NAINews Summer 2009

Come make new connections, create greater bonds of interfaith harmony and understanding by joining the Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable and the University of Utah and Westminster College's Interfaith Councils in the Nain Connect 2010 the first week in August. More details will be coming in the near future! The Rocky Mountains look forward to greeting you!

Young Adult Plenary Opens NAINConnect ‘09

(Photos Butalia)

Stephanie Hughes currently at Union Theological Seminary, New York, New York; co founder of the Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue. [Young Adult Scholarship Recipient]
Sarah Talcott working as the Director of Youth Programs for United Religions Initiative based in the San Francisco Bay area. [Young Adult Scholarship Recipient]
Audra Teague working with the Interfaith Center for Peace in Columbus, Ohio.
Karen Boyett, Southern Nevada Interfaith Council [Young Adult Scholarship Recipient]

The young adult plenary was a personal NAINConnect ’09 highlight for this Editor. I was deeply impressed by the enthusiasm, passion, and dedication of the panelists. Sarah Talcott, one of the panel members, sent this reflection on her participation on the panel. She offers insight into the evolution of interfaith work and challenges us to strive to be more inclusive of minorities and youth.

A Glimpse into the Future of Interfaith

The panel on which I had the opportunity to share, regarding the current state of the interfaith movement and where it’s heading, and the role that education has to play, was very interesting – both to have this opportunity to compose my thoughts and reflect on these topics from my perspective as an interfaith youth organizer, but also to hear the articulations of my fellow peers on the panel.

What stood out to me from what was shared was that, though the interfaith movement is evolving in leaps and bounds, especially in contrast to where it began, we have a long way to go to live into our ideal vision of religious pluralism and including all the necessary voices at the table. We can work on this by doing a better job at reaching out to people from minority communities, disadvantaged youth and young people overall, and by using the interfaith lens to shine the light on issues of racial and social justice in this country especially. In terms of our collective vision on the panel regarding education and the role it has to play, I appreciated our shared articulation of the need for education to engage not just the head, but also the heart and the soul, and the hands. Interfaith service is one vehicle of value and potential for educating the community about itself, exploring one’s own religious identity and “engaging the other.” –Sarah Talcott Blair [Additional portions of this article appear in other sections of this newsletter to which the Editor thought they related. To read the complete article as written click here.

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Greater Kansas City Interfaith Council Welcomes NAIN

Shannon Clark / Lama Chuck Stanford, Dr. David Nelson, Rev. Kathy Riegelman, Pam Peck, Caroline Baughmann,

Linda Prugh, Mary McCoy, Glen McCoy, Kara Hawkins, Kris Krishna, Mahnaz Shabbir (Photos Butalia)

Members of the Greater Kansas City Interfaith Council were out in force to welcome us on Saturday morning. They also had table displays with information about the various faiths they represent. Similar faith displays are part of the Tables of Faith Luncheon held by the Council annually in November.

Experiencing the Spirit in Education / The Challenge of Religious Pluralism

Peter Laurence, Bettina Gray, Mahnaz Shabbir, Kay Lindahl (Photo Butalia)

· Peter Laurence explained his goal for the conference to create a place of intersection for educational institutions doing interfaith education with those in the public sector doing it.

· NAIN Chair, Bettina Gray emphasized the value of the close friendships that have developed through the decades of challenging together warfare, hate crimes, religious slander, human misery, economic and environmental troubles, scarcity, injustice and inequity through spiritual resources, hope, inspiration, love, compassion, unity, and service. NAIN opens doors, finds new paths, and builds new options. NAIN members have found that they could represent to their communities “a vivid portrait, a mosaic of the divine.”

· Mahnaz Shabbir told a very moving story of how the misunderstandings after 9/11 motivated her in her interfaith work. She expressed how the election of Obama was a point of hope for Muslim Americans.

· Kay Lindahl spoke about the importance of listening in interfaith dialog. She quoted the Quaker Douglas V. Steere "To listen another's soul into a condition of disclosure and discovery may be almost the greatest service any human being ever performs for another."

