Religions for Peace - USA May/June 2007 E-Newsletter

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In This Issue:

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.

New Staff Member
Dan Isaac joins RFP-USA as an Associate for Interfaith and International Relations. He is a senior at Cornell University, working towards a BS in Industrial and Labor Relations with a concentration in international relations. Dan hopes to improve his understanding of and appreciation for all religions and to help Religions for Peace USA in its ultimate goal of spreading these ideals across the country. Perhaps the thing that Dan is most excited about in working at RFP-USA is the opportunity to get to know some of the many diverse and fascinating people that walk through their doors.

Pluralism Sunday
Last Sunday, May 27, churches nationwide celebrated the diversity of the world's religions in an event the Center for Progressive Christianity (CPC) called "Pluralism Sunday." The event is planned purposefully on the day of Pentecost. Pentecost is the time chronicled in the Book of Acts when Jesus' followers gathered together after his death and resurrection. Though they spoke different languages, they were suddenly able to understand each other through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Pentecost is the ideal time to celebrate Pluralism Sunday because of the feeling of overcoming differences and uniting through belief that pervades the event. According to the CPC it is a "time for churches to celebrate the common language of the soul that transcends the boundaries of faiths."

Churches celebrated "Pluralism Sunday" in a variety of creative ways. First Congregational Church in Long Beach, CA, had an Islamic leader as its preacher. Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, MI, held sessions in the weeks prior to Pluralism Sunday to study “The Faith Club," a book by three women – a Muslim, a Jew, and a Christian – who sought to find common ground on which to share their faiths. University Place Christian Church in Enid, OK used multiple languages to express the wisdom of different world religions in worship. Their common goal was to teach that being a Christian is not the only way to God, and Christian faith can be deepened by learning about other religions.

Disaster Planning Summit for NYC Religious Leaders
New York Disaster Interfaith Services teams with the Human Services Council and the New York City Office of Emergency Management to offer a summit for NYC religious leaders on June 5th to learn about hurricane and evacuation planning. The summit is a good opportunity for religious leaders to learn about their role in disaster planning within their communities and to network with other NYC religious leaders. This event will take place from 8:30 to 1:00 at NYU's Kimmel Center. Those interested in participating can register online by June 1st at the New York Disaster Interfaith Services website.

Six Week Religious Studies Program in Israel!
From July 3rd to August 17th, Galillee College in Israel will give a joint Muslim-Christian-Jewish educational program, called "A Religious Mosaic in the Holy Land." The program will utilize its location to the utmost. Participants will visit numerous holy places, sites of worship, and communities that show the region's multi-religious character. Students will learn the history of the three major faiths occupying the region - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - as well as learn about interfaith dialogue and see the possibilities for peaceful coexistence in person.

Ideally, but not necessarily, participants will be enrolled in graduate programs related to religious studies. Some scholarships are available to well-qualified students that cover the cost of tuition.

Please note that the application deadline is June 1st. Apply here now!

Not On Our Watch: A Mission to End Genocide
A few years ago, Don Cheadle starred in Hotel Rwanda as Paul Rusesabagina, a man who turned the hotel he managed into a makeshift refugee camp in the midst of the Rwanda genocide and effectively saved hundreds of lives. Apparently, Cheadle found more than a professional interest in the material. He recently traveled to Africa to witness what he and co-author John Prendergast call "Rwanda in slow motion," the ongoing genocide in Darfur, Sudan.

The two men have collaborated on a book that recounts their personal experiences in Sudan with statistics and background information on the Darfur genocide. They hope that people will read the book and be motivated to act. They realize that, in America, their greatest enemy is indifference. In an attempt to overcome that famous American apathy alluded to repeatedly in Hotel Rwanda, Prendergast and Cheadle have launched a major media campaign to publicize their book and bring attention to Darfur.

Like Rusesabagina did in Rwanda, they hope to shepherd people to safety in Darfur. Prendergast predicts that American intervention in Darfur, what he loosely refers to as "doing what's right," could lead to tens or hundreds of thousands of lives being saved. There is evidence that their media blitz has succeeded: Not on Our Watch is already on the New York Times bestseller list. Hopefully, this will translate to real action.

