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To the facilitators and participants, greetings in the name of God, the All Merciful, the One whom we call Creator and Sovereign. The members of The Christian-Muslim Consultative Group would like to thank you for choosing to join this unique dialogue series. We would like to share a bit about our organization and the purpose of this dialogue series.
Christian and Muslim leaders will learn more about each others' faith and tradition as well as about their own, which will impact how they present each other to their own community. Christian and Muslim congregations will be encouraged to engage in dialogue leading to greater openness and appreciation of each other. Our religious leaders will be able to speak more effectively and with one voice, especially at times of crisis. Local dialogue and cooperation will lead to positive changes in Christian and Muslim attitudes toward each other.
AboutCMCG
AboutCMCG
Members
CO-CHAIRS :
Guibord, The Reverend Dr. Gwynne - Officer of Ecumenical and Interreligious Concerns for the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles Turk, Jihad - Director of Religious Affairs, Islamic Center of Southern California
MEMBERS :
Abdallah, John lshvaradas - World Without Borders (Representing South Coast Interfaith Council} AI-Marayati, Salam - Executive Director, Muslim Public Affairs Council Bethea, Mary Marjorie - Student, Fuller Theological Seminary Classick, Virginia - Regional Coordinator for the San Fernando Valley of Progressive Christians Uniting Dakhil, Dr. Dater - Director, Omar Ibn Alkhattab Foundation Dominguez, Cesar - Los Angeles Latino Muslim Association Dyrness, Dr. Grace R. - Institute for Urban Initiatives Farrag, Hebah - Omar ibn AI Khattab Foundation Gilliland, Steve - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Guernsey, Lucy - (representing the Southern California Ecumenical Council) Hasan, Aziza - Inter-Faith Program Coordinator, Muslim Public Affairs Council Hasan, Imam Abdul Karim - Bilallslamic Center Hathout, Dr. Maher - Senior Advisor to the Muslim Public Affairs Council and Spokesperson for the Islamic Center of Southern California Hathout, Dr. Ragaa - Islamic Center of Southern California Islam - Majeed, Milia - Executive Director, South Coast Interfaith Council Johnson, Sherrel - Assistant to Director/Community Relations Manager, Council on American-Islamic Relations Johnson, The Reverend Dr. Thom - Pastor, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Covina (representing the Bishop of the Southwest California Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) Lekovic, Edina - Communications Director, Muslim Public Affairs Council Nakagawa, The Reverend Mark M. - Senior Minister, Centenary United Methodist Church, Los Angeles (representing the California- Pacific Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church} Patriquin, Dr. Lisa - Director of Children 's & Family Ministries, Glendale Presbyterian Church (representing the Synod of Southern California and Hawaii of the Presbyterian Church, USA) Siddiqi, Dr. Muzammil - Religious Director, Islamic Society of Orange County and Chair of the Shura Council of Southern California Smith, The Right Reverend Alexei - Director of the Office of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles Stinson, The Reverend Jerry - Senior Minister, First Congregational Church of Long Beach (representing the Southern California/Nevada Conference of the United Church of Christ Syed, Shakeel - Executive Director, The Islamic Shura Council of Southern California
CMCG Members
Internet Resources
The Christian-Muslim Consultative Group Of Southern California Website : http:// thecmcg.org/
Web Resources
Interfaith Organizations
California Council of Churches : http:/ /calchurches.org/about_us4.html Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLU E) : http:/ /www.cluela.org/ Council for a Parliament of World's Religions: http://www.cpwr.org/who/who.htm Fellowship of Reconciliation : http://www.forusa.org/ Inland Valley Council of Churches : http://www.ivcouncilofchurches.org/homepagetrial/ Interfaith Alliance : http://www.interfaithalliance.org Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace : http://icujp.org/ Interfaith Council of Garden Grove, Stanton and Westminster : http:/ /www.urbandharma.org/gginterfaith/index.html Interreligious Council of Southern California : http:/ /www.ircsocal.org/index.html Newport-Mesa, Irvine Interfaith Council : http:/ /www.nmiinterfaith.org/ Religious Diversity News : http://www.pluralism.org/news/ South Coast Interfaith Council : http:/ /scinterfaith.org/ Southern California Interfaith Network: http://interspirit.net/scin.cfm United Religious Initiatives of Los Angeles : http://www.uri.org/ University Religious Conference at UCLA : http:/ /www.studentgroups.ucla.edu/urcfriend/ USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture : http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/crcc/ Valley Interfaith Council : http:/ /www.vic-la.org/ Ventura County Interfaith Community : http://www.timhelton.com/VCIC/
Organizations Aimed At Protecting the First Amendment and Affirming Religious Diversity
American Civil Liberties Union: http://www.aclu.org/ Americans United for Separation of Church & State : http://www.au.org/ Americans United for Separation of Church & State (Orange County Chapter) : http://www.au-oc.org./ Americans United for Separation of Church & State (San Fernando Valley Chapter) : http:/ /www.ausfv.org/ Campaign to Defend the Constitution : http://www.defconamerica.org/ First Amendment Center: http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/ First Freedom First : http://www.firstfreedomfirst.org/ Jews on First : http:/ /www.jewsonfirst.org/index.html People for the American Way: http:/ /www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/ Theocracy Watch : http://www.theocracywatch.org/
Web Resources
Session I : Outline
Discussion about Interfaith Dialogue and Etiquette ( approx 60 min. not including break)
The overall goal of this discussion is to create an atmosphere of trust and respect among the group members. Our hope is that these guidelines will provide a way to explore issues of difference, distinction, and perhaps conflict in ways that honor the Sacred in one another. Types and Levels of Interfaith Dialogue: Ask group members to give examples of each type. The goal is that group members should feel comfortable entering the dialogue at whatever level is comfortable for them. We suggest posting this on the wall for reference at future sessions, particularly as group members are getting comfortable with one another in the early stages of the project. (7 min.)
