Human Rights First

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Human Rights First

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Table of Contents
Broadcast Media
NBC Washington, Shared Faith Service at the National Cathedral .................................... 5
WHAG-TV (NBC) Washington, Sharing the Faith .............................................................. 6
WTTG-TV (FOX) Washington, ―Shared Faith‖ Event ........................................................ 7
WUSA-TV (CBS) Washington, Faith Shared Event ............................................................ 8
WPTZ Plattsburgh, NY, Multi-Faith Service Brings Jews, Christians, Muslims
Together ......................................................................................................................... 9
NBC 15 Mobile/Pensacola, Ala. Church Does ―Faith Shared‖ ........................................ 10
NBC 14 Evansville, Ind., Faith Shared Event ................................................................... 11
NBC 33 Fort Wayne, Ind., Faith-Shared Initiative ........................................................... 12
ABC 21 Fort Wayne, Ind., Faith-Shared Initiative............................................................ 13
NBC 29 Charlottesville, Va., Faith Shared ....................................................................... 14
PBS Religion & Ethics Newsweekly ................................................................................. 15
Broadcast Media (International)
Alhurra .............................................................................................................................. 17
Anatolia News Agency ...................................................................................................... 17
NTV ................................................................................................................................... 18
Sabah................................................................................................................................. 18
CNN Turkey ...................................................................................................................... 19
Print Media
Washington Post, Interfaith service at Washington National Cathedral promotes
religious tolerance ........................................................................................................ 21
Washington Examiner, The 3-Minute Interview: The Rev. C. Welton Gaddy................. 25
San Mateo Daily Journal, Churches embrace shared traditions of faith .......................... 26
Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Interfaith service seeks understanding ................................... 28
Journal, Our region is better than the intolerance indicates ............................................. 30
Print Media (International)
Anatolia News Agency ...................................................................................................... 33
Urdu TimesUSA ................................................................................................................ 36
Haber24 ............................................................................................................................ 37
TRT Haber ........................................................................................................................ 39
Hurriyet ............................................................................................................................. 40
Hurriyet USA .................................................................................................................... 41
NTVMSNBC ...................................................................................................................... 43
Sabah................................................................................................................................. 46
Sabah USA ........................................................................................................................ 47
Aksam ................................................................................................................................ 51
Turkish Journal ................................................................................................................. 52
Radikal .............................................................................................................................. 55
Zaman Amerika ................................................................................................................. 58
Vatan ................................................................................................................................. 61
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Yeni Şafak.......................................................................................................................... 62
Wires
Religion News Service/Associated Baptist Press, Taking time in worship to counter
bigotry .......................................................................................................................... 64
Religion News Service, Christians Asked to Shared Pulpits with Muslims...................... 65
Associated Baptist Press, Christians, Muslims, Jews to share sacred texts...................... 66
Catholic News Service, Initiative launched to share Christian, Jewish, Muslim pulpits .. 68
Online Media
MSNBC.com, Shared Faith Service at the National Cathedral ......................................... 71
NBC Washington, Shared Faith Service at the National Cathedral .................................. 72
Bold Faith Type, Muslims, Christians, Jews Share Pulpits, Debunk Myths .................... 73
Huffington Post, Mohamed Magid: A Portrait Of An American Imam ........................... 75
Huffington Post, Islamophobia‘s Implications for the United States ............................... 80
Huffington Post, Faith Shared in Iowa: Finding Our Commonalities and Respecting
Our Differences ............................................................................................................ 82
The Cap Times, Can we talk? Yes, say Christians, Muslims, Jews .................................. 84
God‟s Politics Blog, Observing the 10th Anniversary of 9/11 by Sharing Faith .............. 86
Anglican Journal, Interfaith services a growing trend in U.S. ......................................... 88
Bright Future News (Iran), National Cathedral Joins ―Faith Shared‖ Movement, Plans
Interfaith Service .......................................................................................................... 89
Examiner.com, UU Ocean County Congregation participates in national Faith Shared
weekend ....................................................................................................................... 90
ThinkChristian.Net, A third way for Muslims and Christians to relate ............................ 92
Religion Dispatches, Faith and Civil Liberties Groups Pushing Back Against
Islamophobia ................................................................................................................ 93
Bold Faith Type, The Anti-Terry Jonseses ....................................................................... 95
Orlando Sentinel, Clergy plan Qur‘an readings to combat anti-Muslim bigotry ............. 97
Salem News, Updates from Human Rights First ............................................................... 98
Crescent Post, INTERFAITH: Christians Will Hold Quran Readings to Combat
Islamophobia ................................................................................................................ 99
OnIslam.net, Abrahamic Faiths Share Pulpits in US ...................................................... 101
The Christian Post, Christians, Jews and Muslims to Share Pulpits .............................. 103
3
Broadcast Media
4
Click on image or link to view video/listen to audio
Shared Faith Service at the National Cathedral
June 26, 2011
http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Shared-Faith-Service-at-the-NationalCathedral-124570524.html
NBC4 Washington aired a story on its 6 p.m. broadcast on June 26, 2011, on the June 26
Faith Shared program at the National Cathedral. The story includes background
information on the program and footage at the cathedral.
NBC 4 Washington 06.26.11.wmv
CLIP: Sunday services at the National Cathedral included readings from the Torah and
the Koran. It was one of dozens of events taking place titled Faith Shared. It was headed
by several local religious leaders including a rabbi, an imam, and a priest.
5
Sharing the Faith
June 26, 2011
http://your4state.com/index.php
WHAG-TV (NBC) Channel 25 out of Washington aired a story on its 11 p.m. broadcast
on June 26, 2011, on the June 26 Faith Shared program at the National Cathedral. The
story includes background information on the program and footage at the cathedral.
CLIP: Christian clergy read from the Quran and other sacred texts at churches across
the country on Sunday. It was part of Faith Shared, an effort to promote understanding
and demonstrate respect for Islam and other religions. At the National Cathedral in
Washington, Muslim and Jewish colleagues were welcomed to participate in services.
Fifty churches in 26 states took part in the event. It was coordinated by the Interfaith
Alliance and Human Rights First.
6
WTTG Fox 5 News Washington
―Shared Faith‖ Event
June 26, 2011
http://www.myfoxdc.com/
WTTG-TV (FOX) Channel 5 out of Washington aired stories on its 6 p.m. and 10 p.m.
broadcasts on June 26, 2011, on the June 26 Faith Shared program at the National
Cathedral. The story includes background information on the program and footage at the
cathedral.
In the middle of global turmoil and religious struggle, churches all over the country open
their doors to followers of Islam and Judaism today. The National Cathedral was one of
50 churches in 26 states to participate in the event called Faith Shared: United in Prayer
and Understanding. The project of the Interfaith Alliance and Human Rights First works
to fight big bigotry and stereotypes and helps followers of all faiths understand each
other.
7
WUSA-TV (CBS) Channel 9 News Now Washington
Faith Shared Event
June 27, 2011
http://wusa9.com/
WUSA-TV (CBS) Channel 9 out of Washington aired a story on its 5 a.m. broadcast on
June 27, 2011, on the June 26 Faith Shared program at the National Cathedral. The story
includes background information on the program and footage at the cathedral.
The National Cathedral joined dozens of churches across the country yesterday in a
Faith Shared event. The service featured a reading from the Koran and a minister
reading from the Bible. The goal of the event is to counter the image that Americans are
hostile to the Islamic faith.
8
WPTZ Plattsburgh, NY
Multi-Faith Service Brings Jews, Christians, Muslims Together
Similar Services Held In Cities Across Country
June 26, 2011
http://www.wptz.com/video/28364156/detail.html
9
NBC 15 Today, Mobile/Pensacola
Ala. Church Does ―Faith Shared‖
June 27, 2011
http://www.local15tv.com
WPMI-TV (NBC) Channel 15 out of Mobile, Ala., and Pensacola, Fla., aired a story on
its 5 a.m. broadcast on June 27, 2011, on the June 26 Faith Shared program at the
National Cathedral. The story includes background information on the program, footage
at the National Cathedral and mentions of local events in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and
Pensacola.
Alabama and Florida were two of 26 states to take part in “Faith Shared.” Members at
University Presbyterian Church in Tuscaloosa and Unitarian Universalist Church of
Pensacola read from the Koran and other sacred texts to show respect for Islam and
other religions. It was coordinated by the Interfaith Alliance and Human Rights First.
10
WFIE-TV (NBC) Channel 14, Newswatch 14 Sunrise Early Edition, Evansville
Faith Shared Event
June 27, 2011
http://www.14wfie.com
WFIE-TV (NBC) Channel 15 out of Evansville, Ind., aired a story on its 5 a.m. broadcast
on June 27, 2011, on the June 26 Faith Shared program at the National Cathedral. The
story includes background information on the program and footage at the cathedral.
Christian clergy read from the Quran and other sacred texts at churches across the
country Sunday. It was part of Faith Shared, an effort to promote understanding and
demonstrate respect for Islam and other religions. At the National Cathedral in
Washington, Muslim and Jewish colleagues were welcomed to participate in services.
Fifty churches in 26 states took part in the event. It was coordinated by the Interfaith
11
WISE-TV (NBC) Channel 33, Indiana‟s NewsCenter News Now, Fort Wayne
Faith-Shared Initiative
June 26, 2011
http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/
WISE-TV (NBC) Channel 33 out of Fort Wayne, Ind., aired a story on its 6 p.m.
broadcast on June 26, 2011, on the June 26 Faith Shared program at the National
Cathedral. The story includes background information on the program, footage at the
National Cathedral and discussion and footage from the event in Fort Wayne at the First
Presbyterian Church, including an interview with theologian Dr. Michael Spath.
It was a special Sunday service this morning at the First Presbyterian Church in
downtown Fort Wayne. Theologian Dr. Michael Spath was joined by Rabbi Marla
Surbeck Spanjer and Imam J. Tamir Rasheed for the special interfaith worship service.
The "Faith Shared" initiative is an event begun by the Interfaith Alliance at the National
Cathedral in Washington. 65 congregations around the country are celebrating the
American ideals of religious diversity, and religious liberty that is so bedrock and
foundational to our identity as a nation. First Presbyterian was the only church in
Indiana taking part in the nationwide initiative.
12
WPTA-TV (ABC) Channel 21, Indiana‟s NewsCenter Today, Fort Wayne
Faith-Shared Initiative
June 27, 2011
http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/
WPTA-TV (ABC) Channel 21 out of Fort Wayne, Ind., aired stories on its 6 p.m. and 11
p.m. broadcasts on June 26, 2011, and its 6 a.m. broadcast on June 27, about the June 26
Faith Shared program. The story includes background information on the program and
footage from the event in Fort Wayne at the First Presbyterian Church.
It was a special Sunday service this morning at the First Presbyterian Church in
downtown Fort Wayne. Theologian Dr. Michael Spath was joined by Rabbi Marla
Surbeck Spanjer and Imam J. Tamir Rasheed for the special interfaith worship service.
The "Faith Shared" initiative is an event begun by the Interfaith Alliance at the National
Cathedral in Washington. 65 congregations around the country are celebrating the
American ideals of religious diversity, and religious liberty that is so bedrock and
foundational to our identity as a nation. First Presbyterian was the only church in
Indiana taking part in the nationwide initiative.
13
WVIR-TV (NBC) Channel 29, News at 11, Charlottesville, Va.
Faith Shared
June 26, 2011
http://www.nbc29.com/
WVIR-TV (NBC) Channel 29 out of Charlottesville, Va., aired a story on its 11 p.m.
broadcast on June 26, 2011, on the June 26 Faith Shared program at the National
Cathedral. The story includes background information on the program and footage at the
cathedral.
Christian clergy read from the Quran and other sacred texts at churches across the
country today. It was part of Faith Shared an effort to promote understanding and
demonstrate respect for Islam and other religions. The National Cathedral in Washington
welcomed Muslim and Jewish colleagues to participate in services. Fifty churches in 26
states took part in the event. It was coordinated by the Interfaith Alliance and Human
Rights First.
14
Interfaith Services
June 26, 2011
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/
CLIP: On our calendar this week, houses of worship across the country are holding
special "shared faith" services this weekend. Clergy plan to read from the Quran and
other religious texts. Organizers say the event is meant to promote interfaith
understanding.
15
Broadcast Media
(International)
16
Click on image or link to view video/listen to audio
June 27, 2011
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=810225140175&oid=217745898265631&s
aved#!/video/video.php?v=810225140175&oid=217745898265631&comments
Alhurra 06.27.11 on Faith Shared DC National Cathedral.mp4
Alhurra sent a team to the June 26, 2011, event at the National Cathedral and produced a
story that aired June 27, 2011, at 3 p.m. Eastern time, primetime for its audience. The
footage includes interviews with Rev. Welton Gaddy, Imam Mohamed Magid and Rabbi
Amy Schwartzman.
Anatolia News Agency
June 26, 2011
http://www.aa.com.tr/tr/ilk-kez-ucu-birarada.html
Anadolu Ajansi - ILK KEZ ÜÇÜ BIR ARADA.mp4
Anatolian News Agency of Turkey sent a team to the June 26, 2011, event at the National
Cathedral and produced footage including interviews with Rev. Welton Gaddy, Imam
Mohamed Magid, Rabbi Amy Schwartzman and others.
17
NTV
June 27, 2011
http://video.ntvmsnbc.com/kilisede-ezan-sesi.html
ntvmsnbc Video Galeri.flv
The Turkish language news station NTV used footage from Anatolian News Agency,
including interviews with Rev. Welton Gaddy and Imam Mohamed Magid.
Kilisede ezan sesi duyuldu
By Yeni Haber
June 28, 2011
http://www.sabah.com.tr/Dunya/2011/06/28/kilisede-ezan-sesi-duyuldu
Kilisede ezan sesi duyuldu - Sabah.mp3
The Turkish language news station Sabah used footage from Anatolian News Agency to
produce a story for radio news outlets.
18
ABD‟nin en önemli katedralinden ezan sesleri...
June 28, 2011
Dinlerarası hoşgörüyü artırmak için ABD‘de güzel bir adım atıldı. Washington‘da
Hristiyanların pazar ayinine Musevi ve Müslüman din adamları da katıldı. Burada, din
adamları kendi kutsal kitaplarından bölümler okudu. ABD'nin en önemli katedralinden
ezan sesleri yükseldi.
The footage comes from Anatolia News Agency and includes an interview with Imam
Mohamed Magid.
19
Print Media
20
Interfaith service at Washington National Cathedral promotes religious tolerance
By Isaac Arnsdorf
June 26, 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/interfaith-service-at-washingtonnational-cathedral-promotes-religious-tolerance/2011/06/26/AGryCWmH_story.html
As worshipers entered Washington National Cathedral for Sunday morning‘s service,
some crossed themselves and some took photographs, some wore ties while others wore
shorts and a few even wore yarmulkes.
In the center aisle, in place of the baptismal fountain, candle-lit stands bore three books: a
Bible, a Torah and a Koran. When a visitor asked a nearby usher what to do, the usher
replied: ―This is a totally different service than what we usually do. There‘s no wrong
answer.‖
Instead of Communion, the service featured readings from each of the three Abrahamic
faiths, part of a project to promote religious tolerance through similar interfaith services
at about 70 churches nationwide. The effort aimed to counteract negative stereotypes and
hostile rhetoric targeting American Muslims in the past year, notably the controversy
about plans for an Islamic center near Ground Zero in New York and the burning of a
Koran by the Rev. Terry Jones in March in Florida.
