Religions for Peace - USA August 2006 E-Newsletter

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In This Issue:

From Our Executive Director…

A Season of Prayer for Peace in the Middle East
Religions for Peace-USA and the National Council of Churches are encouraging communities to engage in prayers for peace under “A Season of Prayer for Peace in the Middle East.” In order to provide religious communities with resources to do this well, the NCC’s interfaith relations ministry has launched a new website - www.seasonofprayer.org. The website compiles prayers, litanies, scripture texts, hymns, poems and other prayer aids from many religious traditions, appropriate to the current crisis in the Middle East. Religious leaders of Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Sikh communities have currently signed on to this initiative. Others are welcome to join.

Hope for Children: Helping Hurricane Victims One Year Out
Religions for Peace-USA is proud to be coordinating partnerships in an effort to reach the most vulnerable of children affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Through US Fund for UNICEF support for the Hope for Children program, RFP-USA and partner organizations are offering multi-religious day camps for children and trauma awareness and resiliency training for young people and professionals. Partners include: Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota’s Camp Noah program, The STAR program at Eastern Mennonite University, Turning Point Partners, and the Louisiana Interfaith Disaster Response Network.

During July 16-20, 62 campers and 10 youth helpers participated in a Muslim-focused and hosted camp in Gretna, Louisiana on the edge of New Orleans. (See photos). Last week a Jewish version of the curriculum was completed. This week a select group of teenagers from the region are being trained by STAR and Camp Noah staffers. Stay tuned for more pictures and results from our ongoing work in the region.

The People Speak 2006: Videocasts, Blogs, and Podcasts
Religions for Peace-USA will be offering videocasts, blogs, and podcasts for The People Speak 2006, which launches formally in September. Stay tuned for updates and special contests. Rather than offering local organizations mini-grants this year, we will be encouraging the use of technology to connect individuals.

A sample videocast will be available at the launch, which will include a main plenary on religion and conflict transformation from the VIIIth World Assembly of Religions for Peace in Japan. Featured speakers will include: H.E. Mohammad Khatami, former President of Iran; Mr. Andrew Mack, Director of Human Security Institute; Prof. Hans Kung, Theologian and Champion of a Global Ethic; and Ms. Ann Veneman, Executive Director of UNICEF.

Blogs and podcasts from US and world religious leaders will be available on www.rfpusa.org and www.thepeoplespeak.org.

The People Speak Podcast – Americans Returning from Iran
Our first podcast for The People Speak 2006 comes from a recent interview with Matt and Laurie Pierce. The Pierces have been studying in Qom, Iran for the past three years in an Mennonite-base religious and cultural exchange program. Mennonite Central Committee has been sending American Christian students to study Farsi and Shia Islamic Studies at the Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute (IKERI) in Qom, Iran, and the IKERI sends Iranian couples from IKERI to study English and Western Christian Philosophy at the Toronto School of Theology in Toronto, Canada. Matt and Laurie have been traveling in the US for the past several weeks trying to help Americans understand the people of Iran, and the Shia Islamic faith that most Iranians follow.

CCUN – End Violence Now – Pursue Peace!
On Monday, July 31, 2006, a large banner was unfurled across from the United Nations, urging U.N. member states to “End Violence Now-Pursue Peace.” The is the centerpiece of the End Violence Now project at the Church Center for the United Nations launched by tenant organizations with the Chaplain’s coordination. Religions for Peace – International and –USA are among the sponsoring organizations.

During the week, CCUN building organizations will spend time together praying, sharing, and mobilizing across their networks to address current world crisises.

Women in Religion in 21st Century – October 17-19
The Interchurch Center is hosting a special conference for women of faith during October 17-19. Over 60 female scholars, activists, and leaders will be presenting at “Women in Religion in the 21st Century.” Endorsed by over 40 organizations, the Conference will look at the role of women in the history of religion, as well as imagine those relationships in the future, and it will explore: the roles of leadership for women, the impact of women in religious communities, how religion affects women’s lives, and the historical perspective of women in religion.

With a summer intern placed in their offices, Religions for Peace-USA is cooperating with the Interchurch Center on this event. Located at 475 Riverside Drive, the Interchurch Center is home to more than 60 faith and non-profit agencies.