Guidelines for Interfaith Dialogue: In addition to giving the participants copies of the handout, we suggest posting a large version of the Guidelines for Interfaith Dialogue that on a wall for the duration of the project. Should you find yourself facilitating a conversation where tensions are rising and people seem to be tuning each other out, stop for a few minutes and point out which guidelines might be useful to enact together to get the conversation going on a more fruitful track. (7 min .) Christian and Muslim Terms: Give this handout to the group members, with some opportunity to ask questions of one another. You might want to try this exercise in interfaith groups of four to five people. They will not have time to cover every term in this session; rather; they should get familiar with the document, interact briefly around it with some examples, and bring it to future sessions to help them in their learning. Find ways to incorporate this handout into future sessions so the group members will make regular use of it. (10 min.) Interfaith Etiquette: Facilitate a discussion about interfaith etiquette by asking group members to join in explanations of certain customs and practices. Role-playing may be used to illustrate social interactions. (30min.)
Closing (5 min)
Go around the circle and have each person use one word or a short phrase (depending on time) to describe their perception of this session.
1) Make space for each other: When we have a guest stay at our home, we often make space in a closet or a chest of drawers by taking out some of our own things and creating room for our guest's possessions. In interfaith dialogue we each try to un-ci utter our own minds of any preconceptions and open up space to let in the words and experiences of others. 2) Respect confidentiality: While general comments about the group experience may be shared outside of the group, comments about personal statements and names of group members should not be shared outside of the group. 3) Self-determination: Group members should feel free to speak only when it is comfortable to do so. Any group member may "pass" if there is anything that he/she would prefer not to talk about. 4) Asking questions: Group members should not hesitate to ask others to clarify comments, or to ask questions. Questions are for the purpose of genuinely understanding, not to challenge something that someone has said . 5) Talk time: Each group member should have the opportunity to speak if they choose to. In these groups there will be a great deal of information and experience to be shared in a limited period of time. Each group member is asked to be respectful of others and give everyone an equal opportunity to speak. The group facilitator may need to limit participation in order to provide an opportunity for everyone to participate. 6) Faithful attendance: Group members are asked to commit to faithfully attending each session of the dialogue, and to contact one of the group facilitators if a session must be missed.
Advent
Altar
Apostles' Creed
Bethlehem Bible
Born Again
Catechism Christ
Christening
Church
Clergy
Communion
Confession
Confirmation
Creed
Devil
Disciple Easter
Eucharist
Festival
Lent
Pastor Pentecost
Repentance
Savior
Sermon Sunday
Dhikr
Du'a Eid
Hadith
Hijab
Hail
Imam lnjil
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Jihad
Kaaba
Madinah
Makkah
Qur'an
Ramadan
Salah
Sawm
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Shari 'ah
Shayton Shura
Ya'qub {Jacob)
Zakah
Zakariyya {Zachariah)
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Most churches have an organ or piano. Music is played before and after the service, and during the service to accompany the singing of hymns or other parts of the service. Most churches have a choir that sings at least once during the service. Prayer and praise in music comes from our roots in Psalms and other passages in the Hebrew Scriptures.
Religious Holidays : The major Christian holidays are Christmas, which celebrates the birth of Jesus, and Easter. which celebrates Jesus' resurrection. These holidays are called Feast Days in some denominations. The four weeks prior to Christmas are called Advent. The six weeks prior to Easter are called Lent, which begins with Ash Wednesday. The week prior to Easter is called Holy Week and begins with Palm Sunday. Contact between Men and Women : Men and women sit together in worship services. In some Christian
churches there is a time called "the sharing of the peace", where people shake hands, embrace, or kiss on the cheek. People say some version of, "The peace of the Lord be with you".
Weddings : Many weddings take place in churches, although weddings can take place in other locations. A reception may take place at the church, or at another location. Alcohol may be served at receptions that take place at locations away from the church. Funerals : A funeral service may take place at a church or at a funeral home. There is no requirement in terms of how quickly a funeral should take place after death. There may be a burial soon after a death and a memorial service at a later date. Greetings : The primary greetings are at Christmas- Merry Christmas- and at Easter- Happy Easter. Offerings : It is traditional to receive an offering during Christian worship services. This is often part of an
annual "pledge" that members make to their church to support the work and workers of the church on the local, regional, national and international levels. This includes work for social justice ministries. Ushers pass plates or baskets. Offerings are voluntary.
Meals in a Christian home : It is customary to say a prayer before meals to bless and give thanks for the
food. This is often called "saying grace" or "giving the blessing". Guests may be asked to offer this prayer. Some Christians also pray at the end of a meal.
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Religious leaders : The leader of a Christian congregation is called a priest in some traditions (Roman Catholic and Episcopal) and may be addressed as "Father". In other traditions the leader may be called a pastor or minister, and would be addressed as "Pastor" of "Reverend". Women members of Roman Catholic religious orders are called "Sister". Attending worship services : It is appropriate to sit and stand with the congregation, and participate in any of the spoken portions if desired. It is customary for a bulletin or order of service to be handed out at worship services that guides a person through the service. The bulletin may make reference to a hymn (song), prayer or psalm that is included in a hymnal or prayer book that typically is in a rack in the pew (bench) in front of you.
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knee in order to participate in the prayer. Women will wear modest clothing up to the elbows and mid knees to participate in the prayer. During the services, a headscarf is recommended to cover the hair.
Mosque : The place of worship for Muslims; also referred to as an Islamic Center. Upon entering a
mosque, shoes are removed and kept outside of the prayer area.
