Since the spring of 2007, members of the Twin Cities interfaith community - assisted by the Interfaith Bridging Initiative and the Saint Paul Area Council of Churches - have been planning many different events for October and November, 2007.  These events will honor the many commonalities and differences among various religious communities; deepen interfaith relationships in our community; and practice respectful conversation about charged issues of our time.

Peace and Violence in the Abrahamic Religious Traditions

 A six-week, evening series featuring presentations by local religious leaders and dialogue among participants from different traditions will explore the teachings of the Abrahamic religious traditions on violence, non-violence and peace-making.

Peace and Violence in Our Non - Abrahamic Religious Traditions:

A panel discussion, breakout sessions, and experiential exploration focusing on the  ways in which several non-Abrahamic religious traditions, (Hindu, Buddhist, Native American and Wiccan) aspire to achieve peace in a violent world.

All of these events will address the following questions, and more:

·       What are your tradition’s teachings on non-violence?

·       How does violence appear in your tradition’s texts and history?

·       How can religious teachings on peace and non-violence be put into action today?

Peace and Violence in the Abrahamic Religious Traditions

The following religious communities and programs are sponsors of one or more of the six week Monday evening series of program events:

Beth Jacob Congregation

Center for Religious Inquiry

Central Baptist Church

Church of St. John Neumann

Dar Al-Hijrah Cultural Center

Gloria Dei Lutheran

Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches

Hamline United Methodist Church

Interfaith Bridging Initiative

Interreligious Network of Saint Paul

Islamic Center of Minnesota

Islamic Institute of MN (masjid Al-Salaam)

Islamic Resource Group

Jay Phillips Ctr. for Jewish Christian Learning

Jewish Community Ctr., Gtr. St. Paul Area

Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and Dakotas

Macalester Plymouth United Church Peacemakers

Masjid An Nur

Minnesota Fellowship of Reconciliation

Mount Zion Temple

Muslim American Society of Minnesota

Northern Lights Society

Pilgrim Lutheran Church

Saint Paul Area Council of Churches

Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet

Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of St. Paul

St. Paul Reformation Lutheran Church

Temple of Aaron

United Jewish Fund & Council of St. Paul

The following information  gives you details of Peace and Violence in our Abrahamic Traditions series:

Six consecutive Monday evenings, Oct. 8 – Nov. 12.

Each session held at a house of worship of a different tradition. Your are invited to attend one or all of these sessions.

Oct. 8    6:30 – 9:00 p.m. [Note earlier starting time!]

Iftar meal, Introduction to Series and Interfaith Dialogue

(Join Muslim neighbors in breaking Ramadan fast with meal of

Turkish cuisine hosted by Northern Lights Society-all welcome!)

Facilitator: Rabbi Amy Eilberg

Where: Masjid (Mosque) An-Nur

Oct. 15   7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Two Christian Perspectives

Presenters: Sr. Sharon Howell, CSJ & Dr. Philip Stoltzfus

Where: Mount Zion Temple

Oct. 22               7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Two Jewish Perspectives

Presenters: Rabbi Morris Allen & Rabbi Adam Stock Spilker

Where: Hamline United Methodist Church

Oct. 29               7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Two Muslim Perspectives

Presenters: Imam Hesham Hussein & Imam Makram Nu’Man El-Amin

Where: Temple of Aaron

Nov. 5    7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Quaker and Baha’i Perspectives

Presenters: Michael Bischoff and Dr. Roya Majid

Where: Masjid Al-Salaam

Nov. 12   7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Continuing the Dialogue: Creating a Culture of Peace

Facilitator: Joan Haan, MA, CPCC

Where: Gloria Dei Lutheran Church

Series Presenters/Leaders:

Rabbi Amy Eilberg, Jay Phillips Center for Jewish Christian Learning

Joan Haan, MA, CPCC; Facilitator, Creating a Culture of Peace

Sr. Sharon Howell; CSJ; Assoc. Dean of Students, University of St. Thomas

Dr. Philip Stoltzfus; Justice and Peace Studies, University of St.Thomas

Rabbi Morris Allen, Beth Jacob Synagogue

Rabbi Adam Spilker, Mount Zion Temple

Imam Hesham Hussein, President, Muslim American Society of Minnesota

Imam Makrum El-Amin, Masjid An-Nur

Michael Bischoff, Twin Cities Friends Meeting (St. Paul)--Quaker

Dr. Roya Majid, Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’i of St. Paul

Locations/Directions:

Masjid An-Nur, 1729 Lyndale Ave. North, Minneapolis 55411 

[Near Broadway; from St. Paul take I-94 west, exit at exit #230 toward Olson Hghwy/Rt. #55 but merge into Lyndale Ave N. Go to 1729 Lyndale N.]   

