Interactive Faith

Description

A Practical Guide for Embracing the Growing Religious Pluralism in America

"In the process of [interfaith] engagement, we discover … a world in which our faith is richer, deeper, and more contextualized, and God's very Self is seen in more of its fullness."
—from the Introduction

This practical guide to the key methods and resources of the interfaith movement will help you effectively engage people of other faith traditions in order to increase understanding and acceptance in your community and beyond.

Drawing on the knowledge and experience of interfaith leaders from the world’s many faith traditions—Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Bahá’í Faith, Jainism, Shinto, Sikh Faith, Taoism, Zoroastrianism—this comprehensive resource provides practical ideas for connecting with people of all faiths and backgrounds through common concerns and activities that promote respect and support. It enables communities rich with diversity to work together to create paths toward peace and justice.

Foreword by Rev. Dirk Ficca xi
Acknowledgments xv

INTRODUCTION
Interfaith Dialogue: What Is It and Why Is It Important? 1

PART I
Creating Interreligious Community through Dialogue
1. Dialogue through Conversation—Spoken Dialogue 23
by Rev. Dr. Francis Tiso
2. Dialogue through Arts—"Opening the World's Door" 43
by Abby Stamelman Hocky, MSW, Rev. Susan Teegen-Case, and Rabbi Carol Harris-Shapiro
3. Dialogue through Observation and Participation— Interfaith Prayer Services 77
by Rev. Dr. Clark Lobenstine

PART II
Living Interreligious Dialogue through Service and Advocacy
4. Action through Service—From Shared Values to Common Action 111
by Dr. Eboo Patel, April Kunze, and Noah Silverman
5. Action through Advocacy: Many Faiths, Common Purpose 139
by Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy

PART III
Interfaith Resources
6. Brief Overview of Faith Traditions 157
7. Interfaith Organizations and the Web 191
8. Suggestions for Other Resources 215

Appendix A
A Taxonomy of Interfaith
by Bud Heckman 223
Appendix B
A Closer Look at Swidler’s “Dialogue Decalogue”
by Rev. Dr. Francis Tiso 231
Appendix C
A Formal Model: The West Coast Dialogue of Catholics and Muslims
by Rev. Dr. Francis Tiso 241

Notes 253
About the Contributors 257
About Religions for Peace 261
Index 263

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie
• Sintoísmo
• Buddhism
• Zoroastrianism
• Taoism
• Shinto
• Jainism
• Judaism
• Hinduism
• Christianity
• Bahá'í Faith
• Religion
• Islam
• Shintoïsme

Informations

• Publié par: Turner Publishing Company
• Date de parution: 21 janvier 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781594735042
• Langue: English