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Attendee Reflections on NAINConnect 2009:

Many attendees commented that NAINConnect09 was an exceptional experience for them. Specifically noted were the wonderful hospitality of the Unity Village staff, the comfort (luxury!!) of the accommodations and food, the appropriateness of the theme, the openness and friendliness of other attendees, and the inspiration of learning about others dedicated to various aspects of interfaith work in North America.

Below are several enthusiastic specific comments and a few links to more extensive reports.

I got a nice surprise while attending the annual conference of the North American Interfaith Network two weeks ago at Unity Village. As expected, it was inspiring to learn about each distinctive faith tradition represented. What I hadn’t expected was how many religions embrace the “One God, many paths” philosophy that Unity does.

--Paula Coppel is the VP of Communications at Unity

http://www.unity.org/cms-global/blog/ViewPost.do?blogPostId=145

Why Go to NAIN?

Anyone willing to pay airfare, registration, room, and board to spend three days outside of Kansas City with 70 people preoccupied with interreligious relationships has to nurse a deep commitment to the cause. Even for the committed – Why spend the money?

As a veteran of a dozen NAIN (North America Interfaith Network) summer gatherings, I’ve several answers to that question, starting with old friendships and new. That’s personal, though. The reason I make it my business to keep going is what I learn.

Paul Chaffee Interfaith Center at the Presidio, San Francisco, CA

http://www.interfaith-presidio.org/BAIC/baic_articles.htm#NAIN0709

NAIN Connect showed us the breadth and depth of interfaith education and gave us a new understanding of the evolving direction of this movement. It was hard to leave, but I felt energized by the new perspectives I gained and by the dedicated people I met who are working to create positive change in the world today.

--Dianne Small, Council member of Interfaith Association of Central Ohio

http://community.icontact.com/p/wwwiacoorg/newsletters/2008-main-event/posts/interfaith-update-july-15-2009/content#6

This was my fourth NAIN (New York, Vancouver, San Francisco and now Kansas City) and I must say that this was the one I found most informative and most reinforcing. It may be because of the fact that it focused on education and included academics. It may be because our 'immersions' into other religions rituals were so comfortable and natural. … I found that I learned much that I could bring back to Thanks-Giving Square. In fact, I have just set up a lunch to talk about one of the ideas that would have never happened had it not been for NAIN connect.

Tatiana Androsov Thanks-Giving Square, Dallas TX

We had a wonderful experience and I look forward to staying connected!

Janet Penn, Interfaith Action, Inc, Sharon, MA

I join many others in congratulating Peter and Susan for organizing wonderful workshops and most enjoyable sessions during NAINConnect 2009.

Dr. Teja Singh, NAIN Board, Edmonton Alberta, Canada

Just want to take this opportunity to thank you for the gift of your knowledge and the pleasure of your camaraderie. I am truly grateful for the many lessons learned from our time together which will certainly enrich the communities I serve.

Rebecca Tobias Program Director Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Ethics Malibu, CA

The workshop roster gave us a rich variety of choices

Dr. Peter Laurence Education as Transformation Wellesley, MA

An excellent event

Paul McKenna, Scarboro Missions Interfaith Desk, Toronto, Ontario

All who attended the conference came away changed, with increased resolve, with smiles on their faces, and with the feeling that something important had happened here that will continue to have a far-reaching effect.

Pam Peck, Greater Kansas City Interfaith Council

My Experience at NAIN Connect 2009

23. Jewish. Rabbinical Student. Secretly shy. If introverts like me can walk away from the NAIN Connect 2009 conference rejuvenated and filled with new ideas for inter-religious projects, then anyone can. Most memorable was a genuine sense of openness and camaraderie that people shared. Students like me could just as easily approach a Board Member as they could another young person. In fact, one of the Board Members (thanks George!) even offered to room with me in order to cut down on travel expenses, while another one (thanks Shannon!) gave me rides to and from the conference. Whether in the lobby or in the midst of a ‘spiritual immersion’ experience in a different religious tradition, people reached out to me – and made me want to reach back. Cheers to everyone who made the conference possible!

