To Visitors to the PRP Web Site

The following report was prepared by the Rev. George Regas, convener of the Progressive Religious Partnership. It updates us on recent past and upcoming PRP activity. George has concentrated like many of us on local and regional organizing. His efforts in southern California can be seen at the web site of Interfaith Communities United for Peace and Justice at http://icujp.org/. This report invites help and support. Let us know if you can help by sharing comments in the Online Forums on this site.

REPORT OF PRP ACTIVITIES
• We had a hugely successful meeting in Pasadena around President Bush’s State of the Union Address. About 450 people were together at All Saints Church to watch the television address; superb panel responded brilliantly and critically to the President; and the audience had the opportunity to express their frustrations, concerns and hopes. There were suggested programs and events into which this passion could be funneled. We had very substantial press coverage.

• With 9/11 and its aftermath, the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan, and the Iraq War — I have put my energies into building interfaith collaborations for peacemaking.

• I have had three preliminary interfaith gatherings in Washington DC in preparation for the June collaboration at the Washington Hebrew Congregation. They were extremely helpful.

• June 8 and 9, 2003, 40 people from Islamic, Jewish, Buddhist and Christian communities of faith gathered at the Washington Hebrew Congregation. It was challenging and richly rewarding. Jonathan Schell was with us as a teacher and resource person for these deliberations.

NEXT INTERFAITH GATHERING
• We are in process of planning a second Interfaith Collaboration for Peacemaking. It will be held at the Islamic Cultural Center of New York — 1711 3rd Avenue. The dates are October 20 and 21, 2003.

HELP NEEDED
• I ask you to do two things: put this on your calendar and plan to be with us in New York. Let me know if you think this can work for you. Please send me the names of at least five people you think should be invited to the October collaboration. I need their names and email addresses. We plan to send invitations in mid-August — so please get me these names as soon as possible.

CLEARER FOCUS
• I regret being out of touch for so long. It grows clearer by the day that we are needed in the peace movement. There are many organized groups in the emerging peace movement today, and we are all participating in many of these efforts. However, there is a great need for a strong interfaith voice. Although there are streams of violence in all religions, the common ground of all of these faith traditions is the sacredness of all life.

• If we seek and find the cooperative power of religions to discern the root causes of war and to urgently pursue peace — we will be able to make an offering badly needed in this dangerous and broken world.

• I believe deeply in this work. We will be able to raise the interfaith collaboration to a higher level — but your help is needed in the recruitment and for any suggestions you have for enrichment.

Blessings,

George Regas