This collection, while small, hints at some of the very big things to which interfaith philosophies, organizing tactics, and methodologies can lead. Smoothing over centuries of religious conflicts and socially-constructed barriers is a difficult proposition. Yet hundreds of organizations identify as In
terfaith for a very good reason: when we work to erase the barriers of religion and through dialogue begin to recognize shared goals, these goals become more attainable. By standing on platforms of commonality, or even more basic than that, a sense of mutual respect, people of different faiths can see eye-to-eye and combine their power, networks, and resources to achieve greater things together than they could have alone, whether that is in providing more affordable housing or preventing climate change.
The interfaith field in general is very broad, and this collection only scratches the surface of its many facets. The majority of non-profit organizations who identify as "interfaith" don't do explicitly interfaith work. The work they do is geared toward social issues, and the committed advocates in these groups recognize that they come from myriad backgrounds but rarely dwell on it (or create research about how being interfaith affects their work).
But for this collection, IssueLab decided to focus on research that more directly analyzes the interfaith movement or methodology, evaluates or reflects on work that interfaith organizations have accomplished, or approaches a social or policy issue through an explicitly interfaith lens.
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10 Years of the Festival of Faiths
Contributing Organization(s): Pluralism Project, The
Publication date: 2009-04-27
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In 1996 the Center for Interfaith Relations (formerly the Cathedral Heritage Foundation) of Louisville, Kentucky held its first annual Festival of Faiths to celebrate the religious heritage of the Louisville region. This interfaith event has since grown to be recognized by the United States Senate as a model for interfaith activity. This year marked the tenth anniversary of the Festival of Faiths. Complete listing and access info » |
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Alabama Faith Council Statement on Elimination of Taxes on Groceries
Contributing Organization(s): Alabama Faith Council
Publication date: 2009-01-06
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Poverty is a vital moral issue for people of faith. Poverty is the result of a complex set of global and local issues, not necessarily a reflection of any kind of failure on the part of those families living in poverty. Our calling as people of faith is not only to provide direct assistance to those in need, but also to address the underlying issues, including government and social policies, that keep people in poverty. One factor that contributes to poverty in Alabama is the tax on groceries. Complete listing and access info » |
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Alabama Faith Council Statement on Environmental Stewardship
Contributing Organization(s): Alabama Faith Council
Publication date: 2009-02-04
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Overwhelming scientific evidence points to a very serious situation created in great part by our human consumption and exploitation of nature, our waste and pollution, and lack of reverence for the Earth, Earth's waters, and for all living creatures. This degradation of the environment affects everyone. Complete listing and access info » |
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Alabama Faith Council Statement on Immigration Reform
Contributing Organization(s): Alabama Faith Council
Publication date: 2008-05-09
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There is ample evidence that the United States immigration system needs to be reformed. The presence of millions of undocumented immigrants; the exploitation of immigrant workers; divided families; deaths in the desert southwest and on the open seas; people obtaining fraudulent government documents; criminal smugglers and human trafficking; and public frustration are all an indication that the system we have in place does not best serve our economy, our national security, and our local communities. The system we have now also does not reflect our religious traditions and the tradition of hospitality which has defined the United States of America. Any reform of our immigration system must be implemented in a way that is fair, just, and respectful of the dignity and worth of all human beings, balancing the needs and well-being of native born Americans, legal immigrants, and those who are working here but are in our country illegally. Any reform of our immigration system must also address the root causes of the migration of human beings. Complete listing and access info » |
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Alabama Faith Council Statement on Obstacles to Just Government
Contributing Organization(s): Alabama Faith Council
Publication date: 2008-01-03
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In 1963, the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote the following in a letter to fellow clergy about segregation while in the Birmingham City jail: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." While Alabama's segregationist laws have been rendered moot by the federal courts and laws, our 1901 Constitution -- Alabama's sixth one -- is still a major impediment to racial and economic justice in the state especially for those whose needs are the greatest and those whose resources in life are the least. Alabama's 1901 Constitution creates a governmental structure that concentrates power in the legislature where it is easy for wealthy interest groups to perpetuate the Constitution's unfair impacts on poor and middle class Alabamians. Complete listing and access info » |
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Alabama Faith Council Statement on Public Education
Contributing Organization(s): Alabama Faith Council
Publication date: 2009-01-13