Full conference registration is $300, if before Sept. 10. One-day registration is $140. To register online or for more information, visit www.womeninreligion2006.org.

North American Interreligious Women’s Network
Religions for Peace-USA is working with Religions for Peace – International and the organizers of the Women in Religion in the 21st Century conference to explore the development of a North American Interreligious Women’s Network.

Jacqueline Ogega Moturi will be the new Director of the Women’s Program at Religions for Peace, starting in September. She is one of the featured speakers at the above conference and will work with RFP-USA and the Canadian chapter on the development of a North American Network at the VIII World Assembly, the “Women in Religion” conference, and beyond.

The Fifth Anniversary – A Multi-City 9/11 Unity Walk
On the 5th Anniversary of 9/11, Religions for Peace-USA has agreed to join partners in Washington, DC and Shanksville, PA for a Unity Walk to honor the significance of this day in American history. Save the evening of Monday, September 11th. RFP-USA will be working with New York City partner agencies to sponsor the walk from Union Square’s Gandhi memorial to the World Trade Center Site to Pier 40 for a Floating Lantern Ceremony. The effort is to promote interfaith appreciation and understanding. Please contact kane@rfpusa.org if you are interested in partnering or organizing the NYC walk and look for details on the locations and routes forthcoming. If you want to organize in your own community, look to the site established by Interfaith Works for the original 9/11 Unity Walk for ideas and models and information on this year’s approach.

Universal Peace Day: Commemorating Hiroshima and Nagasaki - August 5
Events are happening all over the country to commemorate the 61st Anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on Saturday, August 5. A large series of events is being planned by the New York Buddhist Church and Universal Peace Day Committee in coordination with other organizations. Special observances include: a peace service, a silent peace walk, a candlelight vigil, a hibakusha testimonial, thousands of orgami cranes, and a photo exhibit. For more information, please visit www.universalpeaceday.com or write univpeaceday@aol.com.

Save Darfur Rally: Voices to Stop Genocide - September 17
The Save Darfur coalition invites you to help end the genocide in Darfur by coming to the centerpiece event in New York City, joining others around the world, or helping to organize your own events on September 17, 2006.

The Save Darfur Coalition is planning a week of prayer and action in September, leading up to an international day of action for Darfur on September 17. These events coincide with the opening of the 61st General Assembly of the United Nations in New York City. For more information, visit www.savedarfur.org/now or contact Chuck Thies, Event Director, (202) 478-6146, action@savedarfur.org.

International Day of Peace – September 21
The call for peace that is reflected in our hearts and prayers is urgently needed as the horrors of war, violence, and hatred fill our news. By linking with people from all over the world to observe the United Nations International Day of Peace on September 21, you and your community can be a part of a global call for peace. Together we will honor the UN General Assembly Resolution 55/282, which "Declares that the International Day of Peace shall henceforth be observed as a day of global ceasefire and non-violence, an invitation to all nations and people to honor a cessation of hostilities for the duration of the Day."

For ideas, background and the opportunity to list your activity, please go to www.internationaldayofpeace.org and www.idpvigil.com. Since the International Day of Peace falls on a Thursday this year, religious services, community service projects and commemorations are also being scheduled on the weekends to promote larger participation.

Tripartite Forum on Interfaith Cooperation for Peace – September 2

The Tripartite Forum on Interfaith Cooperation for Peace will hold a high-level conference at the United Nations on the theme: “Interfaith Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace: Contributing to Peacebuilding and Development" on the International Day of Peace – September 21, 2006. Religions for Peace-USA is a cooperating NGO in that its Executive Director is on the bureau of the Committee of Religious NGOs.

For more information, visit the website of the Tripartite Forum at www.tripartiteinterfaithforum.org or contact the Secretariat of the Conference at: 212-764-1300, ext. 16.

Peacebuilding Conversations in Your Community: Free Event Kits
In partnership with the Stanley Foundation, Religions for Peace-USA is offering free movie/discussion kits on “The Peacekeepers” to local religious communities, interfaith councils, and campus ministries. Religions for Peace-USA and the Stanley Foundation are both interested in promoting just, multilateral, and lasting solutions to international relations issues.

