In an era of great change, religion and spiritualism can provide strength and guidance. However, it is vital to strengthen the dialogue among different religions and cultures in order to foster common understanding. In the case of the West and Islam, a growing disconnect poses serious challenges to global order. This session builds on the ongoing dialogue created by the World Economic Forum's C100 initiative.

1. Will multiculturalism determine national and global politics for the coming generation?
2. What main issues characterize the current West-Islam dialogue? Can concrete actions be taken to resolve differences?

* Jean-François Copé, Minister of Budget and State Reform of France; Government Spokesman, France
* John J. DeGioia, President, Georgetown University, USA
* Mohammad Khatami, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran (1997-2005)
* Chief Rabbi David Rosen, President, International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Relations, USA
* Jim Wallis, Editor-in-Chief and Chief Executive Officer, Sojourners, USA
* H.R.H. Princess Lolwah Al Faisal, Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees and General Supervisor, Effat College, Saudi Arabia
* Opening Remarks by Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Prime Minister of Malaysia

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Have a sermon to share about creations care? The National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Program wants to know about it, and maybe give you a prize! Check out the blurb below for info on the contest and the very cool prize! Click here for all the details.

NCC Environmental Sermon Writing Contest!

It is more important than ever to remind ourselves and our neighbors that we are affecting this planet with each decision we make. We must inspire and mobilize those around us to protect the Earth, for those who cannot protect it themselves. We need words of leadership and actions that demonstrate our care for the plants, animals and resources among us. How will you reach your community?

We invite you to answer this question by participating in our Environmental Sermon Writing Contest. We are looking for sermons that eloquently demonstrate the environmental issues that face God’s creation today, and present ideas that call us to action. The winner will receive a set of brand new Earth Bibles. This contest is open to all members and congregational leaders. Click here for more details and criteria for proposals.

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Jim Wallis blogs about the SOTU from the World Economic Forum in Davos. He gauges the reaction during a morning panel discussion and also reports about meeting Nicholas Kristof for the first time. Whether one agrees or not with Jim Wallis on a moral center, it's good to see more people like Arrianna Huffington excited with him about a fresh and more reasonable faith-based politics.

Faithful America invited people to blog their own SOTU.

If you have yet to play around with this cool tool, click here to try out the NYTimes searchable SOTU word frequency database. One can see the rise and fall of certain terms from 2001 through 2007. Try comparing "poverty" to "terror."

Faithful Progressive liked Sen. Webb's speech and he's not the only one. . .

Islamicate points to an article about the Ismailis and Oprah's humanitarian work in Africa.

Speaking of humanitarian work, Xpatriated Texan argues that it is impossible for someone to deserve to earn a million dollars a year.

Commonweal wonders: Should Popes retire? Apparently JPII seriously considered it as his health began to fail.

Progressive Christians Uniting asks for your help in supporting CAIR clear its reputation via a little mistake by Barbara Boxer.

Jspot writes on Sen. Hillary Clinton and DovBear.

And there's more on Barack and Hillary over at Faithful Democrats.

Christian Alliance for Progress hosts a blog that wonders by the Religious Right is so unbiblical.

Pam's House Blend notes the closeness between "homo-hating hag Rep. Michele Bachmann" and President Bush during the SOTU meet-and-greet.

And finally, the great folks who organized Prog Faith Blog Con 2006 are asking around for who has interest in 2007. Velveteen Rabbi recalls: "It was an amazing experience -- not only the chance to put faces with names in my blogroll, but also the chance to learn, talk, and pray with a group of really remarkable people from across the religious spectrum." Then she wonders who is a planner?

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I'm a Christian environmental evangelist!, writes Restoring Eden head Peter Illyn.

In an article in the hip environmental journal Grist, Illyn adds he recognizes that "this definition is loaded with stereotypes, both positive and negative, but it best describes what I do -- traveling around the country preaching in churches and colleges about the goodness of nature and our sacred duty to love, serve, and protect God's creation."

Restoring Eden is a Christian-based networking of people decated to nature appreciation, environmental protection, and public advocacy. They write that: The forests, animals, birds, fish, entire ecosystems, and other wild species have no voice in our modern political arena. We must be that voice. Even native peoples often have little voice.

Restoring Eden focuses on advocating for these marginalized groups. We call it, "taking care of the least of these." We also facilitate practical service projects that directly benefit the creation and the indigenous peoples that rely on healthy natural resources.

Not the usual faith-based ministry, Restoring Eden is "less about membership and programs, and more about a conversation and a community that lives out the biblical mandate to 'speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves' (Proverbs 31:8) as advocates for natural habitats, wild species and indigenous subsistance cultures."

Restoring Eden is so hip that they have a myspace page - already with over six hundred friends. To learn more about their campaigns, click here.

