Every time we turn around, we seem to be in challenging times. Every time we turn around there seems to be something more that threatens to divide us even further. Increasingly…
There is a growing skepticism among young people toward the category of “leader.” This is evident in both a defensive and protective posture towards those who identify as…
When we think of leadership, perhaps we think of individuals who seemingly occupy a lot of space in any given arena–the shiny politician, the savvy entrepreneur, or the…
The landscape of interfaith relationship building has undergone a seismic shift since the Hamas attacks of October 7th, 2023 and the resultant renewal of attention that event…
With the psalm wrapping up, the Time was fast approaching. Organ notes shifted to a hauntingly familiar prelude to my morning anxiety. Deep breath in. Deep breath out…
“Remember that words have usage, not meaning.” This off-the-cuff remark from Dr. Frank Stagg in a seminary classroom more than thirty years ago has repeatedly helped to clarify my thinking. I might modify the statement, saying that “words have usage, not inherent meaning” or “the meaning of a word is shaped by usage and context.” But the point is, nonetheless, well-taken. Words have usage, not meaning.
As world leaders prepared to adopt the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” at the United Nations on September 25-27, the Vienna-based International Dialogue Centre, known as KAICIID, launched the “Peace Map” in New York City: At the heart of its first phase, the Peace Map offers an interactive database of over 400 organizations that work to promote interreligious dialogue around the world.
Early last June, while most students were packing their books and looking forward to a summer respite from papers and tests, twenty-three women and men, affiliated with Boston Theological Institute’s network of seminaries, participated in an intensive two-week seminar focused on developing interfaith leadership and community-building skills.
Cambridge, MA – Harvard University’s Pluralism Project last month launched America’s Interfaith Infrastructure: An Emerging Landscape, a website documenting and resourcing the interfaith movement in the United States. Dr. Diana Eck, a professor at Harvard University and director of the Pluralism Project explains, “While interfaith organizations play a vital role in cities and towns across America, their critical contributions to our multireligious society are often overlooked.”
Dr. Diana Eck and the Pluralism Project are updating their award-winning resource to explore the religious diversity of the United States. The first edition of On Common Ground: World Religions in America was released as a CD-ROM in 1996, providing teachers, students, and scholars with an innovative interactive resource in three parts: “America’s Many Religions,” “A New Religious Landscape,” and “Encountering Religious Diversity.”
The proliferation of ‘interfaith resources’ is an embarrassment of riches. Googling the matter draws more than 5 million items in under half a second. And most at the top of the list are sectarian products – that is, interfaith resources created by this, that, or the other faith tradition – even when it is not obvious. So how do you find the best resources available?