Category: Inter-faith

Of African Princes and Russian Poets – NYTimes.com. Alongside the luminaries of the town and province were high representatives of Russia and Estonia, as well as the ambassador of Cameroon and the sultan of Logone-Birni (now in Cameroon), resplendent in the colorful garments of their African homeland.  The requisite speeches were delivered, and all shivered at attention as the local marching band wrestled gamely with the European Anthem (more familiar as Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy”). Then the sultan, Mahamat Bahat Marouf, was ushered forward to pull the veil off a modest plaque affixed to the wall. The legend, in French…

The lies of islamophobia – Le Monde diplomatique – English edition. The Song of Roland, an eleventh century rendering in verse of an eighth century battle, is a staple of Western Civilization classes at colleges around the country. A “masterpiece of epic drama,” in the words of its renowned translator Dorothy Sayers, it provides a handy preface for students before they delve into readings on the Crusades that began in 1095. More ominously, the poem has schooled generations of Judeo-Christians to view Muslims as perfidious enemies who once threatened the very foundations of Western civilization.  The problem, however, is that…

“My Faith in America” by Aleem Walji « Karim R. Lakhani’s Infrequent Musings. But that’s what puzzles me about the current national conversation. I grew up in the United States, in the deep south. I practiced my faith easily and integrated into a community in Georgia that supported Newt Gingrich. And nobody questioned my faith or my commitment to America. Not until after 9/11. That’s when seemingly educated but ill-informed scholars asserted that Islam and the West were caught in an unavoidable clash of civilizations; that there is something fundamentally inconsistent between Islam and western values.

I found this story quite moving, for whatever reason. It is an interesting meditation on the nature of an informed faith, and when two aspects of the same faith come into conflict, how people are seeking to resolve the conflict. A Letter From A Catholic Mother – The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan. I was quite proud of my sixteen-year-old son, who after completing two years of confirmation preparation wrote his letter to the Bishop telling him quite proudly why he did not want to become confirmed as an adult in the current church. 

Beyond the Comfort Zone: Passion and Peril at a Pro-Christian Rally | MindfulOfDreams.com. When Christians are attacked, they should NOT have to rally alone. We must rally along with them. When Jews are attacked, they should NOT have to rally alone. When Muslims are attacked, we should NOT have to rally alone.

An article on the Baroness Ariane de Rothschild The game of the name – Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News. “Life in very poor countries, in which most of the people are waging a daily struggle to survive and in which there is often nothing to eat, creates a different set of values, even if you yourself are white and live relatively well. You learn to appreciate what you have. There is a story I like to tell my girls. There was a time when chocolate was scarce in Africa. My father would bring us chocolate from his visits to…

Islamophobia and Homophobia – NYTimes.com. So why have conservative Christians gotten less homophobic? Putnam and Campbell favor the “bridging” model. The idea is that tolerance is largely a question of getting to know people. If, say, your work brings you in touch with gay people or Muslims — and especially if your relationship with them is collaborative — this can brighten your attitude toward the whole tribe they’re part of. And if this broader tolerance requires ignoring or reinterpreting certain scriptures, so be it; the meaning of scripture is shaped by social relations.

The deadline is in December, so do apply early. It’s a great opportunity. I have met with, and seen the work of some of the fellows. Please help spread the word. Faiths Act Fellowship Application | The Tony Blair Faith Foundation. The Faiths Act Fellowship is a year-long, paid international Fellowship that brings together exceptional future leaders inspired by faith to serve as interfaith ambassadors for the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).  Faiths Act Fellows build partnerships across faith lines in their home countries to show the world how faith can be a positive global force in the 21st…