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Unleashing the Power of Interreligious CooperationThe Interfaith Center at the Presidio welcomes, serves, and celebrates the diverse spiritual wisdom and faith traditions of the Bay Area and is networked with interfaith groups locally and globally. Located at the Post Chapel in the Presidio of San Francisco, ICP’s core activities include:
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 Unleashing the Power of
Interreligious Cooperation The Interfaith Center at the Presidio welcomes, serves, and celebrates the diverse spiritual wisdom and faith traditions of the Bay Area and is networked with interfaith groups locally and globally. Located at the Post Chapel in the Presidio of San Francisco, ICP’s core activities include:
 Following the mass shooting in Las Vegas, the Interfaith Center at the Presidio joins with people across the nation in grieving the victims, offering our prayers, and rededicating ourselves to the task of building relationships of respect and peace among the fractured communities of our nation.
As a Cooperating Circle of the United Religions Initiative, we share the vision expressed by URI Executive Director Rev. Victor Kazanjian, Jr.: If we do not allow ourselves to feel this sadness, to really grieve, then our fears and pain turn instead to grievance. Who is to blame? How can I get my revenge? The world seems locked in an endless cycle of grievance. Grievance is the fuel of terrorists. One act of violence fuels another act of violence and the cycle continues, day after day, generation after generation. But we who work for peace are dedicated to breaking this cycle. First we weep, for those whose lives are lost. We weep for their families and friends and communities who grieve. We weep and then we work. Our sadness leads not to paralysis, but to a deeper commitment to work for peace in our communities, in our countries and in our world. We will post information about any vigils or events that we know of being planned in the Bay Area; if your group is planning an event, please send details to @. The URI has resources to help groups planning interfaith ceremonies.  The Interfaith Center at the Presidio links the power of interreligious cooperation by welcoming, serving, and celebrating the diverse wisdom and faith traditions of the Bay Area. IN THIS ISSUE: International Day of Peace Events | URI Global Leadership in Sarajevo | Chapel Tours |Around the Bay | NAINConnect 2017 Photos| The Interfaith Observer| Parliament 2018 | Notes & Quotes | Send Us Your News | Bay Area Interreligious Calendar | Special Opportunities | Subscribe to BAIC INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE EVENTS The Interfaith Center was host to two special events in the Presidio Chapel marking the United Nations International Day of Peace. The September 21st service honored the 20th anniversary of “Mines to Vines,” a project of Roots for Peace to convert former battlefields to productive farmland. Heidi Kuhn, Executive Director of Roots for Peace, was the keynote speaker. She was joined by leaders from Baha’i, Brahma Kumari, Buddhist, Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Jewish, Latter Day Saints, Muslim, and Unitarian communities. The full program is available here. The San Francisco Interfaith Council and United Religions Initiative co-sponsored the event.  On Sunday, September 24, Victoria Rodriguez, Darryl Taylor, and Deon Nielsen Price, accomplished musicians and performers, joined their talents to present “To the Children of War,” based on poetry by Maya Angelou, along with other music by Chopin, Debussy and Deon Price. Their aim was to offer soulful music for voice and piano that addresses society’s unrest and can bring peace to the listener. URI GLOBAL LEADERSHIP GATHERING ICP Board Chair Fred Fielding attended the 2017 URI Global Leadership Gathering in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina as a Global Council Trustee for North America. There were over 80 attendees including URI Global Council members, URI President’s Council members, and global staff members. The purpose of the gathering was to build stronger relationships among global leadership on all levels, further the URI strategic planning process, and support URI member organizations called Cooperation Circles in Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Europe.
Activities and events included Global Council and staff meetings, strategic planning presentations, and opportunities to learn about the cultural and religious history of the area. URI highlighted the work of Youth for Peace, a Cooperation Circle in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This included a public event with local dignitaries and religious leaders speaking to a group of approximately 200 guests. Youth for Peace provides programs for young people from different religious backgrounds to meet, engage in peaceful dialogue and activities. DOCENT TOURS OF PRESIDIO CHAPEL. Summertime is a great time to enjoy the Open House/Docent Tours at the Presidio Chapel each Sunday from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm. Come and view the historic 33′ fresco painted by Victor Arnautoff, a protegé of Diego Rivera, and the stained glass windows created by Willemina Ogterop, the first woman stained glass artist west of the Mississippi to be inducted into the Stained Glass Artists Guild. Our docent, Daniel Johnson, serves to make your visit memorable and informative. The open house is listed on the Presidio Trust’s website with other guided tours. Learn more about the Presidio Chapel here and then plan to visit us and take a tour. AROUND THE BAY:
NAINCONNECT 2017 PHOTOS. The Poway Interfaith Team, host to this year’s NAIN Connect gathering in August, has posted photos and descriptions of the events that made up this year’s celebration. You can see them at powayinterfaithteam.com/photos/ THE INTERFAITH OBSERVER. The Interfaith Observer (TIO) is an independent internet journal about all things interfaith. The articles this month represent a hint of the remarkable resources available in these days of ripe anxiety – resources to address climate change, accelerating natural disasters, and personal engagement. Enjoy!
