Gaza and Interfaith Domestic Dialogue
“Oh, one more thing” said the landlord as I signed the lease, “the couple sharing the house is from Israel.” In a split second long hours of interfaith dialogue, community organizing and genuine friendships all flashed before me as I grinned at his apprehension and simply replied, “…that shouldn’t be a problem.” Relieved, he collected [...]
The Hiker and the Climber – The Allegory of the Mountain
Fellow SoF Scholar Tom Peteet wrote about his encounter with a Muslim boy upon visiting a mosque in the Blue Mountains of Southern India. A question elicited an answer and a back and forth ensued between the two, but not a conversation. The boy was eagerly defending the necessity of believing in only one God, [...]
Ahmed Elewa
Ahmed Elewa is a graduate student at the Islamic American University where he is researching "responsibility" in Shariah and Islamic Jurisprudence. He is also a doctoral candidate at the University of Massachusetts Medical School where he studies early embryo development. Upon receiving his Masters Degree in Biomedical Sciences in 2007, Ahmed spent two years working as a community organizer and interfaith coordinator in Boston before moving to Egypt to pursue advanced religious studies. He is currently enrolled in the College of Shariah and Law at al-Azhar University. In 2010 Ahmed published his first novel in Arabic (alRawda) which highlights the paradoxes inherent in biculturalism. A year later he published a memoir, "Ground Zero Mosque: The confessions of a Western-Middle-Eastern Muslim" to narrate his personal encounter with these paradoxes. Using State of Formation as a medium, Ahmed continues to develop his thoughts on personal and social multiculturalism and how religion, science and history interact within individuals and societies. Follow him on twitter @albostoni.
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Contributing Scholars
Project InterfaithProject Interfaith strives to create a community and world where people of all faiths, beliefs and cultures are valued, included and protected. As such, we seek to serve as a leader and resource on interfaith relations and religious & cultural diversity.
Karri WhippleKarri Whipple, 26, is a Master of Sacred Theology candidate at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. Karri’s interests centers around the role faith communities in addressing violence against women, restorative justice, and creating transformative, peaceful communities.
Joseph McLendonJoseph is a professor, Quaker, husband, and friend. He teaches anthropology and humanities courses for a liberal arts college in Portland, Oregon. He commutes by bike, plays guitar, and enjoys fine Scotch, wines, and foods with his wife.
Current projects include: Workshop seminars on the intersection of Christian Theology and Western Pop-Culture; Collaborative immersion projects for students within religious communities divergent to their own.