Musallah : Prayer room Qibla : The direction towards which the congregation prays. It is in the direction of Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
Members of the congregation sit on the floor. Some mosques have a balcony in the musallah reserved for women. Other mosques accommodate men and women in the same prayer area.
The Prayer Ritual : A Muslim prays five times a day. The prayer takes five to ten minutes. There is commu-
nal prayer in the afternoon on Fridays. Muslims face Mecca during their prayers as a sign of unity. But they do not pray to Mecca; they pray to God. When attending prayers, arrive early. Like the rest of the worshippers in the mosque, guests typically sit on the prayer mat on the floor. Guests are welcomed to join the prayer, but are requested to join at the end of the prayer line. An imam is the individual who will be leading the congregational prayer and, on Fridays, delivering the sermon. A muezzin is the individual who makes the call to prayer indicating that it is prayer time. Different Islamic centers (mosques) have different policies regarding the usage of cameras and tape/video recorders. If you wish to use such equipment during the prayer service, check in advance with an official of the mosque or center.
Important Vocabulary :
Salah : Prayer Allah : God Adhan : Call to prayer Raka 'ah :A unit of prayer ritual that consists of motions and verbal recitations.
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Session II : Outline
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Discussion of core beliefs, with prompts for discussion included (30-45 min.)
We have prepared many possible discussion prompts to accompany the DVD segment, more than you will be able to discuss in the time allotted. There are a few different ways you could approach this. You could decide in advance which questions the group will discuss. You could pass out all the questions and let the group decide which ones they want to focus their time on (but you will need to allow time to manage the selection process in a consensual manner, which might reduce the overall discussion time.) Or, you could break the large group up into small interfaith groups to have discussion on those questions that are meaningful to them and then debrief in the large group setting to spend time on a couple that the whole group found interesting or perplexing.
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Closing (5 min.)
Go around the circle and give members the opportunity to share something that was new or surprising from this session.
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Circle the best answer that applies to you personally. You may circle more than one answer if necessary. The answers should reflect how you feel ... not "right" or "wrong" answers.
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Discussion Prompts
1) Were you surprised at what you learned about Christianity and/or Islam? What was the most surprising? 2) Our speakers give very complex answers to Father Alexei's question, "What is the essence of Islam and Christianity? How would you paraphrase their answers? What answer would you give about the essence of your faith?" Dr. Hathout calls all the followers of the Abrahamic faiths "people of the Book." He describes them as "closer family" and says that there is an affinity between the Abrahamic faiths. What are some similarities between Islam and Christianity, as described by Rev. Dr. Stinson and Dr. Hathout? Are there other similarities? What are some similarities and differences in what Christians and Muslims believe about God? Although this was not discussed specifically in the DVD, the Qu'ran has many stories about the life and teachings of Jesus. The Bible and the Qu'ran also share similar but not identical stories about many other prophets like Abraham, Noah, Moses, Jacob, and Isaac. Mary, the mother of Jesus, is also mentioned many times in the Qu'ran. With a partner of another faith, share some of the stories you have learned about Jesus and others. Rev. Dr. Stinson talks about "the historical Jesus" versus "the Christ" and the impact of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. What do you think God was trying to do through Jesus? What do you believe about the divinity of Jesus? What did you learn that is new about Mohammad? Was this surprising to you? Rev. Dr. Stinson describes several different ways that Christians understand and interpret the Bible. Some believe the Bible is God's inerrant Word to God's people. Some believe that the Bible is inspired by God, but not infallible; rather. it is open to multiple meanings for people across the ages. Still other Christians believe that the Bible is "words about God" written by humans and therefore, fallible but still important to read and understand if one is to be a Christian. If you are Christian, what do you believe about the Bible? Dr. Hathout discussed how the Qur' an is considered by Muslims to be the inerrant word of God. Muslims believe that the Qu'ran is never "out-dated". It is always being interpreted by scholars for the current time. If you are Muslim, can you share any examples of how this has applied to your life? Dr. Hath out discusses how we use our faith teachings to provide guidance for contemporary issues. He illustrates his ideas with examples about organ transplantation and reproductive treatments. How do you think faith should inform decisions about complex contemporary matters?
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11) What are the attributes of God? Do Christians and Muslims agree? If not, what are the differences? 12) Dr. Hath out says, (from Qur' an) "Nothing is like unto God". He suggests that we should "think about the attributes of God, [not about] the persona of God because by [His] nature, God is beyond [us.) Why is this concept about the nature of God important to Muslims? If you are Christian, could you agree with this statement?
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13) Do you believe that God inteNenes in human or natural creation? If yes, is this belief central to your understanding of the nature of God? If no, how would you describe the relationship between God and humans (or creation)? How is your understanding of "faith" manifested because of these beliefs? How is it different between Christianity and Islam? 14) Many Christians (but not all) believe in the Trinity- God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; this is also referred to as "God in three persons." If you are Christian, do you believe in the Trinity in your congregation/denomination? If yes, how is this concept helpful (or not!) for understanding the nature of God? 15) What does your Holy Book tell you about life after death (or heaven or the kingdom of God)? Share some verses that describe heaven. What does your faith teach about accountability in this world and when you come before God for judgment? 16) Dr. Hath out says, "There isn 't a clash of religions. There is a clash between people who use religion [to justify their own purposes.] What our group should be focusing on is to prevent the abuse and misuse of religion to seNe very human agendas that have nothing to do with the Divine." What do you think about this statement?