The Peacekeepers kit includes: a movie detailing peacekeeping operations in the Congo, a poster to advertise the event, a discussion guide, supporting CDs, and directions for event organizers to access relevant web resources. It is an easy-to-do discussion event in a box! All you need to do is add an audience and stir. To make it simple, the kits include to/from postage and handling.

Interested? Send your complete contact information and the date of your proposed event (for sometime this fall) to peacekeepers@rfpusa.org before September 30, and we will send you a kit. You must allow for up to two weeks delivery time.

“An Inconvenient Truth” - Free Movie Event Kits
Our friends at Interfaith Power and Light are making An Inconvenient Truth movie event kits available to US religious communities. They are free if you apply by August 25. This is part of the “Spotlight on Global Warming,” taking place during the week of October 1-8. Each congregation screening the film will receive attendee packets – that include information about the issue, suggestions for what each person can do to make a difference, and more. Congregations can register online, by going to the website: www.theregenerationproject.org, or by calling (415) 255-9736. Michael Reid will be in contact with you to schedule screenings and arrange the mailing of packets to your location.

Interfaith on Campus – A Researcher’s Snapshot
Summer Intern Anne Hillman (St. Olaf’s) has been researching college and university interfaith organizations this summer as part of an effort to: a) better connect and resource them and b) create another component of a ongoing effort by RFP-USA to build an national interfaith directory.

We thought you would like to hear a snapshot of the information Anne is finding. Most schools only have one organization, but there are a few with two or more like Carleton College in Northfield, MN and Hendrix College in Conway, AR. The most common type of interfaith organization is an interfaith council. It varies whether or not the members of the council are official representatives from student religious groups or if membership is open to any interested student. Most councils function as a means to ensure cooperation between all religious traditions on campus and many sponsor interfaith events aimed at promoting interreligious dialogue and understanding in the student body.

The types of events we are finding are quite diverse and some are extremely creative. A few draw from pop-culture in an effort to interest the rest of the campus. One such event was “Three Weddings and No Funeral” held at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA. For this one day event the InterReligious Council set up three weddings from different religious traditions to introduce the differences and similarities to the student body. In a similar vein, The Interreligious Council at Emory University in Atlanta, GA sponsored a “Wedding Crashers” event.

A unique interfaith organization can be found at Brown University in Providence, RI. They have something called the Interfaith House. It’s a residential community housed in one of Brown’s dorms. Its function is to provide a safe space for students to explore all aspects of religion and spirituality. The House hosts informal discussion groups and sponsors a breakfast in their lounge during the month of Ramadan. Stay tuned for more tidbits as we collect, connect, and resource.

Interfaith Summer Camp for Kids
What are your kids doing this summer? How about an interfaith camp? The Pugent Sound Interfaith Youth Camp is one of several efforts we see across the country to teach children about “building community that is humane compassionate, and just.”

The Camp will be held at the YMCA Camp Seymour during August 27 to September 1, 2006. Boys & girls entering the 7th and 8th grades can participate. There will be a ratio of 10 Christians, 10 Jews, 10 Muslims, and 20 kids of other faith traditions.

There is no charge to attend the camp, sponsored by Associated Ministries’ South Sound Peace & Justice Center, Islamic Center of Olympia, InterfaithWorks (Olympia), People for Peace Justice & Healing, Temple Beth El, YMCA Camp Seymour. Interested campers should contact Kathy Erlandson at Interfaithworks@aol.com. Interested counselors should contact Rabbi Bruce Kaddenat bkadden@templebethel18.org.

NAEIS Website Revamp
Though their annual meeting was cancelled this year, the National Association of Ecumenical and Interreligious Staff is just completing a major overhaul of their website. We thought you would like to know and take a peep – www.naeis.org.

What Is In A Name-O? - CADEIO
Can you say “Kah – day – O?” There is a new name for the Catholic network of ecumenical and interreligious officers. It is CADEIO, the Catholic Association of Diocesan Ecumenical and Interreligious Officers.

