Archive for the ‘Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions’ tag
CPWR Chair Named One of the World’s Most Influential Muslims
Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid
Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid, chairman of the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions, was cited in the latest issue of “The Muslim 500: The World’s Most Influential Muslims” for his efforts to raise awareness and understanding about faith and social issues.
The widely viewed publication from the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre, an independent research entity based in Amman, is a comprehensive study of global Muslim leadership in 14 categories including politics, religion, business, science, arts, media, sports, philanthropy and social issues. Imam Mujahid was included on the list for the first time. He is one of eight Americans identified as leaders in the category of Social Issues.
The report credited Imam Mujahid with a range of contributions including his work with broadcast media and his organizing efforts as the former chairman of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago and his current role as chairman of the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions. Imam Mujahid, an award-winning author, is the president of Sound Vision in Chicago, which offers multimedia Islamic teaching materials. He is also the executive producer of Chicago’s Radioislam.com and the host of a daily one hour talk program on WCEV 1450 AM.
“His development of the Radio Islam nightly talk show in Chicago is not only a source of support for Muslims, but an important educational link to non-Muslims in the greater Chicago area,” according to “The Muslim 500” publication. “Mujahid speaks with eloquence not only about the destructiveness of Islamophobia but also of the need for all people to come together in a spirit of justice and peace.”
The Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions, based in Chicago, is an international, non-sectarian, non-profit organization, established in 1988 to host the 1993 Parliament of the World’s Religions. Since the historic 1893 Parliament in Chicago, modern Parliaments have been held in Chicago (1993), Cape Town (1999), Barcelona (2004) and Melbourne (2009). These periodic Parliament events are the world’s oldest and largest interreligious gatherings. The next Parliament is expected to draw more than 10,000 religious leaders, scholars, theologians, worshippers, observers and journalists to the city of Brussels in 2014.
Dirk Ficca Featured on CBS Documentary
from CBS News Religion and Culture
This program airs throughout December and will be online after Dec 18.
FINDING COMMON GROUND: TODAY’S INTERFAITH MOVEMENT looks at how the interfaith movement has evolved over the years.
The program visits with Rev. Dirk Ficca, Executive Director of the Chicago-based Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions. The Parliament hosts the world’s largest interreligious gathering, meeting every five years in a different part of the world. People of every faith are invited to share their religious identities, dialogue and voice their hopes and concerns for the future.
One of the most interesting things about the modern interfaith movement, according to Rev. Ficca, is that cooperation among people of different faiths is more mainstream than ever. He says, “For me, it’s when a local imam and rabbi and Catholic priest in Downers Grove meet every Thursday for lunch and talk about how to get their three communities to know each other, and somehow replicating that all over the United States, all over the world. That’s where I put my hope.”
We also hear from Dr. Eboo Patel, founder and president of the Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC) based in Chicago, Ill. This nonprofit organization was founded in 2002, based on the idea that the most powerful common ground between all faith traditions is the inspiration to serve others. Dr. Patel and his organization are working with the youth of today as a means to thwart religious extremism and encourage interfaith understanding and leadership. “I think the world looks different,” Dr. Patel says, “if America’s college campuses become models of interfaith cooperation and graduate a critical mass of interfaith leaders.”
When the White House announced the President’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge in March of this year, IFYC worked as an advisor and partnered to craft the nationwide program.
One of the schools participating in the President’s challenge is Albright College, a private liberal arts school in Reading, Penn. Rev. Paul Clark, the school’s chaplain, will be shepherding the project with a group of interfaith student leaders. He says, “If we can apply this kind of model of talking to one another, and then reaching out to the larger community, then something really important could happen here.”
Recently, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that Reading, Penn. has the largest share of residents living in poverty per capita. In an effort to help the marginalized, the religious community of Reading has come together and worked in partnership to help alleviate the symptoms of poverty. We hear from Rabbi Brian I. Michelson, Rabbi of Reform Congregation Oheb Sholom; Elsayed [Steve] Elmarzouky, President of the Islamic Center of Reading, and Michael J. Kaucher, Executive Director of the Reading Berks Conference of Churches, about how working together to serve their community has reinforced their belief in the need for interreligious dialogue and cooperation at the local level.
John P. Blessington is the executive producer and Liz Kineke is the producer. FINDING COMMON GROUND is produced in cooperation with the National Council of Churches, Consortium of Roman Catholic organizations, the Islamic Society of North America, the Union of Reform Judaism and the New York Board of Rabbis.
Collaboration to Launch New Program for Informal Interreligious Education
State of Formation, an international network for young religious leaders, is collaborating with Claremont Lincoln University to develop a pilot program for informal interreligious education. The program’s inaugural events will be a monthly series of coffeehouse-style conversations on interreligious topics, beginning with a Dec. 1 evening event on the Claremont campus (see below for details)
State of Formation is an international program of the Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue, run in partnership with Hebrew College and Andover Newton Theological School and in collaboration with the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions. It is a forum for up-and-coming religious and ethical thinkers to draw upon the learning that is occurring in their academic and community work and reflect on the pressing questions of a religiously pluralistic society. A number of Claremont students are regular contributors to State of Formation blogs.