―What we have done together in this great cathedral this morning, along with others in
similar services in houses of worship across our nation, can alter the image and substance
of our nation, as well as our religion,‖ said the Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, president of
the Interfaith Alliance, one of the organizations that sponsored the project. ―Today‘s
beautifully written liturgy, informed by Islam, Judaism and Christianity, declares
unambiguously . . . we are not scripture burners, rather, scripture readers.‖
A local rabbi and imam joined Gaddy and the cathedral‘s Episcopal clergy on the dais to
share their messages of mutual understanding and respect.
―For nearly a decade now, since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, we Americans have known
without a doubt that any hope for a peaceful world will require profound engagement
among the world‘s religions,‖ cathedral Dean Samuel T. Lloyd III said.
The service began with a traditional call to prayer in the three religions‘ terminology — a
Hebrew ―Bar‘chu,‖ an Arabic ―Azan‖ and a Latin ―Spiritus Domini‖ — all sung in
ethereal tones that swirled through the cathedral‘s soaring nave.
Then Rabbi Amy M. Schwartzman of Temple Rodef Shalom in Falls Church read a
passage from Deuteronomy about showing kindness to strangers. Imam Mohamed
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Magid, the president of the Islamic Society of North America, chanted a passage from the
Koran about the value of diversity.
―God could have made all of us look the same and go to the same temple or same
church,‖ Magid explained. ―But God willed that humans are diverse.‖
Gaddy said he hoped the readings would underscore the commonalities among the three
traditions, especially their shared message of tolerance and compassion.
―No one verse or one passage in any book of scripture should be allowed to hijack or
hold hostage the central truth, the overarching as well as pervasive moral mandate, which
emerges from the full sweep of truth in those books of scripture,‖ he said. ―Cherry
picking isolated texts . . . allows mean-spirited people to turn the scripture of our religions
into weapons.‖
Almost 1,000 people attended the service, an average turnout for a summer Sunday.
Among them were people actively involved in interfaith dialogue groups, as well as those
who were surprised to find the Jewish and Muslim elements of the service.
Ken Bagley, who with his family was visiting the District from Connecticut, just
happened upon Sunday‘s service.
―It was a neat opportunity to hear all three perspectives in one service and to see how
alike they are. You too often hear about how different,‖ Bagley said.
Alex Huddell, a 21-year-old student at American University, said she had never heard the
Koran chanted, except ―maybe in movies.‖
―It was interesting and beautiful to listen, even if you didn‘t understand, to the different
rhythms and styles,‖ Huddell said. ―I‘m Christian, but I feel a lot of embarrassment about
the way Christians sometimes marginalize other religions. So it‘s nice to hear there are
some leaders in the faith community who are trying to promote the same message of
acceptance.‖
Pete Carlson, a member of the cathedral‘s congregation, said he was inspired by the
service and hopes to attend more interfaith events.
―It was even more moving than the normal service here on Sunday,‖ Carlson said. ―It felt
like we were a part of something much bigger and much older.‖
Lloyd, the cathedral‘s dean, said a Muslim reading also will be part of the cathedral‘s
memorial service for the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
22
(Linda Davidson / THE WASHINGTON POST) - Imam Khalifa El-Krif from the Islamic
Center in Washington performs a Muslim call to prayer in an interfaith service aimed at
combating anti-muslim bigotry held at The National Cathedral in Washington on June
27.
(Linda Davidson / THE WASHINGTON POST) - Rabbi Amy Schwartzman shares a laugh
with the Rev. Samuel T. Lloyd III during the service. More than 70 houses of worship
across the country also hosted events promoting interfaith respect and understanding.
23
(Linda Davidson / THE WASHINGTON POST) - Imam Mohammed Magid of the Islamic
Society of North America holds a Qu'ran during the service. A rabbi, the Imam and a
reverend read selected passages and offered introspect from the Torah and Koran as well
as the Bible.
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The 3-Minute Interview: The Rev. C. Welton Gaddy
By Natalie Plumb
June 25, 2011
http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/people/2011/06/3-minute-interview-rev-c-weltongaddy
For the first time, more than 70 Christian houses of worship nationwide will open their
doors to their Jewish and Muslim colleagues and the public to partake in Faith Shared:
Uniting in Prayer and Understanding, an interfaith effort to promote respect for all
religions. Gaddy, president of the 185,000-member Interfaith Alliance since 1997, will
give a sermon as a part of the National Cathedral service Sunday at 11:15 a.m. -- a
service he largely helped organize. The service, a partnership with Human Rights First,
based in Washington, is expected to attract more than 1,000 people.
Describe the service.
Me, Imam Magid [Islamic Society of North America president], and Rabbi Amy
Schwartzman will each read from our respective scriptures -- the Gospels, Quran, the
Torah -- and make a few comments on the passages read. I‘ll do a sermon. It‘s a faithshared service, and all of the liturgy will be influenced by all three traditions.
What‟s your sermon about?
This is a moment for religion to step forward and demonstrate its power to be healing and
not to be used as a force for division. I‘ll talk about how people misuse scriptures by
cherry-picking, while if you read all of the scriptures of that religion, that‘s not what it‘s
about at all.
As president of the alliance, you‟ve seen a lot of interfaith exchange. How does this
event compare?
There is a rising tide of Islamophobia in our nation. We have had some people in the
Christian community say some very vitriolic things. That‘s not who all Christians are.
There are many of us who want to understand each other‘s scriptures, not burn them. It‘s
time for both our nation and the world to know that these extremists are not speaking for
the mainstream of Christianity.
What will Sunday accomplish?
Once we have personal interaction with each other, then we are no longer different to
each other, but rather people of the same family wanting a better world.
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Churches embrace shared traditions of faith
By Rachel Lew, Daily Journal Correspondent
June 25, 2011
http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=161722&title=Churches%20em
brace%20shared%20traditions%20of%20faith
The Congregational Church of Belmont will join churches across the nation to strengthen
ties between faith traditions this Sunday, June 25.
―Faith Shared: Uniting in Prayer and Understanding‖ is the first interfaith event created
by the Rev. Kristi Denham of the Congregational Church in Belmont. The event is
dedicated to building bridges toward understanding common values within the Christian,
Muslim and Jewish communities. Churches throughout the country hope to send the
message that Americans respect religious differences and reject religious intolerance.
Faith Shared, a project of the Interfaith Alliance and Human Rights First, embraces the
diversity of religious practices and seeks to send the universal message about American
Christian respect for Islam. Tensions around Islam in America have grown in the past
years, leading to misconceptions, distrust and in some cases violence, according to
organizers.
The project engages faith leaders on national and community levels intended to develop
and strengthen interfaith relationships by welcoming people of different religions,
according to faithshared.org.
Imam Abdul Anwar of the Yaseen Foundation Mosque in Belmont and Rabbi Sarah Wolf
of Congregation Beth Am in Palo Alto will speak on the importance of acknowledging
shared values through sacred religious texts that stress the common values between
Christian and Islamic faith.
Anwar will host readings from the Quran, the sacred writings of Islam, and the Torah, the
first five books of the Hebrew Scriptures. Based on what passages will be chosen, Anwar
said the verses will explain the life and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. Wolf will
host readings from the Bible. Wolf said passages from Matthew will be discussed to
bring light upon respecting and honoring a stranger and welcoming anyone with kindness
and compassion.
Denham said ignorance is too often expressed in the media. Fear is promoted toward
Muslims who share the same values as Americans. The media neglects any substantive
representation of where the majority of Americans actually stand: a shared commitment
to tolerance and freedom, she said.
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The Congregational Church of Belmont wants to integrate the Muslim community by
reducing stereotypes created by the war against Iraq, Denham added.
―So often Muslims are expressed as terrorists,‖ Denham said. ―This is not true. They
come to America to love our way of life. We need to expand our understanding so that
we can relax and love each other.‖
Anwar said he hopes the event will create awareness within people: Sharing and caring
for humanity, caring for other fellow beings, and carrying moral and ethical values
pertain to all human beings.
―We as individuals live in one society no matter how diverse we are,‖ Anwar said. ―We
must be tolerant among one another, understand one another and understand our
differences in faith and hopefully diversity can unite and bring us together.‖
Bridges of understanding are built by spending time with one another, sharing meals
together and reaching across boundaries, Denham said. Opportunities are created when
we realize we have the same values and want to attain the same goals. The more we
know, the less we are afraid, she said.
Wolf said it is sacred and fundamental to look upon our faith and draw our traditions to
shed light on a collective value.
―When we share our teachings, we are able to learn our differences from other faith
communities and identify common grounds,‖ Wolf said.
In addition to the event, worships will be conducted through prayers of different styles
and traditions.
―We all value the ‗golden rule‘: it is foundational to all faiths to do unto others as you
would have them do unto you,‖ Denham said. ―We‘re all based on the idea that love is
central. Our religious texts grew from the same traditions.‖
For more information, call the church at 650-593-4547 or visit www.uccbelmont.org.
27
Interfaith service seeks understanding
The initiative will gather leaders of Judaism, Christianity and Islam in prayer
By Pat Gee
June 25, 2011
http://www.staradvertiser.com/features/religion/religionstories/20110625_Interfaith_servi
ce_seeks_understanding.html
As part of a national initiative to combat anti-Muslim bigotry, representatives of the
Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths will give readings from their sacred texts and offer
prayers under the same roof during a special service tomorrow.
The Episcopal Diocese of Hawaii is hosting the first ―Faith Shared: Uniting in Prayer and
Understanding‖ service at St. Andrew‘s Cathedral at 5:30 p.m.
The initiative, co-sponsored by the national Interfaith Alliance and Human Rights First,
was prompted by violence and verbal abuse against Muslims in the U.S., portrayed for
months in the national media, said Cecilia Fordham, Episcopal coordinator of the event.
She said followers of Judaism, Christianity and Islam should be reminded that they
actually have a lot in common, as all are ―Abrahamic‖ religions that trace their origins to
the Jewish patriarch Abraham. Readings from the Torah, Bible and Quran will be
accompanied by music of each religion. People of all faiths, or those with no faith at all,
are invited to come, Fordham said.
―The planners hope the service helps us all, as communities of faith, prepare for the 10th
anniversary of Sept. 11, support religious liberty in this nation and uphold a longstanding tradition of tolerance and pluralism,‖ she said.
Speakers include Ismail El-Sheikh, imam of the Muslim Association of Hawaii; Lorraine
Gershun of Temple Emmanu-El Honolulu (on behalf of Rabbi Peter Schaktman, who will
be out of town); Bishop Robert Fitzpatrick, head of the Episcopal
Diocese; and John Heidel, president of the Interfaith Alliance Hawaii.
―Given the amount of misunderstanding and mistrust among some people of faith, we are
hoping this interfaith service of worship will express the presence of a new era of mutual
acceptance and cooperation,‖ Heidel said.
On behalf of the Episcopal Diocese, Fitzpatrick said he immediately responded to the
Faith Shared invitation because ―it is necessary to have a witness to live pono (justly and
harmoniously) and not engage in the rhetoric of violence, separation and hate.‖
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Fitzpatrick said event planners ―made sure to have appropriate representatives (of each
faith) do nothing offensive to other faiths and, at the same time, respect each other‘s core
identity. Each will offer traditional prayers of their faith communities. In other words,
we‘re not asking anybody to not be who they are.‖
Houses of worship in 32 states and the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., are
holding such interfaith services.
According to a press release from faithshared.org, the Rev. C. Welton Gaddy, president
of the national Interfaith Alliance, said, ―The scriptures of Judaism, Christianity, and
Islam share in encouragement ‗to live in love, by law, with prayer, and in the practice of
charity.‘ Unfortunately, specific passages in each tradition can be and have been ripped
from their historical/scriptural context and manipulated to promote division, nurture
hatred, and even inspire violence.‖
Music accompanying Scripture readings will be coordinated by John Renke of St.
Andrew‘s. Performances will include ―Chant for the Universe,‖ narrated by Terence
Knapp, professor emeritus at the University of Hawaii.
The service will open with a prayer and chant in Hawaiian and the ―Queen‘s Prayer,‖ a
song written by Queen Liliuokalani. It will conclude with a reception, hosted by the local
Interfaith Alliance board.
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Our region is better than the intolerance indicates
By Joseph Harrington
June 27, 2011
http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/563797/Our-region-is-better-thanthe-intolerance-indicates.html?nav=5061
Kudos to The Journal reader who deplored recent previous letters expressing hostility and
intolerance toward this or that religion. Allow me to add my voice to that readers and
those like him who know that West Virginia, and particularly the Eastern Panhandle, The
Journal‘s area of readership, is better than the intolerance shown by such letters.
This intolerance resurrects the intolerance shown in times past toward the Cathars in
southern France and toward the Jews (the former, a Christian sect, were exterminated in
the 13th century by a ―crusade,‖ and attempts were made to exterminate the latter in the
20th century), as well as toward Catholics and Mormons in this country.
Now, it seems, it is the turn of Muslims to face ignorance-based religious intolerance and
bigotry.
By way of refuting the ignorance of Islam shown at its most fundamental level in the
letters expressing intolerance and bigotry: ―Allah‖ is not the name of some alien god; it is
simply the Arabic word for the same God of Abraham worshipped by Christians and
Jews. Arabic-speaking Christians (including evangelical Christians) and Jews use the
same word, ―Allah,‖ for God, and had done so before the rise of Islam.
Another tell-tale sign of ignorance: The same old canards about Islam from handy hate
sites being bandied about, all without any citations of course. In place of documentation
from credible, reputable sources, Islam-haters rely on the same old unsupported factoids,
innuendo, and half-truths (and you know what Ben Franklin said about half-truths: They
are as bad as flat-out lies).
To this they add the decontextualized quotes they have been fed in order to provide a
veneer of intellectualism to mislead the unwary. This also is to mask plain old religious
bigotry, no matter how valiant an effort they make to ―credentialize‖ themselves. All of
this is without any evidence of ever having met a Muslim (much less having known one),
of ever having studied Islam with a scholar or imam, of ever having visited a mosque and
most certainly of ever having studied Islam and/or the Quran in a systematic fashion. A
major error, moreover, is lumping together all Muslims, whether they live in Indonesia
(the nation with the largest Muslim population), Central Asia, Egypt, Bosnia or Nigeria.
Such a method of judging a religion could clearly be seen as flawed if applied to
Christians. Without a supreme authority in Islam, it is easy for hate-mongers to cherry30
pick any quotes they wish in order to justify a negative view of Islam. It is therefore
absurd for such non-Muslims to attempt to tell Muslim, what Muslims believe.
Happily, however, just as there has been pushback against anti-Semitism and racial
bigotry in this country in the past, there is now pushback by various denominations
against this kind of religious intolerance, which one does not have to be a Muslim to
recognize. On June 26, 2011, an initiative sponsored by the Interfaith Alliance (details at
interfaithalliance.org) and Human Rights First brought together Christian, Jewish and
Muslim clergy to read from and hear from each other‘s sacred texts. So far, the National
Cathedral in Washington, D.C., and a total of 50 churches in 26 states were slated to
participate in the initiative, known as ―Faith Shared: Uniting in Prayer and
Understanding.‖ In doing so, they served as a model for respect and cooperation, creating
a solid opportunity to build and strengthen relationships between and among faith
communities moving forward.
