Interfaith

Celebrating Differences: Group Draws Inspiration From Diversity

March 13, 2009

Author: Marta Hepler Drahos

Source: Traverse City Record-Eagle

http://www.record-eagle.com/faith/local_story_072221617.html

Bonnie Smith came from a Catholic background and wanted to be a nun until she discovered boys.

Now she's a deacon in the Episcopal church -- and a founding member of a new area faith diversity council called Area Council on Religious Diversity, or ACORD. The group also includes representatives of the Unitarian...

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U.S. Buddhists, Hindus Back Evolution, Says Study

March 13, 2009

Author: Ashfaque Swapan

Source: New America Media/India West

http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=5dbb57b1707ee3b07cb20c2abc5994e4

Despite virtually unanimous support in the scientific community, there is considerable public skepticism in the U.S. about Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, with 39 percent believing in the theory, according to a Gallup poll.

...

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One Priest, Two Faiths, And Lots Of Questions

March 12, 2009

Author: Daniel Burke

Source: Religion News Service

http://pewforum.org/news/display.php?NewsID=17707

Friday afternoons find the Rev. Ann Holmes Redding at the Al-Islam Center in Seattle, reciting Muslim prayers.

Come Sunday, she heads about two miles south to kneel in the pews of St. Clement's of Rome Episcopal Church.

"My experience and my call is to continue to follow Jesus," said Redding, an Episcopal priest for the past 25...

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Local Artist Sends Prayer for Unity to Parliament Of World Religions

March 12, 2009

Author: Kathy Nance

Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/civil-religion/nance/2009/12/local-artist-sends-prayer-for-unity-to-parliament-of-world-religions/

On this first full day of the Parliament of World Religions (PWR) in Melbourne, Australia, a group of Pagans met to give blessings to four rattles created by St. Louis artist...

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Religious Diversity Explored At Local Level

March 12, 2009

Author: Colleen Walsh

Source: Harvard University Gazette

http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2009/03.12/11-fremont.html

Can a diverse religious community unite and heal after a brutal murder in broad daylight, one possibly motivated by religious hatred?

That profound question and others like it, questions of religious diversity and tolerance, are at the heart of the new documentary “Fremont, U.S.A.,” which was...

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Hindus, Muslims Celebrate Lucknow's 'Holi Baraat'

March 11, 2009

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Times of India

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Hindus-Muslims-celebrate-Lucknows-Holi-Baraat/rssarticleshow/4252309.cms

Amid shouts of "Holi hai", a large number of Hindus and Muslims came together here on Wednesday for a 40-year-old practise of jointly celebrating the festival of colours in the old quarter.

Dancing to the beat of drums,...

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Faith And Values Organizations Form Coalition to Advance United Nations Decade for Inter-Religious Cooperation for Peace

March 11, 2009

Author: Staff Writer

Source: World Council of Churches

http://www.oikoumene.org/en/news/news-management/eng/a/article/1722/faith-and-values-organiza.html

Some forty-five religious, interfaith, and value-based organizations from five continents agreed to form a coalition to advance a "United Nations Decade for Inter-religious and Intercultural Dialogue, Understanding, and Cooperation for Peace." Coalition...

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Coalition to Advance UN Decade for Inter-Religious Cooperation for Peace

March 11, 2009

Author: Staff Writer

Source: World Faith News

http://www.wfn.org/2009/03/msg00088.html

Some forty-five religious, interfaith, and value-based organizations from five continents agreed to form a coalition to advance a "United Nations Decade for Inter-religious and Intercultural Dialogue, Understanding, and Cooperation for Peace." Coalition members expressed the hope that the UN Sixty-Fourth General Assembly, which will begin its deliberations in September 2009...

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Most Religious Groups In USA Have Lost Ground, Survey Finds

March 10, 2009

Author: Cathy Lynn Grossman

Source: USA Today

http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2009-03-09-american-religion-ARIS_N.htm

When it comes to religion, the USA is now land of the freelancers.

The percentage. of people who call themselves in some way Christian has dropped more than 11% in a generation. The faithful have scattered out of their traditional bases: The Bible Belt is less Baptist. The Rust Belt is less...

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Obama Raises Profile Of Prayer

March 10, 2009

Author: Michelle Boorstein

Source: The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/09/AR2009030903043.html

Prayer has become more common at presidential appearances under the Obama administration, including at nonreligious events such as stimulus rallies. The White House is acting in a deliberately inclusive, interfaith way that seems to limit opposition.

Church-state experts...

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Malawi Muslims Commemorate the Birth Of Prophet Alongside Christians

March 9, 2009

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Nyasa Times

http://www.nyasatimes.com/national/2938.html

Muslims in the country will on Tuesday commemorate the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, with Christians from various denominations on their side to demonstrate a symbol of unity in religious diversity.

Meanwhile, thousands of Muslims from all walks of life across the country are trooping to the cities of Lilongwe and Blantyre to take part in various activities...

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Malaysia's Minority Religious Leaders Condemn 'Allah' Ban

March 9, 2009

Author: Michelle Green

Source: Ecumenical News International

http://www.eni.ch/featured/article.php?id=2797

Leaders of Malaysia's minority religious groups have criticised the country's government for restricting the use of the word Allah by non-Muslims in Bibles, a Catholic newspaper and other texts.

The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism said in a statement made available on 6 March that...

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Courts, Jail Adjust to Religious Custom

March 8, 2009

Author: David Hench

Source: Portland Press Herald

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=243829

For many Muslim women, being seen in public with one's head uncovered is a violation of religious tenets as well as an embarrassing display of immodesty.

Head coverings also can be, to varying degrees, important to Jews, Sikhs and people of other faiths.

But that obligation has collided with security concerns and cultural...

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Hernando Baha'is Host Interfaith Devotional In Spring Hill On March 13

March 7, 2009

Author: Gail Hollenbeck

Source: St. Petersburg Times

http://www.tampabay.com/news/religion/article981825.ece

The eyes of the world are on Iran as several countries, the European Union and Amnesty International protest the imprisonment of seven leaders of the Baha'i faith accused of spying for Israel.

The United States, England and Canada are among the governments that have condemned the treatment of the five men and two women, who have...

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