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The Muslims biggest victory, however. was not on the battlefield. In the sixth year after migrating to Medina. Muhammad and his followers donned the simple white garb of the pilgrimage and set off for Mecca unarmed. Although the Quraysh prevented the Muslims from completing the rights of HaD. the Muslims engaged the Quraysh in peace negotiations and signed a ten-year peace treaty known as the Treaty of Hudaybiya. It was in peace that the preaching of the monotheism of Islam really took root and the call of Islam and its reformative message spread. Shortly before Muhammad's death in 632 C.E., the Quraysh had broken the treaty so the Muslims marched on Mecca with an army of ten thousand, taking the Quraysh by surprise. But upon Muhammad's return to his home town of Mecca (from which he had been forced to flee ten years earlier). he declared a general amnesty even for the Meccan leadership and no blood was shed. Muhammad's message was simple. He called for a return to the teachings of Abraham, the forefather of the Arabs and the Jews, and for a return to the religion of the true servants of one true God as known through the stories of the Bible. This is the main theme of the collection of revelation to Muhammad. the Qur' an, which came over the course of his twenty-three year mission. Muhammad did not see himself as coming with a new religion; rather. as a reminder for people of the supremacy of God, a notion that Muslims believe is intuitive in each person's heart. This is the story of the founding of Islam as a religion. What unfolded after this point is really the history of Muslims and how they have understood the text of the Qur'an and the teachings of Muhammad, and how they have organized themselves politically. Despite its vast number of followers and decentralized structure, Islam has a remarkably unified theology and practice. There are two major sects in Islam: 85% of the Muslim world is Sunni and about 15% is Shi'i. The differences between the two, however. are relatively minor and intermarriage is common in places such as Baghdad where the population is mixed. As for the development of the Islamic faith. the message of Muhammad has served as the main inspiration for followers through the ages. After the first four Caliphs, religious authority passed into the hands of independent charismatic scholars or doctors of religion and spread across the expanding Islamic territory. Muslims have developed a sophisticated tradition of law and a rich theology utilizing the philosophical and logical approach of the ancient Greeks. Literacy and education has been encouraged by the Qur'an, and science and religion have not been in conflict since there is no "church" or religious hierarchy to set orthodoxy or take theological positions in conflict with science. Throughout Islamic history, there has always been diversity in the approach to Islam. Some have tended to be more traditional in their understanding of Islam , others inclined to the more legalistic approach, and yet others to a more ascetic and spiritual understanding and practice. As for the traditional approach to Muhammad's message, many believers took comfort in adopting not only the message and theology of the Prophet, but also in conforming to his mannerisms and customs. They focused on the collection of reports or Hadith that described anything that he said or did and would attempt to emulate him in these regards. The traditionalists characteristically approached both the text of the Qur'an and the Hadith in a rather literal fashion.
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The more legally minded, on the other hand, approached the Qur' an and the collection of other teachings of Muhammad, i.e. the Hadith, with an eye to understanding the principles underlying the message as a whole. These scholars, known as the 'ulama' or fuqaha', incorporated the logical approach of the Greeks in their development of a comprehensive theology and legal framework that addresses every aspect of human conduct. Various schools of law or madhahib were formed, coalescing in the five main schools that predominate today: the Shafi'L HanafL MalikL Han baiL and Ja'farL the latter of which represents the Shi'i sect, with the first four reflecting the Sunni theology. As for Islam's spiritual movements, various individuals from throughout the Muslim lands and eras who were renowned for their piety and charisma developed followings among those seeking a greater meaning to life. These popular spiritual orders vary in ritual and custom in their path to spiritual enlightenment, obliteration of the ego, and attaining a proximity to God. As for the religion's political history, the successors to Muhammad's authority expanded the territory of the nascent Muslim Empire tremendously in a very short time. Within 100 years of Muhammad's death, the Muslim rule spread from Spain and Morocco in the West to Central Asia, China and India in the East and the next 1000 years would come to be described as the golden age of Islam. It is important to note that because of Islam's view of itself as continuing the legacy of the biblical prophets, Muslims were tolerant and even protective of many other faith traditions, especially Christians and Jews who are described by the Qur'an as "people of the book." Although Muslims conquered the territory of the Christian Byzantine Empire, the compact that the Caliphs made with the inhabitants protected the local's rights to their religion, churches and even personal property. It is often stated that Islam spread by the sword. This is not entirely correct. Muslim rule did spread by the sword at some times, but it was more often a slow process of conversion through commerce and interfaith marriage that shifted the demographics in favor of Islam. Highlighting this point is the fact that the populations of Egypt and Syria remained majority Christian for four hundred years after being conquered by Muslims and there are still Christian populations in both of those lands today. Additionally, the largest Muslim country today is Indonesia, a place that was never conquered militarily, but eventually embraced Islam through contact and intermarriage with Muslim merchants. All of this is not to suggest that there were never periods of transgression against this norm, but the dominant rule has been one of coexistence with other faith traditions. The famous Jewish philosopher and theologian, Rabbi Moses ben Maimon (Maimonodies) described the era under Muslim rule in Spain or ai-Andulus, a land that was ruled at least in part by Muslims for almost eight centuries, as the golden age of Judaism. Since colonialism and modernity, Muslim populations have struggled to adjust. Although some in the Muslim world have resisted modernity and expressed hostility to the colonial powers and the United States, most Muslims welcome the idea of democracy and freedom. They find Islam to be compatible with human rights and democracy and desire those aspects of modernity to take root in their countries.