Members of each faith had an opportunity to hear what adherents of other faiths, Muslims
for instance, have to say about their own faiths, rather than having it presented through
the prism of hate sites and tracts or ―through the headlines.‖
31
Print Media
(International)
32
Anatolia News Agency
June 26, 2011
http://www.aa.com.tr/tr/ilk-kez-ucu-birarada.html
33
34
35
Urdu Times USA
June 30, 2011
www.urdutimesusa.com
36
Kilisede ezan sesi
ABD‟de ilk kez, 32 eyalette 70‟ten fazla kilisenin pazar ayininde üç semavi dinin din
adamları bir araya gelerek, birlikte dua etti, hoşgörü mesajları verdi.
June 26, 2011
http://www.haber24.com/Dunya/1-192165/Kilisede-ezan-sesi.html
Tüm dinleri anlama ve hoşgörü için „Interfaith Alliance-Dinlerarası İttifak‟ ve „Human
Rights First-Önce İnsan Hakları‟ adlı örgütlerin uzun çabaları sonucu ilk kez “İnançları
paylaşma” töreni yapıldı.
Bu kapsamda, 32 eyalet ve başkentteki 70‟in üzerinde kilisede, Hıristiyanların pazar
ayinine Musevi ve Müslüman din adamları, Hıristiyan din adamlarıyla birlikte katıldı.
Din adamları kendi kutsal kitaplarından bölümler okudu, birlikte ilahiler söyledi.
Başkent Washington DC‟de etkinliğe, ülkenin en büyük ikinci katedrali olan Washington
Ulusal Katedral ev sahipliği yaptı. Katedralde ilk kez ezan sesi yükseldi. İmam,
katedralin balkonlarından birinde ezan okudu.
“Tarihi bir tören” olarak nitelendiren bu özel anmada, Katedral Başkanı Samuel T.
Lloyd III, İmam Muhammed Mecid ve Haham Amy M. Schwartzman, mumlar eşliğinde
ayin sahnesine getirildi.
Kuzey Amerika İslam Toplumu Başkanı İmam Mecid tören sonrasında, “Böylesine güzel
bir ibadet yerinde birbirimizin kutsal kitaplarından parçalar okumamız, ABD‟deki
Hıristiyanlar, Müslümanlar ve Yahudilerin bağnazlığa, nefret ve hoşgörüsüzlüğe „hayır‟
demek için omuz omuza durduğunu gösteriyor. Birbirimize sevgi ve saygı mesajları
verdiğimiz bu etkinliğin bir parçası olmaktan mutluluk duydum” diye konuştu.
Etkinliği organize eden kuruluşlardan Interfaith Alliance'ın Başkanı Rahip Dr. C. Welton
Gaddy, “Özellikle üç semavi dinin temsilcileri olarak, kutsal kitaplarımızın bize emrettiği
işbirliği türünü aramızda kurmayı başarabilirsek, dünyada iyi yönde bir farklılık
yaratabiliriz. Bunu bizden başkası yapamaz” dedi.
37
38
Kilisede Ġlk Kez Ezan Okundu
June 28, 2011
http://www.trthaber.com/haber/yasam/kilisede-ilk-kez-ezan-okundu-926.html
Tüm dinleri anlama ve hoşgörü için ‗Interfaith Alliance-Dinlerarası İttifak‘ ve ‗Human
Rights First-Önce İnsan Hakları‘ adlı örgütlerin uzun çabaları sonucu ilk kez ―İnançları
paylaşma‖ töreni yapıldı.
Bu kapsamda, 32 eyalet ve başkentteki 70‘in üzerinde kilisede, Hıristiyanların pazar
Din adamları kendi kutsal kitaplarından bölümler okudu, birlikte ilahiler söyledi. Başkent
Washington DC‘de etkinliğe, ülkenin en büyük ikinci katedrali olan Washington Ulusal
Katedral ev sahipliği yaptı.
KATEDRALDE ĠLK KEZ EZAN SESĠ YÜKSELDĠ
İmam, katedralin balkonlarından birinde ezan okudu. ―Tarihi bir tören‖ olarak
nitelendiren bu özel anmada, Katedral Başkanı Samuel T. Lloyd III, İmam Muhammed
Mecid ve Haham Amy M. Schwartzman, mumlar eşliğinde ayin sahnesine getirildi.
Tören sonrası sorularını yanıtlayan, Kuzey Amerika İslam Toplumu Başkanı İmam
Mecid, ―Böylesine güzel bir ibadet yerinde birbirimizin kutsal kitaplarından parçalar
okumamız, ABD‘deki Hıristiyanlar, Müslümanlar ve Yahudilerin bağnazlığa, nefret ve
hoşgörüsüzlüğe ‗hayır‘ demek için omuz omuza durduğunu gösteriyor. Birbirimize sevgi
ve saygı mesajları verdiğimiz bu etkinliğin bir parçası olmaktan mutluluk duydum‖ diye
konuştu.
Etkinliği organize eden kuruluşlardan Interfaith Alliance‘ın Başkanı Rahip Dr. C. Welton
Gaddy, ―Özellikle üç semavi dinin temsilcileri olarak, kutsal kitaplarımızın bize emrettiği
yaratabiliriz. Bunu bizden başkası yapamaz‖ dedi.
39
Kilisede ezan sesi
June 28, 2011
http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/planet/18123270.asp
Tüm dinleri anlama ve hoşgörü için „Interfaith Alliance-Dinlerarası İttifak‟ ve „Human
Rights First-Önce İnsan Hakları‟ adlı örgütlerin uzun çabaları sonucu ilk kez “İnançları
paylaşma” töreni yapıldı. Bu kapsamda, 32 eyalet ve başkentteki 70‟in üzerinde kilisede,
Hıristiyanların pazar ayinine Musevi ve Müslüman din adamları, Hıristiyan din
adamlarıyla birlikte katıldı. Din adamları kendi kutsal kitaplarından bölümler okudu,
birlikte ilahiler söyledi. Başkent Washington DC‟de etkinliğe, ülkenin en büyük ikinci
katedrali olan Washington Ulusal Katedral ev sahipliği yaptı. Katedralde ilk kez ezan
sesi yükseldi. İmam, katedralin balkonlarından birinde ezan okudu. “Tarihi bir tören”
olarak nitelendiren bu özel anmada, Katedral Başkanı Samuel T. Lloyd III, İmam
Muhammed Mecid ve Haham Amy M. Schwartzman, mumlar eşliğinde ayin sahnesine
getirildi. Tören sonrası A.A. muhabirinin sorularını yanıtlayan, Kuzey Amerika İslam
Toplumu Başkanı İmam Mecid, “Böylesine güzel bir ibadet yerinde birbirimizin kutsal
kitaplarından parçalar okumamız, ABD‟deki Hıristiyanlar, Müslümanlar ve Yahudilerin
bağnazlığa, nefret ve hoşgörüsüzlüğe „hayır‟ demek için omuz omuza durduğunu
gösteriyor. Birbirimize sevgi ve saygı mesajları verdiğimiz bu etkinliğin bir parçası
olmaktan mutluluk duydum” diye konuştu. Etkinliği organize eden kuruluşlardan
Interfaith Alliance‟ın Başkanı Rahip Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, “Özellikle üç semavi dinin
temsilcileri olarak, kutsal kitaplarımızın bize emrettiği işbirliği türünü aramızda kurmayı
başarabilirsek, dünyada iyi yönde bir farklılık yaratabiliriz. Bunu bizden başkası
yapamaz” dedi.
ABD‟de ilk kez, 32 eyalette 70‟ten fazla kilisenin pazar ayininde üç semavi dinin din adamları bir araya
gelerek, birlikte dua etti, hoşgörü mesajları verdi.
40
Kilisede ezan
June 27, 2011
http://www.hurriyetusa.com/haber_detay_yerel.asp?id=32006
ABD‘de ilk kez, 32 eyalette
70‘ten fazla kilisenin pazar
ayininde üç semavi dinin din
adamları bir araya gelerek,
birlikte dua etti, hoşgörü
mesajları verdi. Tüm dinleri
anlama ve hoşgörü için
‗Interfaith AllianceDinlerarası İttifak‘ ve
‗Human Rights First-Önce
İnsan Hakları‘ adlı örgütlerin
uzun çabaları sonucu ilk kez
―İnançları paylaşma‖ töreni
yapıldı.
/ (A.A)
ABD‘de ilk kez, 32 eyalette 70‘ten fazla kilisenin pazar ayininde üç semavi dinin din
adamları bir araya gelerek, birlikte dua etti, hoşgörü mesajları verdi. Tüm dinleri anlama
ve hoşgörü için ‗Interfaith Alliance- Dinlerarası İttifak‘ ve ‗Human Rights First-Önce
İnsan Hakları‘ adlı örgütlerin uzun çabaları sonucu ilk kez ―İnançları paylaşma‖ töreni
yapıldı.
Bu kapsamda, 32 eyalet ve başkentteki 70‘in üzerinde kilisede, Hıristiyanların pazar
Washington DC‘de etkinliğe, ülkenin en büyük ikinci katedrali olan Washington Ulusal
Katedral ev sahipliği yaptı. Katedralde ilk kez ezan sesi yükseldi. İmam, katedralin
balkonlarından birinde ezan okudu. ―Tarihi bir tören‖ olarak nitelendiren bu özel anmada,
Katedral Başkanı Samuel T. Lloyd III, İmam Muhammed Mecid ve Haham Amy M.
Schwartzman, mumlar eşliğinde ayin sahnesine getirildi.
41
Tören sonrası A.A. muhabirinin sorularını yanıtlayan, Kuzey Amerika İslam Toplumu
Başkanı İmam Mecid, ―Böylesine güzel bir ibadet yerinde birbirimizin kutsal
kitaplarından parçalar okumamız, ABD‘deki Hıristiyanlar, Müslümanlar ve Yahudilerin
bağnazlığa, nefret ve hoşgörüsüzlüğe ‗hayır‘ demek için omuz omuza durduğunu
gösteriyor. Birbirimize sevgi ve saygı mesajları verdiğimiz bu etkinliğin bir parçası
olmaktan mutluluk duydum‖ diye konuştu. Etkinliği organize eden kuruluşlardan
Interfaith Alliance‘ın Başkanı Rahip Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, ―Özellikle üç semavi dinin
temsilcileri olarak, kutsal kitaplarımızın bize emrettiği işbirliği türünü aramızda kurmayı
başarabilirsek, dünyada iyi yönde bir farklılık yaratabiliriz. Bunu bizden başkası
yapamaz‖ dedi.
42
3 büyük dinden hoĢgörü çağrısı
ABD‟de 32 eyalette 70‟ten fazla kilisenin pazar ayininde ilk kez üç semavi dinin din
June 27, 2011
http://www.ntvmsnbc.com/id/25226965/
AA
WASHINGTON - ABD‘deki kiliselerde, tüm dinleri anlama ve hoşgörü için ―Interfaith
Alliance‖ (Dinlerarası İttifak) ve ―Human Rights First‖ (Önce İnsan Hakları) adlı
örgütlerin uzun çabaları sonucu ilk kez ―İnançları paylaşma‖ töreni gerçekleştirildi.
Bu kapsamda, 32 eyalet ve başkentteki 70‘in üzerinde kilisede, Hristiyanların pazar
ayinine Musevi ve Müslüman din adamları, Hristiyan din adamlarıyla birlikte katıldı.
Burada, din adamları kendi kutsal kitaplarından bölümler okudu, birlikte ilahiler söyledi.
ULUSAL KATEDRAL‟DE EZAN SESĠ VE KUR‟AN-I KERĠM
Başkent Washington DC‘de de etkinliğe, ülkenin en büyük ikinci katedrali olan
Washington Ulusal Katedral ev sahipliği yaptı. ―Tarihi bir tören‖ olarak nitelendiren bu
özel anmada, Katedral Başkanı Samuel T. Lloyd III, İmam Muhammed Mecid ve Haham
Amy M. Schwartzman, mumlar eşliğinde ayin sahnesine getirildi.
Anmada, üç dinin din adamları önce kendi dillerinde, ardından İngilizce olarak Tevrat,
Kur‘an ve İncil‘den bölümler okudu. Ülkenin en önemli katedrali olan Ulusal Katedral‘de
ilk kez ezan sesi yükseldi. İmam, katedralin balkonlarından birinde ezan okudu.
43
„ÇOK ÖNEMLĠ BĠR GÜN‟
Tören sonrası Islamic Society of North America (Kuzey Amerika İslam Toplumu)
Başkanı İmam Mecid yaptığı açıklamada, ABD‘nin farklı yerlerindeki kiliselerde
Müslümanlar, Hristiyanlar ve Yahudilerin birlikte barış, sevgi ve şeffaflık mesajı vermiş
olmaları bakımından, bugünün çok önemli bir gün olduğunu söyledi.
okumamız, ABD‘deki Hristiyanlar, Müslümanlar ve Yahudilerin bağnazlığa, nefret ve
konuştu.
„ĠNANÇ PAYLAġIMI ÇOK ÖNEMLĠ‟
Haham Amy Schwartzman da üç semavi dinin temsilcileri olarak birlikte ibadet
deneyimini yaşamaktan büyük mutluluk duyduğunu belirterek, ―Kendi dinimize ait kutsal
mekanların dışında bir araya gelerek, birbirimizin kutsal kitaplarından bölümleri,
paylaştığımız ortak değerleri dinlememizin çok önemli olduğunu düşünüyorum. Dünyada
adaletsizliklerden, basmakalıp yargılardan kurtulmak için birlikte çalışmaya ihtiyacımız
var‖ diye konuştu.
Ulusal Katedral‘in Başrahibi III. Samuel T. Lloyd da üç semavi dinin temsilcileri olarak
bir araya geldikleri bu etkinliğin çok önemli olduğunu ifade ederek, burada yaratılan
ruhun ülke genelindeki tüm Hristiyanlar, Müslümanlar ve Yahudilere ilham vermesi
umudunu dile getirdi.
„ABD‟DE ĠSLAM‟I DAHA YAKINDAN TANIMAK ĠSTEYENLERĠN SAYISI
ARTIYOR‟
Amerikalıların İslam dini hakkında çok az bilgi sahibi olduğunu ve bu konuda
öğrenmeleri gereken çok şey bulunduğunu ifade eden Lloyd, Amerikalılar arasında İslam
dini daha iyi tanıma konusunda giderek artan bir istekliliğin olduğunu, Amerikan
toplumunun Kur‘an-ı Kerim yakılması gibi hoşgörüsüzlük içeren davranışlardan mutlu
olmadığını belirtti.
Lloyd, ―Doğru yönde ilerlediğimizi düşünüyorum. Bu tür etkinliklerin, bu konuda daha
hızlı mesafe katedilmesine yardımcı olacağını umuyoruz. Farklı bir dinin içerdiği
zenginlikleri öğrenmek zaman alacak, ama bu olacak‖ dedi.
Kongrede ―ABD‘deki Müslümanların Radikalleşmesi‖ konulu oturumu da sadece tek bir
dini hedef almakla eleştiren Lloyd, ―Dini radikalizmle ilgili genel anlamda meşru bir
kaygı var, ancak tek bir dine odaklanmamalarını dilerdim‖ dedi. Hristiyanlar arasında da
radikalizm örnekleri olduğunu ifade eden Lloyd, ―Sadece İslam dininin seçilmesi büyük
bir hataydı‖ ifadesini kullandı.