As the founding member of State of Formation’s Education Leadership Circle, Claremont Lincoln University will begin hosting regular coffee hours to foster meaningful conversations, friendships and collegial relationships between students of different traditions. Each gathering will focus on a topic of pressing significance for theological students—from pulpit leadership in a diverse society to overarching theological questions related to identity and news that impacts one or more religious community.
Interfaith Activity Is Growing
A New Era of Religious Tolerance
From The Huffington Post
“It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg.”
–Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia
Take a moment to imagine Thomas Jefferson contemplating the hysterical posturing of Rev. Terry Jones. What might the author of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom make of the would-be burner of a book cherished by one-fifth of the world’s people as the most sacred manifestation of God on earth? He might well have asked how the republic had come to such a pass.
And how did it happen? How did the comic-opera pastor of a tiny Southern congregation come to dominate the media for the better part of a week, eclipsing countless expressions of outrage from religious and secular groups around the country? How did our ninth annual day of solemn remembrance become an occasion for naked intolerance? How could fear, anger, and hatred so discolor a time set aside for the celebration of values worth dying for?
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Yet the interreligious movement flourishes despite the naysayers. Those who have struggled to empower it know that religions, deep down, have much more in common than divides them, and that most of these religions are more inclined to convergence than conflict. The bridge-builders also understand that together, the religions of the world have a great deal of energy and inspirational power to offer to a world facing a daunting array of critical global challenges.
Skeptical? Then consider that in 1960, virtually no city on Earth had a serious interreligious program. By 2000, most did. Something significant had changed. What’s more, by the early 21st century, most of those local efforts had created rich programs of outreach, community-building, and interreligious cooperation.
On a larger scale, organizations like the International Association for Religious Freedom, the World Conference of Religions for Peace, the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions, and the United Religions Initiative now bring their own unique perspectives and years of experience to overcoming our cultural blindness to one another. And groups like the Islamic Society of North America and the Council for American-Islamic Relations are hard at work countering pernicious stereotypes and encouraging American Muslims to reach out to people of other faiths and to non-believers as well, to build new models for dialogue and engagement.
CPWR Trustee Reflects on 2010 Nobel Women’s Initiative
From No expectations. In my years of travel, I’ve learned to have no expectations so that when things happen, I’m pleasantly surprised or not disappointed. This is how I’m entering this trip: an all-important delegation to soak in the stories, sights and sounds, whatever they may be. After all, this is the time for listening and learning, the reason why we have two ears and one mouth.
As an American my friends run the gamut, and through these friendships I’ve learned about different faith traditions and cultures. A rabbi once told me that from communication comes understanding, from understanding comes respect and from respect comes love. You don’t have to be Jewish to know and experience these words of wisdom.
I have friends who have lived on a kibutz, and I have friends who own the land on which that kibutz was built after being taken from them by force. While we cannot role back the hands of time, we can look forward and see what we can do with our hands, together, in the interest of a just and safe Holy Land for all of its people.
Partner Cities Network Launches Peace Cities Initiative
PARTNER CITIES NETWORK
LAUNCHES PEACE CITIES INITIATIVE IN CONJUNCTION WITH
UN INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE
September 1, 2010
Chicago, IL – September 1, 2010 – The Partner Cities Network of the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions is pleased to announce the launch of Peace Cities, a city-to-city interfaith networking opportunity for self-organized grass-roots interfaith groups, made available through PeaceNext.org.
The Peace Cities program recognizes the on-the-ground work of over 70 partner interfaith communities and their leaders who work to foster interfaith cooperation, peace, and social cohesion. It serves to connect cities around the world that have hosted interfaith events in cooperation with the Partner Cities Network and the Parliament of World’s Religions (Chicago, USA 1993; Cape Town, South Africa 1999; Barcelona, Spain 2004; Monterrey, Mexico 2007 and Melbourne, Australia, 2009.)
Cities that have earned the designation of Peace City are able to post news about local interfaith events and to share resources with other Peace Cities through PeaceNext.org. Peace Cities are eligible to apply to join the Partner Cities Network through a fast-track application process.
The Peace Cities launch coincides with PeaceWeek, a global telesummit for building a culture of peace. A co-production of The Shift Network and The Peace Alliance, PeaceWeek is being held in conjunction with the UN International Day of Peace on September 21. This conference will feature over 50 leading international peacebuilders, pioneers, and innovators, and offer opportunities for personal growth and collective change.
