by Bud Heckman
It has long been said by clever rabbis of lore that our “words make worlds.” That simple idea can be taken many ways and be to our detriment and to our benefit.
Responding to Religiously Motivated Hate Crimes
The Next Step ... We Must Pray Together
by Marcus Braybrooke
Recently a Muslim was invited to give an Oxford University sermon. The invitation attracted a number of protests. “He does not believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ!” some declared.
On the Future of Religion
by Ben Bowler
One of the biggest problems with discussing religion is the definition of the term. Few words have such breadth and depth of meaning and even fewer words can spark such passionate debate.
Seeking Reconciliation after “Cultural Genocide”
by William Rees
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (2015) recently defined reconciliation as “establishing and maintaining a mutually respectful relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples.”
Sharing Joy and Pain in Toronto
by Tarunjit Singh Butalia
As someone who has been involved for about two years with the planning of the Toronto Parliament of the World’s Religions, while driving to Toronto I felt like a student the night before final exam week.
Engendering Interfaith in Edmonton, Canada
by Netta Phillet
The Edmonton Interfaith Centre for Education and Action (EICEA) was officially incorporated in 1996, but its roots go back to at least 1992.
Operation Ezra - Turning the Tide on Yazidi Genocide
by Operation Ezra Team
Fifty-five Yazidi men, women, and children are learning English, going to school, working, playing, feeling safe and secure, and freely celebrating their faith and culture in their new home of Winnipeg.
Encountering the World’s Religions on the Ground
by Brian Carwana
“Look at all the white people!” As my 45 attendees piled into this tiny Rasta shop in Toronto, this was how we were greeted by the proprietor’s friend, a visitor from Jamaica, who stared at us with a mile-wide grin and eyes large as saucers.
When Muslims Intermarry
by Helene Ijaz
I was recently approached by a Muslim chaplain looking for resources for Muslim parents, parents trying to find positive ways for their families to move forward when their adult children choose life partners outside of their faith community.
Religious Bullying: Perspectives from Canada
by W. Y. Alice Chan
In early 2011, two startling events happened in my life. Personally, my father unexpectedly passed away at the age of 59. Professionally as a middle school teacher, I encountered religious bullying for the first time.
A Muslim, a Jew, and a Christian Walk into a Concert Hall…
by Vicki Garlock
It all started in 2010 when Ontario, Canada based Dawud Wharnsby was contacted by David LaMotte, who was working on peace and justice issues with the North Carolina Council of Churches.
The Knock on the Manse Door
by Rob Hankinson
I arrived at my first United Church of Canada pastoral charge (Lac La Biche, Alberta) as a freshly minted (ordained and settled) minister on August 1, 1973.
Toronto, Interfaith, and the State of the World
by Paul Chaffee, Editor
Nineteen years ago … but I remember it vividly. Stepping onto a crowded hotel elevator, I encountered interfaith luminary Huston Smith and a group of American Indian leaders in their full tribal vestments
An Interfaith Crucible of Art & Architecture
by Ruth Broyde Sharone
The stunning museum, designed by Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki, is a landmark structure, revealing in exquisite detail the rich artistic culture of Islam and the diversity of Islamic civilization.