Wednesday, May 9, 2012 10:00am U.S. Central Time

This webinar will explore how to think about social media.  Using the frameworks of Marshall McLuhan, marketing theory, and media hook, we will explore how to leverage these technologies tactically, to comprise an effective overall strategy in interfaith and religious work.  #socialinterfaith

Frank Fredericks is the founder of World Faith, Çöñár Records, and Co-Founder of Religious Freedom USA. After graduating from NYU, Frank worked in the music industry, managing artists such as Lady Gaga. In 2006, he founded World Faith. a youth-led interfaith organization active in ten countries. As an active blogger, Frank has contributed to the Huffington Post, Washington Post, and Sojourners. Frank has been interviewed on Good Morning America, NPR, New York Magazine, and various international media outlets, and is an IFYC Fellow Alumnus, Soliya Fellow, and YouthActionNet Fellow.

Frank also works as an independent Online Marketing and PR Consultant, consulting non-profits, corporations, foundations, recording artists, and political campaigns on web issues ranging from viral video and social networks to SEO and advertising. He resides in New York, New York, where he still performs as a professional musician with local artists.

Title: Interfaith Social Media:  Interfaith Leadership in the Digital World

Date: Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Time: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM CDT

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements

PC-based attendees:

Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Macintosh®-based attendees: Required: Mac OS® X 10.4.11 (Tiger®) or newer

Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar seat now at: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/567335422

This webinar will be recorded and will be available on our website after the event.

Click here to see more webinars and recordings of previous webinars

by Austin Almaguer 

Contrary to the collective nostalgia of news coverage as daring reporting focused on truth telling, the final news coverage (whether printed newspaper, television broadcast, etc) is the product of the different forces within a news organization.  Indeed, each of these forces decides the newsworthiness of a particular report. Newspaper owners want news coverage that encourages newspaper purchases and extends the profit margin.  Media firms want news coverage that can be tied to advertisements.  Journalists want to tell a captivating story based upon their personal background and interests.  Audiences want to hear stories that relate to their cultural and social contexts.  A newsworthy article on crime may not present an objective perspective from the journalist but simply appeal to consumer perceptions and relate to advertisements for self-defense classes.

These competing internal interests within news organizations are essential to contemporary media — and the interfaith movement, as it seeks to gain prominence and importance in public life. The primary interactions inter-religious organizations have with news organizations are with the journalists and their audiences.  Therefore, inter-religious organizations must properly take into account the state of each interest group and respond accordingly.

Due to their frequent interaction with reporters, interfaith organizations should take particular care to  understand the role of journalists and editors (both generally in as individuals) in news coverage.  If the audience is interested in reading a story, then journalists can best be described as interested in telling a story. Therefore, it is important for inter-religious organizations to develop relationships with journalists and editors involved in religious news writing.  An interreligious organization must be aware, however, that not all journalists and editors are interested in positive interfaith stories.  Inter-religious organizations should take time to research which journalists, both locally and nationally, write negative or divisive pieces.

In addition, inter-religious organizations must understand that due to market forces, news coverage focuses on conflict or novelty. As a result, press submissions should incorporate these elements to the extent possible, while serving their intended purpose.  For instance, in the United States, a story about Christians and Jews eating together at a local synagogue may be only slightly novel and certainly would be free of conflict.  However, a story about Christian and Jews eating together at a local synagogue to show solidarity in response to a recent tragedy and to formulate strategies for reconciliation involves conflict (the tragedy) and novelty (Christians and Jews working together).  Moreover, in regions such as Europe and Latin America, where political issues more often take precedence over religious issues, stories of interfaith groups working for positive political change are also more likely to be published by news coverage. Even so, not all media outlets will be willing to run an interfaith story simply because the elements of conflict and novelty are present.  Nevertheless, understanding the dynamic forces at play in audiences and journalists better equips inter-religious organizations to help change the news coverage of religion by making people aware of the positive change happening in our world.

