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Chautauqua
As
Educator and Dialogue
Partner
Chautauqua, from
its beginning has described itself as committed to life-long
learning. Chautauqua's founders believed that sound education
was the foundation of democracy. In this spirit, Chautauqua has
offered every season since 2000, a week specifically focused
on Building the Abrahamic Community. The themes have been; "No
World Peace without Religious Peace", "God, Human Nature
and the Insights of Science" and "Tragedy as Transformation".
In 2002, the
Department of Religion established the Theologian in Residence
concept. Karen
Armstrong,
noted author, was the first Theologian in Residence. She gave
guidance to Chautauqua's nine week program on Understanding Islam.
Between 900 and 1000 people attended each of the Friday lectures.
Outstanding Islamic Scholars gave us an overview with Islam in
its highest form and painfully wrestled with how such a religion
could have gone so wrong in the lives of a few. Karen in dialogue
with these scholars gave Chautauquans an insight into the ancient
faith of Islam.
The 2002 Season's
10:45 AM lecture program during Week 6, July 28th to August 2nd
focused on a tri-faith view of transformation. Inspired and challenged
to think more broadly by the sermons of Barbara Brown Taylor,
Chautauquans struggled with the way a human tragedy like September
11 can be a transforming experience. The proof of the week's
meaning to Chautauquans is in the nearly 2000 cassette tapes
of Brown's sermons that were sold; people wanted to take these
messages home.
Perhaps the most
important outcome of the 2002 Abrahamic Initiative program was
the dialogue that ensued on the grounds and beyond between Jews,
Christians and Muslims as they grappled with how the faith of
one affects the well being of all. Rabbi David Hartman of the
Hartman Institute, Imam Feisal Abdul
Rauf,
Karen
Armstrong
and Joan
B. Campbell
envisioned a Chautauqua interfaith journey to Jerusalem where
the dialogue might continue. It is not an over statement to say
that as Chautauquans returned home, the dialogue begun at Chautauqua
continues in local communities across the U.S.
Convener
Perhaps one of
the most significant roles played by Chautauquans is the one
least known and understood. Chautauqua's national reputation
as a place for civil discourse where different viewpoints can
be aired and discussed makes its' role as neutral convener, a
national treasure. As a result of our "Understanding Islam"
series, several of the scholars present have asked Chautauqua
to convene a private meeting of moderate Muslim leaders in these
urgent times to discuss the development of an American Muslim
identity.
The import of
this idea is best stated by Imam Feisal:
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"The American
Muslim community today is a cross-section of the global Muslim
community. American 'Islamic Centers' are more accurately cultural
enclaves, alien not only to the culture of other immigrant Muslims
from differing parts of the world, but invariably to their own
children growing up in the USA. Most Muslims (and non-Muslims
too) are not aware that this is paralleling what happened in
the other faith tradition, when Christian churches and Jewish
synagogues were founded based on their communities' countries
of origin: German or English churches, Polish or Russian synagogues,
etc. This evolved into uniquely American expressions of these
faith traditions. The major concern that many moderate Muslims
have today is that without shepherding the direction of the younger
generations, there is a real danger that the soul of the American
Muslim community will be co-opted and led by a militant, exclusive,
non-pluralistic, anti-Jew and anti-Christian vision of what it
means to be Muslim. This vision is as anti-Islamic as it is anti-American.
While perhaps motivated by fear of assimilation, the notion of
instilling pride in being what one is by demonizing all that
one is not is absurd but a painfully real human condition.
The Quran explicitly
mentions that part of the Divine plan is the varieties of people,
and instructs its followers not to insult the beliefs of others
lest the God we worship be insulted in return, for which we shall
be held accountable. This directly acknowledges that the right
psychology is to be proud of what one is while at the very least
not demonizing the 'other' --- if not honoring the other.
The forging of
an American Islamic identity that exhibits these textual teachings,
embracing a collective psychology that is pluralistic and embodies
the best of Islamic and American values has to be non-racial,
inclusive to Muslims from all ethnic and cultural backgrounds,
developing a culture that while American, is open to being global.
The need to fast track such a long-range program is urgent for
the well being and security of both the Muslim and non-Muslim
communities". |
A Worshiping Community
In 2002, for
the first time, Chautauquans participated in an interfaith service
for peace. The service was held in the historic Chautauqua Institution's
Amphitheater and became the Sacred Song service offering for
that night. 2300 people attended the service and all affirmed
its value. A service is being planned for 2003, Week V (July
13-19). Again the service will be focused on Peace as a Common
Calling of all three religious faiths off-season. Chautauqua
will convene musicians and church liturgists to develop a model
interfaith services that might be used throughout the nation.
Advocate
Because Chautauqua
has positioned itself as a builder of the Abrahamic Community.
Chautauqua logically becomes an advocate for each of the three
faiths. Prejudice, bigotry and intolerance have no place in a
true Abrahamic Community. When Jerry Falwell says on the national
television program, "60 Minutes" that the prophet Mohammed
is a terrorist, Chautauqua speaks out to counter such false and
accusatory statements which otherwise left unchallenged create
deep wounds and intensify the divisions we need so desperately
to overcome.
Partner
Essential to
the efficacy of the Abrahamic Initiative is the building and
fostering of partnerships with individuals, institutions, organizations
and interest groups. From young pastors and youth guests to councils
of churches and interreligious bodies, every dimension of the
Abrahamic programming is embraced by partners. During 2002, partnerships
flourished between the Chautauqua Institution and the Global
Security Institute, United Nations, ecumenical councils in more
than 20 states, the Washington National Cathedral, Bonaventure
University and the U.S. Conference of Religions for Peace. In
local communities in Denver, Colorado, and Portland, Oregon,
programs modeled after and in consultation with Chautauqua's
Abrahamic Initiative have developed. The 2003 season will be
no different as old partners meet new partners and together through
Chautauqua's Abrahamic Initiative create possibilities and realities
for relationships conspicuously marked by reverence and respect
for every person, for every culture and tradition and for the
whole of the world in which we live.
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