TRADITION AND PLURALISM - JEWS, CHRISTIANS, MUSLIMS AND MORE

Is it possible to embrace one religious tradition and uphold the validity of a different path for others at the same time?

This series of programs brings Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Bahais, humanists and others into discussion about how we can each be fully grounded in our own traditions while still making room for others to exist in the world with us. Topics touch upon issues of religion and state; religion, poverty and social ethics; and the encounter between Islam and the West; and more.

The goal of this series is to examine questions of religious particularism and universalism - not to elliminate the importance of distinctions and diversity - but Êto illuminate the tapestry of teaching that the many religious traditions of the world can bring to each othersÕ understanding of the good society and human nature.

Particular questions that might be considered could include:

- Within a multi-faith society, how can religious teachings be applied when there are so many different religious traditions existing in that society?

- What are the differences in social teachings suggested by various religious traditions?

- How might the teachings of each religious tradition take the teachings of other traditions into account?

- Within any particular faith tradition, how closely or literally should the words of a religious text be translated into social practice?

- When we question particular traditional religious social teachings, how do we derive guidance from religious traditions even as we simultaneously challenge them?

Some of these programs are co-sponsored with The Interfaith Alliance of Pennsylvania. See lt;www.TIA-PA.org