Leaders, organizations, and countries can use religion for great goodness or great evil. In light of this challenge and the increasingly obvious need for multifaith dialogue, important, challenging issues emerge that beg for examination. A few of them are addressed in the following workshops.

WORKSHOPS

• As 'Interfaith Community,' Who Are We?
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  An open discussion about identity questions the ‘interfaith movement’ needs to examine. Terms like pluralism, relativism, and syncretism deserve discussion. Is interspirituality an authentic spiritual path? How does relationship influence our religious/spiritual dialogue? What are the grounds for collaboration? These and other questions will be explored, first on the NAIN2008 website, and then in San Francisco.

  Don Frew, Bud Heckman, Mary Friedland, and Kay Lindahl (presenter and moderator)

• ASSEMBLY 1 - North America in an Interfaith World - What do we have to offer? What do we have to learn?
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  Plenary Session - All Attending

  Leaders from the world’s two largest grassroots interfaith organizations – the Parliament of the World’s Religions and United Religions Initiative – share stories about how North American interfaith activity at the local level can be a positive, vital interfaith force outside North America. Along with talking about what North America has offered the world, they will explore what we need to learn.

  William Lesher, Helen Spector, William Swing, and Yoland Trevino, moderated by Yasmine Khan

• Crafting a Just-Peace Theory for Iraq
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  Many have debated just-war theories and sought to apply them to particular conflicts. This workshop goes the next step to contemplate a just peace. Those attending will be asked to consider the crucial issues facing anyone contemplating a just and lasting peace for Iraq. What would such a peace look like? How could different religious groups come together to discuss prospects for such a goal? What unitive elements might be found in Islam that could apply to Iraq? In Iraq and in our own communities, can an interfaith perspective contribute to creating peace among us all?

  Hal French

• Grassroots Responses to Racism and Religiously Motivated Violence

  Racism and religiously motivated violence have been a scourge for centuries and remain so, in spite of periods of peace and respite tantalizing us with what is possible. We read about it globally, but we live with it locally. Our four presenters come from very different religious backgrounds. But each is well experienced in responding to racism and religiously related violence in the communities where they live. Sharing their stories, they will survey the many different ways to be effective peacemakers in our own neighborhoods and then discuss the issues with those attending. Dr. Sandhu will serve as a presenter as well as moderator.

  Doug Kahn, Phil Lawson, Anahat Sandhu, James Wiggins

• How Can We Talk Theologically About the Big Issues We Face?
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  Most traditions take on the 'big' issues – like good & evil, truth, and creation, but do so in their own very particular ways. How can we talk about these important issues in an interfaith context? This workshop is an experiment in theological dialogue. Two students of The Urantia Book will briefly present their own understandings of several ‘big’ issues and then invite those who attend to respond from the context of their own traditions.

  Susan Cook & Peter Laurence

• Intergenerational Interfaith Learning

  On the path to interfaith understanding and peace-building, the older generation needs to be able to ‘hand the torch for peace’ to young people as they prepare to become interfaith leaders for the 21st century. In this workshop, members of the the older and younger generations gather to learn from each other. A DVD featuring the peace-building works of both generations will be shown, followed by a World Cafe discussion where we will share our own experiences. Prabha Duneja will open the session and Kristina Seher will lead the discussion that follows, featuring three young adults, Christopher Dodge, Philaine-Fleischman, and Kazue Nojima

  Prabha Duneja and Kristina Seher

• Public Invocations, Prayers and Blessings – Who Is Allowed to Participate?
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  The constitutional mandate in the United States to show no favoritism towards any particular religious tradition is being sorely tested in public settings where religious invocations have a long, mostly Christian history. This workshop explores two cases where Wiccan priestesses have gone to court for being excluded from giving invocations at local governmental meetings. Grove Harris will present her research into these cases and lead a discussion about inclusiveness in public life.

  Grove Harris

• Who Is Not Here & Why? Building Inclusivity in Interfaith Communities

  Who is not at the interfaith table and we wish they were? Who are we blind to, and who do we exclude? This workshop will explore the terms we use for 'the other' and move on to think about how we can build bridges to a more inclusive interreligious community. Our presenters come from different faith tradition, but each of them has been an important voice in enlarging the interreligious community and doing what it takes to build healthy relation-ships. P.K. McCary will be a presenter as well as serve as moderator.

  Grove Harris, P.K. McCary, Gerry O'Rourke, and Ranbir Singh Sandhu