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The long anticipated encounter between Bill O’Reilly of Fox News and his Comedy Central body-double Stephen Colbert resulted in an informative and humorous scenario last week. O’Reilly, author of the recent book “Culture Warrior,” blames his evil specter of 'secular progressivism' for a wide spectrum of catastrophies, including NBC news, gay marriage, illegal immigration and activist judges.

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On Thursday the new House leadership reached its goal of six major bills passed in its first one hundred hours of floor time.

In fact, they completed everything in only 42 hours. Here is a very informative graphic on each of the six proposals: Sept. 11 Commission, Stem Cell Research, Minimum Wage, Prescription Drugs, Student Loans, Energy Policy.

Strangely, notice what the right-wing Family Research Council said about the success of the newly-elected Congress:

"Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) and company introduced measures to fund anti-life research, silence voters through lobbying reform, increase taxes, and police thoughts through a new 'hate crimes' law."

"Silence voters through lobbying reform" is an interesting choice of words for what many Congressional ethics watch groups herald as the most significant tightening of ethics rules. But then note who is on the schedule to speak at the Family Research Council's Blog for Life event today.

Yes, former Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) friend of many military contractor lobbyists just like his jailed friend Duke Cunningham.

Here's what his hometown paper, the San Diego Union Tribunehttp://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20051208/news_lz1ed08top.html, says about him:

Cunningham and House Armed Services Committee Chairman Duncan Hunter, R-El Cajon, worked closely with two local companies – ADCS Inc. of Poway and Audre Inc. of Rancho Bernardo – to make the Pentagon pay for converting printed documents to computer files. They and a few other lawmakers got Congress to allocate $190 million for “automated data conversion” projects from 1993 to 2001.

Did the Pentagon want this “help”? No. As a 1994 General Accounting Office report noted, it already had the tools for such work.

But Cunningham, Hunter and their House allies didn’t care. Audre and ADCS were generous with contributions – and ADCS executive Brent Wilkes allegedly was bribing Cunningham…This led to such absurdities as a $9.7 million contract for ADCS to digitize historical documents from the Panama Canal Zone that the Pentagon considered insignificant. This isn’t governance. This is looting."

But in a press release entitled, "Clock Runs out on the Family," the Family Research Council went on to attack raising the minimum wage, lowering student loan and prescription drug costs as evidence that the new Congress "made no time for families."

Hmm. . .yes, protecting the kinship of corporate lobbyists and lawmakers, fighting a free market for life-saving drugs, and making college harder for families - what family does the FRC actually represent?

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Increasingly, evangelical leaders are finding common cause with scientists to address the climate change crisis. Check out the video below for a discussion featuring Rich Cizik of the National Association of Evangelicals on the topic, FPL's Resouce Page on the environment, and our Best Practice study of the Evangelical Environmental Network.

Unfortunately, the current Administration has thus far failed to respond to this worsening crisis. By forming this unusual alliance with scientists, these evangelical leaders-- who believe it is their moral obligation to preserve God's creation -- hope to convince the President and Congress to confront this growing threat.

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This week as people celebrated the lives and mourned the deaths of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Abraham Heschel, Mik Moore writes:

"In the 2000s, we have seen a renaissance of local Jewish groups committed to social and economic justice issues, often working closely with local black and Latino groups. Many of these organizations were formed by local Jewish activists saddened by deteriorating relationships between Jews and communities of color, and angered by the Jewish role in this deterioration. Groups like the Progressive Jewish Alliance in California have been particular successful at rebuilding burnt bridges and reestablishing trust between communities."

Unfortunately some national politicians continue to lash out and stereotype both groups. Today, a Virginia state blog reports,

"Bloggers who oppose the Slavery Apology resolution have acquired a champion of sorts. His name? Delegate Frank Hargrove (R-55th, Hanover).

When asked what he thought of the resolution by The Daily Progress' Bob Gibson, Hargrove reportedly replied: "I personally think that our black citizens should get over it."

Gibson reports on Hargrove's opposition today in The Daily Progress. Hargrove says some pretty interesting things. The quote of the day?

How far do these calls for apologies go, wondered Hargrove, a member of the House Rules Committee that could take up McEachin’s resolution as early as Wednesday.

“Are we going to force the Jews to apologize for killing Christ?”

Clearly we've still got a long way to go.

During 2006 and already this year provides some terrible examples of the racism that rides below the surface in many parts of America. From George Allen, Mel Gibson, Michael Richards to Rep. Virgil Goode and Rep. Hargrove - now's the time to realize that multifaith and multi-ethnic American dream for which Abraham Heschel and Martin Luther King marched together.

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As has been pointed out many times, too often we forget that Dr. King fought the very idea of war as a solution to conflict. As America sends another 20,000 troops off to Iraq against the majority will of the people, let us remember his prophetic words: "this business. . .cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice and love."

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The video is from a CBC story on Food Not Bombs via God's Politics.

