Engaging the religious “Other” is only a matter of life or death.
In the interests of full disclosure, a few points as preface to the following: As a freshman in college, I gave serious thought to converting to Islam. While I’d like to think that I was stopped mainly by my concern for the status of women in some Middle Eastern nations, the facts are that I [...]
Reviewing Project Conversion by Andrew Bowen
I have always held a singular fascination for the spiritual life—perhaps it is due to my generally introverted nature and love of study as a spiritual practice—but the path of the seeker, and the raw, unmediated chronicling of the spiritual journey is one to which I relate deeply, if at times vicariously. It was thus [...]
Less Truth, Please: A Rational Argument in Defense of Irrational Persuasion
In high school I had a class on Early British Literature. It was a lot like most other high school English classes. We would read, listen to lectures, and have group discussions. Then about halfway through the course a handful of students turned it into a game. They all assigned themselves topics that they were [...]
For the Love of Stories
“Why did God create human beings? Because God loves stories.” This is what Elie Wiesel concluded based on his studies of Jewish literature, and I love the idea, even though I must be a real disappointment to God since I can’t seem to tell stories, at least not orally. My relationships with friends, colleagues and [...]
Susan Harrison: Why I am committed to building relationships with those from different religious and ethical traditions
Managing Director’s Note: beginning in the Spring of 2013, all Contributing Scholars will answer the following question as their first post: Why are you committed to building relationships with those from different religious or ethical traditions? I have been described as “a consummate networker” when it comes to building bridges between people of other faiths. [...]
Krista Dalton: Why I am committed to building relationships with those from different religious and ethical traditions
Managing Director’s Note: beginning in the Spring of 2013, all Contributing Scholars will answer the following question as their first post: Why are you committed to building relationships with those from different religious or ethical traditions? The call for interreligious discourse runs deep within my personal and academic story. When I was a young girl, [...]
On Being a Person of Faith in Texas
Working in Texas as a progressive person of faith can sometimes be a weary task. Christianity is unashamedly used to promote policies and values that make me anything but proud to say I work at a church in Texas. As the current Texas legislative session proceeds, it seems there is another statistic being voiced every [...]
Enver Rahmanov: Why I am committed to building relationships with those from different religious and ethical traditions
Managing Director’s Note: beginning in the Spring of 2013, all Contributing Scholars will answer the following question as their first post: Why are you committed to building relationships with those from different religious or ethical traditions? Humanism was not exactly the word that I grew up with in the former USSR, yet it was the [...]
The Megaphone of Money in American Politics
While the sums are larger and the stakes are higher in recent times, the fear that money corrupts those in power is an age-old issue. As far back as the Hebrew Bible those concerned with justice warned against the powerful and dangerous effects of money in politics.
Can Preaching be Prophetic and Pastoral?
A few weeks ago I was sitting in a preaching workshop listening to a series of sermons on the same text. Most of the sermons were a lot alike, but one of them was a little different. It was about a certain social issue. Exactly what the issue was isn’t really relevant, but suffice to [...]
Contributing Scholars
Daniel HallAs a staff member of the Soka Gakkai International-USA Buddhist Association, Daniel directs awareness raising initiatives centered on the U.N. Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace. In May 2012, he completed a Master of Public Diplomacy at the University of Southern California and has since conducted research in this area as an independent scholar. His research interests include faith diplomacy, media and religion, and the role of transnational non-state actors in global affairs. In 2013, Palgrave Macmillan will publish his article titled "Pope John Paul II, Radio Free Europe and Faith Diplomacy" as part of a new volume on religion and public diplomacy.
Pluralism ProjectThe Pluralism Project, founded and directed by Dr. Diana L. Eck, is a twenty-year research project on the changing religious landscape of the United States. Through an expanding network of affiliates and student researchers, we document the contours of our multi-religious society, explore new forms of interfaith engagement, study the impact of religious diversity in civic life, and contextualize these findings within a global framework.
Karen Leslie HernandezI am a Theologian with a focus on Christian-Muslim Understanding, as well as religious fundamentalism and extremism. I write, teach and lecture on Islam, Christian-Muslim relations worldwide (past and present), Jesus in the Qur'an, Al Qaeda, Islamophobia, and theological responses to terrorism. I have a Master of Sacred Theology in Religion and Conflict Transformation from Boston University School of Theology, '11; a Master of Theological Research in Christian-Muslim Understanding from Andover Newton Theological School, '07; and a BA in Peace and Justice Studies with a concentration in Islam from Wellesley College, '05. I've published with the Women's United Nations Report Network, Onislam, The American Muslim, and The Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue. Along with Palestine/Israel, Turkey, and Spain, my experiential/research work includes traveling to and living in India three times looking at Christian-Muslim-Hindu relations, as well as Muslim women's lives in the slums of Mumbai. I also had the privilege to serve on three panels at the Parliament of World Religions in Melbourne, Australia in 2009. From what I can tell, I am the only Theologian that is a woman, a Latina, and a Catholic/United Methodist, doing this type of work in the United States. In my spare time, I spend time with my daughter when she is home from college, practice yoga, read, love the theatre, and run with scissors whenever possible. I am also Associate Director of Communications with State of Formation.