Religions for Peace - USA July 2008 E-Newsletter

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In This Issue:

From Our Executive Director…

RFP-USA Publishes With Skylight Paths
We are proud to announce the release of a new book, InterActive Faith, edited by former RFP-USA Executive Director Bud Heckman and former staff leader Rori Picker Neiss. The book draws from a variety of faith traditions: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Bahà'ì Faith, Jainism, Shinto, Sikh Faith, Taoism, Zoroastrianism. It is a comprehensive resource providing practical ideas for connecting with people of all faiths and backgrounds through common concerns and activities. It enables communities rich with diversity to work together to create paths toward peace and justice. Bud Heckman will be at this month's North American Interfaith Network conference signing copies of his book. Visit the NAIN website for information on how to attend.

View our Mini Site on Interactive Faith

Buy Interactive Faith from the publisher

Learning for Peace
Religions for Peace - USA has launched its Educational Resources Program, an effort to gather sacred and informational texts from our various member traditions. In addition, documents regarding each religion’s interfaith activities are also available through this resource. Collection of this data is an ongoing process. If you have material to send, email priti@rfpusa.org.

Click here to view the Educational Resources Program.

The Islamic National Census
A coalition of Islamic and research groups will launch a nationwide census project, the first comprehensive survey of its kind, intended to contact every mosque and Islamic center in the United States. The study will compile information about the American Muslim community relating to size, infrastructure, and involvement in American society.

Religions for Peace -USA member, the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), and The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), will conduct the study over the summer and fall, publishing the findings in a report to be released in early 2009.

RFP-USA Members Engage in Catholic-Muslim Dialogue
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has been busy in 2008 organizing, hosting, and participating in Catholic-Muslim dialogue. This Religions for Peace – USA member community has joined with fellow RFP-USA community, the Islamic Society of North America, and other Muslim organizations to discuss their shared Abrahamic connection and religious education in public and private institutions. These meetings build upon long-term relationships between the two religious communities and lay the groundwork for future dialogues.

To read a full press release on the Mid-Atlantic Catholic-Muslim Dialogue On U.S. Interreligious Education, click here.

To read a full press release on the West Coast Muslim-Catholic Dialogue which explored stories of Abraham, click here.

Disarming Words
As the world’s governments convene for the Biennial Meeting of States on Small Arms and Light Weapons, religious communities are reaffirming their commitment to arms control. A panel hosted by Religions For Peace-International earlier this month focused on helping religious groups to understand their particular role and contributions within the civil society movement to control small arms. By exploring best practices and concrete experiences, this event illustrated how different faith communities have responded to violence from small arms and promote future advocacy. Speakers included Rt. Rev. William Kenney CP, Kenyan Ambassador Ochieng Adala, and Daniel Luz.

Jews, Muslims and Christians, Stirring the Pot
At a recent potluck dinner, Christians, Jews, and Muslims came together to honor the environment. Green Feast, an evening of learning, song, food, and conversation, was dedicated to the teachings of each faith which honor the environment. Guests listened to live music, learned songs, and got to know each other over a vegetarian potluck dinner. The event was held at the United Methodist Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew in New York City. The event was sponsored by RFP-USA member community The American Society for Muslim Advancement, the Muslim Consultative Network, West-Park Church, Congregation of B’nai Jeshuran, and the Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew.

World Religious Leaders Urge G8 Governments to Take Action
Senior leaders of different faiths from Religions for Peace, the world's largest and most representative multi-religious coalition, called on the Group of 8 (G8) governments to take bold action to address violent conflict and climate change.

The leaders were among the 100 who gathered for the "World Religious Leaders Summit for Peace" in advance of the G8 meeting in Hokkaido, Japan, held on 2–3 July 2008 at the Sapporo Convention Center. The senior religious leaders represented the world's major faith traditions, including Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Judaism, Islam, Shintoism and Zoroastrianism.

"We are united in our call to the G8 to take bold action to address the threats that confront humanity, including the destruction of the environment and climate change, extreme global poverty and deteriorating food security, nuclear arms, terrorism and violent conflict. Addressing these threats requires urgent action by the G8," the religious leaders said in a statement.

"Terrorism—the intentional killing of innocent people as a way of achieving political objective—is never morally justified whether it is perpetrated by individuals, groups or states," said Dr. William F. Vendley, Secretary General of Religions for Peace. He called on the G8 to cooperate with religious leaders to address the problems of terrorism and violent conflict.

Ms. Stellamaris Mulaeh, a Summit delegate and the Coordinator of the Religions for Peace Global Youth Network, said she was encouraged by the religious leaders' commitment to work for future generations. "Youth must be involved in the advocacy as well," she said. "The voice of the voiceless must be heard. Also, we must use our churches and mosques and temples as platforms for advocacy and action."

The summit was organized by Religions for Peace–Japan and the Japanese Association of Religious Organizations and supported by Ministry of the Environment and World Federalist Movement-Japan Religious Committee.

Read the Full Text here

InterActive Faith
America is at a crossroads. We have reached a point where almost every American is coming to realize the depth of our religious diversity. Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims, for example, are showing up in appreciable numbers in small-and medium-sized towns, not just urban centers. Patterns of immigration, among other factors, have brought us to a dramatic cultural shift. InterActive Faith is a practical guide to the key methods and resources of the interfaith movement that will help you effectively engage people of other faith traditions in discussing religious beliefs and practices in order to increase understanding and acceptance.

Nonviolence: History of a Dangerous Idea
Nonviolence: History of a Dangerous Idea, argues for nonviolence by examining the pacifistic spirituality found in most world religions. Non-violence does not refer to passivity, but an active force which can be used to galvanize people to reject submission to an unjust state. The book argues that religion is often corrupted to justify violence in ways that counter its basic values. Author Kurlansky uses such examples as samurai using Zen Buddhism for martial purposes and crusader Christians waging holy war in the name of a pacifistic healer.

The book uses the Civil Rights Movement, the fall of the Soviet Union, and the liberation of India as the most dramatic examples of active non-violence succeeding in toppling autocratic regimes. The author quotes Ghandi "Do not conspire with the thief who plunders you,” and teaches that a state only exists if the people allow it to exist. Kurlansky argues that when a movement or party resorts to violence against the state, the issue becomes a matter of who can hit harder, and as the state is typically better equipped for violence, the movement is doomed to fail. It is more effective to undermine the bureaucracy and military of a tyrant through nonviolence. This book is not a thorough historical examination of the topic, but an introductory text which adequately familiarizes the reader with the basic concepts of active non-violence.

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