Unitarian Universalists Say, "Not on our watch, either!"
The Unitarian Universalist Action Committee (UUAC), whose tagline is "protecting human rights worldwide for 65 years," have joined secular organizations like SaveDarfur.org in calling for political action by American citizens to stem the awful progression of violence and murder in Darfur. They report encouraging news: tens of thousands of activists demonstrated on April 30th in support of humanitarian aid and intervention to Darfur. Also, the House of Representatives passed the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act in early April and the Senate Appropriations Committee approved an addition $50 million dollars to support the African Union peacekeeping troops (for a grand total of $173 million).

The UUAC emphasizes, however, that more must be done. Their website suggests three easy ways to take action for the people of Darfur. First, call or write to your congressional representative. Second, request postcards or information packets from SaveDarfur.org to distribute among the members of your congregation or community. Third, call Washington! UUAC has set up a toll free number, 800-862-5530, that will connect callers directly to the Capitol switchboard. In addition, their Legislative Action Center site provides electronic postcards that can be sent directly to your specific representative.

The work is not yet done. Before the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act can have any effects, it must be reconciled with a similar bill passed by the Senate. The Act would authorize sanctions against those deemed responsible for acts of genocide and crimes against humanity. For more information on the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act, visit this website.

Darfur Refugee Camp Photo-Essay
The International Rescue Committee, established over 70 years ago, is among the first to respond to instances of humanitarian crisis worldwide. They work to bring sustained support to regions torn apart by violence. They also work to provide new homes in the U.S. for refugees. And they are also an advocacy group, speaking on behalf of the displaced, addressing the root causes of violence and standing up for the world’s most vulnerable populations.

Not surprisingly, they have responded to the crisis in Darfur. This photo-essay, published on their website, depicts life in a refugee camp for the displaced of Darfur. The images of women and children are haunting, beautiful, distressing, and even, ultimately, hopeful.

In addition to working with refugees of the Darfur genocide, the IRC is active in other zones of poverty and conflict worldwide, advocating for gender-based rights, children, health, economic recovery and development. Also in Africa, they currently have missions operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.

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.

Interfaith Walk for Peace and Reconciliation
The purpose of the Interfaith Walk for Peace and Reconciliation is to affirm the desire of all religions to seek peace. The annual walk for this year will take place on June 3rd from 1 to 5 pm in northwest Philadelphia (Germantown & Mt. Airy). People will gather to promote peace - on the streets of Philadelphia and everywhere.

People from downtown and South Philadelphia will have a send off ceremony at 11.45 a.m. at Al Aqsa, 1501 Germantown Ave., and will board buses to Germantown at 12 p.m. People from the Northwest and northern suburbs will start at the first stop at 411 East Penn St., Masjid Muhammad.

The Walk's organizers ask that participants wear white and not carry political banners. Call (215) 854 8038 for more information.

 
Peace is Cheaper than War!
The Better World Campaign launched the Price of Peace Project on May 1st. This project, co-sponsored by The People Speak, seeks to raise awareness of the relatively miniscule cost of UN peacekeeping missions and their high success rates, when compared to global military budgets. An online petition at priceofpeace.org is collecting signatures to encourage the US government not to default on their UN peacekeeping dues. If the US does not pay by 2008, it will owe more than $1 billion. This is the largest single contribution owed to the UN, yet it is the equivalent of about a week of spending on the war in Iraq.

The US, as a member of the UN Security Council, has voted repeatedly over the past year to send or expand peacekeeping forces in Lebanon, Darfur, Haiti, East Timor, Chad, and the Central African Republic. Currently, 100,000 people worldwide serve as UN peacekeepers. The US does not send any peacekeepers, but it does contribute 26% of the world peacekeeping budget. According to the Better World Campaign, peace is cheap - eight times cheaper than if the US were to conduct its own peacekeeping missions. It is also effective - it promotes global political and economic stability, curbs the influence of terrorists, and reduces deaths from violence. To learn how, visit the Better World Campaign's Price of Peace website.

