Interfaith Environmental Network - an inspirational idea for interfaith organisations to take on board

Post by Interfaith Environmental Network.

Pope Francis does Interfaith

Post by Crux: Covering all things Catholic.

Interfaith Worker Justice - some workers need all the help they can get

In Australia, we have a system of wage justice which, while it is not perfect, is far away from the experience of many workers in the USA. While the phrase "wage theft" is rarely heard in Australia, many of the actions cited in this video as wage theft do occur in Australia. They are usually dealt with by the Fair Work Commission or the relevant trade union. To find out more about Interfaith Worker Justice, please go here.

Post by Interfaith Worker Justice.

Interfaith friendships are the way to get informed about other cultures and traditions ... and leads to community peace-building

Charlotte Dando Become a fan 

Interfaith Activist based in the UK, 
Assistant Director at William Temple Foundation

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Interfaith Friendship Is the Boldest Way to Defy Extremists

Posted: 01/09/2015 3:46 pm EST Updated: 01/09/2015 3:59 pm EST

Its Saturday night in Paris and a live band jams on stage, encouraging the audience to sing and dance along with their music. A quite ordinary scene, apart from tonight the lead singer is a Christian and his backing singers, two young men with their arms draped over each other's shoulders, one of them is Muslim, and the other is Jewish. As for me, I am a British Quaker dancing in the middle of an Orthodox Christian from Romania and a Pagan from the Basque country. And I'm grateful for the diverse globalized world which gives me nights like this one. But that Saturday night in Paris took place at the start of last November.

Since then, we have witnessed a very dark winter here in Europe. A steady rise in far-right nationalism and anti-immigrant sentiments has led to violent attacks on mosques in Sweden and anti-Islam marches across German cities, meanwhile reports suggest that Antisemitism in Europe is higher than it's been in years. And now, in Paris, a horrific act of terrorism. In response to the Paris attacks, reports of grenades thrown at the city's mosques demonstrate the level of anger some feel towards these events. And it is perfectly natural to feel angry when faced with a situation one cannot understand. Yet when in the history of human civilization has a violent response to violence, of hatred towards hatred, ever created a wholly positive result?

I'm certainly not the first, nor will I be the last, to point out that the angry, hate-filled actions of terrorists and those of the far-right perpetuate the same response: division and deep mistrust. In a bitter-sweet and ironic turn the opposing actions of these two extremes continually add fuel to each other's arguments. The good news is that these extremes remain very much in the minority. There are over 4.7 million Muslims in France but four men were involved in Wednesday's attacks. And whilst a handful of French people have retaliated with violence towards Muslims, hundreds and thousands took to the streets of Paris and other European cities in a show of defiance; in a display of unity, togetherness, solidarity. Those who believe in finding a way to live together, side-by-side with our diversity, remain the majority. But we need to be a vocal majority; an active majority. Although we must also ensure that we are an inclusive, respectful majority, ready to explore our differences with mutual open-mindedness.

My personal response to the rise of extremism -- of all types -- across Europe is to continue to try and build bridges of understanding between different religious and non-religious communities; to find a way for each person to recognize our shared humanity, as first and beyond the other labels we take on and are given. The evening of music I describe above was the finale to the last interfaith conference I was involved in, and it took place in central Paris. There I met and worked with an incredible group of young French activists from the organization Coexister which works to create dialogue and foster solidarity between young people from different faith backgrounds. They are truly an inspiring group, working in a hostile environment and achieving incredible results.

To continue reading this article

please go here

Cross-posted with Advocacy @ St Paul's 

You are welcome at Ballarat Interfaith Network.
You may belong to a faith tradition.
You may have an informal spirituality.
You may not be a person of faith or spirituality.
Everyone is welcome to join in the conversations & friendship
across religious boundaries in #Ballarat.
Please contact us at
ballaratinterfaithnetwork@gmail.com

Epiphany is a Christian Festival making the arrival of the Three Kings in Bethlehem

Post by Brigid O'Carroll Walsh.

Are the lights going in Europe once more?