Dr. Anantanand Rambachan (a CPWR trustee) will speak with Rev. Ellen Grace O’Brian (also a CPWR trustee!) online this Thursday.

from the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment:

Awaken Love and Compassion through Discovering the Atman, the True Self
Dr. Anantanand Rambachan
on the Yoga Hour Online Broadcast,
Thursday, March 29 at 8 am PT 10am CT

Love and compassion are the natural endowments of the soul. When we are freed from the narrow confines of self-interest and discover our oneness with all that is, we find a source of happiness and satisfaction that previously escaped us. The Bhagavad Gita offers profound wisdom for living in love and infusing our action with compassion. Join Dr. Anantanand Rambachan, author of Gitamrtam: The Essential Teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, and Rev. Ellen Grace O’Brian from the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment on The Yoga Hour online broadcast for this insightful exploration of the true nature of the Self.

Dr. Anantanand Rambachan, is Chair and Professor or Religion, Philosophy and Asian Studies at Saint Olaf College, Minnesota, USA, where he has been teaching since 1985. Prof. Rambachan has been involved in the field of interreligious relations and dialogue for over twenty-five years, as a Hindu participant and analyst. He is currently an advisor to the Pluralism Project (Harvard University), a member of the International Advisory Council for the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, and a member of the Theological Education Committee of the American Academy of Religion. Prof. Rambachan delivered the invocation address at the historic White House Celebration of the Hindu festival of Diwali in 2003 and also in 2004.

Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid, the Council’s Chair of the Board of Trustees, championed interfaith collaboration as one of the greatest forces for water conservation, protection and positive consumer change.  Imam Mujahid was among the speakers for the United Nations’ World Water Day Conference in Chicago, hosted by the Office of the Governor.

World Water Day has been observed on March 22^nd since 1993 voted by the United Nations as “a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.”  This year’s theme was “Water and Food Security: the world is thirsty because we are hungry.” Food security and water access are linked, as the UN projects that by 2025, over two-thirds of the world population could be living in conditions of water-scarcity or under water-stress. Further, 70% of the world water supply is used for food production, which is not sustainable, and climate change is a direct impact of overconsumption and ineffective consumption. Mujahid reminded his fellow religious leaders that America is indeed a religious nation, so by harnessing that collective religious responsibility, religious Americans can have a direct impact on water, food, and fuel usage. With 15% of all food in the US going to waste, Mujahid urged all present to reinforce the message “consume less, share more,” and to “share a message of hope”, in order to create a more sustainable future for water usage and food production, and to fulfill a collective responsibility as people of faith to use our given supply responsibly.

Trustee Emeritus Swami Varadananda, long-time Parliament organizer and manager of the Vivekananda Vedanta Society in Chicago, reflected on how CPWR had highlighted these issues at past Parliaments in Cape Town (1999) and Barcelona (2004), where lack of water accessibility and food insecurity in relation to sustainability were addressed.

The Dr. Robert Henderson, Vice-Chair for the Council and also an elected member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United States, spoke to the group about building awareness around clean water access and food insecurity, especially with youth in religious communities. He suggested as well the importance of recording and sharing local initiatives to aid the hungry with the interfaith community at large to maintain momentum and education.

The second half of the meeting was hosted by members of Faith in Place, a Chicago-based interfaith organization that advocates “stronger congregations for a sustainable world.”

In the spirit of CPWR, this meeting brought together people of faith to discuss and work toward action around vital issues that impact people locally and globally.

by Abdul Malik Mujahid
from Sharia101.org

You might have seen a government-required sign at a McDonald’s restroom telling employees to wash their hands. Muslims do this as a part of living their faith, which is called Sharia in Arabic. The Prophet Muhammad also encouraged Muslims to wash their hands before and after eating. Muslim parents raise their children on many such manners. The first chapter in almost all books on Sharia is about morals and manners of cleanliness, which Prophet Muhammad said is half of the faith. God’s peace and blessings be upon him.

When Muslims begin anything they say, “In the name of God”. That is Sharia. When they greet each other, they smile and say, “Assalamu Alaikum” (peace be with you). That is Sharia.

Similarly, when Muslims take short breaks five times a day to pray, this is another example of practicing Sharia. Prayer is normally the second chapter in almost all books about Sharia.

Sharia does not present a comprehensive list of pure foods and drinks, although it prohibits ten or twelve things and declares everything else to be Halal or lawful to consume. If Muslims cannot find Halal food, they often eat vegetarian or kosher food. This is all Sharia.