„ĠSLAMOFOBĠ BĠR ÖLÇÜDE AġILDI‟
44
Gaddy, etkinliğin ABD‘nin çok çeşitli halkları içinde barındıran bir ülke olduğunun
dünyadaki herkesçe bilinmesi bakımından çok büyük önem taşıdığını ifade etti.
ABD‘deki bazı çevrelerden diğer dinlere karşı nahoş, saldırgan ve nefret içeren
açıklamalar gelebildiğine işaret eden Gaddy, bu kesimlerin tüm Amerikalıları temsil
etmediğini vurguladı. Gaddy, ―Özellikle üç semavi dinin temsilcileri olarak, kutsal
kitaplarımızın bize emrettiği işbirliği türünü aramızda kurmayı başarabilirsek, dünyada
iyi yönde bir farklılık yaratabiliriz bunu bizden başkası yapamaz‖ diye konuştu.
11 Eylül saldırılarından sonra ABD‘de oluşan ―İslamofobi‖nin bir ölçüde dağıldığını
ifade eden Gaddy,bu konuda hala alınması gereken mesafe olduğunu kaydederek,
―Çünkü, bilmedikleri bir şeyden korkan bazı insanlar var. Siyasi amaçlarla, aslında bunu
yapmamaları gerekmesine rağmen, ayrılık tohumları eken insanlar da var. Dolayısıyla
tüm bunlara karşı koymalıyız. Bu tür etkinlikler bu uğurda katkı sağlıyor. Ancak esas
katkı, günlük hayattaki sıradan insanların birbirlerine karşı aynı tavrı gösterdikleri ve
birlikte çalışmaktan bahsettikleri zaman sağlanmış olacak‖ dedi.
„DĠNĠ ÖZGÜRLÜKLERĠN SAĞLANMASI ĠÇĠN KANUNLAR YETERLĠ DEĞĠL‟
Gaddy, Mart ayında Kongrede düzenlenen ve büyük tartışmalara yol açan ―ABD‘de
Müslümanların Radikalleşmesi‖ adlı oturuma da karşı çıktıklarını söyleyerek, ―Bize göre
şimdi, bir araya gelmenin yollarını bulma zamanı, daha fazla bölünmenin değil‖ ifadesini
kullandı.
Etkinliğin diğer organizatörü Human Rights First adlı kuruluşun program ve politika
direktörü Tad Stahnke de dünyada dini özgürlükler konusunda bir kriz yaşandığını
belirterek, bu krizin sadece kanunlarla aşılamayacağını, farklı dinlere mensup kişiler
arasında saygı ortamının oluşmasına ihtiyaç olduğunu kaydetti.
Stahnke, ABD‘de İslam dini ve Müslümanlar hakkında hala çok sert tartışmaların
yapılmaya devam ettiğine dikkati çekerek, ―Bu tür etkinliklerin, insanların birbirlerini
daha iyi tanımasına, herkesin haklarının korunması için birlikte çalışmalarına yardımcı
olacağını umuyoruz, çünkü farklı dinlere ait toplumlar arasında hoşgörüsüzlükler,
bağnazlıklar ve bölünmeler hala var‖ dedi.
45
Kilisede ezan sesi duyuldu
By Yeni Haber
June 28, 2011
http://www.sabah.com.tr/Dunya/2011/06/28/kilisede-ezan-sesi-duyuldu
ABD'de ilk kez, 32 eyalette 70'ten fazla kilisenin pazar ayininde üç semavi dinin din
adamları bir araya gelerek, birlikte dua etti, hoşgörü mesajları verdi.Tüm dinleri anlama
ve hoşgörü için 'Interfaith Alliance-Dinlerarası İttifak' ve 'Human Rights First-Önce İnsan
Hakları' adlı örgütlerin uzun çabaları sonucu ilk kez "İnançları paylaşma" töreni yapıldı.
Bu kapsamda, 32 eyalet ve başkentteki 70'in üzerinde kilisede, Hıristiyanların pazar
Washington DC'de etkinliğe, ülkenin en büyük ikinci katedrali olan Washington Ulusal
Katedral ev sahipliği yaptı. Katedralde ilk kez ezan sesi yükseldi. İmam, katedralin
balkonlarından birinde ezan okudu. "Tarihi bir tören" olarak nitelendiren bu özel anmada,
Katedral Başkanı Samuel T. Lloyd III, İmam Muhammed Mecid ve Haham Amy M.
Schwartzman, mumlar eşliğinde ayin sahnesine getirildi. Tören sonrası A.A. muhabirinin
sorularını yanıtlayan, Kuzey Amerika İslam Toplumu Başkanı İmam Mecid, "Böylesine
güzel bir ibadet yerinde birbirimizin kutsal kitaplarından parçalar okumamız, ABD'deki
Hıristiyanlar, Müslümanlar ve Yahudilerin bağnazlığa, nefret ve hoşgörüsüzlüğe 'hayır'
demek için omuz omuza durduğunu gösteriyor. Birbirimize sevgi ve saygı mesajları
verdiğimiz bu etkinliğin bir parçası olmaktan mutluluk duydum" diye konuştu. Etkinliği
organize eden kuruluşlardan Interfaith Alliance'ın Başkanı Rahip Dr. C. Welton Gaddy,
"Özellikle üç semavi dinin temsilcileri olarak, kutsal kitaplarımızın bize emrettiği
yaratabiliriz. Bunu bizden başkası yapamaz" dedi.
46
Ulusal Katedral‟de Ezan!
June 27, 2011
http://www.usasabah.com/Guncel/2011/06/27/ulusal-katedralde-ezan
(USASABAH ve Ajanslar)
adamları bir araya gelerek, birlikte dua etti, hoĢgörü mesajları verdi.
Tüm dinleri anlama ve hoşgörü için ―Interfaith Alliance‖ (Dinlerarası İttifak) ve ―Human
Rights First‖ (Önce İnsan Hakları) adlı örgütlerin uzun çabaları sonucu ilk kez ―İnançları
Ulusal Katedral‟de ezan sesi ve Kur‟an-ı Kerim
Washington Ulusal Katedral ev sahipliği yaptı.
―Tarihi bir tören‖ olarak nitelendiren bu özel anmada, Katedral Başkanı Samuel T. Lloyd
III, İmam Muhammed Mecid ve Haham Amy M. Schwartzman, mumlar eşliğinde ayin
sahnesine getirildi.
47
Kur‘an ve İncil‘den bölümler okudu.
Ülkenin en önemli katedrali olan Ulusal Katedral‘de ilk kez ezan sesi yükseldi. İmam,
Ġmam Mecid: “Bugün barıĢ, sevgi ve Ģeffaflık bakımından çok önemli bir gün”
Islamic Society of North America (Kuzey Amerika İslam Toplumu) Başkanı İmam
Mecid, ABD‘nin farklı yerlerindeki kiliselerde Müslümanlar, Hristiyanlar ve Yahudilerin
birlikte barış, sevgi ve şeffaflık mesajı vermiş olmaları bakımından, bugünün çok önemli
bir gün olduğunu söyledi.
konuştu.
Haham Schwartzman: “Basmakalıp yargılardan uzaklaĢmak için çalıĢmalıyız”
BaĢrahip III. Samuel T. Lloyd: “Herkese ilham veren bir iĢ yaptık”
Amerikalıların İslam dini hakkında çok az bilgi sahibi olduğunu ve bu konuda daha
öğrenmeleri gereken çok şey bulunduğunu ifade eden Lloyd, bununla birlikte,
Amerikalılar arasında İslam dini daha iyi tanıma konusunda giderek artan bir istekliliğin
olduğunu, Amerikan toplumunun Kur‘an-ı Kerim yakılması gibi hoşgörüsüzlük içeren
davranışlardan mutlu olmadığını belirtti.
48
kaygı var, ancak tek bir dine odaklanmamalarını dilerdim‖ dedi.
Hristiyanlar arasında da radikalizm örnekleri olduğunu ifade eden Lloyd, ―Sadece İslam
dininin seçilmesi büyük bir hataydı‖ ifadesini kullandı.
49
50
Kilisede ezan üç dinden dua
By Ana Sayfa Manset
June 28, 2011
http://www.aksam.com.tr/kilisede-ezan-uc-dinden-dua--50701h.html
Tüm dinleri anlama ve hoşgörü için ‗Interfaith Alliance‘ (Dinlerarası İttifak) ve ‗Human
Rights First‘ (Önce İnsan Hakları) adlı örgütlerin çabaları sonucu ilk kez ‗İnançları
Paylaşma Töreni‘ yapıldı. Bu kapsamda, 32 eyalet ve başkentteki 70‘in üzerinde kilisede,
Hıristiyanların pazar ayinine Musevi ve Müslüman din adamları, Hıristiyan din
adamlarıyla birlikte katıldı; kendi kutsal kitaplarından bölümler okudu, birlikte ilahiler
söyledi. Başkent Washington DC‘de de etkinliğe, ülkenin en büyük ikinci katedrali olan
Washington Ulusal Katedral ev sahipliği yaptı. Katedral Başkanı Samuel T. Lloyd III,
İmam Muhammed Mecid ve Haham Amy M. Schwartzman, mumlar eşliğinde ayin
sahnesine geldi. Üç dinin din adamları önce kendi dillerinde, ardından İngilizce olarak
Tevrat, Kur'an ve İncil‘den bölümler okudu. Ulusal Katedral‘de ilk kez ezan sesi
yükseldi. İmam, katedralin balkonlarından birinde ezan okudu. Başrahip III. Samuel T.
Lloyd, bu etkinliğin çok önemli olduğunu ifade ederek, burada yaratılan ruhun ABD‘deki
tüm Hıristiyanlar, Müslümanlar ve Yahudilere ilham vermesi umudunu dile getirdi.
ĠSLAMOFOBĠ BĠR ÖLÇÜDE DAĞILDI
Interfaith Alliance‟ın BaĢkanı Welton Gaddy: 11 Eylül saldırılarından sonra ABD‘de
oluşan ‗İslamofobi‘ bir ölçüde dağıldı. Bu tür etkinlikler bu uğurda katkı sağlıyor. Ancak
esas katkı, günlük hayatta insanların birbirlerine karşı aynı tavrı göstermeleriyle olur.‘
51
ABD'de 3 semavi dinin en kapsamlı pazar ibadeti
ABD'de ilk kez, 32 eyalette 70'ten fazla kilisenin pazar ayininde üç semavi dinin din
June 27, 2011
http://www.turkishjournal.com/i.php?newsid=10181
Rights First‖ (Önce İnsan Hakları) adlı örgütlerin uzun çabaları sonucu ilk kez kapsamlı
bir şekilde ―İnançları paylaşma‖ töreni yapıldı.
ULUSAL KATEDRAL‘DE EZAN SESİ VE KUR‘AN-I KERİM...
―ÇOK ÖNEMLİ BİR GÜN‖
Tören sonrası AA muhabirinin sorularını yanıtlayan, Islamic Society of North America
(Kuzey Amerika İslam Toplumu) Başkanı İmam Mecid, ABD‘nin farklı yerlerindeki
kiliselerde Müslümanlar, Hristiyanlar ve Yahudilerin birlikte barış, sevgi ve şeffaflık
mesajı vermiş olmaları bakımından, bugünün çok önemli bir gün olduğunu söyledi.
konuştu.
52
―İSLAMOFOBİ BİR ÖLÇÜDE AŞILDI‖
açıklamalar gelebildiğine işaret eden Gaddy, ancak bu kesimlerin tüm Amerikalıları
temsil etmediğini vurguladı. Gaddy, ―Özellikle üç semavi dinin temsilcileri olarak, kutsal
iyi yönde bir farklılık yaratabiliriz. Bunu bizden başkası yapamaz‖ diye konuştu.
Bir soru üzerine, özellikle 11 Eylül saldırılarından sonra ABD‘de oluşan ―İslamofobi‖nin
bir ölçüde dağıldığını ifade eden Gaddy, ancak bu konuda hala alınması gereken mesafe
olduğunu kaydederek, ―Çünkü, bilmedikleri bir şeyden korkan bazı insanlar var. Siyasi
amaçlarla, aslında bunu yapmamaları gerekmesine rağmen, ayrılık tohumları eken
insanlar da var. Dolayısıyla tüm bunlara karşı koymalıyız. Bu tür etkinlikler bu uğurda
53
katkı sağlıyor. Ancak esas katkı, günlük hayattaki sıradan insanların birbirlerine karşı
aynı tavrı gösterdikleri ve birlikte çalışmaktan bahsettikleri zaman sağlanmış olacak‖
dedi.
Gaddy, bir başka soru üzerine, geçen Mart ayında Kongrede düzenlenen ve büyük
tartışmalara yol açan ―ABD‘de Müslümanların Radikalleşmesi‖ adlı oturuma Underfaith
Alliance olarak karşı çıktıklarını söyleyerek, ―Bize göre şimdi, bir araya gelebilmenin
yollarını bulma zamanı, daha fazla bölünmenin değil‖ ifadesini kullandı.
bağnazlıklar ve bölünmeler hala var‖ dedi. (WASHINGTON, AA)
54
3 büyük din 'inançlarını paylaĢtı'
June 27, 2011
http://www.radikal.com.tr/Radikal.aspx?aType=RadikalDetayV3&ArticleID=1054240&
Date=27.06.2011&CategoryID=81
WASHINGTON - Tüm dinleri anlama ve hoşgörü için ―Interfaith Alliance‖ (Dinlerarası
İttifak) ve ―Human Rights First‖ (Önce İnsan Hakları) adlı örgütlerin uzun çabaları
sonucu ilk kez ―İnançları paylaşma‖ töreni yapıldı.
ULUSAL KATEDRAL‘DE EZAN SESİ VE KUR‘AN-I KERİM...
55
‗ÇOK ÖNEMLİ BİR GÜN‘
Tören sonrası AA muhabirinin sorularını yanıtlayan, Islamic Society of North America
hoşgörüsüzlüğe ‗
hayır‘ demek için omuz omuza durduğunu gösteriyor. Birbirimize sevgi ve saygı
mesajları verdiğimiz bu etkinliğin bir parçası olmaktan mutluluk duydum‖ diye konuştu.
‗İSLAMOFOBİ BİR ÖLÇÜDE AŞILDI‘
56
‗BİLMEDİKLERİ ŞEYDEN KORKAN İNSANLAR VAR‘
dedi.
57
Washington‟daki kiliselerde ilk kez aynı anda üç semavi din bir araya geldi
June 27, 2011
http://www.zamanusa.com/us-tr/newsDetail_getNewsById.action?newsId=49060
Washington‘da ilk kez, 32 eyalette 70‘ten fazla kilisenin pazar ayininde üç semavi dinin
din adamları bir araya gelerek, birlikte dua etti, hoşgörü mesajları verdi.
Rights First‖ (Önce İnsan Hakları) adlı örgütlerin uzun çabaları sonucu ilk kez ―İnançları
-ULUSAL KATEDRAL‘DE EZAN SESİ VE KUR‘AN-I KERİM...Başkent Washington DC‘de de etkinliğe, ülkenin en büyük ikinci katedrali olan
58
-‖ÇOK ÖNEMLİ BİR GÜN‖Tören sonrası AA muhabirinin sorularını yanıtlayan, Islamic Society of North America
konuştu.