PARLIAMENT OF THE WORLD”S RELIGIONS Toronto, Canada November 1-7, 2018 “The Promise of Inclusion & the Power of Love: Pursuing Global Understanding, Reconciliation, and Change” will be the theme for the 125th anniversary gathering of the Parliament of the World’s Religions. The Parliament invites proposals for programs, presentations, and performances at the 2018 Parliament of the World’s Religions, to be held in November 1 – 7 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Programming for the 2018 Parliament will focus largely, but not exclusively, on:
Programs will also be welcomed focused on additional issues and identities. For details, see the Call for Programs. Find out more about the Parliament at the Parliament website. NOTES & QUOTES: “Our past shows us that one day, perhaps not too far hence, Muslims will be viewed as just another minority with the same issues as the rest of us: occasional car trouble, hospital bills, births and deaths, graduations and weddings, laughs and tears” – Maha ElGenaidi and Tim Brauhn…“But I also have a better idea. And it’s about our diversity. And its the power of the diversity,…The power that we come from all walks of life, that we come from all parts of this country, that we come from all races, we come from all backgrounds, gender, all makeup, all upbringing. The power of that diversity comes together and makes us that much more powerful.” – Lieutenant General Jay Silveria speaking to Air Force cadets. SEND US YOUR NEWS! We at Bay Area Interfaith Connect make every effort to include upcoming interfaith events in our monthly calendar (which is always available on our website). Please be sure to send information about your upcoming events to @. We’d also like to share what happened at your events or celebrations with the wider interfaith community. Got a story you’d like to share? Pictures from that latest gathering? Send them along and let everyone know what’s happening! BAY AREA INTERRELIGIOUS CALENDAR Our searchable new calendar page offers listings of interfaith opportunities for learning, celebration, taking action, and celebrating the diverse religious traditions of the Bay Area. The calendar can be viewed as a list, as a monthly calendar page, or by the week. SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES COUNTERING THE “MUSLIM BAN.” The Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign, a national effort to stand against prejudice against Muslims has developed an Interfaith Toolkit with information and guidelines for groups that want to take action against the newest version of the Muslim ban. The toolkit can be found here. BAY AREA SPIRITUAL DIRECTIORS GATHERING. “Hands and Hearts Connected: Northern California Gathering for Spiritual Directors” will take place on Sunday, October 29, 2017, 2:00 – 5:00 pm at Plymouth Jazz and Justice Church, 424 Monte Vista Avenue, Oakland, CA 94611. Please join us for this free event to meet other spiritual companions and find connection right here where you live. SDI Executive Director Anil Singh-Molares will be joining us for this gathering. Our hope is that from this local gathering, a regional group will emerge to organize ongoing SDI gatherings in the Bay Area as well as other regions in Northern California. Please RSVP by October 15 to @ so we can plan accordingly. More information about Spiritual Directors International at www.sdiworld.org/ FRANK v. GOD FILM: “Frank vs. God” is a comedy that asks the big questions with a light-hearted tone and an open mind. The film is an uplifting story of one man’s search for answers, by taking them to a higher court. “Great for interfaith discussions of all kinds. It sets a wonderful model for interfaith relations, as it shows leaders of all religious groups working together.” –Rabbi Mark Glickman, Congregation Kol Ami. Available on DVD and through streaming video; see details at www.frankvsgod.com/ HABITAT FOR HUMANITY SEEKS FAITH RELATIONS COORDINATOR. Habitat for Humanity of the San Francisco Bay Area is seeking a Resource Development VISTA, with a focus area of Faith Relations. The primary responsibility will be to complete the development of their interfaith program. To find out more, go to www.habitat.org/about/careers/hfh-greater-san-francisco-vista-resource-dev-faith-relations BAY AREA INTERFAITH CONNECT is sent each month to nearly 2,000 subscribers, and is available online at the Interfaith Center at the Presidio website. Subscribe to BAIC About the Editor: D. Andrew Kille is director of Interfaith Space in San Jose, working to develop and strengthen interfaith relations throughout the Bay Area. Send your calendar items, comments and suggestions to calendar@interfaith-presidio.org. We try to keep the ICP Update and Calendar as current as we can, but if you want your item included in the monthly newsletter, it needs to be in our hands a week before the end of the month.  