Spotlight on CLAL
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Religion In The Age Of Terrorism: World’s Largest Interfaith Gathering Post 9/11 in Barcelona, July 7-13
Thousands Will Pledge Concrete Steps In
Confronting Religious Violence at
“Parliament of the World’s Religions”
CLAL to Lead Jewish Delegation, Sponsor Key Debate on Embracing the Dark
Side of Our Own Traditions as a Way of Making Peace with Others
By Judy Epstein, Director of Public Affairs
The 2004 Parliament of the World’s Religions, the
largest inter-religious gathering since 9/11 and the attack in Madrid,
will be held in Barcelona on July 7-13, 2004. Thousands from every faith
and part of the globe are expected to attend, seeking spiritual connection
and new paths towards world peace. Hundreds of programs will be offered,
with special guest speakers: The Dalai Lama, the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize
winner Shirin Ebadi, and renowned theologian Dr. Hans Kung, among others.
“Every day headlines from around the world prove how religion brings death
and destruction,” said Rabbi Brad Hirschfield, Vice-President of CLAL-The
National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, and a Parliament
speaker. “We are coming together in Barcelona to demonstrate how religion
can nurture life and bring peace.”
CLAL, which is bringing a delegation of Jewish leaders, is sponsoring an
interfaith roundtable with religious influentials from throughout the
world. Moderated by Michael Gottsegen, Ph. D., a CLAL Senior Fellow, the
session will ask participants to wrestle with the dark sides of their own
traditions and embrace those aspects while remaining open to others. By
inviting people to self-critique and take responsibility for the
traditions they love, they can begin to contribute to the health of the
wider world.
“The majority of today’s global conflicts are either directly rooted in or
fueled by religious discord,” said Rabbi Hirschfield, a roundtable
panelist. “But rather than walk away from religion altogether, we must
create new centers of power that will use traditional systems in ways that
build passion and peace.”
CLAL, a co-founder of the Parliament’s Consultation on Multifaith
Education, is also participating in a plenary on interfaith education,
social justice and building community. Panelists will respond to a keynote
from Madhu Kishwar from India, a leader in Hindu-Muslim dialogue, who will
address the need for people of different faiths to engage one another in
order to forge a path to peace. Speakers will include Rabbi Hirschfield,
who will discuss multifaith education as vehicle for achieving harmony and
justice. Joining him will be Dr. Al-Harith A.H. Hassan Al-Asady from Iraq,
and Paul Knitter, an expert in theology from the United States.
“Justice is about each person and community having what they need, but we
cannot appreciate those needs until we fully recognize each other,” said
Rabbi Hirschfield. “It is about going beyond the status quo and not
settling for things as they are, but pushing to make them better. You have
to believe that you can make a difference.”
A third session featuring Dr. Gottsegen and Rabbi Hirschfield will be on
Jewish pluralism and postdenominationalism. Held for Jewish religious
leaders, it will examine how contemporary Jews define themselves, whether
the denominations still matter, and the challenge of Jewish religious
pluralism. Panelists will consider whether the denominational distinctions
still hold significance in spiritual and religious life, or are they
divisive and just get in the way of a common Jewish identity?
In addition to attending the Parliament, CLAL’s delegation of close to 25
Jewish leaders will meet with the Jewish community of Barcelona and
explore the history of this important city in Jewish culture. Discussions
will explore ways that participants can both deepen their Jewish spiritual
engagement while widening their spiritual horizons.
Also joining the delegation will be a film crew capturing the sights,
sounds and colors of the Parliament. Seeking to explore how religion
functions in the world today, the crew, led by award-winning filmmaker
David Holbrooke, will examine the inherent duality of religion from both a
personal and global viewpoint.
The Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions is a Chicago-based,
interreligious organization that cultivates harmony among the world’s
religious and spiritual communities and fosters their engagement with the
world to achieve a vision of peace, justice and sustainability.
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