Hristiyanlar arasında da radikalizm örnekleri olduğunu ifade eden Lloyd, ‖Sadece İslam
-‖İSLAMOFOBİ BİR ÖLÇÜDE AŞILDI‖59
dedi.
Gaddy, bir başka soru üzerine, geçen Mart ayında Kongrede düzenlenen ve büyük
tartışmalara yol açan ―ABD‘de Müslümanların Radikalleşmesi‖ adlı oturuma Underfaith
Alliance olarak karşı çıktıklarını söyleyerek, ―Bize göre şimdi, bir araya gelebilmenin
yollarını bulma zamanı, daha fazla bölünmenin değil‖ ifadesini kullandı.
60
Dünya tarihinde bir ilk
70 kilise ve katedralde ezan sesi çınladı
June 28, 2011
http://haber.gazetevatan.com/Haber/385912/1/Gundem
ABD‘de ilk kez, 32 eyalette 70‘ten fazla kilisenin pazar ayininde Hristiyan, Müslüman ve
Musevi din adamları bir araya gelerek, birlikte dua etti, hoşgörü mesajları verdi. Tüm
dinleri anlama ve hoşgörü için, ―Dinlerarası İttifak ve ―Human Rights First‖ (Önce İnsan
Hakları) adlı örgütlerin uzun çabaları sonucu ilk kez ―İnançları paylaşma‖ töreni yapıldı.
Başkent Washington DC‘de ülkenin en büyük ikinci kilisesi olan Ulusal Katedral ev
sahipliği yaptı. ―Tarihi bir tören‖ denilen anmada, Katedral Başkanı Samuel T. Lloyd III,
İmam Muhammed Mecid ve Haham Amy M. Schwartzman, mum eşliğinde ayin
sahnesine getirildi. Anmada, üç dinin din adamları önce kendi dillerinde, ardından
İngilizce Tevrat, Kur‘an ve İncil‘den bölümler okudu. İmam Mecid de önce ezan sonar
Kuran‘dan ayetler okudu.
61
ABD'de ilk kez katedralde ezan ve Kur'an sesi
June 28, 2011
http://yenisafak.com.tr/yazdir/?t=28.06.2011&c=5&i=326886
WASHINGTON (AA)
ABD‘de ilk kez, 32 eyalette 70‘ten fazla
kilisenin pazar ayininde üç semavi dinin
din adamları bir araya gelerek birlikte dua
etti, hoşgörü mesajları verdi. Tüm dinleri
anlama ve hoşgörü için ‗Interfaith
Alliance‘ (Dinlerarası İttifak) ve ‗Human
Rights First‘ (Önce İnsan Hakları) adlı
örgütlerin uzun çabaları sonucu ilk kez
‗İnançları paylaşma‘ töreni yapıldı.
3 DĠN AYNI TÖRENDE
Washington Ulusal Katedral ev sahipliği yaptı. ‗Tarihi bir tören‘ olarak nitelendiren bu
özel anmada, Katedral Başkanı Samuel T. Lloyd III, İmam Muhammed Mecid ve Haham
Amy M. Schwartzman, mumlar eşliğinde ayin sahnesine getirildi. Anmada, üç dinin din
adamları önce kendi dillerinde, ardından İngilizce olarak Tevrat, Kur‘an ve İncil‘den
bölümler okudu, birlikte ilahiler söyledi. Ülkenin en önemli katedrali olan Ulusal
Katedral‘de ilk kez ezan sesi yükseldi. İmam, katedralin balkonlarından birinde ezan
okudu.
62
Wires
63
Taking time in worship to counter bigotry
By Adelle M. Banks
May 17, 2011
http://www.christiancentury.org/article/2011-05/churches-asked-share-pulpits-muslims
Religious and human rights activists are asking U.S. churches to invite Jewish and
Muslim clergy to their sanctuaries June 26 to read from sacred texts in an initiative
designed to counter anti-Muslim bigotry.
The initiative, called ―Faith Shared: Uniting in Prayer and Understanding,‖ is cosponsored by the Interfaith Alliance and Human Rights First. Leaders of the two
Washington-based groups said the event is intended to demonstrate respect for Islam in
the wake of Qur‘an burnings in recent months.
―As a Christian minister who is a pastor in a local congregation, it is important to me for
our nation and our world to know that not all Christians promote hate, attack religions
different from their own and seek to desecrate the scripture of others,‖ said Welton
Gaddy, a Baptist pastor and president of the Interfaith Alliance, on May 17.
―We believe that demonstrating our commitment to those core American values will help
counteract the intensified level of negative stereotypes and anti-Muslim bigotry in recent
discourse,‖ said Gaddy.
More than 50 churches in 26 states already have committed to the event, including the
Washington National Cathedral and New York‘s Riverside Church.
The regional variety includes two churches in Hawaii as well as Anchorage First
Christian Church in Alaska, Boise First United Methodist Church in Idaho and Decatur
First United Methodist Church in Georgia.
―Few things are more important for the future of our world than to respect, to honor and
to commit ourselves to the well-being of every person,‖ said National Cathedral dean
Sam Lloyd. ―As Americans and people of faith, we must use our great traditions to come
together for mutual enrichment and understanding.‖
Working with the Interfaith Alliance, Human Rights First has a website at
faithshared.org. ―Congregations will send a clear message to the world that Americans
respect religious differences and reject bigotry and the demonization of any religion,‖
said spokesman Tad Stahnke of Human Rights First.
64
Churches Asked to Share Pulpits with Muslims
By Adelle M. Banks
May 17, 2011
http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2011/05/churches-asked-to-share-pulpits-withmuslims.php
Muslim clergy to their sanctuaries to read from sacred texts next month in an initiative
designed to counter anti-Muslim bigotry.
The June 26 initiative, called ―Faith Shared: Uniting in Prayer and Understanding,‖ is cosponsored by the Interfaith Alliance and Human Rights First. Leaders of the two
Washington-based groups said the event hopes to demonstrate respect for Islam in the
wake of Quran burnings in recent months.
―As a Christian minister who is a pastor in a local congregation, it is important to me for
our nation and our world to know that not all Christians promote hate, attack religions
different from their own and seek to desecrate the scripture of others,‖ said the Rev.
Welton Gaddy, president of the Interfaith Alliance, on Tuesday (May 17).
More than 50 churches in 26 states already have committed to the initiative, including the
Washington National Cathedral and New York‘s Riverside Church.
Tad Stahnke, director of policy and programs for Human Rights First, said he hopes the
initiative will draw attention to religious freedom, and counter negative stereotypes of
Christian leaders making anti-Muslim statements.
―We want to send a message to the world that Americans do respect religious differences
and reject religious bigotry and the demonization of Islam or any other religion,‖ he said.
65
Christians, Muslims, Jews to share sacred texts
By Bob Allen
May 17, 2011
http://www.abpnews.com/content/view/6400/53/
WASHINGTON (ABP) – Christian clergy across the country will organize readings from
the Quran and other sacred texts Sunday, June 26, as part of an initiative to counter antiMuslim bigotry and negative stereotypes of Islam.
Announced in a telephonic press conference May 17, Faith Shared : Uniting in Prayer
and Understanding is a project of the Interfaith Alliance and Human Rights First.
―The anti-Muslim rhetoric that has pervaded our national
conversation recently has shocked and saddened me,‖ said Welton
Gaddy, president of the Interfaith Alliance, a religious freedom
organization that seeks to unite diverse faith voices against
extremism.
Gaddy, an ordained Baptist minister, is also pastor of preaching and
worship at Northminster Church in Monroe, La., one of 50
Welton Gaddy
congregations in 26 states recruited so far to invite Jewish, Muslim
and Christian leaders to read each other‘s sacred texts in order to send a message both in
the United States and Arab world.
Contrary to highly publicized anti-Islam statements from some U.S. Christian leaders,
Gaddy said churches involved in the Faith Shared project ―want to read each other‘s
scriptures instead of burn them.‖
Tad Stanke of Human Rights First, a human-rights advocacy organization with offices in
New York and Washington, said tactics that show disrespect for Muslims hurt the
reputation of all Americans and make it harder for the U.S. to speak with authority on
human-rights issues in the Arab world.
Washington National Cathedral will serve as anchor congregation for the June 26
scripture readings.
―Few things are more important for the future of our world than to respect, to honor and
to commit ourselves to the well-being of every person,‖ said National Cathedral Dean
Sam Lloyd. ―As Americans and people of faith, we must use our great traditions to come
together for mutual enrichment and understanding.‖
66
By coming together to read from and hear each other‘s sacred texts, organizers believe
Christian, Jewish and Muslim clergy will model respect and cooperation in ways that
create concrete opportunities to build and strengthen working ties between their faiths.
―This initiative is good for religion and good for our nation,‖ Gaddy said.
Information about how to organize a service and a list of participating churches can be
seen at FaithShared.org.
-30Bob Allen is managing editor of Associated Baptist Press.
67
Initiative launched to share Christian, Jewish, Muslim pulpits
By Mark Pattison
May 31, 2011
http://www.uscatholic.org/news/2011/05/initiative-launched-share-christian-jewishmuslim-pulpits
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- It will happen for just one Sunday in June, but on that day,
dozens of houses of worship across the United States will open their pulpits to clergy
from the other two Abrahamic faiths to read from their scriptures.
The project, called Faith Shared, is set for June 26. A few synagogues and mosques are
among those that have signed up for the initiative, as well as Christian communities
across the denominational spectrum, including one Catholic church in North Carolina.
―Just having something public is not going to be a big, big deal here, but to have someone
come in and read from the Quran and to recognize publicly the existence of Islam and to
reverence and respect is a good thing for the church to do,‖ said Jesuit Father Pat Earl,
pastor of St. Peter Parish in Charlotte, N.C.
The project is co-sponsored by the Interfaith Alliance and Human Rights First.
―The United States is the most religiously diverse nation in the world,‖ said the Rev. C.
Welton Gaddy, a Southern Baptist minister who is president of the Interfaith Alliance,
during a May 18 conference call with reporters. ―Crucial to peaceful relationships across
this land, as well as to our democratic form of government. are pluralism and religious
freedom.‖
Rev. Gaddy said, ―We‘re calling upon congregations to say by means of their actions,
‗We come from different traditions, hold different beliefs and engage in different rituals
in our churches, mosques and synagogues. have different beliefs yet emphasize religious
freedom and search for answers to life‘s questions through our respective faiths.‘‖
―The perception of the United States abroad has an influence on the ability of the U.S.
government to lead on human rights,‖ said Tad Stahnke, Human Rights First‘s director of
policy and programs. ―In this work we know that bigotry and hatred can create a climate
of hostility where it is more difficult for individuals to exercise their rights, and to be
protected from violence and discrimination. These events are noticed around the world.‖
68
Father Earl, in a May 27 telephone interview with Catholic News Service, said he was
prompted to sign on to the Faith Shared initiative after recalling things he had heard
during meetings of Mecklenburg Ministries, an interfaith clergy group in the Charlotte
area.
―I‘ve heard from Muslim imams about what they and their congregations have suffered
just from the fear, the fear of what they call Islamophobia,‖ Father Earl said.
One recent instance was related to an Islamophobia conference held in Charlotte earlier
in May. ―Some of the clergy coming here had trouble flying here because of the fear of
some of the pilots, and so they were late getting here,‖ said the priest.
According to The Charlotte Observer, at least two imams wearing traditional garb
heading to the conference were taken off one plane when the pilot allegedly said he
would not fly with them as passengers and they had to catch a later plane to Charlotte.
Father Earl told CNS that details of the pulpit-sharing plan have yet to be worked out at
St. Peter. One complication, he said, is that June 26 was chosen earlier to celebrate the
25th anniversary of the Jesuit order‘s staffing of the parish, with Jesuits assigned to the
parish in past years invited to the celebration. ―And so how to work this in without
distracting from the focus of the weekend is a delicate matter. We‘ll have to work that
out,‖ he said.
Rev. Gaddy said, ―This event will help counter the common misperception abroad that
most Americans are hostile to Islam. It will send a message that Americans respect
Muslims and Islam, as they respect religious differences and freedom of religion in
general.‖
69
Online Media
70
NBCWashington.com
June 26, 2011
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43543349/ns/local_news-washington_dc/
Sunday services at the National Cathedral today included readings from the Torah and
the Quran.
It was one of dozens of services taking place all across the country today as part of the
Faith Shared project. The project is designed to help promote understanding and respect
across all religions.
Today‘s service was led by several religious leaders from the DC area, including an
Imam, a Rabbi, and a Priest.
Similar services also took place in more than 70 other churches today, in 32 different
states and D.C.
This was the first year for the event and it was organized by the Interfaith Alliance and
Human Rights First, both based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1994 the Interfaith
Alliance has more than 185,000 members across the country that represent 75 different
faiths.
Human Rights First is a leading human rights advocacy organization. Founded in 1978, it
works in the U.S. and abroad to create secure and humane justice, human dignity, and the
respect for the rule of the law.
71
June 26, 2011
http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Shared-Faith-Service-at-the-NationalCathedral-124570524.html
Sunday services at the National Cathedral today included readings from the Torah and
the Quran.
It was one of dozens of services taking place all across the country today as part of
the Faith Shared project. The project is designed to help promote understanding and
respect across all religions.
Today‘s service was led by several religious leaders from the DC area, including
an Imam, a Rabbi, and a Priest.
Similar services also took place in more than 70 other churches today, in 32 different
states and D.C.
This was the first year for the event and it was organized by the Interfaith Alliance
and Human Rights First, both based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1994 the Interfaith
Alliance has more than 185,000 members across the country that represent 75 different
faiths.
Human Rights First is a leading human rights advocacy organization. Founded in 1978, it
works in the U.S. and abroad to create secure and humane justice, human dignity, and the
respect for the rule of the law.
72
Muslims, Christians, Jews Share Pulpits, Debunk Myths
By Nick Sementelli
June 27, 2011
http://blog.faithinpubliclife.org/2011/06/muslims_christians_jews_share.html
Yesterday at places of worship across the country, faith communities participated in
Interfaith Alliance and Human Rights First‘s Faith Shared event, inviting their Muslim
neighbors to join them in prayer and reading of each others‘ sacred texts.
Around 70 communities participated, including the National Cathedral in D.C. Isaac
Arnsdorf of the Washington Post was there:
―What we have done together in this great cathedral this morning, along with others in
of our nation, as well as our religion,‖ said the Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, president of
the Interfaith Alliance, one of the organizations that sponsored the project. ―Today‘s
unambiguously . . . we are not scripture burners, rather, scripture readers.‖
A local rabbi and imam joined Gaddy and the cathedral‘s Episcopal clergy on the dais to
share their messages of mutual understanding and respect.
In a similar example of interfaith cooperation, Emily Heffter of the Seattle Times reports
on an Islamic Center in Seattle hosting a barbecue to help ease tensions after the arrest of
two men plotting to attack a military center:
While they find the media‘s focus on Muslim terrorists puzzling, Muslims at Saturday‘s
event said they also know their faith is misunderstood.
73
They waited patiently Saturday while non-Muslims unfamiliar with the religion‘s
terminology struggled to find the right way to ask questions. They tried to explain the
deep sense of community they feel during prayers and described a God who is
compassionate and gracious.
In one exchange, a Muslim woman described the ins and outs of the mosque‘s weekly
prayer service to a visiting Presbyterian, and then asked the woman to describe her
church‘s service.
...