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Acclaim for InterActive Faith
An essential reference book for anyone seeking to engage in interfaith dialogue in any of its diverse forms. Invites us into solidarity of action in the expanding domain of our deeply held, widely shared cares.
- Dr. William Vendley , Secretary General, Religions for Peace
Times have never been in greater need of this book. Rich, insightful and practical, I highly recommend it.
- Edward J. Murray , president and chief executive officer, Faith Values Media
An essential reference for interfaith work from a country where religious pluralism is coming of age. Offers models and methods from respected leaders in the field. I highly recommend it.
- Rev. Dr. Shanta Premawardhana , director, Inter-religious Dialogue and Cooperation, World Council of Churches
There are many books about interfaith discussion, but InterActive Faith is unique. It is an impressive and comprehensive guide to the practical issues involved in interreligious dialogue, relations and projects. A treasure for anyone beginning to explore the rich experience of interfaith cooperation.
- Rabbi Eugene Korn, PhD , Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding and Cooperation; author of The Jewish Connection to Israel, the Promised Land: A Brief Introduction for Christians
Clearly lays out the possibilities and practicalities of multiple ways of bringing religious believers together. For anyone who wants to make interreligious collaboration a reality in civil society, this handbook will be immensely helpful.
- Paul F. Knitter , Paul Tillich Professor of Theology, World Religions, and Culture, Union Theological Seminary
An excellent primer on how to effectively and appreciatively engage neighbors of different faiths. Explores and expands upon the three basic categories of interreligious interaction: immersion, dialogue and collaboration. An invaluable resource for maintaining a sense of community even as that community changes.
- Dr. Antonios Kireopoulos , senior program director, Faith and Order and Interfaith Relations of the National Council of Churches
Throws open the door to the new interreligious America at the grassroots level. Chock full of information, compelling stories, good advice, and resources, it is the best primer to interfaith dialogue and relationships in print today.
- Rev. Paul Chaffee , executive director, Interfaith Center at the Presidio
A treasure chest of positive delights for everyone involved in interreligious work. It is an ideas manual and a spur to good interreligious relations, essential for anyone trying to find their way through the thicket of what to do and how to think about it in today s blossoming field of interreligious endeavours. With this handbook the interfaith movement demonstrates its emerging maturity.
- Canon Dr. Alan Race , dean of postgraduate studies, St. Philip s Centre, Leicester, United Kingdom
A must-read book for interfaith community builders and peacemakers focusing on dialogue, service, and advocacy.
- Dr. Tarunjit Singh Butalia , moderator of Religions for Peace-USA; chair of
National Interfaith Committee of the World Sikh Council-America Region
An essential desk reference for religious leaders seeking to work together across lines of faith. Its illustrative models and extensive resources are inspiring to all those who want to lovingly work for interreligious cooperation.
- The Very Rev. Leonid Kishkovsky , executive director of ecumenical affairs, Orthodox Church of America
A must read for everyone interested in inter/intra/multi faith activities/ dialogue, a truly good reference book.
- Arvind Vora , chairman, Long Island Multi Faith Forum; chairman, Interreligious Committee of the Federation of Jain Associations in North America
Full of concrete nitty-gritty wisdom about and for interfaith dialogue. A practical how-to guide for interfaith dialogue-and it surely is the best of its kind-it is also rooted in substantive scholarship and can be employed fruitfully in courses on interreligious dialogue in colleges and seminaries to provide students with a deep introduction to the on the ground practice of interfaith dialogue. Mosques, churches, synagogues, temples, and interfaith groups at every level will find in this book a treasure trove of resources for getting about the work of building community through interfaith living. No religious community that aspires to neighborliness can afford to do without this invaluable resource.
- John J. Thatamanil, PhD , assistant professor of theology, Vanderbilt University Divinity School
Offers us the most helpful tools to initiate, sustain, and promote an interactive faith that does not shy away from intense and intentional involvement in interreligious community-building activity. Brings together the wisdom of so many practitioner-thinkers of interreligious dialogue and offers a real boost to the efforts of all those who are committed to a just and peaceful world. You do not have to be a believer in or a practitioner of interreligious community-building to read this book; you will certainly become one as you finish reading it. If you are already involved in such activities, you will gain a broader vision, a deeper understanding, and a renewed commitment to interactive faith.
- Rev. Dr. M. Thomas Thangaraj , D. W. Ruth Brooks Associate Professor of World Christianity, Candler School of Theology, Emory University
With great clarity and compelling narrative brings into sharp focus the well-intentioned but too often fuzzily-defined world of interfaith activity. Whether you are a pastor preparing your first interfaith service bulletin, a community activist rallying religious leaders to a cause, or a curious but confused private citizen seeking the basics on an increasingly religiously diverse world, this book is the place to begin.
- Rev. Chloe Breyer , executive director, The Interfaith Center of New York
This invaluable resource is sorely needed . A very thoughtful and useful way to help individuals and communities engage in dialogue and embrace our shared values to help make our world more whole.
- Rabbi Amy Joy Small , past president, Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association; rabbi, Congregation Beth Hatikvah, Summit, New Jersey
For our spouses Laura and Russel and for all those who lovingly work for religious cooperation, deepening their own faith and building bridges in their communities.
Contents
Foreword by Rev. Dirk Ficca
Acknowledgments
INTRODUCTION
Interfaith Dialogue: What Is It and Why Is It Important?
PART I
Creating Interreligious Community through Dialogue
1. Dialogue through Conversation-Spoken Dialogue by Rev. Dr. Francis Tiso
2. Dialogue through Arts- Opening the World s Door by Abby Stamelman Hocky, MSW, Rev. Susan Teegen-Case, and Rabbi Carol Harris-Shapiro
3. Dialogue through Observation and Participation-Interfaith Prayer Services by Rev. Dr. Clark Lobenstine
PART II
Living Interreligious Dialogue through Service and Advocacy
4. Action through Service-From Shared Values to Common Action by Dr. Eboo Patel, April Kunze, and Noah Silverman
5. Action through Advocacy: Many Faiths, Common Purpose by Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy
PART III
Interfaith Resources
6. Brief Overview of Faith Traditions
7. Interfaith Organizations and the Web
8. Suggestions for Other Resources
Appendix A
A Taxonomy of Interfaith by Bud Heckman
Appendix B
A Closer Look at Swidler s Dialogue Decalogue by Rev. Dr. Francis Tiso
Appendix C
A Formal Model: The West Coast Dialogue of Catholics and Muslims by Rev. Dr. Francis Tiso
Notes
About the Contributors
About Religions for Peace
Index

About the Editor
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Foreword
T here is an underlying sense of urgency to this enlightening yet practical, hands-on, how-to manual for the interreligious movement. This is in part because of how the world has changed. Over the past fifty years, the United States has rapidly grown more religiously diverse. This pattern has been mirrored in major metropolitan areas around the world. In the best of times, we might be able to get by without really knowing our new and diverse religious neighbors who espouse different beliefs, engage in unfamiliar practices, and are increasingly from somewhere else in the world. But in a multireligious and post-September 11 world, interreligious dialogue and cooperation are no longer luxuries or options. As Rev. Dr. Francis Tiso says, There is simply no alternative; we have already seen where the absence of dialogue leads.
Indeed, the consequence of not knowing our neighbors creates a climate of mutual ignorance that can foster misunderstanding and breed mistrust. In the midst of more trying times, this state of affairs can lead to suspicion, tension, conflict, and even violence. As we are all painfully aware, in many places in the world religion is a matter of life and death. We all have a stake and a role to play in determining whether the twenty-first century will be characterized by the now famous Samuel Huntington s catchphrase of a clash of civilizations or if we can turn this time of crisis into an opportunity to promote a dialogu