When you see a Muslim woman wearing a headscarf and a loose dress, or a Muslim man with a head covering or beard, they are likely following Sharia manners of dress.

When in a marriage sermon you hear the Quran recited about piety, loyalty to each other, and God’s advice for clear communication between spouses, that is a Sharia wedding.

Muslims often avoid taking out mortgages due to the Sharia prohibition on Riba (usury/interest). This has led to the establishment of a worldwide Islamic financial industry and Dow Jones Islamic Market Indexes. The latter select companies that don’t deal in weapons, pornography, gambling, tobacco, or alcohol, etc. These investments are similar to 30 other “faith-based” investment options, like the Catholic Values Index. These are examples of the practice of Sharia in the realm of business.

All of the above are real-life examples of the totality of Sharia as practiced by the observant among the close to six million Muslims in America and the 3,000 formal Muslim congregations in America. Muslim Americans include doctors, entrepreneurs, professors, cab drivers, and the guy fixing your computer. Their service to their communities is also an example of practicing Sharia.

The Sharia That Muslim Americans Don’t Practice

There are parts of Sharia that Muslim Americans don’t implement in their daily lives.

Since Muslims ran a civilization for over a thousand years, they naturally developed a body of laws to deal with governing society. These laws deal with issues ranging from fighting neighborhood crime to international laws of war and peace.

Muslim Americans don’t practice these laws since they deal with the realm of government and state. Sharia emphasizes that the rule of law in a society must be implemented by the state. It considers vigilantism a major crime and a sin. Therefore, Sharia prohibits Muslims from practicing this part of Islam on an individual basis.

The Quran, like the Old Testament, is not limited to only the Ten Commandments, all of which except for the commandment to keep the Sabbath are to be found in parallel statements in the Quran. Like the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy), it ordains punishments for serious crimes. Unfortunately, it is this penal law that many people wrongly think is exclusively Sharia. This is incorrect.

It is true that Islamic criminal law has been at times implemented harshly, and even wrongly, by some Muslims. Such an application of Islamic criminal law is void of God’s mercy, which is considered His primary attribute in Islam. However, those nations or groups that do this do not speak for all Muslims, nor do they speak for the prophet of mercy, Prophet Muhammad, who would turn his face away when a person confessed his or her crimes. This was to give them room for repentance and forgiveness.

About five countries among the 56 Muslim nations worldwide implement Islamic criminal laws. Virtually none of them implement Sharia in its totality in all spheres of life. Their laws are a combination of local custom and precedent in that particular country, as well as remnants of laws brought by European colonial powers that ruled those countries.

The primary purpose of Sharia is to preserve life and order in society, not to incarcerate and punish. However, many in the Muslim world who are sick and tired of corruption and injustice demand that the criminal laws of Islam be implemented in their countries. Nevertheless, this is not what Muslims in America are demanding. Their practice of Sharia is limited to the personal sphere.

Unfortunately, three U.S. states have passed anti-Sharia laws, and 22 others are actively considering bills against Sharia. Some politicians are now looking to pass a federal law against Sharia. Anti-Sharia bills are a part of a well-funded campaign of fear mongering and intolerance, not unlike previous campaigns in America against Catholics and Jews.

To understand Sharia is to understand Islam. Criminalizing Sharia will criminalize the practice of Islam in America. Sharia mandates that Muslims respect the law of the land. It is also against Sharia to impose Sharia on anyone. Muslim Americans are subject to the same laws and constitution as any other American.

Sharia is in some ways similar to the Jewish Halacha law or Catholic Canon Law, with similar historic roots but far less complex. Unlike Jewish Halacha law which is practiced in Jewish American courts called Beth Din, there is no Muslim court system in the United States, nor is the Muslim community demanding this.

This article and many other resources concerning Sharia are available on Sharia101.org

“One of the most dynamic new leaders in the interfaith field,” Joshua Stanton, CPWR’s Religious Leadership Fellow, has been nominated for the 2012 Coexist Prize, a prestigious award given by the Coexist Foundation.  The foundation cited Stanton’s groundbreaking work in harnessing new media for interreligious dialogue, specifically highlighting State of Formation.

