|
An effective way to create a safe space for interfaith dialogue is to agree to a set of guidelines and read them aloud at the beginning of every dialogue session. The following Interfaith Dialogue Guidelines were created by members of the URI San Francisco Peninsula CC. This great idea comes to you with gratitude to the members of this CC who refined these guidelines over several years of monthly meetings.
Suggestion for URI Cooperation Circles and other groups involved in interfaith dialogue;
To create safe space for interfaith dialogue, begin Dialogue Session by reciting prayer and your choice of some of the following 12 principles. ANNOUNCER:
We are gathering here to promote enduring daily interfaith cooperation, to end religiously motivated violence and to create cultures of peace, justice and healing for the Earth and all living beings.
PRAYER:
May we widen our paths to understanding, listen to those of other faiths, and jointly, seek channels to peace. May God grant us Courage to change the things we can change; Strength to accept the things that we can never change, the one and only truth, and Wisdom to know the difference. <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><!--[endif]-->
Then, read together in sequence (slowly) any 3 of the following 12 principles of agreement. AGREEMENTS:
1. Recognizing that the essence of us is love, we agree to honor and respect one another, we recognize that each of us and each of our belief systems are of equal value.
2. We are here together to learn about different belief systems and to share and experience a personal growth process. 3. We recognize that love is listening, and we agree to listen with an open heart, to give mutual support and to practice non-judgmental listening and sharing.
4. We realize that when we have love and compassion for ourselves, then we are able to extend that same love and compassion to others.
5. We are here to learn, not to give advice or to change anyone's beliefs or behavior. 6. We share from our own experience by risking and exposing our own
emotional state; in this way we find common experience for joining.
7. We respect ourselves and each other as unique, and we recognize that each person's process is important, not our judgment of it.
8. The roles of student and teacher are interchangeable, and they fluctuate from one to the other regardless of age or experience.
9. We agree that we have a common goal of inner peace, and that it is from that place of peace that we come together to find the best answers for the work we are carrying out.
10. We are willing to risk exposing our feelings openly and honestly without attacking others in order to create a space where clear communication is supported and joining can be experienced.
11. We agree to keep in mind that we always have a choice between peace and conflict, between love and fear.
12. We agree to confidentiality regarding what we share here. What is said during this very sensitive process must stay among the participants. |