The Interfaith Center at the Presidio links the power of interreligious cooperation by welcoming, serving, and celebrating the diverse wisdom and faith traditions of the Bay Area. IN THIS ISSUE: International Day of Peace | Responding to Hate | Chapel Tours | Around the Bay| Parliament 2018 | Notes & Quotes | Send Us Your News | Bay Area Interreligious Calendar | Special Opportunities | Subscribe to BAIC INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE September 21 again marks the International Day of Peace, declared by the United Nations and observed in many ways all around the world. This year’s theme is “Together for Peace: Respect, Safety and Dignity for All.” A celebration of International Peace Day will take place at the Presidio Chapel, honoring the Roots of Peace “Mines to Vines” project that works to remove landmines and restore the soil with bountiful vineyards & orchards in war-torn regions worldwide. Thursday, September 21, 2017 at 4:00 pm, Presidio Chapel, 130 Fisher Loop, Presidio, San Francisco. Sponsors include ICP, the San Francisco Interfaith Council, and United Religions Initiative. Learn more about the International Day of Peace, see a map of observances planned, and the U.N. “Join Together” program at internationaldayofpeace.org/ RESPONDING TO HATRED The events in Charlottesville in August, potential demonstrations by “alt-right” groups in San Francisco and Berkeley, and vandalism against a synagogue in Alameda all prompted responses by the wider interfaith community. They declared their continued commitment to the work of building relationships of trust, respect and appreciation among the diverse communities of the Bay Area and across the nation. See more on the ICP website about these stories: “Responding to Charlottesville” – statements from the Interfaith Council of Alameda County, the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County, ING (Islamic Networks Group), Marin Interfaith Council, San Francisco Interfaith Council, Silicon Valley Interreligious Council and the United Religions Initiative. A vigil in Alameda offered support after the synagogue was vandalized. An Interfaith Gathering for Peace and Against Hate drew over 1,000 people to Temple Emanu-El in San Francisco. Over 350 people gathered for “Love Lives In Marin,” an interfaith prayer service. In San Jose, interfaith leaders gathered with the Mayor of San Jose, Santa Clara County Supervisor Dave Cortese, US Representative Zoe Lofgren and other civic leaders for a Unity Prayer Service. See video here.  DOCENT TOURS OF PRESIDIO CHAPEL. Summertime is a great time to enjoy the Open House/Docent Tours at the Presidio Chapel each Sunday from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm. Come and view the historic 33′ fresco painted by Victor Arnautoff, a protegé of Diego Rivera, and the stained glass windows created by Willemina Ogterop, the first woman stained glass artist west of the Mississippi to be inducted into the Stained Glass Artists Guild. Our docent, Daniel Johnson, serves to make your visit memorable and informative. The open house is listed on the Presidio Trust’s website with other guided tours. Learn more about the Presidio Chapel here and then plan to visit us and take a tour. AROUND THE BAY AREA:
 PARLIAMENT OF THE WORLD”S RELIGIONS
Toronto, Canada November 1-7, 2018 “The Promise of Inclusion & the Power of Love” will be the theme for the 125th anniversary gathering of the Parliament, Program proposals will be sought soon. Super-saver pre-registration fees are available until September 30. The Parliament is a unique opportunity to meet people engaged in interfaith work from around the world. Mark the dates now, and watch for more news to come! Find out more at the Parliament website. NOTES & QUOTES: Violence is what happens when we don’t know what else to do with our suffering ~Parker Palmer… “Establishing lasting peace is the work of education; all politics can do is keep us out of war” – Maria Montessori…”‘We call each other Dear brother,’ and it’s not just a saying. We have such open, deep and affectionate conversations. We understand each other”- Rabbi Abraham Skorka, the “Pope’s Rabbi,” speaking of his friend Pope Francis… SEND US YOUR NEWS! We at Bay Area Interfaith Connect make every effort to include upcoming interfaith events in our monthly calendar (which is always available on our website). Please be sure to send information about your upcoming events to @. We’d also like to share what happened at your events or celebrations with the wider interfaith community. Got a story you’d like to share? Pictures from that latest gathering? Send them along and let everyone know what’s happening! BAY AREA INTERRELIGIOUS