards confer. The Aurora Awards are an independent, international film and video competition that target programs and commercials that would not normally have the opportunity to compete on a national level. To view our PSA, click here. Conference in Washington, DC for Christian/Muslim Dialogue The Rumi Forum is co-hosting a conference called “Inter-religious and Intercultural Discourse: Christians and Muslims in Dialogue” at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. The conference, on April 28, is open to the public and features speakers from several universities, including Catholic and Georgetown, discussing topics related to conflict resolution, theological understanding, and peace. Interfaith Event in LA to Explore Commonality, Differences The Omar Ibn Al Khattab Foundation is hosting The Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions Southern California Chapter in presenting a full day event titled, “Celebrating Religious Commonality, Exploring Religious Differences.” The event, which takes place on April 28, will be an opportunity for adults and youth to engage in community building, talks, workshops, fellowship, prayer, art, and interfaith celebration. A $36 donation includes lunch and dinner; guests may register in advance or at the door. Kick off Earth Day with Environmental Education Guides from Sojourners Sojourners offers “Holy Ground: A Resource on Faith and the Environment,” which explores such issues as eco-feminism, environmental racism, and the population explosion. The guide, suitable for committed environmentalists and neophytes, contains models for practical action, discussion questions, and lists of organizations. The cost is $5, with discounts for bulk orders. Also available is “Christians and the Environment,” a downloadable study guide in PDF format, for $4.95. To order "Holy Ground," click here. To order "Christians and the Environment," click here. Earn a Master’s in Coexistence and Conflict Brandeis University has developed a Master’s Program in Coexistence and Conflict. The program is designed for professionals who work for governmental and non-governmental organizations and businesses operating in regions of conflict, and who are seeking an advanced degree in addressing violent conflict. Students develop practical skills useful in preventing, mediating, and resolving conflict. The program takes 16 months to complete and begins anew in the 2007/08 academic year. One student in each incoming class is eligible for a Slifka Fellowship, which covers the cost of tuition and includes a $10,000 stipend. To view bios of past students, go here. The People Speak Video Contest The People Speak is sponsoring video contest for the best YouTube style video about water conservation. The video can teach about water conservation or show someone particularly inept when it comes to watching their water, but it must stay on topic. Submissions can be funny or serious, but The People Speak ask that they are compelling, entertaining, and creative. Submissions can be no longer than five minutes and must be uploaded onto YouTube; after uploading, fill out this online entry form. The deadline for submission is June 15, 2007. For more information, visit this website. RCC Convention in Kentucky The Religion Communicators Council presents “Soaring to New Heights in Communications,” a convention to be held in Louisville, Kentucky, from April 26 to 28. The Convention features a number of workshops, which you can register for online, as well as three special events: Two media awards dinners ($45 and $65), to take place on the 26th and 28th, and a concert on the 27th with singer-songwriter Carrie Newcomer ($10). To view schedule, click here. Divided We Fall Divided We Fall is a film inspired by the wave of “retribution” enacted on innocent Muslim-Americans in the wake of September 11. On September 15, 2001, a man calling himself a “patriot” murdered a turbaned Sikh man, Balbir Singh Sodhi, in Mesa, Arizona – only one instance in a rash of murder and violence that claimed nineteen lives. That story led a 20-year-old California native, Valarie Kaur, to set out on a five-year journey to document untold stories of hope, fear, inspiration and loss across the United States. The film showed at the Spinning Wheel Film Festival and is now on a national tour. Further information on the film and its creator can be found here. Interfaith Summer Institute The Interfaith Summer Institute for Justice, Peace and Social Movements, based at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, will include an exciting and diverse series of lectures, classes and workshops in August. The Institute is a leadership development and support program for people involved in faith-based peace and justice movements. The Institute aims to promote the role that religion can have in building peace and cooperation, to counteract many people's understanding that religion only fuels conflict and violence. Visit here to view workshops, such as "Interfaith Solidarity for Worker Justice: Challenges and Hopes." And here to view courses, such as "Can you love the land like I do? Building Native -- Non-Native Alliances." Interview with Lutheran Reverend from Jordon on YouTube The Reverend Eric C. Shafer, of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Pennsylvania, conducted an interview with the Rev. Munib A. Younan, Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land. The video, in two parts, can be accessed on YouTube by clicking here and here.


North America: North American Women of Faith Network Religions for Peace Women's Mobilization Program and Religions for Peace-USA are excited to announce the launching of the North American Women of Faith Network. The North American Women of Faith Network will join Religions for Peace Women of Faith Networks from around the world in building peace, promoting sustainable development and protecting human rights for all. Working groups will be created to develop initial focus, themes and objectives for the network. A continental gathering will be scheduled for Spring of 2008. For updates on the staus of this new mobilization, please visit here.