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Christian Chronology
29 33 Beginning of Jesus' public ministry. Jesus crucified, resurrected, appears to more than 500 disciples at one time ( 1 Cor 15.6), Jesus gives his disciples the Great Commission "Go therefore and teach all Nations ..." (Mt 28.19). After 40 days, he ascends into heaven (Acts 1.3-9). Conversion of Saint Paul. formerly Saul, the persecutor of Christians. Paul will embark on three missionary journeys starting in 48 to preach to Jews and Gentiles. He writes 13 letters or epistles to the new churches he establishes. Christians are persecuted under King Herod Agrippa. New Testament books are written. Great fire in Rome blamed on Christians. Emperor Nero kills thousands of Christians. Persecution of Christians under Emperor Domitian begins. Persecution of Christians under Emperor Septimius Severus. Persecution of Christians under several Emperors. Violent persecution of Christians under Emperor Diocletian. Emperor Galerius orders the end of the persecution of Christians. Constantine defeats his chief rival Maxentius at the battle of the Milvian Bridge, in which he used a Christian symbol (the Cross) on his standard, and afterward proclaimed the toleration of all religions, including Christianity. Constantine becomes sole Emperor and legalizes Christianity. Council of Nicaea is convened by Constantine to in response to the Arion heresy, which taught that the Son was inferior to the Father; a superior being but a created being. First part of the Nicene Creed is promulgated. Council of Constantinople is convened by Emperor Theodosius I which expanded the Nicene Creed, developing the section on the Holy Spirit. Council of Ephesus condemns Nestorianism, defines Mary as the Theotokos, the "Bearer of God." Council of Chalcedon condemns Monophysitism and stated that while Christ is one person, there is in him not one nature but two, human and divine. Council of Constantinople II reinterpreted the decrees of Chalcedon and sought to explain, in more constructive terms, how the two natures of Christ unite to form a single person. Council of Constantinople Ill condemned the Monothelite heresy which argued that although Jesus has two natures, since he is a single person, he has only one will. Council of Nicaea II condemned the heresy of Iconoclasm, which denied the depiction of Jesus or the saints in religious art. Great Schism, dividing the Christian Church East (Orthodox) and West (Roman Catholic). Martin Luther posts his 95 Theses on the door of the church in Wittenberg, beginning the Protestant Reformation in the West. Swiss Ulrich Zwingli spreads reform. The Anabaptist movement. predecessor to the Brethren and Mennonite Churches, begins. The Augsburg Confession is adopted by Lutherans. The Act of Supremacy makes King Henry VIII head of the English Church, breaking away from the Roman Catholic Church. The Church of England sets forth a doctrinal statement, The 39 Articles. John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion explains Protestant beliefs. John Knox's Reformed Church begins in Scotland. The first Baptist Church is founded in Amsterdam by John Smyth, who baptizes himself. First Presbyterian Church established in the US.
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324 325
381 431 451 553 681 787 1054 1517 1519 1525 1530 1534
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Christian Chronology 1738 Conversions of John and Charles Wesley. Their emphasis on living a holy life by doing specific spiritual disciplines each week is described as "Methodist." Eventually Methodism spreads rapidly throughout England. Methodists separate from the Church of England to form a distinct Church. Thomas and Alexander Campbell's Restoration Movement gives rise to the Disciples of Christ and some Church of Christ groups. The African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) is founded in Philadelphia by Richard Allen. The African Methodist Episcopal Church Zion is formed. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) is organized by Joseph Smith. The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ is first published. Seventh-Day Adventist Church is founded. The Salvation Army is founded by William Booth. Azusa Street revivals, lead by William Seymour; mark the beginnings of Pentecostalism . Assemblies of God, and later Church of God and Four-Square denominations form in the wake of the Azusa Street revivals.
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As the early Christian communities increasingly sow Jesus as the divine message itself rather than as God's messenger, they also began to claim their faith was the one and only true faith. The number of "Gentile" churches grew outside of Israel while the Jesus' Movement within Judaism essentially ended with Rome's destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 70 CE. After that happened, those in what was by then being called Christianity tried to separate themselves from Judaism by claiming to be followers of a totally different religious faith. To make those distinctions clear, early Christians developed a kind of tragic anti-Semitism that has been port of most of Christianity through the ages. We are learning today through the discovery of a number of ancient documents that the early Gentile Christian communities were diverse, affirming a variety of beliefs and styles of living. As Christianity grew within the Roman Empire, its adherents faced persecution often due to its claims of being the only true religious expression. A dramatic shift occurred in the fourth century BCE, when the Roman Emperor Constantine become a Christian himself and granted Christianity legal status. He wonted to use Christianity to unite his empire and was distressed at the diversity within the religion. So in 325 CE, he summoned the bishops of the churches to a Council in Niceo and ordered them to meet until they come up with a unified statement of beliefs. They did so, and the Nicene Creed which they produced essentially represented the theology of Paul. It is still the essential set of normative beliefs for most Christian communities. In 381 CE, Christianity moved beyond legal recognition as one religion of the Empire into recognition as the Empire's state religion. Those outside the parameters of the new Nicene orthodoxy become the object of a new persecution by the Christians aligned with the Emperor. Gnostic Christians whose beliefs are reflected in the Gospel of Thomas and other documents discovered in Nag Homodi in the 20th century were the primary victims of the persecution. Church authority was now concentrated in five bishops in Alexandria, Antioch, Constantinople, Jerusalem and Rome. With the expansion of Islam through the Middle East during the 7th century CE, Christian power become concentrated in Constantinople and Rome. Those two Christian centers gradually grew aport in belief and practice. In 1054 CE, a split was formolized between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox churches. Within the Western world, the Roman Catholic Church continued to grow and increase its influence and power. As the emperor's power declined, the power of the Bishop of Rome (the Pope) increased. During the early medieval period, the papacy continued to grow strong, monasticism developed, and areas of separation between church and state grew very hazy. While Christianity was growing in the West, Islam was growing as well and overtaking Christian centers. The leaders of Christianity were threatened by Islamic growth and the Pope asserted his earthly rule and established the papal states in Italy. In the eleventh century, Christians initiated a series of wars to win bock from Muslims what they considered to be their holy lands. Over a period of almost 200 years, there were eight crusades. During this 200year period atrocities appear to hove been committed by both Christians and Muslims. The Christian crusaders also killed thousands of Jews.