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There are countless statistics showing that Alabama's schools inadequately prepare the state's 740,000 public school students for the future. Our students are less likely to read on grade level or graduate on time. Nationwide comparisons of student learning show that Alabama schools trail most of the country. Our schools do not effectively teach all children, leading to achievement gaps between different groups of students. And even the best performing groups of students in Alabama compare unfavorably with their peers from other states. To the further disadvantage of our neediest children, the best-prepared and most-experienced teachers are distributed unevenly throughout the state. Public school advocates must accept that there are no easy solutions or quick fixes for a complex education system serving an ever-changing student population. Character development must be an essential component of our educational objectives. Money is part of a solution not a panacea. The good news is two-fold: Alabama's children are beginning to post significant learning gains, and there are known methods to improve student learning and ultimately help every child succeed in life. Complete listing and access info » |
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Alabama Faith Council Statement on Voluntary Pre-K For All Four-Year-Olds
Contributing Organization(s): Alabama Faith Council
Publication date: 2008-05-09
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There is ample evidence that high-quality early learning programs are critical for children to be successful in school an din life. Research shows that 85% of brain development takes place prior to a child turning five (5) years old. However, many children do not have access to the high-quality early learning experiences that their more affluent peers have; forcing these children to begin school far behind their peers. Because the achievement gap starts before children enter school and only grows wider during formal school training, we must make high-quality pre-K available for all four-year-olds whose parents want it to provide all Alabama children an equal opportunity to succeed in school and life. Such programs give children entering school a more "level playing field". Making high quality voluntary pre-K available to all four-year-olds is a justice issue. Complete listing and access info » |
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Baccalaureate Services and Pluralism
Contributing Organization(s): Pluralism Project, The
Publication date: 2005-10-21
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The renewal of baccalaureate services in colleges and universities across the country has been met with increasingly diverse student populations. The manners in which schools approach this growing plurality of religious faiths are as diverse as the institutions themselves. Some schools no longer include a baccalaureate service as part of their commencement activities, some maintain a traditional Christian form, and some provide an interfaith service of one type or another.
Public and private institutions alike host interfaith baccalaureate ceremonies, as do religiously affiliated and independent schools. The main indicator of whether or not an institution will hold such a ceremony seems most tied to the make-up of that particular school's student body, faculty, and administration. While not all institutions find that an interfaith service is most suitable for them, a rising number of colleges and universities are discovering that interfaith baccalaureates, in all their varieties, provide their particular student body with a setting for religious reflection that meets their community's needs in an environment of ever-increasing religious pluralism.
Complete listing and access info » |
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Building Justice
Contributing Organization(s): Interfaith Worker Justice
Publication date: 2008-05-01
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On December 10, 2007 and January 24th, 2008 Interfaith Worker Justice convened fact-finding delegations of religious leaders from around the country to learn more about working conditions in the home construction industry in Phoenix and Las Vegas. These religious leaders visited home developments and talked to workers who build homes for Pulte Homes, one of the largest home construction companies in the country, as well as officials and organizers from the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), the Sheet Metal Workers International Association (SMWIA), and the American Federation of Labor -- Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). Officials from Pulte Homes and several Pulte contractors refused to meet with the delegations despite repeated requests. The delegations quickly discovered a disturbing pattern of injustice and abuse among contractors paid by Pulte to build homes for the company. Complete listing and access info » |
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Faith in Action: Using Interfaith Coalitions to Support Voluntary Caregiving Efforts
Contributing Organization(s): Public/Private Ventures
Publication date: 2003-09-03
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Funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Faith in Action gives small grants to programs that provide informal care for those with chronic physical or mental disabilities. Program services are provided by volunteers, and programs are supported by coalitions involving diverse religious congregations and community-based agencies. This report presents findings from a national survey of 787 Faith in Action programs funded during the 1990s; it highlights their organizational practices, successes and challenges. It also outlines the practices linked with program survival, which include hiring directors with experience in key areas, implementing volunteer training and at least quarterly supervision, involving collaborators in fundraising and volunteer recruitment, and providing diverse services. Complete listing and access info » |