Youth Open House at World Bank Headquarters in Washington, DC
The YOH! Youth Open House is an opportunity for groups of young people involved in development projects in Canada and the US to dialogue with representatives of the World Bank. The Open House will take place at the World Bank's Headquarters in Washington, DC on June 11th and 12th. Participants must be between the ages of 18 and 30.

The Open House is a valuable networking opportunity for individuals and groups interested in development projects. Youth organizations may present their work and World Bank employees will provide information about their structure and mission. Any individuals and organizations interested in creating an equitable and sustainable future for all are encouraged to attend.

The Interfaith Convocation on Hunger
The second Interfaith Convocation on Hunger will meet on June 11th at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. At 6 pm, one of the largest gatherings of anti-hunger and anti-poverty activists in the nation’s capital in decades will gather to demonstrate for increased political commitment to ending hunger worldwide.

In a spirit of prayer, hundreds of leaders from major faith traditions will unite with representatives of organizations committed to feeding the hungry in this country and overseas. National leaders of Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and other faith groups will call on the president and Congress to join them in galvanizing a new national commitment to end hunger.

"Women are true peacemakers"
That is the belief of Dr. Hak Ja Moon, wife of Korean evangelist Reverend Sun Myung Moon, and her daughters-in-law, Jun Sook Kwak Moon and Yeon Ah Choi Moon. The women began simultaneous tours that will each reach 19 states in 19 days. Dr. Moon began in New York and is traveling west, while her daughters began in Alaska and are traveling east. The tours will then unite and they will embark on a 120 nation tour.

Dr. Moon founded the Women's Federation for Peace (WFP) in 1992. She has a long history of campaigning worldwide for peace, acceptance and justice with her husband. Together they founded the Universal Peace Federation (UPF), which was developed on the principle that the whole of humanity belongs to one family, under God, and that the teachings of all the world's faiths are universal truths. Guided by this belief, they have formulated numerous goals, including strengthening the UN's peacemaking capacity through an interreligious "peace council," establishment of such councils in areas of historic conflict, interreligious peace initiatives in the Middle East, South Asia, and the Korean Peninsula, and programs for family renewal, disaster relief, and peace through sports and culture.

The UPF is sponsoring the current WFP tour, which will highlight the vital role that women play as peacemakers in families and communities, and their leadership role in society as a whole. It proclaims a new era of peacemaking in which "Women of Destiny" can foster hope, harmony and healing in their families and communities.

World Religious Leaders call on G8 nations to keep AIDS promises
Episcopal Life Online reports that more than 570 religious leaders signed a petition urging the G8 nations - Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States - to take "critical steps" in fulfilling their promises made at the last G8 summit in 2005 to achieve "universal access to comprehensive prevention programmes, treatment, care and support by 2010." Their letter states that "without sufficient financial and leadership commitment from G8 countries [their promise] has little meaning."

Significant among those who signed the petition are South African Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu; YWCA head, Musimbi Kanyoro; the general secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, the Rev. Setri Nyomi; Lutheran World Federation leaders the Rev. Ishmael Noko and Bishop Mark Hanson, who heads the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and sits on RFP-USA's Council of Presidents. Additionally, more than 350 heads of men's and women's religious orders in the Roman Catholic Church have signed.

According to Geneva-based Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance, 75% of people living with AIDs do not have access to treatment, and three million were killed by the disease in 2006 alone.

The People Speak Video Contest - last call!
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.

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."

National Directory of Faith Groups for Justice and the Common Good
Mapping Faith is an interactive tool created by Faith in Public Life, which touts itself as a "resource center for justice and the common good." Its website provides a wealth of information, including the new Mapping Faith.

The searchable Mapping Faith database allows individuals to locate leading faith advocates for justice and the common good. Users can sort diverse leaders and organizations by geography, policy specialization, and faith affiliation.