CALENDAR Our searchable new calendar page offers listings of interfaith opportunities for learning, celebration, taking action, and celebrating the diverse religious traditions of the Bay Area. The calendar can be viewed as a list, as a monthly calendar page, or by the week. SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES CHARTER FOR COMPASSION WEBINAR: Global Read: Arun Wakhlu — One Wholesome World Arun is a Charter for Compassion partner and founder of Compassionate Pune, India. Our identification with limited notions of who we are is at the roots of the present global crisis. We have forgotten our intrinsic Wholeness. The time has now come for a new paradigm of development. When we awaken to wholeness and live and work from a space of love, creative intelligence, freedom, and peace; we become instrumental in manifesting joy, peace, and abundance in our life and in the collective. This astonishingly simple and universally accessible discovery will transform lives in miraculous ways. September 19, 2017 8:00 AM, Pacific Standard Time. Register here. HABITAT FOR HUMANITY SEEKS FAITH RELATIONS COORDINATOR. Habitat for Humanity of the San Francisco Bay Area is seeking a Resource Development VISTA, with a focus area of Faith Relations. The primary responsibility will be to complete the development of their interfaith program. To find out more, go to www.habitat.org/about/careers/hfh-greater-san-francisco-vista-resource-dev-faith-relations KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS WEBINARS. Know Your Neighbors: Multifaith Encounters has launched a webinar series in an effort to share interfaith ideas and resources within and outside of the coalition. Past webinars and resources shared by the participants are available, as well as links to upcoming webinars that are available to join. Sessions now available include:
BAY AREA INTERFAITH CONNECT is sent each month to nearly 2,000 subscribers, and is available online at the Interfaith Center at the Presidio website. Subscribe to BAIC About the Editor: D. Andrew Kille is director of Interfaith Space in San Jose, working to develop and strengthen interfaith relations throughout the Bay Area. Send your calendar items, comments and suggestions to calendar@interfaith-presidio.org. We try to keep the ICP Update and Calendar as current as we can, but if you want your item included in the monthly newsletter, it needs to be in our hands a week before the end of the month. On Friday, August 25 over 350 people gathered at Congregation Kol Shofar in Tiburon for “Love Lives in Marin”, an interfaith prayer service, co-sponsored by the Marin Interfaith Council. The service included singing, words of encouragement from local faith leaders, time for attendees to pair up and offer mutual support, prayer and meditation. The evening concluded with children lighting candles as participants sang and stood in solidarity with each other. The interfaith service was the first “Love Lives in Marin” event, which is an initiative of the Marin Interfaith Council. It was inspired by a pastoral visit by 40 rabbis from across the nation, including Rabbi Susan Leider of Congregation Kol Shofar, to Whitefish, Montana, where a similar initiative arose in response to anti-Semitic attacks aimed at the local Jewish community. Businesses, civic leaders, and leaders from other faith traditions rose up in solidarity with the Jewish community to oppose hate and promote love and inclusion. During Friday night’s service, Rabbi Leider said, “What is an attack on one is an attack on all.” She explained the purpose of Love Lives in Marin is to change the public discourse, create a community where all are welcome, and “rise above the fray and speak for those whose voices aren’t uplifted.” Other faith leaders who spoke or sang at the interfaith prayer services included Rabbi Chai Levy, Congregation Kol Shofar; Ebrahim Nana, Islamic Center of Mill Valley; Rev. Bethany Nelson and Rev. Rob McClellan, Westminster Presbyterian Church; Rev. Scott Quinn, Marin Interfaith Council; Rev. Yolanda Norton, Professor at San Francisco Theological Seminary; Rev. Shokuchi Carrigan, Green Gulch Farm Zen Center; and Rev. Veronica Goines, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. Each faith leader emphasized the evening’s central message that our faithful response to hate is not only resistance but also to stand up for the values promoted by all the world’s faith traditions: hope, inclusivity, equality, compassion, justice and love. Rev. Norton said, “Love is an active means of resistance.” “Let love live not merely in the addresses we give, but also in the addresses where we reside,” said Rev. McClellan. Love Lives in Marin seeks to inspire more organic acts of compassion, hope, interfaith connection, solidarity, and justice.
