This week the church I serve is a host site for the University of Michigan, Dearborn, Worldviews Seminar. It's a week long summer education course open to anyone, with continuing ed hours to be earned. It's a survey of the world religions with a morning lecture at the university, led by Lucinda Mosher. Then the group drives over to the church for lunch, a short lecture, and then they board a bus for a tour of local religious buildings. They tour Buddhist temples, an Antiochean Orthodox church, a synagogue, a mosque, and many other area houses of worship.This year is the tenth anniversary of the seminar.
In addition to the Worldviews Seminar the congregation I serve is planning to participate in Episcopal Faith Shared
and Faith Shared. I am working to have members of local Jewish and Muslim congregations present and participating in our Sunday morning service.
So, in honor of a week of interfaith study and celebration:
1. Have you ever had an experience of a religion other than your own? And, if so, what was it like for you to experience something different? If you haven't, what religion might you like to study, experience, and learn more about?
2. Have you ever studied, travelled, or explored other cultures? What and where, and when?
3. Any stories you wish to share about a person (author, teacher, etc), or a friend or colleague, from another culture or religion, who has impacted you in some capacity?
So, not exactly a five question Friday Five. You can respond in five easy answers, if you wish, or one reflection. If you play, please leave a comment, and you'll be likely to get more comments if you link directly to your post. Here's how!
I contemplated my experiences with other faiths and cultures.
ReplyDeleteMy tangential approach to the Friday Five...here..
ReplyDeleteI played, here.and, I'll be back later to read your posts. Thanks for playing!
ReplyDeleteGreat ff, Terri. I played at my place, here!
ReplyDeleteThis was a timely FF.
ReplyDeleteIt was fun recalling some communication mishaps while we lived in England for 5 years.
ReplyDeleteHere is one such incident.
I have faith AND culture at my place.
ReplyDeletewww.stoneofwitness.blogspot.com
here's my Friday 3 or maybe it's only 2, for today. Thanks, Terri!
ReplyDeleteI've had a very interfaith day!
ReplyDeleteHere's my play.
As a seminary student at Howard Univ School of Divinity, I visited a reformed Jewish synagogue as part of a course; it was my first time in a synagogue. The inclusion of women in the service, the welcomed reception we received, and especially the experience in the worship of the celebration and reading of the Torah was powerful. The other time experienced a similar deep spiritual celebrating of the reading of the Word (Gospel) was at St. Sabinas Catholic Church in Chicago. Both simply beautiful experiences. It always bothers me when people stumble over the reading of scripture or read it in a half hearted way in worship.
ReplyDelete