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In the twelfth century, gothic architecture began to prevail and some of the great Christian cathedrals of Europe were built including Notre Dome and Chartres. After the crusades, the Christian Church in the West seemed to go into a period of decline. There was the "Babylonian Captivity" of the papacy when the Pope resided in Avignon under the control of the French king. There was a period in which multiple popes all claimed authority. The Block Death or bubonic plague ravaged Europe and contributed to the sense of decline. Toward the end of the fourteen century, some religious reformers began to criticize the established church. In the middle of the fifteenth century, Johann Guttenberg developed a printing press and printed the first Bible. The possibility of people now reading the religious texts for themselves spurred more reform efforts. In 1517, Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses, his document of criticism, on the doors of the Wittenberg Cathedral and soon reform efforts swept through Germany and the rest of Europe. This was the beginning of multiple Protestant Christian traditions defining themselves as separate from Roman Catholicism. There were soon Lutheran churches, Reformed churches, the Church of England and a variety of others. In response to the Protestant Reformation, there was a Roman Catholic CounterReformation with the Council of Trent in the middle of the sixteenth century reaffirming Catholic doctrine. In the seventeenth century, Christians of many ideologies journeyed across the Atlantic to the promise of freedom and economic prosperity in what they called the New World. The first colonists who settled in Jamestown come primarily for economic reasons but they were also members of the Church of England. In 1620's and 1630's, the New England colonies were settled by Puritans, who come primarily for religious reasons. The Puritans, forebears of the Congregational tradition, were from a reform movement aimed at the Church of England which was itself a reform movement aimed at Roman Catholicism. Then a number of other people from various Christian religious traditions arrived in the other colonies, most of them Protestant. They gathered primarily in areas where one or another Protestant denomination prevailed. After the War for Independence, the genius of those who created the American Constitution was that they knew there could never be a United States mode up of the various colonies until religious freedom was protected in all the colonies and no one religion was allowed to dominate the state- thus the creation of the separation between church and state. Today Christianity remains the largest religion in the world. Almost half of the world's 2.1 billion Christians are Roman Catholics. Christianity continues to be the largest faith tradition in the Americas and Europe, but with fewer members and diminished socio-political influence. Christianity's fastest growth is on the continent of Africa. In describing Christian history, scholars struggle to find appropriate categories to frame that history. Sometimes they divide Christianity into three mega-groups - Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant - although sometimes the Anglican community becomes a fourth such group. Sometimes they divide Christianity by its basic approach, for instance conservative, moderate and liberal. Sometimes they use categories of theological belief or categories of religious families where beliefs and practices are similar. My understanding of Christianity is what I call Christian universalism, which sees a human Jesus pointing to a non-theistic God and offering one viable pathway to understanding that God and the meaning of human experience. However, that radical perspective reflects on extremely tiny portion of Christianity. I think most Christians continue to affirm that Christianity is the only true religion and that belief in Jesus as the Christ or Son of God is necessary in order for a person to move on to new life after death. The majority of Christians still affirm a redemption theology that says God sent God's only son, Jesus, to earth to die for the sins of humanity and that Jesus is the only way to God.
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I think that theology accounts for why Christian history has been so bloody in terms of attacking people of other religious faiths and I think it accounts for why it is difficult for Christians to engage in serious interfaith dialogue since the basic assumption is that those on the other side of that dialogue are wrong in their thinking and are ultimately condemned due to their choice of religious community. It is with that broad controversial statement that I end this attempt at a brief history.
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Session Ill
Outline
1) Welcome back and quick questions from history materials. (10 min.) 2) Community building exercise. See Facilitators' Notes. (15 min.) 3) Discussion of handout: Five Pillars of Islam. (20 min.) 4) Watch DVD of Ha] and Pilgrimage experiences. (10 min.) 5) Debrief the DVD clip. ( 10 min.) 6) Break. (10 min.) 7) Discussion of Christian practices that compare to each of the Five Pillars. (20 min.) 8) Selected readings from the Bible and the Qur'an . (15 min.) 9) Assignment for next meeting. (1 min.) 10) Closing. (10 min.)
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Break ( 10 min.)
Discussion of Christian practices that compare to each of the Five Pillars (1 0 min.)
Circling back to some of the foundational practices that were discussed earlier, allow time for the Christians in the group to share examples of foundational practices that are similar to and different from the Five Pillars. The handout offers some brief information to anchor this discussion. There is no need to force comparisons where none exist. However, the group members will likely see certain commonalities that perhaps they did not know before, while at the same time seeing ways in which some of their foundational practices are distinct. Practice good timekeeping and facilitating skills as noted above.
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Closing (1 0 min.)
Ask each group member to share, in one sentence, the most significant thing they will take away from this session .
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Shahadah : The profession of faith that proclaims : "There is no true God except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." Sa/at (Prayer) : The world's Muslims turn individually and collectively toward Makkah (Mecca), Islam's holiest city, to offer prayers every day at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and evening. Other obligaid tory prayers include the Friday congregational prayer, E prayers and the funeral prayer. Sawm (Fasting) : Fasting - abstaining completely from eating, drinking, and intimate sexual contact- is required for adult Muslims during daylight hours during the month of Ramadan. (There are exceptions due to health or age). Zakat (Charity) : Social responsibility is considered to be part of one's service to God. Zakat is equal to 2.5 percent of an individual's net worth, excluding financial obligations, and is given for the welfare of the entire community. Hajj (Pilgrimage) : All Muslims, if they are able, are required to make a pilgrimage to Makkah (Mecca) once during their lifetime.
