InterfaithNews.Net - September 2005
September 7, 2005
Links to the long defunct InterfaithNews.Net website removed April 2012
Reacting to religious fanaticism and the challenges of advancing and sustaining a more equitable civilization, a global interfaith movement has sprung from the grassroots of religion and spirituality. InterfaithNews.Net (INN) seeks to chronicle this movement by focusing primarily on positive interfaith and religious news, events, and resources.
We missed July. Not because there was nothing to report -- but rather because this editor was busy participating in some of those very events on which we are reporting. Read on for brief descriptions of the latest articles...
A Critical Interfaith Moment: Action and Dialogue
Dr. Tarunjit Singh Butalia, Secretary of the Interfaith Center for Peace in Columbus, Ohio, and Secretary-General of the World Sikh Council - American Region, offers his review of the June 2005 "World Council of Churches' landmark international interfaith conference titled 'Critical Moment in Interreligious Dialogue.'"
Link removed
Gathering at the Washington National Cathedral to Support Millennium
On September 11, the Washington National Cathedral (in Washington, D.C., USA), will host delegates from Christian denominations worldwide as they call for United Nations member states to support the Millennium Development Goals.
Link removed
God’s October Surprise
Rabbi Arthur Waskow of the Shalom Center points out the confluence of holy days from many different religions in October, encouraging faith communities to use that time for shared celebration, prayer, reflection, and peacebuilding.
Link removed
WSC-AR Meets with Conference of European Churches to Discuss Hate Crimes
It is a sad mark of the persistence of ethnic, cultural, and religious bigotry that so many people continue to paint all Muslims as fanatics and terrorists, as evidenced by violence against individual Muslims and their religious institutions. It is equally disturbing that the same brush is often applied to non-Muslims of North African, Middle Eastern, and Indian origin, particularly to Sikhs.
Link removed
UN Conference on Interfaith Cooperation for Peace
In June, a ground-breaking conference was held at the United Nations that brought together government representatives, members of the United Nations system, and religious NGOs. There they discussed the need for strengthened interfaith dialogue and its importance for peacebuilding. The following convenor’s report summarizes the goals, conclusions, and recommendations of the conference.
Link removed
U.S. Muslim Religious Council Issues Fatwa Against Terrorism
Reacting to the bombings in London, the Fiq Council of North America on July 28 became the first known Muslim group to issue a fatwa against terrorism and religious extremism.
Link removed
URI Executive Director’s Letter - July 2005
July 2005 letter from Charles Gibbs, Executive Director of the United Religions Initiative, to the Friends of the URI around the world.
Link removed
Interfaith groups find an oasis in the desert
Blistering weather reports from Las Vegas notwithstanding, 140 interfaith leaders from Canada, Mexico, and the United States gathered in southern Nevada on August 12. For four and a half days the group explored a complex set of themes – “Hospitality, Generosity and Sharing – Interfaith Action in Our World.” The weather turned out to be dry and kind, the heat tempered by passing storms. University of Nevada Las Vegas is beautiful and proved an exemplar of the hospitality we were discussing.
Link removed
Dear Stephen,
Came across your site when surfing today. Am also a Baha'i and run a small office/Baha'i Information Centre in Kuranda village, just up in the hills and rainforest behind the city of Cairns in North Queensland Australia. Am just setting up a web page for the Centre through Yahoo.
Am particularly interested in interfaith, was most taken with the Universal House's message to the World Religious Leaders of a couple of years ago. But there continues to be a profound reluctance among most other religions to engage in interfaith activities. Tried recently in this village for Int Day of Peace, 21 September, but only got one rely and that was negative.
But it seems to me that this is a very imporatnt task and needs much greater prominence. The previous Pope did very good work which I understand is being continued by the new Pope, but it does not seem to be filtering down. The World Parliament of Religions has received poor publicity, as has its Global Ethic adopted in Chicago in 1993. Perhaps it is something to do with the divisive nature of the times in the world, and the uncertainty and confusion that is being generated. World leaders seem incapable of addressing these problems in a way that can bring hope and vision.
Seems to me that interfaith needs much more prominence in the world. People are not being challenged by it and its rationale. The web seems an excellent way of doing this, but by itself it is not enough.
Just a few thoughts for comment
Kind regards
Graham Nicholson