In response to a planned “alt-right” demonstration in San Francisco (which subsequently was cancelled), an interfaith gathering at Temple Emanu-El in San Francisco drew a full house for a celebration of love, community, and diversity on August 25. An interfaith Sabbath service was followed by a dessert reception. The event was sponsored by the San Francisco Interfaith Council, the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, and the San Francisco based Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund. See coverage from the Jewish News of Northern California    Following vandalism at Temple Israel in Alameda, the wider community joined synagaogue members for a vigil of support on August 18. One of the members, Amy Seefeldt, wrote: I wanted to take a minute as a member of Temple Israel and of the Alameda Community to thank everyone who came and showed support at Friday night’s vigil. I can’t say enough about how proud I was of the way that our community and surrounding communities handled the vandalism incident at our synagogue. They approached it with love, respect and grace. People from all around the East Bay, no matter what religion or belief they identified with, gathered in front of our temple. Many of them even came into our synagogue afterwards to unite in prayer. This year, Temple Israel has endured challenges and changes that have shaped us as a congregation. Whether some of those changes have been for better or worse, we are always resilient. Temple Israel is a small congregation of 100 members that year after year has endeavored to remain a center for Jewish life in Alameda. This isn’t easy on our little island where neighboring cities like Oakland and Berkeley have a greater concentration of Jewish people and significantly larger synagogues. But Temple Israel, which was founded in 1924, is rooted in Alamedan history. Today it serves a group of smart, dedicated, passionate and tenacious people that have put their hearts into sustaining our little synagogue, despite the financial struggles inherent to a small congregation. Our smallness, though, is also also a benefit, bringing a closer sense of community. This attack came during a time of evolution for Temple Israel. We have been busy shaping our goals, defining our identity and finding our direction. We have been planning new programming for Alameda families, preparing for exciting building renovations and even getting ready for a new rabbi. Basically, we’re trying to better ourselves so that we can reach out more to our community. This past Friday night was both a curse and a blessing; the act of vandalism was tragic, but the subsequent love shown by our community was extraordinary. After attending Friday’s vigil, a friend of mine, Fred Fielding, who is Board President of the Interfaith Center at the Presidio said, “For every one person who wants to hurt people there are hundreds who want to heal.” This past Friday night was a beautiful display of this conviction. Temple Israel, the local Jewish community and Alameda all have the strength to heal. Sincerely, Amy Seefeldt   Interfaith Gathering Against Hate
Friday, August 25, 2017 5:30 pm – 9:00 pm Congregation Emanu-El 2 Lake Street San Francisco In collaboration with our partners at the San Francisco Interfaith Council, the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, and the San Francisco based Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund, we are planning a response to the gathering in San Francisco on Saturday, August 26th at Crissy field. This is not a reaction, not a confrontation, but a response of love, community, and diversity. We invite all our members, along with the entire San Francisco Jewish and interfaith community, to join us for a very special interfaith peace and justice Shabbat service in the Emanu-El Main Sanctuary on Friday, August 25th. We warmly invite all who wish to join us for this celebration of who we are: Friday, August 25th, Congregation Emanu-El, 2 Lake Street
Interfaith Gathering for Peace August 26, 2017 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm Grace Cathedral and the Episcopal Diocese of California, in collaboration with the San Francisco Interfaith Council, are holding an interfaith gathering as a peaceful but pointed response to the Patriot Prayer rallies taking place in San Francisco and Berkeley this weekend. There will be a service of readings and prayers that will begin at 12:30 pm with a welcome by our dean, Malcolm Clemens Young. The service will include three speakers who have worked for peace and justice: Rita Semel, the Rev. Amos Brown and the Rev. Vicki Gray. At the end of the service, the Rt. Rev. Marc Handley Andrus, Bishop of California, will bless a group that will walk together from the cathedral to the “Peace, Music and Laughter” event at Civic Center, billed as a family-friendly arts festival headlined by singer Michael Franti. While the service is taking place inside the cathedral, there will be craft activities and a labyrinth walk for peace for children and families outside on the cathedral plaza. Our dean and other clergy will also be present for the Interfaith Gathering Against Hate at Congregation Emanu-El on Friday, August 25. Berkeley CA Demonstration to Say NO to the Nazis and Fascist Extremists the day before they arrive in Berkeley Tikkun magazine, the Network of Spiritual Progressives and Beyt Tikkun Synagogue will hold an interfaith family-friendly gathering Saturday Aug. 26th at 3pm at the same location where Nazis and fascist extremists plan to gather on Sunday in Berkeley – Civic Center park (Martin Luther King Jr. Street and Center Street) In a statement released by Rabbi Michael Lerner, editor of Tikkun, and Cat Zavis, executive director of the interfaith and secular-humanist-welcoming