-- Josh Stanton, co-Editor, Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue™

Participating in the North American Interfaith Network Connect was a unique and rewarding experience for me in a number of ways. This was my second time attending a NAIN-Connect, but it was very different than the first one I went to in Las Vegas, partly due to the peaceful, pastoral setting (set against a backdrop of lightning bugs, thunderstorms, deer, skunks and other wildlife who graced the natural preserve paths) and the warm Midwestern hospitality of our hosts from Unity Village, but also due to the emphasis on the “role of education” throughout the program. …

I am very grateful to the NAIN Board members for selecting me to be a Young Adult Scholar; I have gained hope, inspiration, practical knowledge and good friends that I am sure I will stay in close contact with for years to come!

--Sarah Talcott Blair, URI Director of Youth Programs

I had the pleasure of attending my first NAINConnect conference this past June. While I have been working with interfaith issues from a technology perspective through Beyond Tolerance/Education as Transformation at Wellesley College, the conference was an expanding experience for my understanding of the broader interfaith world. From workshops on college campus dialogues, the meaning of truth in religion, dialogue facilitation and the the art of listening, to experiencing a taste of other religious practices (sometimes several in one day!), to meeting and talking with many people engaged in such a variety of interesting and challenging work, NAINConnect was certainly an enriching experience.

The conference also highlighted to me opportunities for deepening the impact of interfaith initiatives. For example, one theme that came up in several conversations at the conference, and has been mentioned other times in our work as well, is the difficulty of convening intrafaith dialogues. This resonates personally in relation to discussions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict within the Jewish community. Even from an interfaith dialogue perspective, my sense from the conference was that there is room and need for more activity, as well as measurement of the efficacy of such dialogues.

Dialogue is complex and challenging for any difficult issue, whether involving religion or other topics. But I was certainly encouraged by the dedication that was so evident at NAIN to help make the world a more peaceful and knowledgeable place to live.

--Noam Shore, Idealogue, Inc.

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NAINConnect ’09, a Pre-Parliament Event

(Photo Butalia)

Grove Harris, NAIN Board member and Program Director for the Parliament, spoke about the Parliament of the World’s Religions to be held December 3-9, 2009 in Melbourne, Australia. We signed a banner to be presented at the Parliament among the other Pre-Parliament event banners.

Click here for Parliament Website.

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Spiritual Immersions

Sikh Worship led by Dr. Tarunjit Singh Butalia

Spiritual Immersion experiences included Native American Spirituality, a Muslim Prayer Room, Hindu Worship, Sikh Worship, a Jewish Shabbat Service, Vedanta Worship, a Buddhist Service, Pagan Worship and Christian Worship.

“The ‘immersion worship services’ in particular (I attended the American Indian, Buddhist and Pagan services) were moving and enlightening.”

Paula Coppel is the VP of Communications at Unity

“our 'immersions' into other religions rituals were so comfortable and natural”

Tatiana Androsov, Thanks-giving Square, Dallas, TX

Fellowship

NAINConnect ’09 offered many opportunities for connecting and re-connecting. It is always a tremendous value at the Connects to greet old friends and make new ones. Most of us are deeply involved in local interfaith work during the rest of the year. It is so very helpful to find inspiration in the work of others and also to be re-affirmed in our own efforts.

Banquet

Banquet (Photo Henal Motiwala)

Informal Youth Gathering in Hotel Lobby

Education

The Religion of the Classroom

Theodore Timpson, NAINConnect ’09 Presenter

A child is born without any religion in a standard sense. When I look at the faces of children and hear their thoughts about life and reality, I feel a deep sense of mystery in them. Their relationship to the universe is very undefined. The very youngest of them seem to have little sense of self at all, or their sense of self includes everything. Their wide eyes absorb the world with an expression of constant surprise, and often delight.

I have loved teaching because it gives me an opportunity to keep mystery alive in children even while they become more informed and savvy about the world. It is very easy to kill that sense of mystery; all we need to do is answer their questions. An answer is an end to thinking. A question is a beginning. Perhaps an adult is simply a child with too many questions already answered.