Cologne cathedral to switch off lights in protest at anti-Muslim march

March by Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West is latest in a series of anti-Muslim protests in Germany

Cologne Cathedral at night. Photograph: Corbis

Reuters in Cologne

Friday 2 January 201523.24 AEST

Cologne Cathedral, one of Germany’s most famous landmarks, will be plunged into darkness on Monday evening in protest at a march by a grassroots anti-Muslim movement through the western German city.

The rise of Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West (Pegida) has shaken the political establishment, prompting the chancellor, Angela Merkel, to warn in her new year address that its leaders were racists full of hatred and citizens should beware being used.

The group’s last weekly rally in the eastern city of Dresden attracted an estimated 17,000 people. It plans to hold further marches in other cities.

To read more, please go here

Jay Phillilps Center for Interfaith Learning

For your edification and education and exploration - a very interesting interfaith site...

The Jay Phillips Center for Interfaith Learning

The Jay Phillips Center for Interfaith Learning is a collaborative enterprise of the University of St. Thomas and Saint John’s University (MN), and it also serves the College of Saint Benedict (MN), which shares a common curriculum with Saint John's. Its mission is to promote interfaith learning, friendship, and service among people of various religions.

Multifaith Advisory Group (MAG) and Faith Communities Council of Victoria (FCCV) respond to #SiegeSydney

Statement on behalf of the Multifaith Advisory Group (MAG) and Faith Communities Council of Victoria (FCCV) in response to the tragic event in Sydney

Faith Leaders Call for Unity and Peace
Tuesday, 16 December 2014 

The members of the Victorian Multifaith Advisory Group (MAG) and the Faith Communities Council of Victoria (FCCV) would like to offer our deepest condolences and sympathies to the victims of the Sydney hostage crisis and their families.  We also extend our sincere gratitude to the police and emergency services personnel who put their lives at risk in the service of others.

We are shocked and saddened by this terrible act of violence and our thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by this tragic event.  

Australia is a diverse and harmonious place where people from many different cultures, religions and spiritualties have made their home.  Together, we live in peace and respect one another.  

We support the National Board of Imams and the wider Muslim community who have stated that the beliefs and acts of the individual responsible do not reflect the teachings of Islam, nor the desire for peace of Australian Muslims.  

During this sad and difficult time we call upon all Australians to unite in affirming peace and continuing to support one another.  

The overwhelming community support, including the #illridewith you Twitter campaign is heartening and reflects our shared humanity and values.  

We encourage all people to reach out to each other in the spirit of peace.     

The MAG consists of approximately 20 senior representatives from Victoria’s diverse faith communities, including the Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh and interfaith communities. The MAG represents the voice of Victoria’s faith leaders to the Victorian Government.

The FCCV is an umbrella multifaith body contributing to the harmony of the Victorian community by promoting positive relations between people of different faiths and greater public knowledge and mutual understanding of the teachings, customs and practices of Victoria's diverse faith traditions.  

This statement is supported by the following MAG members:

1. Anglican Archdiocese of Melbourne
2. Baha’i Community of Victoria 
3. Coptic Orthodox Church Diocese of Melbourne and Affiliated Regions
4. Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria
5. Gary Bouma, Chair of Interreligious and Intercultural Relations – Asia Pacific region
6. Hindu Council of Australia, Victoria Chapter
7. Hindu Foundation
8. Interfaith Centre of Melbourne 
9. Islamic Council of Victoria
10. Jewish Communities Council of Victoria
11. Lutheran Church of Australia, Victorian District
12. Rabbinical Council of Victoria
13. Russian Orthodox Church outside Russia, Australian and New Zealand Diocese
14. Salvation Army, Victoria
15. Sikh Interfaith Council of Victoria
16. Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of Victoria & Tasmania
17. Victorian Council of Churches
18. Victorian Multicultural Commission

Media contacts: 

• Bishop Phillip Huggins, Anglican Archdiocese of Melbourne, 0418 799 515 
• Nail Aykan, Islamic Council of Victoria, 0430 545 800
• Rabbi Ralph Genende, Rabbinical Council of Victoria, 0411 417 174

#illridewithyou is surging forward, breaking down barriers and building community

Please go to the ABC site for a larger version of this
and the accompanying article.

Not just interfaith - it's community

Love this pic from the SBS site.

Australians are catching on - this not just interfaith, it is community!