Network of Spiritual Progressives said: “This will be an alternative to the potential violence on Sunday for people who want to publicly oppose the Nazis, do not want to be part of violent struggles that may develop on Sunday, and do want to affirm our vision for a nonviolent world of love, justice, and environmental sanity.” Rabbi Lerner added: “The Nazis coming to Berkeley on Sunday are hoping to get public exposure and press. Their movement is strengthened when violence erupts between them and those opposing them. When standing in close proximity to people who are yelling verbal attacks and threatening you, it is extremely difficult for some to remain calm and nonviolent. Rather than risk the possibility of confrontation that will only bolster the Nazis cause and give the President an excuse to equate the Nazis with those who oppose them, we are providing a family-friendly space for people to nonviolently express their disgust and disapproval of the Nazis and white supremacists and to promote a vision of a loving and just world.” Here is the full statement inviting participation in Saturday August 26th event which could provide a model for future ways to respond to the demonstrations by the ultra-Right-wing racists and anti-Semites. The Network of Spiritual Progressives, Tikkun magazine and Beyt Tikkun Synagogue-Without-Walls invite interfaith and secular humanist individuals and organizations to join us this coming Saturday, August 26 at 3:00pm to create sacred space at the location where Neo-Nazis plan to rally the following day. Our goal is to provide a safe space for those who are concerned about the violence that may happen the next day when the right-wing extremists are scheduled to rally in that same location, do not want to be part of that scene, and do want to affirm our solidarity with those who will be nonviolently protesting the Nazis and other variants of fascism the next day. We will sanctify the location with our prayers and expressions of solidarity with all those who want a world of love and justice for all. When: Saturday, August 26th from 3:00 p.m. till about 4:30 p.m. Where: Civic Center Park in Berkeley (near Center Street crossing Martin Luther King. Jr.) We will lead with some traditional Jewish prayers (in English and Hebrew) and invite other religious/spiritual communities and atheists and secular-humanists to bring prayers, songs, music, poetry, and anything else of beauty reflecting our values of love, justice, environmental sustainability, nonviolence and awe, wonder, and radical amazement at the grandeur and mystery of the universe. Please bring your own contributions to the program which will also include some reflections on long-range strategy for strengthening the progressive and love-and-justice-oriented forces in the U.S. This event will hopefully be a model for other events around the U.S. in the coming months as right-wing-extremists bring their message of hate to a wide variety of communities. This gathering is not meant in any way to detract from the importance of those who will be assembling or demonstrating the next day for precisely what we seek also–a world without racism, anti-Semitism, sexism, homophobia, Islamophobia, and religiophobia. Check our Facebook Event for updates Many local Interfaith Councils around the Bay have responded to the recent events in Charlottesville. See statements below from the Interfaith Council of Alameda County, Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County, Islamic Networks Group, Marin Interfaith Council, San Francisco Interfaith Council, Silicon Valley Interreligious Council, and the United Religions Initiative. Interfaith Council of Alameda CountyA press release issued by the Washington D.C based Interfaith Alliance begins, “The bigotry and violence on display in Charlottesville, Virginia must be denounced by all political leaders in no uncertain terms. It’s unthinkable that in 2017 we would see crowds of torch-wielding white supremacists and neo-Nazis proudly displaying their swastikas and Confederate flags on the University of Virginia campus.” We, the Interfaith Council of Alameda County, concur with this statement and broaden it to include a call to all religious leaders to denounce both radicalized violence and all theologies of white supremacy. Unlike some who blame “many sides” for the violence between the anti-racist protestors and white supremacist in Charlottesville, ICAC repudiates the white supremacists, neo-Nazis and members of the Ku Klux Klan who organized the “Unite the Right rally for their violent tactics. As we repudiate the abhorrent beliefs and actions of the white supremacists we call on our own communities to embody the commitments to justice, humility, service and diversity that are at the heart of our faith traditions. Further, we mourn the deaths of Heather Heyer, who was protesting the presence of the hateful groups in her community, and Virginia state troopers, Jay Cullen and Berke Bates, who died in the line of service. Together, let us call on the resources of our spiritual traditions and work for a county, state and nation in which there is indeed liberty and justice for all. Interfaith Council of Contra Costa CountyThe Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County expresses its sorrow and outrage at the recent events of racial hatred and bigotry that have erupted in Charlottesville, VA. Our prayers and concerns are with the injured and our deepest sympathy to the families of those who have died. The attack on peaceful counter-demonstrators was no less than an act of terror against the basic civil rights of all citizens of our nation. White Nationalism has no legitimate claim in our civil society. We stand with the Interfaith Community of Charlottesville who