International Council of Christians and Jews The International Council of Christians and Jews (ICCJ) is part of an organization that comprises 38 Jewish-Christian dialogue organizations worldwide. Over the past fifty years ICCJ has been successfully engaged in the historical renewal of Jewish and Christian relations. The organization was founded as a reaction to the Holocaust in the awareness that ways must be found to examine the engrained roots of hate, mistrust and fear between Christians and Jews. In recent years the ICCJ has engaged in Abrahamic dialogue with Christians, Jews and Muslims, which has promoted wider interfaith relations. The ICCJ formulates a platform through annual conferences where people of different religious backgrounds give their experience and expertise on current issues and topics. The mission of the ICCJ is to promote understanding and cooperation between Christians and Jews with respect to each other's identity and integrity, address issues of human rights and human dignity, counter all forms of discrimination, intolerance and prejudice, and encourage research and education within and among universities and theological seminaries in order to foster understanding among teachers, students, religious scholars and leaders. For more information on the ICCJ please their website.


Living Faith: How Faith Inspires Social Justice In his latest book, Christian ethicist Curtiss DeYoung explores how faith provides the impetus for social action through character studies of three of the most influential activists of the twentieth century: Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Malcolm X, and Aung San Suu Kyi. Each individual comes from a different time period and a different faith, but Deyoung suggests that they were united by motivation. In each case, their faiths impelled them to pursue social justice and bridge the gaps between nations, beliefs, and ways of life. Encyclopaedia Judaica This 17,000 page, 22 volume set can be called nothing less than a tome, and with a price tag of nealy $2,000, it is an expensive tome at that. It is also, however, arguably the most extensive collection of articles about historical and contemporary Judaica available, with over 22,000 signed entries on Jewish life, culture, history and religion written by experts from Europe, Israel, and America. The Encyclopaedia has been updated from its first edition, released in the early 1970s, and now includes over 2500 new articles, many of which concern gender and religion in the Americas. In addition, 11,000 original articles have been updated. Faith Works: How to Live Your Beliefs and Ignite Positive Social Change Jim Wallis, the bestselling author of God’s Politics: Why the Right Gets it Wrong and the Left Doesn’t Get it, outlines his mix of politics and spirituality in this book. He promotes the ideal he tries to live, that of engaged believer, and explains to his readers how people can channel their faith into good works and thereby transform the societies in which they live. With this book, Wallis promotes the idea that being a good citizen and a good human being are essentially the same thing. Grace Under Fire Andrew Carroll, creator of The Legacy Project, here compiles fifty letters spanning the history of American soldiers at war. What emerges is an account of the importance of religion and faith to Americans under the most stressful of circumstances imaginable from the Revolutionary War to the current war in Iraq. The letters capture the breadth of human existence; soldiers tell anecdotes about comrades and ask about their families, and they also wrestle with existential questions of life and death. They also offer a glimpse of the diversity of spiritual and religious beliefs among Americans throughout this country's history. Church Signs across America The cover of this book of photography by Steve and Pam Paulson reads, “Free Trip to Heaven – Details Inside,” and it is a good indication of what you will find inside. The signs pictured contain one-liners that are witty, whimsical, and ironic. Topics deadly serious such as eternal salvation are treated lightly – sort of. What makes this book really compelling is that, however light the treatment, the message behind the message is no joke. Consider this pun: “Seven days without prayer makes one weak.”


Sister Joan Chittister, a Benedictine nun, tells the following Sufi story. Once upon a time there was an old woman who used to meditate on the bank of the Ganges. One morning, finishing her meditation, she saw a scorpion floating helplessly in the strong current. As the scorpion was pulled closer, it got caught in roots that branched out far into the river. The scorpion struggled frantically to free itself but got more and more entangled. She immediately reached out to the drowning scorpion, which, as soon as she touched it, stung her. The old woman withdrew her hand but, having regained her balance, once again tried to save the creature. Every time she tried, however, the scorpion's tail stung her so badly that her hands became bloody and her face distorted with pain. A passerby who saw the old woman struggling with the scorpion shouted, "What's wrong with you, fool! Do you want to kill yourself to save that ugly thing?" Looking into the stranger's eyes, she answered, "Because it is the nature of the scorpion to sting, why should I deny my own nature to save it?" [Taken from The Language of God, by Dr. Francis Collins]
Archives Visit RFPUSA.org to view previous e-newsletters. Donate If you would like to support the work of RFP-USA, please click here. Or use the button below: Religions for Peace is a spam-free zone This newsletter is sent by permission only. We promise not to trade, sell, or give away your address. Read our privacy policy. Subscribe To subscribe, please visit www.rfpusa.org and enter your e-mail OR send an e-mail to newsletter@rfpusa.org. Please consider sending this along to a friend and encouraging them join our e-newsletter for free! Want to recommend something for us to share in this e-newsletter? Drop us a line at rfpusa@rfpusa.org. Unsubscribe If you wish to unsubscribe, send an e-mail to newsletter@rfpusa.org with the word "UNSUBCRIBE" in the subject line from the address you wish to unsubscribe. Religions for Peace - USA 777 United Nations Plaza, 9th Floor New York, NY 10017 Tel: 212.338.9140 \| Fax: 212.983.0566 \| Email: rfpusa@rfpusa.org ©2006 RFP-USA [Home] [Contact Us] [Site Map] [Privacy Policy]