Parliament of Worlds Religion 2009 Melbourne Australia

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

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PROGRAM
Saturday, December 5, 2009
4:30-6:00pm OPEN SPACE
Vedantic Wisdom and Middle Eastern Affirmations Dr Thillayvel Naidoo Room 209 Panel Discussion
husband, Rev Dr Michael Bernard Beckwith, founder of the Agape International Spiritual Center, their powerful partnership has resulted in a dynamic catalogue of songs that enable transformational healing through the power of music. With the combined writing and composing talents of Byars and Beckwith, the choir early on began performing original Beckwith/Byars compositions. As the choir has developed and grown in membership, so has the com- plexity of Byars' vocal and instrumental arrangements. Over the past six and a half years, Agape Choir music has become known for its signature sectional harmonies, counterpoint, tempo-patterns, devotional power, and energetic enthusiasm.
One of the focal points in the study of religions is the mul tiplicity of claims about their origins. Religions with their origins in India are referred to as Wisdom Religions and those that originated in the Middle East as Religions of Revelation. These religions differ not only in their origins. but also in the basis of their content. This discussion will take a look at some of these differences and others that divide religions. Presenter Thillayvel Naidoo will specifically explore the claims and contentions surrounding the idea that God is responsible for their origins through revelation
Dr Naidoo was a lecturer specialising in Eastern Religions in the Department of Science of Religion at the University of Durban Westville in South Africa for many years before his retirement. He participated in the Parliament of World Religions in Chicago, Cape Town and Barcelona and is very familiar with the first Parliament in Chicago 1893 because of his interest in Swami Vivekananda, who played a prominent role in making that Parliament a success.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Samoan Choir David Cray, Music Director Room 201 Artistic Performance Established in 2002, this 80-voice choir has inspired love and harmony between people of many faiths and cultures. Sometimes accompanied by Polynesian dancers, the choir has performed at the Commonwealth Games Victorian Premier's Award Concert, and were featured artists at the City of Greater Dandenong First Annual Gathering, and at Australia Day celebrations and flag raising ceremonies. The Samoan choir is comprised of 80 Polynesian singers from the Melbourne area from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It presents spiritually uplifting programs of songs that cross a range of faiths and cultures. The choir uses its music to promote feelings of peace and harmony.
Cultivating Universal Intelligence Sheila Keene-Lund Room 210 Interactive Workshop Our efforts to hear each other, heal the earth, and procure world peace are destined to fall short if we don't progresSively cultivate the cosmic awareness and capacity to love that is vital for a moral and spiritual culture. To make a world of difference that is far reaching and long lasting requires that we discover higher spiritual meanings in what we know and increasingly embody higher values in our daily living. This workshop will provide an experiential roadmap for living that is a prototype for progressively developing the character and the cosmic perspective essential to living the golden rule from its highest level of interpretation.
Conversation with Sr Joan Chittister Sr Joan Chittister Room 207 In this Open Space program, Parliament attendees are invited to enter into informal conversation with Sister Joan Chittister, the well-known Benedictine nun, and author who has recently published The Breath of the Soul. She is the founder and executive director of Benetvision, a resource and research centre for contemporary spirituality. She also co-chairs the Global peace Initiative, a UN-sponsored organization of women faith leaders. The conversation could cover the power of faith and spirituality from global and feminist perspectives, the monastic way and the nature of community life, the imperative and difficulty of loving one's neighbour in a world interconnected and disconnected and the issues that the Church must face. The focus will be on dialogue and exchange of ideas in a complex and globalizing world. Joan Chittister, OSB, is a noted national and international lecturer who focuses on women in church and society, human rights, peace and justice, and contemporary religious life and spirituality. In addition to being the executive director of Benetvision, a centre for contemporary spirituality located in Erie, Pennsylvania, she is author of 22 books, including "Illuminated Life: Monastic Wisdom for Seckers of Light' and 'The Story of Ruth: Twelve Moments in Every Woman's Lite
Two childhood near-death experiences propelled Sheila Keene-Lund onto an exploratory path that included teaching Transcendental Meditation for 15 years and led her, in 1992, to 'The Urantia Book'. Her discovery of its astonishing capacity to integrate personal spiritual evolution into the vastly enlarged perspective of universe citizenship is recorded in her book 'Heaven Is Not the Last Stop. A lively speaker and Teacher, she leads classes and workshops focused on spiritual principles
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