Stories shape our understanding of the world. They teach us who we are, where we come from, and what we value. The stories we tell…
Editorial: Navigating the Pathway of Justice
In today’s complex world, the pursuit of social justice demands that we not only confront systemic inequities but also build sustainable paths for change. The...
Editorial: What, Really, is “Adaptive Leadership”?
As our world grapples with unprecedented crises and shifting landscapes, the role of adaptive leadership has become increasingly pivotal. From climate change and environmental degradation to…
Editorial: The Evolution of Religious Pluralism
What is religious pluralism? The Aspen Institute defines it as “the state of being where every individual in a religiously diverse society has the rights, freedoms, and safety to worship, or not, according…
Experiencing the 2023 Parliament of the World’s Religions with Fresh Eyes
by Sofia Sayabalian & Cloë Poole
Two young leaders from the Center for Ecumenical and Interreligious Engagement (CEIE) attended their first Parliament of the World’s Religions event. It was held in Chicago…
Editorial: Seeking the Blessed Community
From Sudan to Chicago or Shanghai, defining, enjoying, and sustaining a blessed community is a tough assignment. Since humans became human, we’ve hungered for a thriving, protective community…
An Unlikely Turnaround
by Betsy Woodman
The news, 24 hours a day of it, is by turns heart-rending, enraging, and depressing. School shootings. Climate crisis. Senseless war. Divisive politics. “When will they ever learn,” went the…
Editorial: We're Back!
In the two years we’ve been gone, the challenge in developing interfaith relations has received a body blow through the accelerating corruption of language and communication…
Religious Literacy & the Flying Spaghetti Monster
by David Callaway and Hannah Santos
Long-time advocates of religious freedom paused when Eddie Castillo successfully used the First Amendment to wear a pasta strainer on his head for his license photo. Castillo, a Pastafarian, argued the…
Talanoa: Dialogue for Action
by Bee Moorhead
As the saying goes, “Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.” Talanoa Dialogue just might change that.
The Next Step ... We Must Pray Together
by Marcus Braybrooke
Recently a Muslim was invited to give an Oxford University sermon. The invitation attracted a number of protests. “He does not believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ!” some declared.
Talanoa: Dialogue for Action
by Bee Moorhead
As the saying goes, “Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.” Talanoa Dialogue just might change that.
The Next Step ... We Must Pray Together
by Marcus Braybrooke
Recently a Muslim was invited to give an Oxford University sermon. The invitation attracted a number of protests. “He does not believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ!” some declared.
‘The Fierce Urgency of Now’
by Bud Heckman
A question for you: Why isn’t the movement for interfaith cooperation seen and taken as seriously and central in our societies as are other movements for social justice and the common good, such as race, gender, abilities, the environment, and so on?
An Heroic Opening Gambit
by William E. Swing
On Tuesday afternoon, April 2, 1996, I had just presented a paper in Oxford on “The Coming United Religions.” It would be mild to say I failed in gaining backers. Afterwards, a young doctoral student from Germany, Joseph Boehle, came up to me and asked, “Would you like to have a conversation with Dr. Hans Küng?”
"Now That's Really Living"
by Paul Chaffee, Editor
All of us, I suspect, have had powerful, breakthrough experiences not only with music but with storytelling, poetry, dance, theater, film, art, and crafts.
The Slow Food Movement – Revaluing What We Eat
by Paul Chaffee
For those who would love to find some middle ground between the strictures of a vegetarian or vegan diet, on one hand, and the sometime travesties of big agriculture, GMOs (genetically modified organisms), packaged food, and fast food, on the other, the slow food movement may be a satisfying alternative in reflecting on and choosing what you eat and how you eat.
What if Animals Believe in God?
by Andrew Aghapour
Chimpanzees believe in God. This news, widely reported last year, is only a slight exaggeration. Using hidden cameras, scientists have indeed captured footage of chimpanzee behavior that resembles religious ritual.
While We Still Can
by Paul Chaffee, Editor
The decision to devote the September TIO to eco-justice came months before Harvey, Irma, and Jose ravaged the Caribbean, Texas, Florida, and eastern Mexico with torrential wind and water, before all-time heat records in the West sparked hundreds of fires...
Sri Aurobindo: Proposing an Integral Evolution
by Marcus Braybrooke
During times of violence and war, it can seem like humanity is on a downward slide. And yet there are those who look past the present state and envision something greater emerging. Such is the case with Sri Aurobindo (1872-1950).