Kay Lindahl

		Wednesday, April 11, 2012 10:00am U.S. Central Time

This webinar focuses on the power of sacred listening: the art of becoming a listening presence, someone who can truly hear what the other is saying. To become that presence takes practice, not only to listen to others, but also to listen to ourselves and to listen to God. Just as we take time to write, practice, and polish a speech in preparing to talk, there is value in learning how to practice preparing to listen. We will explore three types of practices in this webinar: cultivating silence, slowing down to reflect, and becoming present. The quality of our listening can make a profound difference in any conversation. It is a sacred art and a spiritual practice. As we open our hearts to deep, attentive listening, we find it transforms all our relationships, nurtures our inner voice, and inspires our spiritual growth.

Kay Lindahl is a Certified Listening Professional and the founder of The Listening Center. She is recognized as an inspiring teacher and spiritual guide for people of all religious backgrounds and she conducts workshops and retreats around the world on the sacred art of listening for religious, spiritual, educational, health services, community, and business groups.

Kay is also a dedicated spokesperson for the interfaith movement and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Women of Spirit and Faith and The Immortal Chaplains Foundation. She is a past trustee for the Global Council of the United Religions Initiative, former chair of the North American Interfaith Network and an Ambassador for the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions.

Title: The Sacred Art of Listening

Date: Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Time: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM CDT
After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements
PC-based attendees:
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Macintosh®-based attendees:
Required: Mac OS® X 10.4.11 (Tiger®) or newer

Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/277134774

Click here to see more webinars and recordings of previous webinars

photo by John White

by Sarah Fentem

At the fifth gathering of the monthly “Sharing Sacred Spaces” program, the Rev. Phil Blackwell, Senior Pastor at the First United Methodist Church in the Chicago Loop, mentioned it was not uncommon for passers-by to mistake the church for a bank or hotel.

The passers-by could be forgiven. At street level, the skyscraper, which sports a minimalist facade, gilded revolving doors, and a sparkling, and tiled lobby, (complete with a concierge) blends in neatly with its urban surroundings.

However, visitors to 77 W. Washington Street need only tilt their heads toward the sky to realize this is no ordinary skyscraper. Perched atop the 23 floors sits a resplendent carved steeple, topped with a polished gold cross.

The Church was the latest in a series of interfaith events put on by the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions’ “Sharing Sacred Spaces” program, which brings together people from different spiritual and religious traditions. Each month, one of eight participating congregations from the Chicago area opens its doors to others for an afternoon to showcase their own space and share their beliefs and traditions. Other participating congregations include a Buddhist temple, a Jewish Reform congregation, an Episcopal cathedral, an Islamic center, and Christian Science, Presbyterian and Catholic churches.

photos by John White

“I’ve been to a lot of interfaith exchanges before,” said Jennifer Butler, a “Sacred Spaces” guest, “but most of them have been in a neutral location. They haven’t been in a place of worship. I think it’s a neat way to be welcomed in and get a sense of hospitality.” The events spread  “a universal message of brotherhood,” said Ahmed Nayamuth, another guest. “Its good to build bridges and share the same thing-the common milk of human kindness.”

On  February 19^th, 2012, guests of the program were greeted with a tour that showcased the Temple’s neo-gothic sanctuary, which featured ornate vaulted ceilings and floor-to-ceiling stained-glass windows, including one showcasing the Methodist Church’s history in Chicago, depicting jewel-like versions of the buildings in the city’s skyline. A carving under the window quoted the book of Revelation: “And John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven.” Carved angels sat atop the ceiling, gazing down at the visitors.

After a visit to the sanctuary, guests filed into the elevators, which opened directly into the Church’s art gallery on the second floor. The current exhibit, a chilling installation entitled “Urban Dolorosa”, memorializes the more than 300 children who have been killed in Chicago since 2008. Child-sized chairs, lined up to simulate a classroom, stand empty in front of long lists of the names of Chicago children lost to violence. The exhibit is an example of Methodists’ commitment to social justice and Chicago Temple’s commitment to its urban community.

Their urban location translates into a diverse mix of people, backgrounds, and heritages. The church boasts 700 members and 300 constituents from every zip code in the city. This location also gives the church an opportunity to interact with the urban community in new, immediate ways.