Unfortunately, the biggest questions rarely surface in the classroom. Children learn at a young age to tailor their conversation to their environment. They learn what kinds of questions are welcome, or whether questions are even welcome at all. Are they encouraged to think about the purpose of their lives? Are they asked to wonder how everything was made? Why they are themselves and not someone else? What might lie beyond this life of the senses?

The biggest questions are about meaning, relationship, and self-awareness. These questions are worth asking, less because of the answers they might produce than because they are real questions. They cause us to imagine beyond our present reality to possibilities and states of mind that we haven't yet experienced. Isn't that what education is for?

bio: Theodore is president of Young Spirit Foundation, which creates space for wisdom and connection in the education of young people. (http://youngspirit.org/)

Commentary on Ralph Singh’s Workshop

Sarah Talcott Blair, NAINConnect ’09 Presenter and URI Director of Youth Programs

I also got a lot out of talking with Ralph Singh about his groundbreaking work in interfaith education which he has pioneered and is taking into secondary schools in New York. I enjoyed his clever and creative responses to the typical questions that would come up in introducing the subject of religion in public schools. I loved his approach in clarifying the true meaning of “idol worship” – using the metaphor of an “icon” on a computer and what it provides you access to – the program that runs as a result of clicking on the icon. Worship could be seen as accessing the greater, divine “program” through the initiation of contact with an initial image. The image or icon is not the program itself, merely an entry point. He has constructed a curriculum where he focuses in on one core aspect of each of the world religions, and he approaches teaching from a dynamic, humorous and modern perspective custom-made for the keen, probing minds he is interacting with.

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NAINConnect Program Summary Online

A more complete summaries and commentaries on the Connect Program and Workshops is on our website:

http://www.nain.org/wkshp09/summary09.htm

NAIN Board Business and Annual General Meeting

New NAIN Board Member

The NAIN Board appointed Yanina Vashchenko, to complete the term of one of the two Board members who resigned this year. Yanina has been involved with interfaith and international organizations for more than six years. She is originally from Russia and is Muslim. As Interfaith Coordinator at Thanks-Giving Square in Dallas, Yanina oversees a multitude of interfaith and international programs. She was graduated from Southern Methodist University in 2007 with a degree in International Relations and a concentration in the Middle East. She is fluent in Russian and Spanish and is studying Farsi.

We accepted, with regret, the resignations of Steve Naylor and Tracy Wells.

New NAIN Members

Certificates for 16 new members (7 organizations and 9 individuals) were presented by G. Stern, acting on behalf of Mike Goggin, Membership Chair, who was not able to attend the Connect this year. [Mike and his wife are expecting a baby.] The new members are Council of Interfaith Congregations of the U. S., Global Ministries University, Interfaith Service Leadership Committee, Order of Universal Interfaith, Poway Interfaith Team, Vesper Society, Women Transcending Boundaries, Catherine Alvarez, Ruth Broyde Sharone, David Dalley, Brian Davis, Sr. Annelle Fitzpatrick, Jonathon Harmon, Suni-Ali Islam, Dr. Tulsi Maharjan, and Dianne Small.

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United Nations Declaration

Delegates to the Annual General meeting unanimously voted to accept the recommendation of the NAIN Board that NAIN endorse the ‘United Nations Declaration on the initiative for a United Nations Decade for inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue, understanding and cooperation for peace’ (NAIN members may see more information in our online Library), and further, that NAIN encourage our member organizations to do the same.” (www.faithdecadeforpeace.net).

Charter for Compassion

NAIN was invited, on behalf of Karen Armstrong, TED, global tolerance and the Charter for Compassion, to become a partner of the Charter for Compassion. The purpose of the Charter is to raise the awareness of organizations working towards greater understanding between cultures, faiths and peoples. If you are not already aware about the Charter for Compassion, please visit http://www.charterforcompassion.org. The invitation was received too late for action at the Connect, so the Executive Board decided to put the issue to a poll. It was unanimously passed that NAIN should become a partner with the Charter for Compassion.