―If you don‘t know each other, then this gives rise to all these misconceptions,‖ said
Zeeshan Baqir. ―Nutty people can be any religion.‖
By hosting regular open houses, he hopes, the mosque can be a resource ―whenever some
kind of Muslim does something -- a nutty Muslim -- they can come straight to us and ask
us what‘s going on, and ask us to clarify.‖
It‘s these kinds of conversations and local events that will do the most to combat the
distortions and confusions about Islam that continue to abound.
74
Mohamed Magid: A Portrait Of An American Imam
By Jaweed Kaleem
June 30, 2011
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/01/mohamed-magid-americasimam_n_888211.html
Imam Mohamed Magid reads from the Quran on June 26, 2011, at Faith Shared, an interfaith event at the
Washington National Cathedral organized by Interfaith Alliance and Human Rights First.
STERLING, Va. -- In the middle of the night a few years ago, Imam Mohamed Magid
got a peculiar phone call from a young man who attended his Northern Virginia mosque.
The man, who was in the car with a woman, wanted to know if the imam could perform a
marriage ―right now‖ in a parking lot so the man could wouldn‘t feel bad if he had sex.
―I‘m not 7-Eleven,‖ Magid shouted back.
Recently, another man came to the imam‘s office crying because his wife was acting as a
surrogate mother for a relative who could not carry a baby. The man couldn‘t handle
seeing his wife pregnant with a child that wasn‘t his. He asked: Was the pregnancy
allowed by Islam‘s rules?
The imam didn‘t know what to say. ―Islamic scholars centuries ago never faced these
issues,‖ said Magid. He started researching religious rulings on marriage and sex.
Surrogacy is fine, he told the man, before adding that the man‘s biological child could
never marry the surrogate child. ―Being an imam in America, it‘s shocking sometimes,‖
he said, ―but my first duty is to comfort others.‖
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For 14 years, Magid has been the imam of the All Dulles Area Muslim Society, a Muslim
congregation on the outskirts of the Washington, D.C., suburbs that has quickly grown
from a high school gymnasium prayer site to a multimillion-dollar mosque and
community center that serves 5,000 Muslims. It‘s one of the largest Muslim
congregations the United States.
Unlike many of the 1,500 mosques around the country, which often function for little
more than Friday prayers, ADAMS has several full-time staffers and a gamut of activities
and services. They range from badminton and basketball games in its prayer hall during
off hours to Muslim Boy and Girl Scout troop meetings on its lawn, martial arts courses,
health seminars, Arabic and Quranic recitation classes and a community garden. Magid is
at the center of this network, which spans 10 buildings in Northern Virginia and
Washington, D.C.
Magid, 45, was elected in September as president of the Islamic Society of North
America, the largest Muslim group on the continent and one that will bring 40,000
Muslims to its annual national conference this weekend in Chicago. He has become
known among Muslims-Americans -- sometimes controversially -- for forging
relationships with people with whom the community has strained relations, from pundits
and politicians to federal agents, and he has increasingly become a sought-after figure in
spaces that are sacred and secular.
―To establish a better Muslim image, we need to actually talk to people,‖ said Magid. It‘s
a mission that has led Magid to many high-profile calls for understanding.
Recently, at the invitation of hip-hop mogul and Foundation for Ethnic Understanding
chairman Russell Simmons, Magid found himself on the top floor of a midtown
Manhattan skyscraper with Donald Trump, summoned to a meeting to soothe tensions
and convince Trump to tone down anti-Islamic rhetoric. He described Trump as
―friendly‖ but indicated that the businessman didn‘t make any concessions about his
words on Muslims. ―Sometimes, we can be arrogant. We walk into situations thinking
people don‘t want to like us,‖ said Magid.
By definition, an imam leads Muslims in prayer, a function that can be fulfilled by any
Muslim man that has memorized Islamic prayers. Increasingly, however, imams are
playing broader roles akin to ministers and rabbis, even seeking professional training, as
growing Muslim populations look for services such as Islamic relationship counseling,
immigration assistance and help with Islamic financing.
―I never planned to be an imam,‖ says Magid, who was born to a well-known northern
Sudanese family in Alrakabih, a village by the Nile River. Magid studied Islam from an
early age under his father, one of the top Sunni scholars in the nation, and under his
contemporaries. As a teenager, he aspired to be a professor and entertained the idea of
teaching at his father‘s alma mater, the prestigious Al-Azhar University in Cairo.
76
Those plans were upended in 1987, when Magid moved to Washington with his ailing
father, who needed a kidney transplant. With scant qualifications beyond his theological
training, Magid had to find work.
Magid soon became enamored with the region‘s diversity. ―My dad had two doctors. One
was Jewish, the other was Muslim. It was the first time I had met a Jewish person,‖ he
says. ―I remember my dad saying, ‗look at the beauty of America, you can have these two
men working side by side.‘ ―
Leading prayers and teaching classes at the Islamic Center of Washington and at Howard
University, he realized that Muslim Americans -- many who were also immigrants -needed more than just a prayer leader. Magid enrolled in college courses in psychology
and family counseling and, at one point, holed himself up at home to watch ―Eyes on the
Prize,‖ a 14-hour documentary on the civil rights movement. ―I wanted to understand my
place as an imam of color,‖ he explains.
When Magid talks about other religions, he often refers back to that first experience of a
Jewish doctor treating his father and to his Catholic in-laws (his wife converted to Islam
before they met) who live in Colorado.
―Today, many people claim that it‘s their faith that drives them to dislike and wrong other
people. They are misunderstanding,‖ he recently said in a sermon to hundreds of
worshipers who packed ADAMS for Friday prayers. He told congregants to ―be good
neighbors‖ because ―the more they get to know Muslims, Americans have better
perspective of and views of them.‖
Magid serves on several interfaith organizations and in recent years has rented two prayer
spaces from synagogues for Friday prayers. He often peppers his sermons with praise of
his ―Jewish and Christian friends‖ and the discussions he has with them. Not long before
this particular Friday, he had met with the Episcopal Bishop of Washington, D.C., to
discuss the congressional budget. A group of Christian leaders had recently formed an
alliance to call on the federal government to not cut social services to the poor, and the
imam and bishop were initiating a similar multi-faith effort. ―The budget is a moral
document,‖ the imam kept saying, urging congregants to practice Zakat, an Islamic
obligation to give to the poor.
―There are many mosques out there working with other houses of worship, but Imam
Magid is out at the forefront,‖ says Rabbi Amy Schwartzman of Temple Rodef Shalom, a
Reform congregation in Falls Church, Va., that has partnered with ADAMS on interfaith
dialogue groups.
But beyond being motivated by personal experiences, the imam‘s involvement in
interfaith relations in his community is also a strategic move.
―I‘m under a microscope,‖ Magid said recently while driving the 45-minute commute to
ADAMS Center from Washington, D.C., where he had read the Quran from the pulpit as
77
part of a national day of interfaith services. ―As an imam, people are always watching
what I do.‖
Magid has spoken out loudly against Islamic radicalism. ―The first thing God almighty
will ask on the day of judgement,‖ he often tells congregants, ―is about the taking of
innocent life.‖ He also openly acts as a liaison to the government, reporting suspicious
characters who enter the mosque to the FBI.
―If somebody is confused about their ideology, he says. ―I want to show them the right
way, but if somebody is determined to commit violence, it‘s not my job to stop them, it‘s
the law enforcement. I have to report.‖
Magid frequently meets with FBI and White House officials to brief them on
radicalization and how to improve relations with Muslim communities. The relationship
has put the imam in a precarious position with some Muslims, as the community has had
a troubled relationship with law enforcement since 9/11. In parts of the country, Muslims
filed lawsuits and lodged complaints that FBI officials have spied on congregants‘
activities based on their religion.
―There is no doubt that you will have law enforcement individuals that will abuse their
power to do the wrong things,‖ Magid said. ―But those are the people that we have to
report, too.‖
Magid believes one of the best antidotes to radicalization is for Muslims to get involved
in their communities.
―ADAMS understands that its not good to put artificial barriers between Muslims and
their society. We‘ve gotten so accustomed to people who think Islam is about saying
‗no,‘ ― said Ingrid Mattson, who led the Islamic Society of North America before Magid
and is a professor of Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations at Hartford
Seminary.
Another anti-radicalization strategy ADAMS employs: helping young Muslims find
mates.
―The imam is known far and wide as a marriage counselor,‖ says Yasmin Shafiq, an
unmarried 25-year-old administrative assistant who has attended ADAMS since
childhood. A list of 100 questions that Magid has prepared for couples who want to
marry is often passed around at Muslim conferences and on matrimonial websites.
Among them: ―Do you want to practice polygamy?‖ and ―Do you believe in abortion in
your family?‖
A few times a year, Magid and his wife host daylong retreats for singles who are looking
to marry and want to find mates that match their cultural and religious customs. Dating is
taboo among many Muslims and premarital sex is forbidden, but newer customs, such as
Internet dating, are gaining popularity among devout young Muslims.
78
It‘s an odd balance, he admits, to attempt to connect to younger generations while
keeping to his own less technologically-inclined habits, which include unplugging from
his iPhone and spending time at the library or rural Virginia farms with his wife and kids
when he‘s not working. That said, the imam does maintain a Facebook page.
After his May meeting with Trump, Magid uploaded a photo of him and the real estate
mogul to the social networking site. Within days, it had gone viral among his congregants
and online fans.
―Donald Trump is such a fake!‖ comment one Muslim woman in Georgia. ―He hates
arabs and muslims, why the Imam did this?‖ wrote another man.
A man posted in Arabic: ―God‘s forgiveness.‖
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Islamophobia‟s Implications for the United States
By Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy and Akbar Ahmed
June 9, 2011
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-dr-c-welton-gaddy/islamophobia-unitedstates_b_874428.html
Amid a surging fear of Muslims -- Islamophobia -- in our nation, it is time for all of us to
improve our understanding of Islam and our relationships with Muslims -- if not because
it is right to do this morally, then because it is in our best interests nationally.
The fact is that we live in a world alongside one and a half billion Muslims, and
regardless of the desire of some on the fringes of society, our Muslim neighbors are not
going anywhere. A failure to understand this population and its religion is bad enough.
Choosing to intentionally demonize those who follow this religion and provoke the anger
of the Muslim people qualifies not just as insensibility but insanity.
General David Petraeus, the current commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, seems to
be the type of person who would have a good sense of how the Muslim world perceives
the rising level of anti-Muslim rhetoric in the United States. Just as importantly, he would
see the impact of that rhetoric on the men and women serving in the U.S. military abroad.
Here is a solid chunk of reality. In an unprecedented move last year, General Petraeus
asked the American people not to participate in or support burnings of the Quran and
anti-Muslim rhetoric because of the potentially harmful impact of such behavior on our
military personnel in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
And, there is more. The United States has committed a tremendous amount of resources
to Afghanistan, not just money, but the lives of our sons and daughters. So, why, in the
name of all that is reasonable, would U.S. citizens spew antagonizing suspicion and anger
at the very people on whom our government is expending our most precious resource in
an effort to form a partnership of peace? Are we hoping that our vitriol somehow will be
miraculously transformed into a message regarding a desire for essential collaboration,
cooperation, mutual respect, and understanding? With Pakistani attitudes toward the
United States at an all-time low, our denunciations are intensifying a growing hatred
toward us. Is that in our best interest?
We are not the only people in the world with an interest in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Other governments with non-American agendas are biding their time to see how the U.S.
continues to respond to Islamic-oriented countries. China, for example, sees in Pakistan
the possibility of a delivery system that could bring vast new sources of energy to its
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people. Why are we positioning ourselves as hateful people who want our Muslim
neighbors to find allies other than us?
Whatever your scriptures of authority may be, if you have any at all, the U.S.
Constitution calls for all American citizens to recognize the dignity and worth of all
people and summons us to live as civil peacemakers in this world. No exemptions exist
for Muslims. Patriotically applying the priorities of our Constitution to the present
situation could enable us to see the remarkable opportunity that we have to increase the
spread of democracy and to forge alliances that can make the world a better place in
which to live.
We now know that the warning from General Petraeus was rooted in a reality that we can
ignore only at the peril of exposing our troops to more hatred and endangering lives.
When last autumn‘s threats by a few Americans to burn a Quran segued into this past
spring‘s burning of the holy book of Islam by those same people, we watched in horror as
a riot of response broke out in Afghanistan and eight United Nations workers were killed
along with at least four others. What was the helpful point of that action? What was the
promise of Christianity purveyed by such behavior?
Actions always have consequences as do spoken words, but they do not always have to
be negative. As we approach the tenth anniversary of September 11, we will do well to
ask what actions we can take here at home -- individually and collectively -- that will
have a positive impact on those around us and those on the other side of the world.
The two of us have made the choice to move beyond talking about each other or talking
with each other to instead engage each other in a manner that can change in us -- and
hopefully in others also -- perceptions, nurture mutual understanding as well as respect,
and return us to an appreciation of religious diversity. Respecting the religious freedoms
of others, even those with whom we disagree, does not require anyone to set aside their
own faith. Both our respective faith traditions and our common citizenship compel us to
find ways to live together with peace, justice, and goodwill.
Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy is the President of Interfaith Alliance and an organizer of the
upcoming “Faith Shared: Uniting in Prayer and Understanding.” Ambassador Akbar
Ahmed is the Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies at American University and author of
“Journey into America: The Challenge of Islam.”
81
Faith Shared in Iowa: Finding Our Commonalities and Respecting Our Differences
By Rev. William Lovin and Shams Ghoneim
June 24, 2011
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-william-lovin/faith-shared-in-iowa_b_884291.html
As we approach the 10th anniversary of the tragic events of 9/11, we all can recall where
we were and what we were doing that horrific day. American Muslims with their fellow
citizens stood united in grief and resolve. They completely and unequivocally denounced
and rejected those who committed these murderous attacks, all acts of terrorism, and
violence. Nevertheless, American Muslims and Islam itself became targets of
misconceptions, attacks, hate acts/speech, and fear mongering by some media outlets,
some political leaders, and even some high profile religious leaders.
Since 9/11, Americans across faith beliefs and cultures continue to face new, divisive,
and troubling challenges. Muslims, Southeast Asians, Arabs, and others face multitudes
of backlash reactions that are still sadly with us today. Islamophobia and xenophobia are
on the rise. Recent congressional hearings singling out Muslims in relation to homegrown
terrorism, and the anti-Sharia bills became the norm. They added more fuel to the fire of
scapegoating, misinformation, and finger pointing.
As we continue to live in such time of great civil and religious discord, we look to our
collective faith teachings and principles for healing. That is the light at the end of this
never-ending threat to our unity and national stability. We count on our collective
religious teachings and faith to create a generous, kind, respectful, and understanding
nation and world.
Here in Iowa City in the nation‘s heartland, the spirit of this unity of faith has been long
led by the Consultation of Religious Communities (CRC). Each month, CRC provides
Christians, Jews, and Muslims an open forum to talk together and share different faith
traditions. Members address social justice issues and find ways to serve their larger
community. During one such meeting two years ago, the Rev. Bill Lovin of the
Congregational United Church of Christ (UCC) expressed his concern that out of
Midwestern politeness, we may not be addressing our differences. What followed was a
sacred moment when Shams Ghoneim, a CRC Muslim member turned to him and gently
said, ―Oh, no. What we need to do is identify and share our commonalities. The
differences are always obvious. The challenge is to find what we have in common and
work together for the good of all.‖ Those words have stayed with Bill since that day.