For example, the downtown location is open from 7 AM to 9 PM seven days a week, which gives the homeless what associate pastor Claude King describes as “a place of prayer and solace…a place to pour out their troubles to the world.” The sanctuary provides a place for the needy to seek shelter, especially during the frigid Chicago winters. Rev. King says the fact the church provides a place to stay for “people who are not seen as human beings in the city of Chicago…makes it even more sacred.”

The urban environment also grants the “skyscraper church” a financial advantage. Since it was completed in 1923, floors five through 21 have been rented out as office space (famed Chicago lawyer Clarence Darrow once held an office on the 6th floor.) The pragmatic decision to open the building to non-religious business ushered in a new marriage of religion and commerce, giving the church a built-in source of income. The dual use of the building kept the Methodist Church afloat during bleak economic periods like the Great Depression.

“The fact that they’ve succeeded for almost 100 years in that building means they’re good at adapting to that commercial process,” said Robert Rogers, a retired architect and Sacred Spaces participant, who called the building’s mixed-use “innovative.”

The afternoon concluded with a recital of traditional hymns like “Come Thou Font of Every Blessing” and not-so-traditional meditative Taizé chanting. (Taizé is a type of ecumenical worship that emphasizes prayer, meditation, and introspection. The church holds a Taizé prayer service once a week.) Music has played a huge role in Methodist liturgy since the faith’s very inception.  Charles Wesley, who along with his brother, John, is credited with founding the Methodist Church, wrote the words to many of Christianity’s favorite hymns, including “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and “Jesus Christ is Risen Today”.

After the event’s conclusion, guests were invited to view the church’s “Sky Chapel”, a small sanctuary built into the skyscraper’s steeple 400 feet above the city. After visitors completed the trek to the top, which included two elevator rides and a climb up a staircase, they were greeted to a view only a “skyscraper church” could offer. Inside, a quiet place for prayer and meditation high above the busy streets of downtown Chicago is a sacred space which simultaneously rests within the city but also transcends it.

Click here to learn more about Sharing Sacred Spaces and join us at our next event!

by Sarah Fentem

In a recent event at Chicago Sinai congregation on the Near North side of Chicago, Rabbi Michael Sternfield spoke to a packed congregation about the importance of interreligious understanding. However, the audience was not his usual Jewish family. Instead, he spoke to Protestants, Catholics, Muslims, and Buddhists. The importance of the event was not lost on him.

“We’re all part of one human family”, said Sternfield. “We’re not just here to cheer for our own team, so to speak.”

The philosophy falls perfectly in line with that of the Council for the Parliament of World Religions, the organization behind the “Sharing Sacred Spaces” project. The global organization, located in Chicago, strives to promote interreligious harmony “to achieve a just, peaceful, and sustainable world.”

“Sharing Sacred Spaces” brings together different religious and spiritual communities in the Chicago area. One of eight participating congregations opens its doors on one afternoon during their designated month to showcase their sacred space and share their beliefs and traditions.

Guests at Chicago Sinai found themselves in the light-filled, octagonal sanctuary on the second floor of the congregation’s home on the Near North Side. For Christian visitors, the scene was surprisingly familiar: an organist, rows of pews, a pulpit, and a small choir.

The similarities are not merely a coincidence. Reform Judaism evolved from the desire of 19^th-century Jews to integrate into more mainstream society. For worship, this meant adopting more commonly-used liturgical practices, and in North America, that meant mirroring Protestant Christianity. For many of those attending the event at Chicago Sinai, their experience was different than what they expected. In contrast to traditional Orthodox Judaism, the men did not wear yarmulkes, and women and men were not separated.  In addition, the Sinai community has services on Sunday as well as Friday night. The Reform approach have proved immensely popular among the Chicago community: Sinai’s services for the Jewish High Holy Days draw such a large crowd that they hold their services at Fourth Presbyterian church, a wonderful example of collaboration between faith communities sharing their sacred spaces.

The experience resonated with Muhammed Hussain, a member of the Downtown Islamic Center.