The Peace Cities program of the Partner Cities Network invites all to participate in PeaceWeek, a global telesummit for building a culture of peace. A co-production of The Shift Network and The Peace Alliance, PeaceWeek is being held in conjunction with the UN International Day of Peace on September 21. This conference will feature over 50 leading international peacebuilders, pioneers, and innovators, and offer opportunities for personal growth and collective change. To join the PeaceWeek global conversations, please visit, www.peaceweek.info. Registrants will be able to participate for free in an unlimited number of live discussions and receive free access to the full library of event recordings.
The Partner Cities Network is also proud to partner with Odyssey Networks in “A Million Minutes for Peace” campaign. Our goal is to collect one million pledges to pray for peace for one minute at noon on the UN International Day of Peace. Please watch the 60-second video, and join us by pledging your prayer for peace.
Contact: Zabrina Santiago
Deputy Executive Director & Partner Cities Director
Phone: (312) 629-2990 x. 235
zabrina@parliamentofreligiong.org
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About the Partner Cities Network
The Partner Cities Network seeks to build and connect the interreligious movement worldwide. It serves to create a global dynamic that will bind cities together and facilitates the sharing of best practices to inspire opportunities for cooperative action among cities. Partner Cities will soon launch collaborative programming and innovative resource sharing through online resource centers, quarterly webinars, and regional gatherings.
Currently six international cities form the growing network, with eight cities completing the application process in 2010. Cities currently designated as Partner Cities are Chicago, Illinois, USA; Cape Town, South Africa; Barcelona, Spain; Monterrey, Mexico; Melbourne, Australia and San Jose, California, USA.
About Peace Cities
Peace Cities is an initiative of the Partner Cities Network. It seeks to bridge self-organized grass-roots interfaith initiatives in cities around the world through the Council’s social media platform, PeaceNext.org.
A Call For Nominations from CPWR and Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue
From The Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue
Greetings,
We hope this finds you well. We are excited to announce that we are now accepting nominations and self-nominations for Contributing Scholars for our new blog, State of Formation, and we’d like to give you the opportunity to weigh in.
The current American discourse on religion and ethics is primarily defined by established leaders – ministers, rabbis, academics and journalists.
There is an entire population of important stakeholders without a platform: the up-and-comers.
To remedy this, the Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue, in partnership with the Parliament of the World’s Religions, is set to launch State of Formation, a forum for up-and-coming religious and philosophical thinkers to draw upon the learning that is occurring in their academic and community work. Articles will frequently reflect on the pressing questions of a religiously pluralistic society and challenge existing religious and philosophical definitions.
State of Formation is a community conversation between young leaders in formation. Together, a cohort of seminarians, rabbinical students, graduate students and the like – the future religious and moral leaders of tomorrow – will work to redefine the ethical discourse today, particularly as it is used to refract current events and personal experiences.
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Nominees should be currently enrolled in a seminary, rabbinical school, graduate program, or another institution for theological or philosophical formation. We are looking for exceptional and visionary young leaders who are currently learning about and reflecting on religious and moral issues. Does this describe you or a young leader you know? Please take a moment to fill out our brief online nomination form here or e-mail us your one-page nomination to chris@irdialogue.org. Nominations are due October 15, 2010.
Chicago Tribune publishes CPWR “Call to Solidarity”
From The Chicago Tribune
As anyone who has faced tragedy knows – be it an individual, family, community or nation – it is ultimately not the tragedy itself, no matter how unjust and terrible, but the response to it, that makes all the difference.
I know a courageous woman whose son was severely injured in a bombing while walking the narrow streets of Jersusalem. As he endured operation after operation, she sat for months by his bedside, pondering what to do. With every right to be angry, she chose instead to work for peace; something she has done for the past decade as an Israeli Jew, working tirelessly among Palestinian Muslim and Arab Christian women.
It is how we respond to the unimaginable tragedy of 9/11 that will make all the difference for those who live together in the United States, and for our enduring relations with those beyond our borders.
We must never forget what happened. We must continue to remember those who were lost, those who continue to mourn their colleagues, friends, and loved ones, and to renew our resolve to prevent such acts of wanton and cowardice violence in the future, both at home and abroad.
Just as importantly, we must use the symbolic character of 9/11 to once and for all make the crucial distinction between the true religious aims of Islam, and the morally disciplined and peace-loving ways of the Muslim community – with all of the inevitable imperfect striving that goes with any human endeavor of any kind, for that matter – and the despicable act of a misguided, murderous terrorist cell that has sought to hijack Islam with its baseless justifications of a righteous jihad.
CPWR Board Chair On Current Events in the U.S.
From Worldview/WBEZ 91.5
Imam Malik Mujahid hosts Friday prayers at several local mosques and is Executive Producer of the show Radio Islam. He’ll tell us about remembering 9/11 in the wake of growing Islamophobia and the floods in his native Pakistan. And on Global Activism, Gregory Gross, Clinical Manager at the Center on Halsted, talks with Jerome about his collaboration with Project Tariro, an HIV/AIDS prevention and support program in Zimbabwe.
