Parliament of Worlds Religion 1999 Capetown SA

Author(s): Parliament of the World’s Religions
Publisher: USA Parliament of the Worlds Religions

Page 144

1 9 9 9 PARLIAMENT OF THE WORLD'S RELIGIONS DIALOGUE
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3
Action and Education. All three have contributed towards the development of the document and continue to work extensively in Canada for interfaith action and awareness.
3:00 PM–4:30 PM IN COMMERCE 2.60 Communicating with Each Other in a MultiReligious World: The International Religions Directory Project Dr. J. Gordon Melton In the pluralistic religious environment of the new millennium, religious leaders wishing to access the resources of the larger religious community and locate individuals of like mind and heart are faced with essential problems of communicating with colleagues, even nearby neighbors. The International Directory of the World's Religions, sponsored by The Institute of World Spirituality, will provide the necessary communication links that will facilitate interfaith contact in the future. The expansive directory, initially to be made available in a series of books, and soon afterwards to appear on the Internet, will provide contact with every religious community operating in each of the 275 countries of the world. This session will describe the Religions Directory Project and encourages participation from those that attend. This program is sponsored by the Institute for World Spirituality Dr. J. Gordon Melton is the Director of the Institute for the Study of American Religion (Santa Barbara, California) and the research director of the Institute of World Spirituality (Chicago, IL). He is the author of more than 30 books on contemporary religion and is the author/editor of the multi-volume International Directory of the World's Religions, the first volume of which appeared in 1998
3:00 PM–3:45 PM IN COMMERCE 1.33 Micro-Perspective of Inter-Religious Relations Rev. Henry Shinn A micro-perspective of the role of religion within a family unit, specifically, when the husband and wife have different religious beliefs. Several family units have broken down because the spouses have become dogmatic and opinionated regarding their religious beliefs. Therefore, a recommendation will be made to the world religious leaders to teach couples to respect and honor each others religious beliefs Rev. Henry Shinn is the President of the American Buddhist Congress, Chairperson of the Dharma Society, and a board member of Modern Buddhism. He is also an ordained minister of the Mahayana and Theravada traditions.
3:00 PM–3:45 PM IN COMMERCE 1.37 Spiritual Dialogue as a Pathway for Mid-East Peace Mr. Elyiahu McLean In this presentation, Eliyahu McLean will speak about his experience in working for reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians through interfaith dialogue. Participants will also learn about current efforts to establish peace talks, and grassroots interfaith projects. The presentation will also feature a slide presentatation of a Jewish-Muslim joint effort to clean-up a Muslim cemetary at King David's tomb on Mt. Zion in Jerusalem. Eliyahu McLean is deeplu involved in grassroots efforts for Jewish Muslim dialogue for peace in the Middle East. He recently organized an interfaith clean-up effort of a Muslim cemetary at King David's tomb on Mt. Zion in Jerusalem
3:00 PM–3:45 PM IN COMMERCE 4.15 Humanistic Buddhism as Practiced at Fo Guang Shan Dr. Stuart Chandler Amongst Chinese Buddhists, the phrases "Humanistic Buddhism" and "Establishing a pureland on earth" have become popular as rallying calls for applying Buddhist teachings to the challenges of late twentieth-century life. One leader in this movement has been Master Hsing-yun who. along with the 1100 venerables and thousands of lay devotees who regard him as their teacher, has sought to transform Chan and Pureland practices so as to more directly benefit society. This presentation utilizes the master's organization, Fo kuangshan, as a case study of how Chinese Buddhists hope to transform our world into a better place for all living beings. Stuart Chandler is an academic liaison for the Buddha's Light International Association, the lay society started by Master Hsing Yun and associated with the Fo Guang Shan monastic order. Stuart is in the final stages of receiving his Ph.D. from Harvard University's Committee on the Study of Religion. He has written articles on Buddhism, Taoism, and Christian theology
Dialogue
3:00 PM–3:45 PM IN THEATER 4 The United Religions Initiative Rev. Charles P. Gibbs; Ms. Sally M. Ackerly Members of the United Religions Initiative will share the history of this global effort to create a permanent forum where people of diverse faith gather in mutual respect to pursue justice, healing, and peace, with reverence for all life and engage in a discussion about this vision. For the past three and a half years, Canon Charles Gibbs has served as Executive Director of the United Religions Initiative, a global movement where people of the world's religious, spiritual, and indigenous communities gather in mutual respect dialoque, and cooperative action to end religious violence and create cultures of peace and justice as a sacred trust for future generations. The URI is based in San Francisco and active on every continent. Before coming to the URI, he served as the Rector of the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation in San Francisco, CA and before that as Executive Director of the San Rafael Canal Ministry, an interfaith service organization working primarily with immigrants and refugees Sally Mahe Ackerly is a full-time project manager with the United Religions Initiative, with offices in the San Francisco Presidio. She holds an M.Ed. from Harvard and also a Masters degree in Spiritual Direction from General Episcopal Seminary in New York City. She taught Civics for twelve years, during which time she created a textbook series for junior high school students entitled, Law in Action, West Publishing Co., 1975, 1980 For ten years she worked as a spiritual counselor focusing on spiritual education for adults and children. Sally has worked with the United Religions Initiative since its inception, and serves in the area of organizational development.
3:00 PM–3:45 PM IN THEATER 2 Mending the World: An Ecumenical Vision for Healing and Reconciliation Mr. Bruce Gregersen Mending the World introduces the concept of Whole World Ecumenism, and calls the United Church of Canada into a new understanding of ecumenical relationships. In the context of exploding bombs, fragile atmosphere, polluted waters, and myriad expressions of violence, the church is called to make common cause with peoples of other faith and ideologies for the sake of the healing of creation. The workshop will explore the meaning of Whole World Ecumenism, its implications for the historic understandings of ecumenism, and for the agenda of communities of faith in today's world. Rev. Dr. Bruce Gregersen, Interfaith and South Asia/Pacific Secretary for he United Church of Canada, the Rev. Kerry Craig, Chairperson of the nterChurch Interfaith Committee of the United Church of Canada and he Rev. Rob Hankinson, a United Church minister and leader in nterfaith organizations including the Edmonton Centre for Interfaith
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