Additional Information at Multi-faith Event

At the Multi-faith Event: How Good Must I Be? The Consequences of My Choices there will be tables in the lobby to learn about the religions represented at the event.   The religions represented are: Baha'i, Evangelical Christian, Hindu, Islam, and Judaism. Attendees of the event can browse the information before or after the event. After the event the speakers will be at the tables to answer questions and discuss their religions.

These organizations will have information tables at the event.

The mission of the Indiana Center for Middle East Peace is to promote critical awareness of issues that impact a just peace in the Middle East and to facilitate intercultural and interfaith awareness both locally and globally.  We host monthly lectures and symposia with local, national, and international speakers, as well as sponsor study and solidarity tours to Israel and Palestine where we meet with Jews, Christians, and Muslims who are working for a non-violent, just peace.

http://www.indianacmep.org/

 

Taylor University Office of Global Engagement - The Office of Global Engagement exists to encourage and facilitate global engagement within the student body, to connect and streamline existing campus organizations working on globally-focused initiatives, and to incorporate a global mindset into the Taylor Student Organization.

IPC - The purpose of the Interfaith Peace Cabinet of Taylor Student Organization is to engage the campus community in loving, peaceful relationships with persons of other faiths, especially in the central Indiana region.  This is accomplished through interfaith dialogue, service, partnership and religious education.

www.taylor.edu

Upcoming event hosted by Office of Global Engagement and IPC

Tuesday, April 17, 2012, 7:00 p.m.

An Interfaith Panel: Love Thy Neighbor

Moderator: Ramona Fisher, Canterbury School

Rediger Chapel/Auditorium

Huntington University: With the conviction that all truth is God’s truth, Huntington University exists to carry out the mission of Christ in higher education. Students are educated in the liberal arts and their chosen academic disciplines, always seeking to examine the relationship between the disciplines and God’s revelation in Jesus Christ. We welcome students of all faiths who are willing to be part of our learning community.

Regionally, Huntington University is a major partner in the Harmony Initiative. The organization is dedicated to implementing the City of Huntington’s mission statement, which recognizes that residents’ “ethnic, economic, and religious diversity provides the strength that holds our community together” and declares Huntington, Indiana to be “a community of civility and inclusion, where diversity is honored and differences are respected.”

www.huntington.edu

Since 1972 Friends of the Third World have been empowering people all over the world to overcome poverty and prime the fair trade markets for the growing demand for economic justice. In addition to job-training for needy people in Fort Wayne, the house of the Friends of the Third World helps sell products made by exceptional enterprising groups in the Third World, including the Bombolulu Workshop for the Handicapped in Mombasa, Kenya, as well as trying to help Nicaraguan Medical Aid. Friends of the Third World continues to work for economic justice through ongoing fair trade development for crafts, coffee, tea and other products made by millions of people escaping the grip of poverty.        

http://friendsofthethirdworld.org/

Questions for Interfaith Event: Why Must I Suffer?

Five of the six speakers for the Interfaith Event: Why Must I Suffer? were able to attend a meeting yesterday to discuss the event. The speakers for the event are:

Arjia Rinpoche, Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center, Director

Robert Rogers, Mighty in the Land Ministry, Founder

Dr. Prasad Mantravadi, Radiation Oncology Associates, Physician

Amani Elhefni, Universal Education Foundation Islamic School, Principal

Rabbi Mitchell Kornspan, B'nai Jacob Congregation

L. Michael Spath, D.Min., Ph.D.Religious Studies - Department of Philosophy; Peace and Conflict Studies Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne; Indiana Center for Middle East Peace

We started the meeting by sharing our own stories, including where suffering has occurred in our lives. This time of sharing about suffering immediately built a bond among the speakers. Suffering crosses all religious lines, for it is a human experience. After we discussed my vision and purpose of the Interfaith Events we determined the questions to be addressed and the time limits for each question.

Question 1) Share with us how you have known or experienced suffering; being either a personal experience or a professional experience.

Question 2) From the viewpoint of your faith, why do bad things happen to good people? Why must we suffer?

Question 3) From the viewpoint of your faith, how should we respond to those who are suffering? What are words of comfort that we can give to those who are suffering?