Some of the existing partners for the Charter for Compassion include, the UN Alliance of Civilizations, Religions for Peace, American Society for Muslim Advancement, Cordoba Initiative, Intersections International, European Muslim Network, Interfaith Center of New York, Interfaith Youth Core, Malaysian Interfaith Network, National Council of Churches USA, St Ethelburga’s Centre for Reconciliation and Peace, Tanenbaum Center, Temple of Understanding, Three Faiths Forum, Union Theological Seminary and World Council of Religious Leaders.

The launch of the Charter for Compassion in November 2009 will provide a unique platform to talk about and raise awareness of the work and ambitions of the partner organizations. NAIN member organizations may want to also consider partnership.

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Media Briefs

By Judy Lee Trautman, NAIN Communicatons Chair

Still time for summer reading! Check out interfaith media list, including videos, on-line journals, and books for children and adults may be found on the Resources page of nain.org at

http://www.nain.org/medialist.htm.

Live Webcasts from the Presidio

The Interfaith Center at the Presidio is experimenting with live webcasts from the Center and also remote webcasts. The technology comes to the Center by way of the generosity of Junaid Islam, a Bay area developer of webcasting tools.

Junaid and his team at Vidder.com are developing capacities for simple, easy to use webcasting that does not require the huge investments in video equipment previously needed for online video production. As a "field test" to his system, Junaid has contributed the hardware to the Center and made the software available to make it all work.

Initial webcasts include Sunday, June 7, celebration of Holy Communion by St. Peter's, San Francisco, an Episcopal Church which is using the Chapel while their church building is being renovated. the Reunion and Blessing Celebration organized by the United Religions Initiative and ICP on June 11^th, and the Bay Area Interfaith Connect, a Pre-Parliament event, "TAKING IT TO MELBOURNE" on July 12.

The Interfaith Workbook

This 210+ page, 8-1/2” x 11” spiral bound workbook offers any small or large group an ‘Easy-to-Use,’ 10-Month Interfaith Program for only $24.95.

40, 1-1/2 hour Lessons are taken from The Interfaith Manual plus lots of auxiliary group material. It is complete with Readings, Dialogue, Questions and Interactive Exercises and even a 12-Step Peace program.

The Workbook is appropriate for local school classrooms, grades 5 and above, teen organizations, Interfaith Groups, Seminaries, Churches, Temples, Mosques, Senior Centers and local dialog groups of all types. PowerPoint presentations of 20 lessons are also available.

Revs. Abigail and Dr. Stephen L. Albert allfaithcenter@san.rr.com 858-487-8196 www.allfaithcenter.org

Tiferet Journal

This New Jersey based literary magazine is dedicated to spreading Interfaith education, art, and tolerance. We publish nonfiction, fiction, and poetry that deal with these topics, exploring our own faiths, as well as those of others, all in order to gain knowledge and enlightenment.

http://tiferetjournal.com/

Jewish Publication Society

View online or download the new Fall 2009 JPS catalog [2MB PDF], featuring new titles and key backlist books and series.

Also available for viewing or download is the complete Spring 2009 JPS catalog.

Golden Rule Publications

Paul McKenna, Scarboro Missions

Scarboro Missions is proud to announce the publication of the Hebrew translation of the Golden Rule texts from 13 religions. The translation was facilitated by one of our staff persons, Sr. Lucy Thorson nds, working in tandem with three translators from the Toronto Jewish community.

On our website, this Hebrew version now joins Spanish, English, French, Portuguese, Italian and German versions. We already have a first draft of the Arabic translation with immediate plans for Urdu and Mandarin.