For the last 10 years, the member congregations of the Consultation of Religious
Communities, CRC, reached out to one another and to vulnerable and affected groups in
love and support. Interfaith dialogues, joint worships, and open houses became central
82
themes for all who participated. Iowa City is home to lively groups engaged in
flourishing Jewish/Muslim and Christian/Muslim dialogues. It is through our discussions
and sharing that we find our commonalities and respect our differences.
It is noteworthy to recall that in the decades since the first mosque in North America was
completed in Cedar Rapids, the Mother Mosque-i, Christians and Muslims continued
living and working side by side in Iowa.
When Bill Lovin learned about the Faith Shared project -- Uniting in Prayer and
Understanding, a project of Interfaith Alliance and Human Rights First -- he embraced it
fully. The project promotes interfaith understanding and cooperation. The Congregational
UCC leadership unanimously supported the church‘s participation as well as involving
Shams Ghoneim in this effort.
This Sunday, when a worship service is held at the Congregational United Church of
Christ, it will be a unique part of the nationwide Faith Shared movement, but not
anything new in Iowa. Interfaith conversation, joint worship services, and open houses
are how we live out our common religious commitments. In the Congregational
sanctuary, we will hear readings from the Hebrew Scriptures, the Christian New
Testament, and the Noble Quran that speak of the diversity of creation and the unity of
our faiths. Members of the Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities will speak of the
importance of interfaith understanding and cooperation. This event will be yet another
heartfelt expression of our respect for each other, understanding our differences, and
sharing our commonalities. A house of God where Christians, Jews, and Muslims
worship together, listen to each other‘s sacred texts, and work toward justice and equality
for all with civility and respect. Is this heaven? No, it is Iowa.
The Rev. William Lovin is pastor of the Congregational United Church of Christ in Iowa
City. Shams Ghoneim is the coordinator of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, Iowa
Chapter.
83
Can we talk? Yes, say Christians, Muslims, Jews
By Phil Haslanger
July 6, 2010
http://host.madison.com/ct/news/opinion/column/phil_haslanger/article_b16c8744-6f0954a5-aac6-806c74f02b83.html
The email came just a few days before two Jewish rabbis and two Muslim friends joined
two of us Christian ministers for a Sunday morning service. This service was part of a
national event called Faith Shared.
The concept of the event was straightforward. Just a few months before the nation
observes the 10th anniversary of the horrifying attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, two groups —
the Interfaith Alliance and Human Rights First — invited people around the country ―to
create an environment of mutual understanding and respect for each other‘s faith
traditions‖ by joining Christians, Muslims and Jews together on Sunday morning, June
26.
There were two such observances in Wisconsin — one at Trinity Episcopal Church in
Janesville and the other at the church I serve in Fitchburg, Memorial United Church of
Christ.
The very idea that Christians, Muslims and Jews would join together to share their
distinctive prayers and sacred texts and then talk about them with one another might not
seem all that threatening. Yet it upset some of my fellow Christians who hold deep
suspicions of Islam.
―Here are some Bible verses where God‘s Word says flat out what you guys are doing is
wrong!‖ the email I received a few days before the service warned as it listed 14 verses to
underscore the point. ―Wake up, please! They‘re just trying to sneak their way into our
churches to do away with Christians and our Jesus!‖
On Facebook, postings accused Christian churches that participate in this of ―apostasy‖ (a
total desertion of one‘s religion), of having no idea of what the Bible says, of ushering in
a one-world religion, of hastening or reflecting the End of Days — that time of tribulation
before Christ returns that shows up in conversations about the end of the world.
Whew.
84
There‘s no doubt that over the centuries, each of these significant religious traditions has
had periods of fatal animosity as well as times of wonderful collaboration.
There‘s no doubt that there are differences in their understandings of a divine being, the
role of significant religious figures who appear in their sacred texts, the religious
imperative for expansion or consolidation, and how faith and society ought to interact.
There are even differences within each faith tradition on those subjects.
I think that‘s why it is particularly important for people in all three traditions to do just
what we and others did at the end of June: hear how each other understands God and the
stories and what they mean for our lives.
We may not agree, but one of the things we found in our gathering is that we can hear
each other without feeling threatened, we can laugh together, we can share common
concerns raised in our own distinctive forms of prayer.
Our gathering in Fitchburg was not as elegant as the ones at the National Cathedral in
Washington or the Cathedral Church of St. John Divine in New York City, but the depth
of the exchange was every bit as meaningful.
We talked about the troubling story of the Jewish prophet Abraham, a common ancestral
figure in all three faith traditions, hearing God ask him to sacrifice his only son. It is a
story that can be interpreted as one of absolute faith and trust in God — or of someone
who is willing to kill for God. The more fanatical interpretations of stories like this are
precisely what get us into trouble.
So hearing the Muslim call to prayer at the beginning, ending with a blessing from the
Jewish priest Aaron that both Jews and Christians share at the end, joining voices in the
prayer Jesus taught his followers all created a space where divergent voices could be
heard and people still could be true to their own beliefs.
That‘s not a sign of the End of Days — it‘s a sign of a world where people have a chance
of living together in respect for their fundamental dignity as human beings.
Phil Haslanger is pastor of Memorial United Church of Christ in Fitchburg.
[email protected].
85
Observing the 10th Anniversary of 9/11 by Sharing Faith
By Phil Haslanger
July 5, 2011
http://blog.sojo.net/2011/07/05/observing-the-10th-anniversary-of-911-by-sharing-faith/
The email came just a few days before two Jewish rabbis and two Muslim friends joined
two of us Christian ministers for a Sunday morning service. This service was part of a
national event called Faith Shared.
The concept of the event was straightforward. Just a few months before the nation
observes the 10th anniversary of the horrifying attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, two groups —
the Interfaith Alliance and Human Rights First — invited people around the country ―to
create an environment of mutual understanding and respect for each other‘s faith
traditions‖ by joining Christians, Muslims and Jews together on Sunday morning, June
26.
That‘s what we did at the church I serve just outside Madison, Wisconsin — Fitchburg
Memorial United Church of Christ.
The very idea that Christians, Muslims, and Jews would join together to share their
distinctive prayers and sacred texts and then talk about them with one another might not
seem all that threatening. Yet it upset some of my fellow Christians who hold deep
suspicions of Islam.
―Here are some Bible verses where God‘s Word says flat out what you guys are doing is
wrong!‖ the email I received a few days before the service warned as it listed 14 verses to
underscore the point. ―Wake up, please! They [are] just trying to sneak their way into our
churches to do away with Christians and our Jesus!‖
On Facebook, postings accused Christian churches who participate in this of ―apostasy‖
(a total desertion of one‘s religion), of having no idea of what the Bible says, of ushering
in a one-world religion, of hastening or reflecting the End of Days — that time of
tribulation before Christ returns that shows up in conversations about the end of the
world.
Whew.
There‘s no doubt that over the centuries, each of these significant religious traditions
have had periods of fatal animosity as well as times of wonderful collaboration.
86
There‘s no doubt that there are differences in their understandings of a divine being, of
the role of significant religious figures that appear in their sacred texts, of the religious
imperative for expansion or consolidation and of how faith and society ought to interact.
There are even differences within each faith tradition on those subjects.
I think that‘s why it is particularly important for people in all three traditions to do just
what we and others did at the end of June — hear how each other understands God and
the stories and what they mean for our lives.
We may not agree, but one of the things we found in our gathering is that we can hear
each other without feeling threatened, we can laugh together, we can share common
concerns raised in our own distinctive forms of prayer.
Our gathering in Fitchburg was not as elegant as the ones at the National Cathedral in
Washington, D.C., or the Cathedral Church of St. John Divine in New York City, but the
depth of the exchange was every bit as meaningful.
We talked about the troubling story of the Jewish prophet Abraham — a common
ancestral figure in all three faith traditions — hearing God ask him to sacrifice his only
son. It is a story that can be interpreted as one of absolute faith and trust in God — or of
someone who is willing to kill for God. The more fanatical interpretations of stories like
this are precisely what get us into trouble.
So hearing the Muslim call to prayer at the beginning, ending with a blessing from the
Jewish priest Aaron that both Jews and Christians share at the end, joining voices in the
prayer Jesus taught his followers all created a space where divergent voices could be
heard and people still could be true to their own beliefs.
That‘s not a sign of the End of Days — it‘s a sign of a world where people have a chance
of living together in respect for their fundamental dignity as human beings.
Phil Haslanger is pastor at Memorial United Church of Christ in Fitchburg, Wisconsin.
[email protected]. to learn more, visit the Faith Shared website.
87
Interfaith services a growing trend in U.S.
By Diana Swift
July 4, 2011
http://www.anglicanjournal.com/nc/news-update-items/article/interfaith-services-agrowing-trend-in-us-9903.html
Washington—As the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, interfaith relations in the U.S.
are taking on new importance. A case in point is the growing momentum of the Faith
Shared project, an interfaith initiative designed to promote understanding and respect
across all religions through joint services.
Sunday, June 26, saw dozens of events taking place in houses of worship across the
country, including the Episcopal Church in the United States of America‘s National
Cathedral in Washington. Led by several religious leaders, including an imam, a rabbi
and a priest, the cathedral service included readings from the Torah and the Q‘uran.
Similar celebrations took place in more than 70 other churches and 32 other states.
"What we have done together in this great cathedral this morning, along with others in
of our nation, as well as our religion," said the Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, president of
the Washington-based Interfaith Alliance, one of the project‘s sponsors. "Today's
unambiguously that we are not scripture burners but, rather, scripture readers."
Founded in 1994, the Interfaith Alliance has more than 185,000 members across the U.S.
and represents 75 different faiths. Co-organizing the event was Washington-based
Human Rights First, an international advocacy group established in 1978 that works
toward secure and humane justice, human dignity and respect for the rule of the law.
Those interested in information on how to organize an interfaith service should telephone
202-238-3300 or email [email protected].
88
Bright Future News
National Cathedral Joins “Faith Shared” Movement, Plans Interfaith Service
June 25, 2011
http://bfnews.ir/vdcgq79t.ak9wy4j5ra.html
Washington National Cathedral will join with churches across the country in welcoming
Muslim and Jewish colleagues to read from their respective sacred texts on Sunday, June
26, 2011, for Faith Shared: Uniting in Prayer and Understanding, a project of Interfaith
Alliance and Human Rights First to promote respect for Islam.
BFnews: The Cathedral is planning an interfaith service in place of its regular Holy
Eucharist service to be held on Sunday, June 26, at 11:15 am.
In addition to the National Cathedral, more than 50 churches in 26 states have committed
to participating, which was announced in a press conference call this morning with
Cathedral Dean Samuel T. Lloyd III; the Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, president of
Interfaith Alliance; and Tad Stahnke, director of policy and programs at Human Rights
First.
Faith Shared is designed to reflect the mutual respect shared among many Muslims,
Christians, Jews, and other Americans as they stand together against negative images that
have dominated domestic and international news. At its core, this project will bring
together Christian, Jewish, and Muslim clergy to read from and hear from each other‘s
sacred texts. In doing so, they will celebrate the American commitment to freedom of
religion and serve as a model for respect and cooperation, building and strengthening ties
between faith communities. Learn more at www.faithshared.org.
Dean Lloyd said: It is as urgent a cause as I can imagine that we work to bring religions
together to help claim the higher ground with each other, to hold up compassion and
social justice, and to become a common voice in addressing the great problems in our
world. I see one dimension of Faith Shared to be both a call for tolerance, respect, and
understanding, and also a fresh affirmation that we from different religions are called to
partner in creating a more peaceful and more just world.
Washington National Cathedral is a church for national purposes called to embody God‘s
love and to welcome people of all faiths and perspectives. A unique blend of the spiritual
and the civic, this Episcopal cathedral is a voice for generous-spirited Christianity and a
catalyst for reconciliation and interfaith dialogue to promote respect and understanding.
Source: Washington National Cathedral
89
UU Ocean County Congregation participates in national Faith Shared weekend
By Michael Dalzell
June 24, 2011
http://www.examiner.com/unitarian-universalism-in-newark/uu-ocean-countycongregation-participates-national-faith-shared-weekend
The Unitarian Universalist Ocean County Congregation is participating in this weekend‘s
Faith Shared event, a nationwide initiative to promote mutual understanding, tolerance,
and respect among all religious faiths. Nationally, 71 houses of worship are taking part
this weekend. The project is sponsored by Interfaith Alliance, a Washington-based group
dedicated to uniting diverse voices to challenge extremism, and Human Rights First.
Faith Shared is a series of planned events to engage religious leaders and their
congregations in efforts to strengthen ties among one another and to promote interfaith
respect. The first of these events, this weekend, is focused on reducing misconceptions,
distrust, and violence against Muslims in the United States. UUOCC is one of two
congregations in Toms River participating in Faith Shared this weekend; the other is
Christ Episcopal Church.
The sermon at UUOCC this Sunday will focus on points of contact between Islam and
Unitarian Universalism. In the spirit of intention, members of both congregations will
attend a joint potluck picnic Sunday afternoon at Christ Episcopal.
―Ultimately, it is not so much a matter of faith shared, as of humanity shared,‖ says Rev.
Betsy Scheuerman, UUOCC‘s minister. ―And as human beings, we have the right of
conscience, the right of liberty. We are entitled to be judged not by our beliefs, not by our
skin color or ethnicity or country of origin, but by how we conduct ourselves as people.
―This event really involves all of our Unitarian Universalist principles.‖
Time and place are perfect
This weekend‘s national event has been long planned, but events this week seem to make
it all the more timely. Just yesterday, a Dutch court acquitted Geert Wilders, a local
politician, of hate speech after Wilders had compared Islam with Naziism and called for a
ban on the Quran. By coincidence, this weekend‘s Faith Shared event also comes on the
heels of yesterday‘s release of a report on Islamophobia, ―Same Hate, New Target,‖ by
the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Indeed, hate directed at religious groups is nothing new in America. Catholics
experienced overt discrimination in the 19th century. Jews, more than any other group,
endured its indignities during the 20th century. And although official FBI statistics on
hate crimes show that while Jews are singled out most often when the motivation is
religious belief, an educated guess might be that in 21st century America, Muslims are
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the primary target of religious intolerance and that anti-Muslim bias crimes are
underreported given the current sociopolitical environment.
Toms River is a seemingly appropriate locale for an event designed to build bridges
between peoples of faith. In nearby Lakewood, the fastest-growing town in New Jersey,
religious tension among its Orthodox Jewish, black, and Hispanic populations is well
documented.
Interfaith work is a particular passion for Scheuerman, and a very personal one at that.
―My own daughter met and fell in love with a Moroccan Muslim; they have been married
for six and a half years, and he is now an American citizen. My son-in-law is a kind,
generous, and loving person,‖ she says. ―Yet strangers may hate and fear him, because of
his name, his religion, his country of origin. At times, I fear for him, for my daughter, and
for what their children may face in the future.
―At the same time, I am hopeful,‖ she continues. ―There are so many families with stories
like mine: stories of deep connections being formed that bridge differences of race,
ethnicity, and religion.‖
One weekend of raising awareness won‘t end the divisions between people, but every
little bit can be thought of as a nut or a bolt that builds the bridge between people.
Details, details
Sunday worship services at UUOCC are at 10:30 am (directions); for more information,
call (732) 244-3455. Services at Christ Episcopal in Toms River are at 8:00 and 10:15 am
(directions). The interfaith potluck is at 3:00 pm; all are welcome; bring food to share and
a chair for yourself.