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For those who have not grown up in a religious family, the decision to commit one's life to Christ can take a great deal of time and thought. A person who has not been baptized can attend a church indefinitely and not be "received into membership" but still be a vital part of the church community. Membership in a church means that they can vote on congregational matters, or serve in lay leadership positions in the congregation. Becoming a member of a congregation usually involves some sort of class with the pastor or lay leader that explains the core beliefs of the faith, the common practices of the church and/or denomination, and allows for sharing of personal stories about the faith journey. Prospective members also usually demonstrate their intent by attending worship regularly and being involved in the life and activities of the church prior to being received into membership. Reception into membership occurs during a worship service during which any adult or teen who has not been baptized will also receive baptism .
Prayers to God
Islam Salat, or the five daily prayers Christianity Some Christians, those belonging to the more liturgical Christian Churches (Lutheran, Episcopal, Catholic and Orthodox) pray the Liturgy of the Hours--specific, formal prayer services five times a day (Morning Prayer, Midday Prayer, Mid-afternoon Prayer, Evening Prayer or Vespers, Compline or Night Prayer). Although more characteristic of monastic communities, many lay people also pray the Liturgy of the Hours daily. There are many Christians who also pray the rosary as part of their spiritual practice. Many Protestants also practice daily, individual prayer to God, along with time set aside to read scripture or other devotional readings.
As for communal prayer, there is a wide berth of Christian belief and practice. Many Christians are creedal, meaning that during a worship service there is a recitation of a creed (a statement of foundational beliefs). Some Christians may recite a profession of faith or a statement of faith in each worship service or on Communion Sunday and other holy days in the Church calendar.
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Fasting
Islam Sawn, or fasting during the daylight hours of the month of Ramadan Christianity Many Christians observe some form of fasting during the season of Lent. Fasting may be abstinence from specific activities, or certain foods, or not eating in between meals, or not eating until noon, or not eating at all during a 24 hour period - such are some of the varieties of Christian fasting. Other Christians might observe a fast on certain days during the year or to commemorate certain events in the life of Christ.
Pilgrimage
Islam Hafl, or the Pilgrimage to Mecca Christianity Many Christians make pilgrimages to sites associated with the life of Jesus or the Saints. for example to Jerusalem, Bethlehem. Nazareth or to Lourdes or to Rome or Canterbury or the Virgin of Guadelupe, but pilgrimage is not typically a required practice in most Christian traditions.
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Session IV : Outline
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After several rounds of statements prepared by the facilitators, ask the group members to chime in one by one to make statements revolving around identity and spirituality.
Show DVD segment for Session IV of Christian and Muslim communities in worship (6 min.)
Styles of Worship In this session, you will see several examples of typical Christian and Muslim worship. One of the key differences you are likely to notice right away is the use of music. You may also notice the way the worship space is arranged, how the space is used, who is in the worship space and who does not appear to be (in these particular segments.)
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Music is a key feature in many of these examples, especially in Christian worship. Many, but not all Christian traditions consider music be an essential practice for praising and glorifying God. Many Christians say that congregational singing is the time in corporate worship when they are most likely to connect with the Creator. In addition to communal hymns, soloists, small groups of singers, and instrumentalists can provide additional special music which is connected to the theme of the worship service. Most churches, Catholic and Protestant, have a special space in the sanctuary for a choir, usually in the front or in the balcony. Following are some comments that may help Muslim viewers understand a bit of what's going on in the segments that feature Christian worship. The Christian examples are taken from Episcopal, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon), Presbyterian and Methodist churches. All of these are considered Protestant denominations.
Segment 1
In this Episcopal Church, the priest is entering the sanctuary with a group of people who process carrying the cross, the Bible, incense, and banners, marking the entry of the Word of God among the people. All the people turn to face the Bible as it enters the church. As the sacred symbols pass them, they begin turning toward the front of the sanctuary. The choir is seated in the front, behind the altar, leading the opening congregational hymn of the service. There is a small orchestra seated just behind the altar to provide special music. This is an example of what Christians call "high church" worship.
Segment 2
This Latter Day Saint (Mormon) congregation is singing a hymn. Notice that, unlike the other examples of congregational singing, they are all seated. We can see a woman in the front of the sanctuary leading this hymn, but no choir. Young children and infants are worshipping with their parents. The pews are full so they have opened another section of the worship space and added folding chairs.
Segment 3
Although you can only hear the praise band singing, in fact, this large Presbyterian congregation is also singing. You see many people standing with their hands raised or folded in prayer. These are common postures of adoration during communal singing in evangelical churches. The words to the song are shown on large screens at the front of the sanctuary so there is no need to hold a hymnal. Some people are not singing but you can see they are engaged in prayer and praise.
Closing. (5 min.)
Have everyone convene in a circle so that the group members can see each other. Ask each person to share one new thing learned in this session.
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Session V : Outline
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Now that the group has been together for several weeks, you have built up a bit of group history. Perhaps you can recall some defining moments in discussion, or you have one or two rituals that your group uses together to mark your time, or maybe a few insider jokes. The following activity is designed to help the group make its history and uniqueness more overt and, in the process, begin to knit together a story of who you are becoming. You may decide to record this information in some way and add it to your story at the last session.
Instructions One of the facilitators starts off the story of the group with a sentence like this : "Once upon a time, in the city of BLANK, in SUCH AND SUCH building, there was a group of Muslims and Christians called ... " The person sitting beside the facilitator continues the story, adding two, and only two, more sentences and then the third person continues (and so on). In short, the story will continue in fragments until a whole picture is given.