Mapping Faith is an ongoing research project of Faith in Public Life. They have currently mapped 2522 organizations in 45 states, but they continue to build their database on a daily basis. They encourage people to submit the names of organizations not yet listed.

The Sublime Quran
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar, a scholar of Islam who has written and translated over fifty books pertaining to Islam and Sufism, has done something unprecedented for an American woman: she has translated the Quran from classic Arabic to modern English. Dr. Bakhtiar, who teaches at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Chicago University and is a certified counselor as well as a lecturer and writer, set out to translate the Quran because of three qualities she saw missing in already existant translations: universality, objectivity, and inclusivity. Working towards those goals, Dr. Bakhtiar avoided interpretation and used only English words, such as God instead of Allah. She also compiled a database of every noun and verb used within the original Arabic version in an attempt to make the translation uniform. Among the notable discrepancies between Dr. Bakhtiar's translation and those made by men and women before her are the following: "Idrib," which has historically been translated as "beat," and thus used to justify violence against women, she translates as "go away." The word most commonly translated as "infidel" she translates as "ungrateful."

Interfaith Encounters in America
Kate McCarthy, an associate professor of religious studies at California State University at Chico, begins her book by relating the story of, arguably, the first interfaith event in America's history: the 1893 meeting of the World's Parliament on Religions in Chicago. This meeting was attended by representatives of faiths from throughout the world; the majority, however, were conspicuously American and Protestant. Still, among so many other religions, it was difficult to maintain Christianity's unspoken superiority. On the contrary, it was blatantly just one tradition among many. McCarthy uses this as a metaphor for modern interfaith relations. Throughout her book, she attempts to juxtapose the scholarly view of interfaith against the reality of interfaith encounters on the groud level. She devotes sections to the reality of interfaith encounters in politics, within communities, among family members, and in cyberspace.

Holy War, Holy Peace: How Religion Can Bring Peace to the Middle East
People worldwide decry the violence in Isreal and Palestine. Why, they moan, must people be so divided by faith? Mark Gopin argues that observers and policy-makers alike have the wrong idea about what breeds violence in the Middle East - and how that violence can end. According to Gopin, political agreements are nearly meaningless. Since the Oslo accords of 1993, when Yasser Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin agreed to embark on a period of peacebuilding, violence has only escalated in Israel and Palestine. Numerous plans since then have sought to ease tension in the region, with few positive results. According to Gopin, that is because peace deals do not take into account the religious and cultural lives of the people who are supposed to adhere to their rules. Instead of ignoring religion, long considered the flame under the Middle East cauldron, Gopin says that policy-makers should utilize it. Religion, he argues, has the capability to unite as well as to divide.

In the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons from the Life of Muhammed
Publishers Weekly calls this book by Tariq Ramadan "excellent and engaging." It is an account of the life of Islam's prophet told in short vignettes that illustrate Muhammed's inimitable bravery and tolerance, and thereby demonstrate to non-Muslims why the founder of Islam is a figure so beloved by his followers. The book contains a number of tales that seem allegorical in their simple rendition of Muhammed's virtues. In one, his slave refuses to be set free from bondage because life as Muhammed's slave is filled with more kindness that life as a free man. In another Muhammed leads a troop of soldiers on a march and cautions them not to trample a litter of puppies by the side of the road. Such are the stories that categorize Ramadan's book, and therefore, which characterize the man.


Interfaith Dialogue and Peacebuilding
This collection of essays edited by David R. Smock highlights the potential for interfaith dialogue to diffuse world conflicts. The contributors are Christian, Muslim, and Jewish. They all emphasize that religion, though framed as the cause of innumerable conflicts worldwide, is in fact not usually the root cause of dissention and violence. Instead of being maligned and feared, religion ought to be harnessed as a powerful tool. Interfaith dialogue, these contributors argue, can promote understanding, communication, and reconciliation. The writers use concrete examples from their own experiences in places such as the Middle East, Africa, and Northern Ireland to show both the potential and the limits of interfaith dialogue. Overall, they present a hopeful, if realistic, picture of the application of interfaith dialogue to peacebuilding.

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