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A third way for Muslims and Christians to relate
By Josh Larsen
June 27, 2011
http://www.thinkchristian.net/index.php/2011/06/27/a-third-way-for-muslims-andchristians-to-relate/
Did your church have someone reading from the Quran yesterday?
That‘s what organizers behind ―Faith Shared: Uniting in Prayer and Understanding‖
hoped to see in churches across the United States. Co-sponsored by the Interfaith
Alliance and Human Rights First, the movement encouraged Christian pastors to invite
Jewish and Muslim clergy to their sanctuaries to read from sacred texts on June 26.
The goal, as Interfaith Alliance president Rev. Welton Gaddy told Religion News
Service, was to let people know that ―not all Christians promote hate, attack religions
different from their own and seek to desecrate the scripture of others.‖
Hearing about the initiative brought me back to a session I attended at the recent Q Ideas
conference. Q founder Gabe Lyons interviewed Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, whose plans to
build an Islamic Community Center near Ground Zero caused a stir last year.
Lyons, author of ―The Next Christians,‖ introduced the discussion by talking about the
two ways Christians have historically engaged Muslims: with fear and violence, as in the
Crusades; and through interfaith dialogue that is either ineffectual or, worse, leads to
theological compromises.
Then Lyons proposed a third way. In our relationships with Muslims – and he stressed
that an authentic relationship is at the heart of this – we should focus on those beliefs that
both faith groups share and which will benefit the common good. Recognizing that we
have exclusive theological differences – essentially agreeing to disagree on these points –
we should concentrate our relational energy on those things we do agree on: forging
peace, fighting injustice, combating hate.
Lyons positioned his discussion with Rauf as an example of this third way – thought
that‘s not to say their conversation was all hugs and hand-holding. At one point during
the interview, when Rauf seemed eager to place Jesus and Muhammad on the same
pedestal, Lyons jumped in to point out that at the heart of Christianity was the belief in
Jesus‘ divinity. No compromising there.
I wonder, then, where this ―Faith Shared‖ movement of inviting other clergy into
Christian churches would fit? Is this a third way, one that can lead to relationships that
will benefit the common good? Or does it open the door to compromises that Christians
shouldn‘t make? Can you imagine your church being a part of it?
Josh Larsen is editor of ThinkChristian.
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Faith and Civil Liberties Groups Pushing Back Against Islamophobia
By Sarah Posner
May 18, 2011
http://www.religiondispatches.org/dispatches/sarahposner/4619/faith_and_civil_liberties_
groups_pushing_back_against_islamophobia/
Yesterday the Interfaith Alliance and Human Rights First announced an initiative to
counter anti-Muslim bigotry called Faith Shared: Uniting in Prayer and Understanding.
From its website:
This project will create opportunities across the United States for faith
communities to strengthen ties with each other. We will counter the
misperception, including in the Arab and Muslim worlds, that the United States is
a nation defined by the widely covered images of the marginal few who would
burn a Qur‘an, rather than by a proud and longstanding tradition of religious
freedom, tolerance and pluralism. In communities across the United States, this
project will not only serve as a model for tolerance and cooperation and promote
local faith leaders as champions of such, but it will also create a concrete
opportunity to build and strengthen working ties between faith communities
moving forward.
Faith Shared‘s big event will be on June 26, when houses of worship across the country,
including the National Cathedral, will host clergy reading from sacred texts of different
religions.
In the appeal from a federal court‘s preliminary injunction against implementation of the
voter-approved constitutional amendment banning shari‘ah in Oklahoma, a coalition of
religious and civil liberties groups argued in an amicus brief that the measure is
unconstitutional because it singles out Muslims for discrimination.
In a statement, the Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for the
Separation of Church and State, which joined in the brief, said:
The amendment singles out one faith tradition for government hostility. That violates our
fundamental constitutional requirement that government remain neutral on religion.
Oklahoma doesn‘t need a special amendment to protect it from government-imposed
Islamic law. The First Amendment already does that.
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Other groups joining the brief were the American Jewish Committee, the AntiDefamation League, the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, the Center for
Islamic Pluralism, the Interfaith Alliance, and the Union for Reform Judaism.
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The Anti-Terry Jonseses
By Nick Sementelli
May 18, 2011
http://blog.faithinpubliclife.org/2011/05/interfaith_cooperation_in_acti.html
One of the silver linings of the Peter King anti-Muslim hearings earlier this year was the
development of interfaith coalitions of religious leaders who stood up to decry the bigotry
on display.
A new initiative called Faith Shared launched this week by Interfaith Alliance and
Human Rights First is continuing this cooperation.
From Religion News Service:
Muslim clergy to their sanctuaries to read from sacred texts next month in an initiative
designed to counter anti-Muslim bigotry. ... More than 50 churches in 26 states already
have committed to the initiative, including the Washington National Cathedral.
This is the type of grassroots effort that will help build the connections between Muslims
and other Americans of faith that are crucial to proactively combating the growing
problem of Islamophobia. The interfaith community‘s united front was crucial to
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discrediting King‘s ill-conceived hearings. It‘s good to see such efforts continuing to
grow.
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Clergy plan Qur‟an readings to combat anti-Muslim bigotry
By Jeff Kunerth
May 17, 2011
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/features-the-religion-world/2011/05/17/clergy-planquran-readinings-to-combat-anti-muslim-bigotry/
Washington, D.C. – Christian clergy at churches across the country will host readings
from the Qur‘an and other sacred religious texts as they welcome their Muslim and
Jewish colleagues on Sunday, June 26, 2011 for Faith Shared: Uniting in Prayer and
Understanding.
Faith Shared is a project of Interfaith Alliance and Human Rights First, which seeks to
send a message both here at home and to the Arab and Muslim world about our respect
for Islam. The National Cathedral in Washington, DC, along with 50 churches in 26
states have committed to participating in this effort.
A full list of participating houses of worship can be found at faithshared.org.
―The anti-Muslim rhetoric that has pervaded our national conversation recently has
shocked and saddened me,‖ said Interfaith Alliance President Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy.
―Appreciation for pluralism and respect for religious freedom and other human rights are
at the core of our democracy. We believe that demonstrating our commitment to those
core American values will help counteract the intensified level of negative stereotypes
and anti-Muslim bigotry in our recent public discourse.‖
Faith Shared seeks to counter the anti-Muslim bigotry and negative stereotypes that have
erupted throughout the country in the past year and led to misconceptions, distrust and in
some cases, violence. This countrywide, day-long event will engage faith leaders on the
national and community levels in a conversation with their houses of worship,
highlighting respect among people of different faiths. This event will help counter the
common misperception abroad that most Americans are hostile to Islam. It will send a
message that Americans respect Muslims and Islam, as they respect religious differences
and freedom of religion in general.
Faith Shared is designed to reflect the mutual respect shared among so many Muslims,
Christians, Jews and other Americans, as they stand together to oppose the negative
images that have dominated domestic and international news.
For more information on this project, visit faithshared.org.
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Updates from Human Rights First
Faith Shared – June 26th
June 6, 2011
http://www.salem-news.com/articles/june062011/human-rights-first.php
(NEW YORK) Tensions around Islam in America have erupted throughout the country in
the past year, leading to misconceptions, distrust and in some cases violence. Media
coverage has focused on extremists—bigots and Qur‘an burners—which stokes fear and
masks the shared commitment to tolerance and freedom that unites most Americans.
That‘s why Human Rights First is partnering with the Interfaith Alliance on a unique
project we call Faith Shared. On June 26th, houses of worship across the country will
host events involving clergy reading from each other‘s sacred texts. For example, a
Christian Minister, Jewish Rabbi and Muslim Imam would participate in a worship
service or other event. 60 houses of worship in 30 states have already agreed to
participate.
For more information and to find out how to plan an event in your community, visit
http://www.faithshared.org/.
Elisa Massimino is the President and CEO of Human Rights First
Elisa Massimino Courtesy: ypfp.org
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INTERFAITH: Christians Will Hold Quran Readings to Combat Islamophobia
By Arsalan Iftikhar
May 17, 2011
http://www.crescentpost.com/2011/05/interfaith-christians-will-hold-quran-readings-tocombat-islamophobia/
From Human Rights First
The National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. along with 50 churches in 26 states have
already joined the effort
Washington, D.C. – Christian clergy at churches across the country will host readings
from the Qur‘an and other sacred religious texts as they welcome their Muslim and
Jewish colleagues on Sunday, June 26, 2011 for Faith Shared: Uniting in Prayer and
Understanding. Faith Shared is a project of Interfaith Alliance and Human Rights First,
which seeks to send a message both here at home and to the Arab and Muslim world
about our respect for Islam. The National Cathedral in Washington, DC, along with 50
churches in 26 states have committed to participating in this effort. Other participating
churches include Christ Church in New York City and All Saints Church in Pasadena,
Calif. A full list of participating houses of worship can be found at faithshared.org.
99
Faith Shared seeks to counter the Anti-Muslim bigotry and negative stereotypes that have
erupted throughout the country in the past year and led to misconceptions, distrust and in
some cases, violence. This countrywide, day-long event will engage faith leaders on the
national and community levels in a conversation with their houses of worship,
highlighting respect among people of different faiths. This event will help counter the
common misperception abroad that most Americans are hostile to Islam. It will send a
message that Americans respect Muslims and Islam, as they respect religious differences
and freedom of religion in general.
Read more about the ―Faith Shared‖ program here..
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Abrahamic Faiths Share Pulpits in US
June 5, 2011
http://www.onislam.net/english/news/americas/452536-abrahamic-faiths-share-pulpitsin-us.html
WASHINGTON – Dozens of houses of worship across the United States will open their
pulpits to Christian priests, Muslim scholars and Jewish rabbis to read from their
scriptures to help the audience find a common ground of understanding between the three
Abrahamic faiths, the Catholic Preview reported on Sunday, June 5.
―Just having something public is not going to be a big, big deal here, but to have someone
come in and read from the Quran and to recognize publicly the existence of Islam and to
reverence and respect is a good thing for the church to do,‖ said Jesuit Father Pat Earl,
pastor of St. Peter Parish in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The project, called Faith Shared, is set for June 26. It is co-sponsored by the interfaith
Along with a Catholic church in North Carolina, some mosques and synagogues have
signed up for the initiative.
―The United States is the most religiously diverse nation in the world,‖ said the Rev. C.
Welton Gaddy, a Southern Baptist minister who is president of the Interfaith Alliance,
during a May 18 conference call with reporters.
―Crucial to peaceful relationships across this land, as well as to our democratic form of
government. Are pluralism and religious freedom.‖
Rev. Gaddy called on representatives of the three religions to find a shared ground for
mutual understanding and respect for different beliefs.
―We‘re calling upon congregations to say by means of their actions, ‗We come from
different traditions, hold different beliefs and engage in different rituals in our churches,
mosques and synagogues. Have different beliefs yet emphasize religious freedom and
search for answers to life‘s questions through our respective faiths.‘‖
Tad Stahnke, Human Rights First‘s director of policy and programs, agreed, noting that
they can set an example for the whole world to overcome religious differences.
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―The perception of the United States abroad has an influence on the ability of the US
government to lead on human rights,‖ Stahnke said.
―In this work we know that bigotry and hatred can create a climate of hostility where it is
more difficult for individuals to exercise their rights, and to be protected from violence
and discrimination. These events are noticed around the world.‖
Though there are no official figures, America is believed to be home to nearly eight
million Muslims.
A 2010 report of the North American Jewish Data Bank puts the number of Jews in the
US at around 6.5 million.
Fighting Islamophobia
The new project is also deemed a good opportunity for men of religion to fight the
growing islamophobia and prejudice against US Muslim minority.
―I‘ve heard from Muslim imams about what they and their congregations have suffered
just from the fear, the fear of what they call Islamophobia,‖ Father Earl said.
Father Earl confirmed that he was prompted to sign the idea of Faith Shared after hearing
about a recent incident that targeted two Muslim imams who were trying to fly to
Charlotte to attend a conference on Islamophobia.
Imam Masudur Rahman and Mohamed Zaghloul were flying last May to attend the North
American Imams Federation 2011 Conference.
Wearing traditional garb, the pilot refused to fly with them, citing passengers‘ fears, a
claim denied by the imams.
―Some of the clergy coming here had trouble flying here because of the fear of some of
the pilots, and so they were late getting here,‖ said the priest.
Since 9/11, US Muslims have become sensitized to an erosion of their civil rights, with a
prevailing belief that America was stigmatizing their faith.
Anti-Muslim frenzy has grown recently over plans to build a mosque near the 9/11 site in
New York, resulting in attacks on Muslims and their property and an increase in antiMuslim hate speech.
A US survey has revealed that the majority of Americans know very little about Muslims
and their faith.
A recent Gallup poll, however, found 43 percent of Americans Nationwide admitted to
feeling at least ―a little‖ prejudice against Muslims.
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Father Earl told CNS that details of the pulpit-sharing plan have yet to be worked out at
St. Peter.
One complication was that the date selected for the project was assigned earlier to
celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Jesuit order‘s staffing of the parish, with Jesuits
assigned to the parish in past years invited to the celebration.
―And so how to work this in without distracting from the focus of the weekend is a
delicate matter. We‘ll have to work that out,‖ he said.
Yet, the event organizers hope it will work as a start point to counter Americans‘ hostility
to Islam.
―This event will help counter the common misperception abroad that most Americans are
hostile to Islam,‖ Rev. Gaddy said.
―It will send a message that Americans respect Muslims and Islam, as they respect
religious differences and freedom of religion in general.‖
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Christians, Jews and Muslims to Share Pulpits
By Alison Matheson
June 2, 2011
http://www.christianpost.com/news/christians-jews-and-muslims-to-share-pulpits-50752/
Churches across the States will be opening up their pulpits to clergy from the Jewish and
Muslim faiths.
A few synagogues and mosques have also signed up to the Faith Shared project being
hosted by the Interfaith Alliance and Human Rights First on June 26.
For one day only, clergy will take to the different pulpits to read from their own
scriptures.
Father Pat Earl, pastor of St. Peter Parish in Charlotte, North Carolina, told the Catholic
News Service it was a ―good thing for the church‖ to publicly recognize the existence of
Islam.
He said he had been inspired to sign up to the initiative after hearing reports from
Charlotte-based interfaith group Mecklenburg Ministries that local Muslims were
suffering with the fear of Islamophobia.
The Rev. C. Welton Gaddy, president of the Interfaith Alliance, encouraged churches to
get involved in order to make a statement about pluralism and religious freedom.
He said: ―We‘re calling upon congregations to say by means of their actions, ‗We come
from different traditions, hold different beliefs and engage in different rituals in our
churches, mosques and synagogues, have different beliefs yet emphasize religious
freedom and search for answers to life‘s questions through our respective faiths.‘‖
He said the event would also help to counter the perception abroad that Americans are
hostile to Islam.
―It will send a message that Americans respect Muslims and Islam, as they respect
religious differences and freedom of religion in general,‖ he said.
Anti-American sentiment skyrocketed in some Muslim-majority countries after a Quran
was burned at the church of Florida pastor Terry Jones.
In the days and weeks following the stunt, American flags were burned by angry
Muslims in Afghanistan and Pakistan who chanted ―death to the U.S.A.‖ and ―death to
Obama‖.
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