were among those assaulted by the White Nationalists. We applaud our Interfaith sisters and brothers who not only stood up against the hate groups that invaded Charlottesville but also stood up for the equality and dignity of all of our citizens. We have warned for months that divisive and hostile language leads to and fosters hatred, intolerance and violence. Our political rhetoric must be salted with the demands of justice. We reject the idea that there are “sides” when it comes to racial, ethnic, and religious intolerance and hatred. The time has come once again for us as an Interfaith Community to uncompromisingly witness to the rights of all people to live in peace and security. We call upon our membership to engage in and support programs that address the racism that still infects our society and culture. We must understand what motivates hatred as we seek to confront such movements as White Nationalists. “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love. For love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” – Nelson Mandela Racism is America’s “original sin” and the time has come upon us once again to address this issue with the seriousness of legislation that ensures the voting rights and freedom of all of our citizens to live with a sense of self-respect and dignity. Our religious and cultural leaders must take the lead in demanding our governmental leaders live up to their obligations to pass legislation that encourage every sector of our society to confront the issues of prejudice, racism, segregation, and intolerance. We call upon our membership to pray for peace in our hearts and streets as together we find the courage to do what must be done before anyone else is hurt or killed. Signed, The Governing Board of the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County ING Responds to Charlottesville Violence With Call to Know Your Neighbor Like all Americans, the staff and volunteers at ING were shocked and horrified to learn of violence and fatalities at the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia over the weekend. We offer our deep condolences to the families of those hurt or dead — regardless of their ideology. Heather Heyer, the young woman who lost her life at the hands of an even younger man, appears to be a citizen committed to social justice. And the Virginia State Police officers Berke Bates and Jay Cullen, who perished when their helicopter crashed while observing the rally, proved their dedication as public servants. We like to place blame after public tragedies. The neo-Nazis and racists who — emboldened by tacit acceptance of their beliefs by far too many people in public office — organized the rally in a town that didn’t want them. The Black Bloc and Antifa counterprotesters who attacked and pepper-sprayed Confederate-flag-waving protesters, raising the general tension at the event. The Charlottesville and Virginia State police who stood by when things turned dangerous. Ourselves, for letting things get to a point where hundreds of our fellow citizens felt it necessary to boldly and proudly declare that “Jews will not replace us” or “Blood and soil” or “America is for white people”. We, too, are complicit. We need to speak out (as the counterprotesters tried to do) with a prophetic voice against racism and xenophobia — but without dehumanizing and demonizing (let alone physically attacking) the human beings who are swayed by these attitudes. Widening Polarization Impedes Rational Discourse This widening polarization in our country dissolves friendships and family relationships and fractures communities across lines of difference. Perhaps worst of all, it impedes rational discourse about the problems that afflict our society. And as we witnessed in Charlottesville, when it involves hate groups calling for race supremacy, it can be deadly. But it doesn’t have to be this way. We don’t have to scream and beat and murder each other in the name of ideology. We can disagree without dehumanizing. The events in Charlottesville should be a call to action for reaching out across our deep divisions with civility, especially with those whose views we find abhorrent. You can’t scan a major newspaper these days without reading a headline like “Racist meets with people he once hated, finds out they both love the same hobby.” We can and do change our minds about our fellow citizens but it takes commitment to both the means and the end. The means is respectful dialogue, which is critical in strong, pluralistic democracies like ours. The end is addressing differences of opinion and debating policy, but that can only happen after establishing a baseline of common humanity. Thankfully, humanity has often occupied itself with thinking about how to do that exact thing, even — or especially in — the face of violence or hate. What Can We Do? Know Your Neighbor Our Muslim staff members look to the Qur’an 49:13, which tells humankind that God has “made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other”. ING’s Christian staff members look to the Gospels for an answer and find it in Matthew 5:38-42 and Luke 6:27-31, which call us to “turn the other cheek” and to “love your enemies, do good to them which hate you”. And our agnostic staff members find the answer in the Golden Rule, present in all religious traditions: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”The need for active dialogue won’t go away anytime soon, and the Know Your Neighbor program, a nationwide coalition of faith- and community-based organizations, social justice campaigners, and civil rights activists, has committed itself to this task. The eighty-two members of the coalition based across all fifty United States provide tools, educational programs, interfaith training, dialogue resources, and