“I thought it was really interesting to see how the Reform faith came with a desire to become integrated,” he said, mentioning that Muslims also experience difficulties assimilating into a dominant American culture while still striving to stay true to their faith’s traditions. “It really makes me feel good there is an example to follow.”

Reform Judaism emphasizes ethical commandments over the more traditional ritual commandments, such as keeping kosher and not using electricity on the Sabbath.  Perhaps the most important commandment for Reform Jews is written on the wall of the sanctuary: Rabbi Hillel’s famous declaration, “Do not do unto others what you would not have done to yourself.”

Practically every physical aspect of the temple has a symbolic meaning. During the program, Tom Samuels, a member of the congregation, described the painstaking thoughtfulness that went into designing and building the temple, which was completed in1997. The congregation worked closely with Chicago architect Dirk Lohan, to make sure every part of the building had a purpose and a meaning.

“For me, the initial impression was of the actual space itself,” said Kwang Oh, a member of the First United Methodist Church and a student at Garrett-Evangelical Theogical Seminary. “I’ve never been to a synagogue before…everything had a purpose for the design.”

For example, the three main parts of the temple parallel the three main tenets of Judaism: worship, individual prayer, and “learning the book”. The sanctuary, a smaller chapel, and a library and study space, correspond to these three parts, respectively.

The unusual placement of the sanctuary on the second floor has a theological meaning as well, explained Samuels. “You come up to Temple, you want to distance yourself from everyday life,” he explained. “But then you come back down to earth to re-engage in the community.”

One of the most visually striking elements of the sanctuary is a huge stained glass window above the ark holding the Torah scrolls. The window, designed by the artist Brian Clarke, serves a decorative as well as a symbolic purpose: a reminder there is a world outside, waiting.

We’re never supposed to think what we do is isolated from the rest of our lives,” explained Rabbi Sternfield. “We cannot pray in a vacuum.”

“The more we understand each other, the broader our own lives are,” said Shirley Paulson, the Head of Ecumenical Affairs for the Church of Christ, Scientist.  “We find what’s beautiful in ourselves when we see what’s beautiful in others.” By highlighting similarities and dissolving preconceptions, the “Sharing Sacred Spaces” project puts Paulson’s sentiment into practice.

Click here for more information on the Sharing Sacred Spaces project 

by Dave Weiman
from Cooking Together

At the January meeting, the UUA Trustees voted to place a responsive resolution to repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery on the business agenda for the General Assembly.  What is the Doctrine of Discovery?  Why have our partner organizations in Arizona called for its repudiation?  How are we as Unitarian Universalist people of faith called to respond?  For the next several weeks, Cooking Together bloggers will address these questions.  This post was written by Dave Weiman, who has been working with others to educate UUs about this issue. – Ed.

At 7:30 pm on December 3, 2009, Joy Murphy Wandin, senior woman of the Wurundjeri People, was the first person to greet the 6,000 plus people who had come together for the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Melbourne, Australia, with this traditional ‘Welcome to the Land’:

On behalf of the spiritual ancestors and the traditional owners of Melbourne, I invite you to Melbourne in 2009, for the Parliament of the World’s Religions to share in the traditions, culture and spirit of Australia.

I was impressed that special recognition was given to the Peoples who had nurtured the land for thousands of years.   The welcoming practice not just for the opening, occurred at the beginning of almost every event during the Parliament, large or small.  And in fact, at the start of Sunday Service at the local Unitarian Church, the same basic welcoming statement started the service.  It is important to note that the words in these messages of welcome are of and by the Peoples who are native to the land, not from government officials.

At the final Plenary of the Parliament more than a dozen Indigenous Peoples from around the globe, presented a ‘Statement to the World.’  The Statement explained Indigenous cultures and contributions, the negative outcomes of colonization, and the injustices suffered by Indigenous Peoples.   It concluded with seven ‘appeals’.  Of the seven, two became an important focus of my social justice work when I returned home.  One asked for all nations to implement and support the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (Declaration), and another asked for the repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery (Doctrine).

From the opening moment of the Parliament to its closing, I was being drawn into a social justice cause about which I had known virtually nothing.  Since the Parliament I’ve been learning more, about the Declaration and the Doctrine, and come to understand why these are so important, not only for Indigenous Peoples, but for all of us.