International Congress on Religions and Mediation in Urban Areas
Hosted in Barcelona during December 18-20, 2006, the International Congress on Religions and Mediation in Urban Areas seeks to “develop reflection, analysis and exchange about interreligious mediation and conflict prevention in urban societies” Further information about the three-day program, including registration forms are available at www.unescocat.org/religions-mediacio. Proposals for papers and workshops must be sent to c.monteys@unescocat.org before October 31, 2006. Visit the website for more criteria.

National Workshops on Christian Unity 2007
The National Workshop on Christian Unity is scheduled to meet January 29-February 1 in Washington, D.C. at Georgetown University. Conference details and registration information are currently available, see www.nwcu.org for more information. RFP-USA Executive Director, Rev. Bud Heckman, will be one of the workshop presenters, speaking on utilizing national interfaith and ecumenical structures and resources for local use.

New Staff Member

A Pomona College student and Queens resident, Joanne Tien is a current intern with Religions for Peace-USA. Having helped in May with the Summit on the Convention of the Rights of the Child, Joanne has returned from teaching English in Peru to work on the study guides for the Millennium Development Goals and analysis of the conditions of poverty in the hurricane-affected South Central region of the United States.

Religions for Peace issued a statement to address the current Middle East crisis:

Statement by the Secretary General of the World Conference of Religions for Peace on the Escalation of Conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Israel and Hamas in Palestine

24 July 2006

“Acts of violence are pushing the peoples of Israel, Lebanon, Palestine and neighboring states toward an abyss of destruction. Innocent people are being killed, civilian infrastructure is being destroyed and the fires of hatreds are being fanned. Today’s acts of violence must stop. Violence kills the innocent, inflicts profound suffering and causes vast damage. It strengthens extremists and weakens moderates. Violence will neither provide real security nor lead to a sustainable peace.

Serious alternatives to violence need to be advanced on all sides to stop the slide into a widening war and to create conditions to return to a comprehensive peace process. Key immediate steps should include:

• An end to the bombing of Lebanon and the rocket attacks on Israel;
• The return of the Israeli soldiers in Gaza and Lebanon unharmed;
• The release of the arrested Palestinian ministers and parliamentarians; and
• An end to Israeli military operations and withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and Lebanon.

Religious leaders also need to take action. Religious leaders need to stand together to reject the grotesque misuse of religion whenever it is hijacked in support of violence. They need to work together to find new ways to stop the violence and suffering. They need to continue to encourage their faithful – millions of sincere Jews, Muslims and Christians – to not lose heart, but remain steadfast in prayer.

Religions for Peace will convene senior religious leaders from the region at its Eighth World Assembly in Kyoto, Japan (26-29 August) and will support religious leaders in the region to work together to stop violence and build peace.”

With over 60 member religious communities and over 90 members on its three councils, Religions for Peace-USA, wishes to occasionally spotlight individual members or communities. This issue features the Buddhist Churches of America (BCA).

The Buddhist Churches of America (BCA), comprised of some 65 temples, branch temples, fellowships and groups, which represent the community of Shin Buddhists in the United States. It is the continental U.S. branch of the Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha Pure Land School of Buddhism with headquarters in Kyoto, Japan. Hawaii has its own branch known as the Hompa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii.

Although the BCA’s headquarters are in San Francisco, California, the member groups of the BCA span across the continent, from San Francisco to Denver to New York. The reasons are historical – Shin Buddhism first arrived from Japan in Hawaii in 1889 along with the immigrating Japanese workers. As the immigrants moved further east towards the west coast of the United States, Shin Buddhism established itself on the U.S. mainland in 1899.

BCA temples are not only spiritual but also community centers, offering educational and recreational programs for all ages from pre-school through seniors. Churches and temples also engage in various outreach programs, conduct study classes, and sponsor various social and service associations.

The BCA’s education program is based in the Jodo Shinshu Center located near the University of California Berkeley campus. The Jodo Shinshu Center houses the Center for Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Studies which is dedicated to providing continuing education for ministers, ministerial training, and educational programs for lay leaders and youth. The Jodo Shinshu Center is also home to the BCA’s seminary and graduate school known as the Institute of Buddhist Studies (IBS) which is an affiliate of the Graduate Theological Union. The IBS offers a graduate degree in Buddhist Studies and provides courses for those interested in becoming a Shin Buddhist minister or chaplain. The IBS also offers on-line courses. The Center for Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Studies, also located in the Jodo Shinshu Center, is also developing an on-line course and will also manage the Ashoka correspondence course. Other tenants of the Jodo Shinshu Center will be an overseas office of the Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha and Ryukoku University, both of which are based in Kyoto, Japan. The BCA Buddhist Bookstore will also operate out of the Jodo Shinshu Center.

