United Religions Initiative North American - Briefings

Members of URI Cooperation Circles around the world have been engaging in a dialogue that has been both tense and constructive with regard to how to respond to the current war and humanitarian crisis in the Middle East. All perspectives are represented — some sympathize more strongly with the Palestinian and/or Lebanese suffering, some with the Israeli’s living with the daily threat of terrorists’ suicide bombs and rockets. The one thing that seems to be clearly uniting us is the need to recognize the humanitarian crisis on the ground — and more importantly react to it. We must be peacebuilders on the ground, helping those directly in need.

Kay Lindahl just sent me word about this beautiful Green Rule poster from Faith & the Common Good in Toronto. From their website:

“Faith & the Common Good derived the Green Rule poster from the classic Golden Rule found in major faith traditions. For the Green Rule we are paraphrasing the Golden Rule by saying: ‘Do unto the Earth as you would have it do unto you.’ Though just a tiny sampling of the written and oral riches exclaiming the beauty and holiness of the natural world, the Green Rules were chosen to demonstrate that each religion and spiritual philosophy has a long-standing tradition of ecological stewardship.”

The green rule poster and resources on “Renewing the Sacred Balance” can be ordered online.

Building the Interfaith Youth Movement is a new book edited by Dr. Eboo Patel and Dr. Patrice Brodeur. Eboo is the Executive Director of the Interfaith Youth Core; Patrice is Canada Research Chair on Islam, Pluralism, and Globalization at the University of Montreal. The book features a forward from the Pluralism Project’s Diana Eck.

From the publisher’s description:

Violence committed by religious young people has become a regular feature of our daily news reports. What we hear less about are the growing numbers of religious young people from all faith backgrounds who are committed to interfaith understanding and cooperation. Building the Interfaith Youth Movement is the first book to describe this important phenomenon. Contributions include concrete descriptions of various interfaith youth projects across the country—from an arts-program in the South Bronx to a research program at Harvard University to a national organization called the Interfaith Youth Core based in Chicago—written by the founders and leaders of those initiatives. Additional chapters articulate the theory and methodology of this important new movement. This book is a must-read for college chaplains, religious leaders who work with youth, and students and scholars of contemporary religion.

The Presbyterian Church (USA) has a great website (http://www.pcusa.org/environment/earthday) on social justice from an environmental viewpoint, particularly focused on Gulf coast communities devasted by Katrina and other hurricanes in 2005. While they say “[a]s Christians, we are called to see the connection between our care for God’s creation and all of God’s people,” the site should be helpful for any religious or interfaith group interested in promoting environmental justice within their communities and organizations.

Another helpful resource is from the National Council of Churches of Christ:

Through the Eye of a Hurricane is an ecumenical resource that churches can use to plan for Earth Day Sunday on April 23 or another dedicated Sunday. The resource, which is available for free on NCC Eco-Justice Program website (www.nccecojustice.org), outlines some of the critical environmental issues that surfaced following the storms: the impact of climate change, wetlands and coastal barriers, water quality, toxic contamination as well as environmental racism on God’s creation and God’s people. It also highlights how Christians can respond to this crisis in their churches and local communities.

Scarboro Missions in Ontario, Canada — makers of the popular Golden Rule poster — is sponsoring a student art contest around the theme of “The Golden Rule and the Global Family…. a path to peace.” It is open to youth of all faiths and features a $250 prize in each of two groupings, grades 3-6 and 7-12. Full details can be found in the official PDF flyer.

(From http://www.pluralism.org/resources/calendar/summer_internships.php). The Pluralism Project at Harvard University seeks interns for the summer of 2006. Interns will be involved in a wide variety of projects including research, site visits, outreach, website and database maintenance, and administrative tasks. We are looking for committed candidates with strong academic records and excellent research and writing skills. Some background in Religious Studies and interest in the diversity of world religions in America is required. HTML and database experience and/or in-depth knowledge of one or more world religions are a plus.

These internships are unpaid opportunities to be part of our unique inter-disciplinary research team at Harvard University. Scheduling is flexible but at least twenty hours a week is desired. Housing is not available through our office. Please send a letter of interest and resume to Kathryn Lohre, research manager, at klohre@fas.harvard.edu. Please be sure to include your area of study and contact information for three references. Decisions are made on a rolling basis. Application deadline: April 1, 2006.

Susanna McIlwaine of Interfaith Explorers (a D.C. area Cooperation Circle) writes in with news of two interfaith radio shows.

For anyone in the LA area: Ruth Broyde-Sharon’s film God & Allah Need to Talk will be playing in Santa Monica on Peace Sunday (outdated but informational site), December 18. The event is sponsored by the Unity and Diversity World Council and co-sponsored by several organizations, including the URI. “Peace Sunday is a single day at the height of the holydays season devoted solely to the creation of Peace. The multi-cultural, multi-faith program begins at 8 am, and accompanied by the 12 hour expo, concludes at 8 pm. It is a call to all peace-loving people to come forth and uphold together our culture of peace.”

A program called World’s Religions after September 11: A Global Congress will be held in Montreal, Canada from September 11 through 15, 2006. They have recently issued a call for abstracts for individual presentations, panel presentations, and symposia.

Papers should be submitted via the congress web site. All participants in your proposal will be required to fully register for the Congress if your proposal is accepted for the program. You must insure that every individual named in you proposal registers for the Congress before the deadline so as not to jeopardize the inclusion of your session in the Congress program.

More information can be found at WorldsReligionsAfter911.com.

Appreciative
Inquiry (AI) is a powerful method for organizational planning,
encouraging creative thinking, inclusive decision making, and truly
"outside the box" results. AI was used extensively in the process
of creating the URI charter and continues to be utilized by URI groups around
the world. AI training is available from many sources:

• Corporation for
  Positive Change, whose principals include Diana Whitney and Amanda
  Trosten-Bloom, who are responsible for facilitating many of the development
  meetings that resulted in the URI as we know it;
• Clergy Leadership Insitute offers training specifically for faith-based
  organizations, and their
  AI
  curriculum has recently been approved by the American Psychogical
  Association as continuing education for psychologists;
• 
  AI Certificate Program in Positive Business and Society Change, with AI
  founder and URI-supporter David Cooperrider (at Case Western Reserve
  University, Cleveland, OH)

A good source for further information and training opportunities is Case
Western's Appreciative
Inquiry Commons.