in-person opportunities to strengthen our social fabric by relating to each other in simple ways. Visit our site to join the effort. The name of the coalition is itself as a call to action. We must, simply, know our neighbors. When we refuse to reach out across lines of difference and isolate ourselves in our respective silos of race, class, ethnicity, religion, or political affiliation, we give our own tacit acceptance to the viewpoints that let tragedies like the rally in Charlottesville unfold. We must remember core American principles of cooperation despite division, of commitment to the greater good, and of concern for the “other”. That last point is critical, because at some point in our history, we were all the “other” to someone else. We’re calling everyone to know your neighbor. We are stronger when we unite around these core American values. Join us on Facebook and Twitter to continue the conversation. Marin Interfaith Council:The Marin Interfaith Council invites your prayers for the people of Charlottesville and for our nation after this weekend’s hate-inspired violence. As people of faith, we unequivocally oppose every form of racism and white supremacy, and we wholeheartedly and prayerfully work together for equity, peace, inclusion, reconciliation, and justice for all. SF Faith Leaders Stand United Against Hate in Charlottesville and Our BackyardAugust 15, 2017, San Francisco — First and foremost, we offer our prayers for the victims and the families of the dead in Charlottesville, Virginia and all who were traumatized by the hateful violence that ensued there. Sometimes when horrific and deadly acts are perpetrated in the name of hate, such as our nation witnessed on August 12, 2017 in Charlottesville, we are tempted to limit those incidents to the context in which they occurred. Charlottesville is a place intimately identified with our nation’s painful and divisive Civil War history, and it is easy to think that such an event could only happen in that region of the country. Sadly, what happened in Charlottesville is symptomatic of an unprecedented growth of organized hate in our nation that knows no geographic boundaries. We need look no further than the findings of a recent report published by the Southern Poverty Law Center (https://www.splcenter.org/ hate-map) to face the reality that 917 hate groups exist in the United States of America, 79 of which are found in California, and a significant number calling the Bay Area their home. As statements and vigils decrying acts of hate and violence in Charlottesville flooded social and other media, a group calling itself “Patriot Prayer,” actively petitioned to host back-to-back rallies in San Francisco’s Crissy Field and Berkeley’s Martin Luther King Park on August 26 and 27, respectively. The former is billed as “Patriot Prayer: Free Speech, Unity and Peace San Francisco,” the latter, a “No to Marxism Rally.” As people of faith, we stand united to denounce those who use words such as “prayer,” “unity” and “peace” to mask any agenda of hate, intolerance, and bigotry. In the days ahead, we will use the voices of faith communities – through prayer, the pulpit, and our communications networks – to educate and inform, and to fight racism, hatred, and bigotry wherever it may occur, particularly in our City of St. Francis. We will not step aside but will stand strong for our values of inclusivity, respect for all persons, and justice.
Congregation leaders are encouraged to share this message with their congregants. For additional information please contact Michael G. Pappas at (415) 425-9631 PDF: SF Faith Leaders Stand United Against Hate Silicon Valley Interreligious Council From its formation, the Silicon Valley Interreligious Council has devoted itself to building interreligious understanding and harmony in order to seek a more just and compassionate society in Silicon Valley. We, as people seeking compassion and reconciliation, are grieved and stunned by the activities over this past weekend by those who value neither. We lament the loss of life and disruption of the community. We of diverse faiths stand together unified against Hate. We grieve the murder of Heather Heyer who was standing up for our values. We will not stand idly by, as all our faiths compel us to raise our voices clearly against racism, anti-Semitism and xenophobia of any kind. We commit ourselves anew to the task of bringing all people together for the good of the whole community. Hate is not welcome here. United Religions InitiativeWe are heartbroken about the events that are unfolding in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA. We stand against the ideology and harmful actions of white supremacy. We stand against any and all acts of violence. In the United Religions Initiative community, we believe there is a better way. We stand firmly in our organizational charter, which is affirmed by nearly 100 members organizations across the U.S., and hundreds more around the world. Today, we reaffirm the values contained in this document, which include a commitment to “practice healing and reconciliation to resolve conflict without resorting to violence,” to not discriminate and “to use our combined resources only for nonviolent, compassionate action, to awaken to our deepest truths, and to manifest love and justice among all life in our Earth community.” In this difficult time, we encourage communities around the United States and world to provide places for nonviolent gatherings to continue to build cultures of peace, justice, and healing for all people. |
NewsletterThis is the archive for the Bay Area Interfaith Connect, the former newsletter for the Interfaith Center at the Presidio . Archives
December 2019
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