The question is no longer, “Should governments foster interreligious action?” but instead, “How should they do it?” And then, “What happens when they do?”
How a Native Elder & a Muslim Found Spiritual Friendship at a Christian Celebration
The invitation came from the Centre for Christian Studies to be a presenter at their 130th Anniversary celebrations in Winnipeg. The evening’s theme was Diversity, Transformation, and Hope. I was to substitute for Joy Kogawa, a fine poet who could not make it. How could I fill her shoes!? When I heard the theme, though, I said yes.
Creating 20,000 Interfaith Dialogues
Sociologist Robert Putnam’s latest book, American Grace (2010), should be required reading for all Americans in the interfaith movement. As an interfaith activist I resonated with his finding that breaking down fear and prejudice towards ‘the other’ is best facilitated by promoting personal connections and relations across faiths.
Getting to know you… a lot better
The collaborating editors of The Dialogue Comes of Age: Christian Encounters with Other Traditions are John B. Cobb, Jr., emeritus professor of theology at the Claremont School of Theology, and Ward M. McAfee, emeritus professor of history at the California State University of San Bernardino. Both have compiled distinguished teaching and publishing records.
A Conversation with John Cobb
TIO: Thank you for taking the time to speak with me, Professor Cobb. I’m particularly interested in talking about one of your recent books.
John Cobb:Which one?
TIO: The Dialogue Comes of Age: Christian Encounters with Other Traditions.
Cobb: I thought you might be referring to it.
TIO: One of the things that struck me was how it focused on dialogue between religious communities as a collective. Could you tell me more about that?
The Lost Art of Listening
The North American Interfaith Network (NAIN) gathering in Phoenix, Arizona, last July included a visit to a Hindu temple where a meal was shared along with questions, stories, and new friendships, all depending on everyone listening very carefully to each other.
Respectful communication is at the heart of all interfaith gatherings. We know that it is one of the most important components for building relationships of peace and harmony across faith traditions and belief systems. The focus of this essay is on the importance of the art of listening in interfaith dialogue and practices that support us in becoming more effective listeners.
If we think of speaking and listening as two of the major elements of communication, most often speaking is thought of as the more powerful role; it certainly gets the most attention. My experience is that the role of listening is even more powerful, although one seldom recognized or understood. For example, we often hear someone comment “That was a really powerful speech.” I’ve never heard anyone say: “That was a really powerful way to listen.”
Rights, Responsibilities, and Skills of Dialogue
For true dialogue to occur it needs to take place within a protective environment of mutually accepted rights and responsibilities, rooted in two fundamental values: respect for the human person and trust in the process of dialogue. Dialogue works best when the participants are willing to develop certain skills that facilitate the process.
A Safe Place to Address Prejudice, Stereotypes, and Fears
Several years ago I joined a small group of concerned people responding to a growing interest in appreciating and respecting the faith traditions of humankind. We developed home-based educational programs for small groups of interested people who know little if anything about religions other than their own. It began informally, spread by word of mouth, and now hundreds of workshops have been held.
The Language of Interfaith Conversation
Mindful interfaith language expresses our common humanity, builds relationships of respect and trust, and pursues peace.
Guidelines for Engaging in Productive Interfaith Dialogue
First, why are you involved with interfaith dialogue? Are you promoting an understanding of your own faith in an interfaith venue or promoting interfaith itself?
A ‘Dialogue of Life’ Approach to Interfaith Peace in West Africa
Children in Ghana are being raised in a ‘dialogue of life’ that makes religious differences a source of friendship, not conflict. [Source]
A religious revolution has emerged in many local African communities and nations as a whole in the last one hundred years or so. Within the period, various religions have come to live in closer proximity with one another than they had during the previous century. African towns and cities now collaborate with churches and mosques and to a lesser extent traditional/primal religious activities.
Subsequently, at the present time, people of different faiths encounter one another more often in both structured and unstructured ways. For example, in many homes across Ghana and the Gambia, it is common to find followers of African indigenous religions, Christianity, and Islam – with all the different groups of Christianity and Islam living together. By extension such relations are carried to the larger village or town community.
The Frightening Next Step in Interfaith Dialogue
There are two kinds of interfaith programs: the safe and the frightening. The safe leave us untouched; we are the same persons going in as we are coming out. The frightening leave us not only touched but transformed; we are different coming out then we were going in.