Mount Zion Temple, 1300 Summit Ave., St. Paul 55105

[near Hamline Ave.]

Hamline United Methodist Church, 1514 Englewood Ave., St. Paul 55104

[one block east of Snelling Ave., on south edge of Hamline University campus]

Temple of Aaron, 616 Mississippi Blvd., St. Paul 55116

[Between Randolph Ave. and Ford Parkway; park on east side of building]

Masjid Al-Salaam, 1460 Skillman Ave., Maplewood 55109

[Going east on Highway #36, turn right on English St. (just east of Hwy 61); go 0.2 mi. and turn left onto Co. Rd. B (also known as CR 25); go 0.2 mi. and turn right onto Birmingham St.; go 0.2 mi. and turn left on Skillman Ave. E.; go 0.1 to mosque]

Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 700 S. Snelling Ave., St. Paul 55116

Finally, to prepare for participating in the Peace and Violence in our Abrahamic Traditions series, we urge you to consult this book: The The Tent of Abraham, by Sister Joan Chittister OSB, Murshid Saadi Shakur Chisti, and Rabbi Arthur Waskow. It is a beautiful read and a great practical guide for study and action. (Order copies at 10% discount with free shipping by going to www.beacon.org/tentofabraham and typing "tent" into the code window.

For further information about this series and/or other Sacred Season of Peace-Making events, contact Marc at MBlakesley@spacc.org or 651-789-3840.

Peace and Violence in Our Non - Abrahamic Religious Traditions:

An Afternoon of Convergences

Hosts: The Interfaith Bridging Initiative (IBI) and The Human Rights Center at
the University of Minnesota Law School

A panel discussion, breakout sessions, and experiential exploration focusing on the  ways in which several non-Abrahamic religious traditions aspire to achieve peace in a violent world.

When:  Sunday, November 11, 2007, 1:00 PM -- 5:00 PM
                 (Registration: 12:30 -- 1:00 PM)

Where:  The Law School, University of Minnesota
                  229 19^th Ave. South, Minneapolis, MN 55455

Admission:  $10.00 (includes parking in the law school lot). Scholarships are avail-
                  able. Please submit scholarship requests to takusoon@hotmail.com
                   or call (612) 861--6040.

Representatives of the following faiths will share their outlooks on peace-making and its obstacles:
        Buddhism - Roger R. Jackson:   Stephen R. Lewis Jr. Professor of Religion and the Liberal Arts,  Chair,

                         Dept. of Religion, Macalester College

         Hinduism - Anantanand Rambachan:    Professor of Religion, Philosophy, and Asian Studies & Chair,

                         Dept. of Religion, St. Olaf College
         Native American Spirituality - Dine/Navajo    Omie Baldwin:     Therapist, University Health Services,

                         Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison
                         Mdewakanton Dakota     Darlene St. Clair:      Assistant Professor/Director of the Multicultural

                         Resource Center, St. Cloud State University
         Wicca - Teri Parsley Starnes:    Priestess in the Reclaiming Tradition of Witchcraft; Staff Writer, Between the Worlds,

                     a publication of Diana's Grove Mystery School.

        The conference will conclude with Dances of Universal Peace led by Hakim Bushnell.

         Moderator: Paul R. Strickland, Director of the Center for Religious Inquiry^TM, Minneapolis
 

Note: Though some registration will be available at the door, pre-registration at this event is strongly encouraged. Feel free to register right here:

  For further information about this November 11th event or other events feel free to call Ira Gordon at 612-861-6040.

 Other Sacred Season of Peacemaking Events

In addition to the seven events already described, a number of other Sacred Season events will be taking place in the autumn of 2007. For particulars concerning these other events see Further Sacred Season of Peacemaking Events