To make sure that the group refers to different aspects of the group's life, facilitators can add the following rules: Each person who continues the story should refer to things that happened within the group life Each person should continue the story by connecting with the last person's sentence Each person should add information that wasn't said before by others (i.e., no repeating)
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Session VI : Outline
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Discussion about rituals at birth, marriage and death in Christianity and Islam (60 minutes including discussion of other rituals)
Distribute the Participants' Handouts on significant life transitions for Christians and Muslims. These handouts are quite dense so you may decide to launch discussion by having a few people show some of their photos or artifacts related to birth, marriage and death. As they are talking, you as the facilitators, can begin listing these and other major life transitions on a board or large piece of paper and asking the large group to quickly call out a few important features that occur for each one. For example, you might ask if the ritual occurs inside or outside a house of worship, in the presence or in collaboration with a clergy person, whether children are present or not, etc. Then you can ask them to break into interfaith pairs or small groups for 20-30 minutes to flesh out details (making use of the handouts as needed to supplement the discussion) and bring a few key pieces of their learning back to the large group. Another way to handle this discussion time if there are a lot of interesting stories and artifacts to share is to have partners talk with each other for 10 minutes (5 minutes each) about some photos or items they have brought, and then ask them to find a new partner with whom to share (and so on for a few iterations.) You might not be able to cover every possible topic in the hour, but the real goal is to have the group members share meaningful information with one another. If they get to the end of the hour and still feel like they want to talk to one another about these topics, you've probably met the goal-to increase their desire to get to know one another better! If it looks like they are running out of steam before the hour is up, take a break and move on to the next topic.
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Planning for the last session and a meal together. (15 min.)
The seventh session of the Standing Together project will allow ample time to reflect together on your individual and group learning. Early on in the formation of The Christian-Muslim Consultative Group, we began having lunch together. This quickly became more than a practical solution to busy schedules; it became a time of more relaxed sharing and learning about one another as individuals. Likewise, we encourage your group to plan a meal around this session as a way to honor the bonds that have formed in your group. If you feel a meal is too difficult to manage in among your group members, you might do a potluck of appetizers, snacks or dessert. Planning a meal that can be shared across faith groups requires some sensitivity to timing, preparation, location and hospitality. You may by now have a good sense of which people in the group are best suited to serving as a sub-committee to organize the meal. You might want to call them in advance of this session to secure their commitment to plan the meal and then allow them to share their plans with others during this time.
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Birth
"God creates you out of dust and then out of a drop of sperm and then He makes you into pairs. And no female conceives or gives birth unless it be with His knowledge" (Qur'an 35:11) In Islam, every human creature is born pure, in a natural state of submission to God. The adhan, the call for prayer, is recited in the right ear of the newborn, declaring the oneness and greatness of God. The iqamah, the ritual announcement for starting the prayer, is recited in the left ear. Traditionally, the aqiqa, a welcoming feast where a lamb is sacrificed, is celebrated on the seventh day to welcome the child to the family and the community.
Conversion to Islam
"I bear witness there is only one God and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of God." This is called the shahadah, the declaration of faith that someone new to Islam recites with sincerity in order to embrace the religion. The new Muslim prepares by taking a full bath symbolizing the purification of his body and spirit. There is no ceremony or additional rite necessary.
Marriage
"And among His signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, so that you may dwell in tranquility with them and He engenders love and tenderness between you." (30:21) Marriage is seen in Islam as a religious duty, a covenant between two people. The consent of both parties is necessary for the marriage to be valid, as well as a mohr or dowry from the groom to the bride and two witnesses. The actual marriage ceremony involves only the exchange of vows and the signing of the agreement or marriage contract. Celebrations afterwards involve a variety of traditions depending on the culture and place of origin of the couple, but are not defined by Islam.
Death
"Oh, you man, verily you are ever toiling towards your Lord, painfully toiling, then you shall meet Him." (Qur'an, 84:6) Death in Islam is a departure from the life of this world and the passage to eternal life. Muslims believe in the Day of Judgment, when everyone will be held accountable before God for his/her own deeds. The deceased is prepared with washing and shrouding, which is followed by a short prayer called janaza and burial within a day or two of death.
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Some traditions also use a funeral pall to cover the casket of baptized Christians from the time it is brought into the church until it is carried out. A pall is a large white cloth, sometimes marked with a cross, which completely covers the casket. The use of a pall treats every Christian exactly the same, whether buried in the costliest casket or the simplest wooden box. As well, the pall "echoes" the white garment of Holy Baptism. The casket is always closed for the liturgy, whether it is celebrated in church or in some other setting. The cremated ashes, with suitable adaptations, can be treated the same way when they are present for the liturgy. Lighting of the paschal candle and placing it near the head of the casket as it rests in the church also points the assembly to the promises of dying and rising with Christ that God makes at the time of baptism. Practices associated with the mortuary or funeral home or the family home, such as viewing the body of the deceased or watching with the family, are often representative of the culture of the deceased, not the denomination.
Other Life Transitions Marriage Ceremony House Blessing Ceremony Driver's License blessing Graduation blessing
(Adapted from the Lutheran Book of Worship: Leaders' Edition (Evangelical Lutheran Church of America)
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Session VII
Outline
1) Welcome and Opening Prayers.
2) Dinner/Light Meal or Dessert. (30 min.) 3) Revisiting our initial impressions and questions. (30 min.) 4) Evaluating the Journey. (20 min.) 5) Next steps on the Journey Ahead . (30 min.) 6) Closing Prayers
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Session VII
Facilitators ' Notes
Welcome back
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Name (optional)
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How has Standing Together impacted your relationships with people of your own faith?
How has Standing Together impacted your relationships with people of the "other" faith?
How often outside of Standing Together sessions do you interact with the people you have met during the Standing Together project?
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Can you describe a wider circle of impact that Standing Together has had (if any) on you or your community?
What have you most benefited from or enjoyed or been the most enriched by during the Standing Together project?
What has been less satisfying about the project or something you would change?
What are your hopes for the relationships you have formed? What are your concerns for those relationships? How do you plan to address these hopes and concerns?
What are some things the facilitators did that you felt were effective?
What constructive feedback do you have for the facilitators to improve their performance?
What are your suggestions for improving the Standing Together project?
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