A Spanish version of the Golden Rule poster is now available in the USA : contact Pflaum Publishing in Ohio at 1-800-543-4383 or service@pflaum.com. In the next number of weeks, we hope to have a French version available in Canada

We hope you will forward this Hebrew translation to friends and colleagues in your network, even if they are not Jewish or Hebrew-speaking. Accordingly, we trust that this important Hebrew document will end up in the hands of people who will be able to use it. To download the Hebrew translation free of charge, see link below:

http://www.scarboromissions.ca/Golden_rule/sacred_texts.php#hebrew

The Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue

The deadline for submissions for the third issue of the Journal of Inter-Religious Dialog is October 1, 2009. Articles submitted after this date will not be considered for publication in the third issue. After an initial vetting process by the editorial board, each submission will undergo a rigorous peer-review by members of the Board of Scholars and Practitioners. If accepted for publication, the Journal's staff may edit the submission for mechanics and adherence to writing standards. You will hear back about the status of your submission by December 1, 2009.

http://irdialogue.org/submissions/

The Journal has been previously reviewed in NAINews. We had the pleasure of meeting the founding co-editors, Joshua Stanton and Stephanie Hughes, at the Connect at Unity Village.

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News Briefs

By Judy Lee Trautman, NAIN Communicatons Chair

International Association for Religious Freedom US Chapter Conference

International Association for Religious Freedom, a registered charity in the United Kingdom is holding the U. S. Chapter Conference January 14th - 17th, 2010 in − Clearwater, Florida (USA). The theme is “Reconciliation with the Earth, Each Other and the Stranger”.

Council for the Parliament Downtown Luncheon Series

Our Common Religious Responsibility for the Earth and for Each Other

Rev. Dirk Ficca will discuss how religious ideas of interdependence can provide a basis for worldwide teamwork in addressing global concerns. Thursday, August 6th at 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. Online registration is required. RSVP by July 30th $30 in advance; $35 at the door.

For inquiries, contact: luncheon@parliamentofreligions.org 312-629-2990 ext. 227

9th Annual Interfaith Week at Lakeside, the Chautauqua on Lake Erie

During Week 8 of its education program, August 10-14, Lakeside will be presenting the theme Viewing Abraham from Sacred Texts of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity with also a Friday lecture on Buddhism. Presenters include Peter Haas, PhD, Professor of Jewish Studies, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH; Rodney Hutton, PhD, Professor of Old Testament, Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, OH; Zeki Saritoprak, PhD, Associate Professor of Islamic Studies, John Carroll University, Cleveland, OH; Ira Segalewitz, Dayton, OH; and Gene Swanger, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Wittenberg University. On Friday there will be a field trip to the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage, Cleveland.

http://www.lakesideohio.com/

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Wisdom Corner

By Dr. Teja Singh

(approved by Samatha-Vipassana Meditation Centre).

Buddhism and Peace

In the Dhammapada the Buddha said:

All tremble at violence;

All fear death,

Putting oneself in the place of another,

One should not kill nor cause another to kill." (Dh. verse No.129)

Hatred never appeased by

Hatred in this world.

By non-hatred alone

is hatred appeased.

This is a law eternal! Dh. Verse No.5)

Prince Siddhartha who later on became the Buddha, attained full Enlightenment at the age of 35 through his intuitive wisdom. Throughout his ministry of 45 years he taught mainly two things: stress and the cessation of stress. To eliminate stress there is a Path (The Eightfold Path); following this path brings peace. Once the cause is entirely eliminated, it ushers in the Real Peace. That real peace is the lasting peace, Inner Peace. The Path is the practical method that Buddhism offers to help us deal with a violent world and to develop lasting peace.

One has to tread on the path individually.

According to the teachings of the Buddha, peace restored in oneself brings peace and happiness to the whole world. Buddhist principles to restore peace in oneself and the world are:

Radiating Loving-friendliness to all living beings irrespective of any differences

Practice Non-violence towards all beings- to avoid harmfulness and cruelty

Theory of causality- to see the interrelatedness and interdependence of all beings in the world

Practice serenity and insight so that one would be able to calm oneself and understand reality in the world as it is.

When practicing non-violence and extending loving friendliness, one has to extend loving friendliness to all beings in the world irrespective of their size, colour, or any other differences. The moral precept in Buddhist teaching is respect for life and the prohibition against taking life. Therefore 'live and let live peacefully' is a fundamental principle in Buddhism. Once this desire of life is thwarted, the immediate response is unbelievably powerful anger which is the antidote of peace. Buddhism teaches that there are no exceptions to this prohibition and no expedient arguments are admitted.

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