Questions for the discussion time:What part of your faith helped you during your suffering? How do I get through my suffering?  In religions there is often self-imposed suffering (example: fasting). From the perspective of your religion tell us why this is important for a person's spiritual life? Is it seen as suffering?

We had a wonderful time together. Each person was warm, caring, and has a desire to help others who are suffering. I'm anticipating a great event.

Readings and Prayer for Unity Walk in Fort Wayne, IN

September 25th is the United Nations International Day of Peace. In support of a Day of Peace the Fort Wayne community held a Unity Walk. Several weeks ago I was asked to participate in the walk as the Christian representative. I invited Nathan Baker, a Taylor University student, to participate in the event with me. As a follower of Jesus I thought my words at the Unity Walk should reflect Jesus' teachings. Here are the scriptures that we read and my prayer for the Unity Walk.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan Luke 10:25-37  On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"  "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"  He answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind' ; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'  "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."  But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"  In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.  So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'  "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"  The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise." 

The Beatitudes Matthew 5:1-17 Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them saying:  "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.  You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.  Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Dear God, You are our creator and the creator of all. We acknowledge our dependence upon you. You have demonstrated your love for each of us through Jesus’ life, death and resurrection . As Jesus taught us, we are to love you with our  heart, soul, strength and mind. With all of our being we are to love you.  We are also to love each other. One way we demonstrate our love for each other is by such events as this Unity Walk.  We are different in our theologies but we are united in this community, for this is our community, and we are to love one another. We desire to live in a reconciled community and would ask for You to examine each of our hearts as we strive for peace. As Jesus taught, blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God. We pray that as we come together as a united community that we would reflect Your love that  you have shown for each of us  by making peace with each other and by helping those who are suffering and who are in need in this community.  We pray this in Jesus name. Amen

http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110920/NEWS01/110929972

Not Alone

As September quickly approaches I am plotting a course for the Haven Interfaith Parent group which I lead. This is the second interfaith group which I have led. The first group met once a month for three years. This second group has met once a month for one year. We are on the start of our second year. As I’m planning the first meeting I wonder if the other members feel what I feel. Maybe I shouldn’t admit this, since I am the leader, but before each meeting I feel apprehension. Before each meeting I wonder, is this going to work? Throughout the years I have found many amazing people around the world who are striving to make peace through multi-faith or interfaith dialogue but when I started this journey I was aware of only a few. When I began this journey I was not using a tried and true tested ‘model’ of interfaith dialogue; I was on my own.  I knew what I was asking of the HIP members was not easy and it made me apprehensive. It still does.

Peacemaking is not an easy task. In fact, it is quite difficult. Finding common ground is essential in peacemaking endeavors. And there is much common ground to find. Finding common ground let’s us relax in our friendships and realize we are a community. That is the fun part. But peacemaking cannot stop there. It is when discussing those areas where we disagree that is the difficult task. And as I have said before that is where true peacemaking occurs. Both HIP groups have bravely ventured into this arena with me.

At each interfaith meeting I have some sort of ‘activity’. This ‘activity’ typically causes much laughter but we also learn more about each other.  In the second year of meeting with the first group I planned a different sort of activity. On a piece of paper each person was to finish this sentence: When I’m at HIP I fear…? Once the response was written on the paper, the paper was folded and put in a bowl. After all the responses were in the bowl we each took out one of the responses to read. This way we were not reading our own responses.  What we discovered through this activity created a deeper bond among us. You see, we were all apprehensive and fearful. Here are the responses:

When I’m at HIP I fear…

•  saying the wrong thing and offending someone
•  a wall may be built instead of a bridge
• I may hurt other people’s feelings, since a lot of my beliefs are so very different
•  not knowing what to say
• expressing a very contrarian idea or viewpoint
• others will think less of me for my beliefs
• loss of my family
• not knowing my faith enough to be a good representation and thus not educate the group in the importance of our religion

Even though I am starting my fifth year of interfaith dialogue, I am apprehensive as I’m planning the next meeting. I’m still asking, is this going to work? I'm still asking that question even though after every meeting I have felt a feeling of exhilaration. After each meeting I have realized that we did do the hard work of making peace. And it was amazing. Thank you to my dear friends in HIP for teaching me so much. I am not alone.