JSpot notes the connection between Black Power and Jewish Power. On that note, NCC Interfaith Relations remembers Abraham Joshue Heschel with a great photo with Dr. King.

After its attack on the National Council of Churches, the Rev. Chuck Currie nails the far right Institute on Religion and Democracy.

Over at Street Prophets, Pastor Dan raises the issue of a "Mormon" president and atheists.

Also over at Street Prophets, M. Kotyk writes about life at $7.25 an hour.

CrossLeft wonders along with Bob Edgar, what part of blessed are the peacemakers don't they understand?

Also, if you are a seminarian or know of one, check out the paid summer fellowships funded by the Beatitudes Society (disclosure, I also work with the Beatitudes Society, great folks BTW.)

Mainstream Baptist sees some emerging racial reconcialiation among Baptists.

Care about the concept of separation of churuch and state? Recently the blogoshere has probed what that means via a piece in the Times by Mara Vanderslice. Read Talk to Action on it here. Mara Vanderslice responds here on Street Prophets. In counterpoint to that, Frederick Clarkson worries about losing a core principle. At Faithful Democrats, Jesse Lava also gets into the frey and sides with Mara.

Blog the Debt heads off to Kenya and Zambia.

Pam's House Blend raises more questions about what really happened along the Gulf Coast and the lack of documentation.

Recovering Rabbi Rachel writes about the echo:

"You know how in musicals, characters break into song seemingly at random, usually with no awareness that there's anything strange about singing at any or every moment of the day? Being at Ohalah is a little bit like that, and as I reflect on what it feels like to be heading home, I think leaving the singing behind may be the hardest part."

And onto the escalation in Iraq, Thurman, the Xpatriated Texan, writes about A Debacle By Any Other Name.

And finally, the Christian Alliance for Progress, notes that the Hartford study suggests that Progressive congregations are growing.

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Recently the Generation Next project at the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life released some new findings on emerging trends in religion and politics for 18-25 year-olds.

First, they point out that "forty-four percent of young American adults agree that religion is a very important part of their lives."

Often this faith is tied to what the next generation grew up with, but increasingly, the study finds that many attitudes toward other religions are changing. What I find significant is that attitudes toward some of the hot button issues of the past couple of decades seem to be shifting away from interest in the agenda of the religious right.

For instance, study director Judy Woodruff points out:

"In fact, according to the Pew Research Center, nearly 60 percent of young adults feel that conservative Christians have gone too far in trying to impose their religious values on the country.

And even young evangelicals sometimes question their elders when it comes to issues like abortion and gay marriage. Support for Democratic candidates by young, white evangelicals jumped 10 percent this past election, a bigger increase than any other age group."

Check out the PBS resources and streaming video here.

Also, Get Religion takes a critical eye to the paucity of specific examples.

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Yesterday, Faith in Public Life hosted a press teleconference that highlighted faith leaders who are working to hold the new Congress accountable on the issues that were of greatest moral importance to Americans in 2006. The teleconference has already yielded hits for our partners, and a great AP Audio spot on faithful opposition to President Bush's pending announcement on escalation in Iraq. Click here to hear the audio! It features Rick Ufford Chase of Christian Peace Witness in Iraq, Jeff Carr of Sojourners/Call to Renewal, and Paul Sheery of Let Justice Roll.

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Talk of the Nation with Scott Simon featured an interesting segment yesterday on the role that religion will play in the new Congress. The interviews cover a lot of ground, including Rep. Lincoln Davis (D-TN), Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH), and William D'antonio, fellow at the Life Cycle Institute at Catholic University. Click on the icon at the right for the first twelve minutes of the show. For the complete show, click here and follow the link from NPR's website.

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Faith voices around the country have started a petition calling for Rep. Virgil Goode (R-VA) to apologize to Rep. Ralph Ellison (D-MN). If there is any doubt that Virgil Goode needs to hear the calm voice of American tolerance, watch the two videos below.

Compare Goode's rant to Ellison's gracious behavior on the floor of Congress yesterday. Watch below to see who goes over to introduce himself to Rep. Goode.

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Happy 2007 and best wishes for the new year! Today marks a series of milestones in the American Congress. Among them is the swearing in of Rep. Keith Ellison as America's first Muslim member of the U.S. House of Representatives. As you may know, Ellison's fellow Congressman, Virgil Goode, has been less than hospitable in his welcome. See the note below from the petition organizers for a quick way you can take action and speak out as a person of faith on behalf of tolerance and religious freedom.

As religious people from diverse traditions, we call upon Virginia Congressman Virgil Goode to re-examine his opposition to newly-elected Representative Keith Ellison, a Muslim, taking his unofficial oath of office using the Qur'an, and to apologize for his statement that, without punitive immigration reform, "there will be many more Muslims elected to office demanding the use of the Quran." Please read the statement and add your signature.

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