Today, the BCA seeks to continue its outreach and expansion in order to become, “a major religious tradition in the United States.” BCA was featured in a recent NY Times article on adaptation of traditions, showing how it is now offering meditation – not traditional practice for BCA affiliates. The BCA is led by Socho (Bishop) Koshin Ogui, who serves on the Religions for Peace-USA’s Council of Presidents.

In this section we feature interesting, replicable projects of our member religious communities or thought-provoking publications for our common mission.

Christians and Jews in Dialogue: Learning in the Presence of the Other
How can members of different faith traditions approach each other with openness and respect? How can they confront the painful conflicts in their history and overcome theological misconceptions? For more than twenty years, Professors Mary C. Boys and Sara S. Lee have explored ways that Catholics and Jews might overcome mistrust and misunderstandings in order to promote commitment to religious pluralism.

Both now offer a new guide for members of any faith tradition who want to move beyond the rhetoric of interfaith dialogue and into the demanding yet richly rewarding work of developing new understandings of the religious other—and of one’s own tradition. Boys is the Skinner and McAlpin Professor of Practical Theology at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, and a member of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. Lee is director of the Rhea Hirsch School of Education at Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles. (SkyLight Paths, 2006)

How To Be a Perfect Stranger – 4th Edition!
An interfaith classic is out in a new 4th edition. Editors Stuart M. Matlins and Arthur J. Magida have updated their indispensable guidebook on cross-religious etiquette – How to Be a Perfect Stranger. If you want to be a good guest when visiting other people’s religious ceremonies and facilities, this is the book for your you. What to do? What to say? What to wear? End the fuss and just check this great resource before you go. The book is conveniently organized by tradition with easy to flip to sections. (SkyLight Paths, 2006)

Religion and Peacebuilding
Though an expensive book, Religion and Peacebuilding is an important contribution to the field. In the wake of September 11, 2001 religion is often seen as the motivating force behind terrorism and other acts of violence. Religion and Peacebuilding looks beyond headlines concerning violence perpetrated in the name of religion to examine how world religions have also inspired social welfare and peacemaking activism. Leading scholars from the Aboriginal, Buddhist, Christian, Confucian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim traditions provide detailed analyses of the spiritual resources for fostering peace within their respective religions. The contributors discuss the formidable obstacles to nonviolent conflict transformation found within sacred texts and living traditions. Case studies of Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Cambodia, and South Africa are also examined as practical applications of spiritual resources for peace. (SUNY, 2004)

War or Words?: Interreligious Dialogue as an Instrument of Peace
Desiring to explore ways to quell hostility, reduce violence, and diminish the logic of terrorism, Stetson University hosted a series of lectures and discussions entitled "Peace, Violence, and Religion" in 2002-3. Donald Musser and D. Dixon Sutherland designed this program, and the majority of the ten essays in this volume were delivered as public lectures in it. The essays are connected by a central theme that knits them into a coherent volume: any possibility of lasting global peace depends upon dialogue between religions. The contributors explore the contexts of religious dialogue and the promise that such discussions will bring about a more peaceful world. (Pilgrim Press, 2005)

Why “God is Winning” Globally
We tune in to lots of places to pick up news about interfaith and peace happenings. One of our favorite spots is the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, which puts out a regular e-bulletin.

Pew Forum Senior Fellow Timothy Shah provocatively posits that "God is winning" in country after country in a recent presentation by the Pew Forum. Read the Q&A online. It is thought provoking. He posits that religion is booming and democracy has given religious leaders a growing political influence. Knowing this and understanding its parameters puts the current condition of Islam and perceptions of “Islamic radicalization” into a much larger framework.

25x'25 – The Renewable Future
Catch the 25x'25 e-News, reporting every two weeks on news from the 25x'25 Renewable Energy Initiative and related renewable energy happenings. For more information or to sign up, be sure to check out our website at www.25x25.org.

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