Experiences of Faith in an Interfaith Context: Experiments with Faith Identities
August 21–26 (Saturday dinner – Thursday lunch) Beyond talking, on the other side of dialogue, is the challenge of actually experiencing different faith traditions. If each authentic spiritual tradition is an avenue to a shared Universal, is it possible for those from other traditions, or those from no particular tradition, to experience the Sacred through rituals of another faith? The presenters of this program invite participants to celebrate rituals through each of their traditions. Last year, we did a lot of teaching; this year the focus is on actual experience. Discover deeper dimensions of your own spiritual process through the rituals of the three Abrahamic faith traditions.
Getting to the Heart of Interfaith: The Eye-Opening, Hope-Filled Friendship of a Rabbi, a Pastor, and a Sheikh, by Rabbi Ted Falcon, Pastor Don Mackenzie, and Sheikh Jamal Rahman, published in 2009 by SkyLightPaths Press, will be helpful in preparing for this retreat. Copies will be available in the Indralaya bookshop.
Rabbi Ted Falcon, PhD, is a popular teacher of Jewish traditions of meditation and spirituality. The founding rabbi of Bet Alef Meditative Synagogue, he is also the co-author of Judaism for Dummies and author of A Journey of Awakening: Kabbalistic Meditations on the Tree of Life.
The Rev. Catherine Fransson, MAT English, MEd Counseling, MDiv, served as acting Lead Pastor at Seattle First Baptist Church from 2007 to 2009, and continues to serve on the pastoral team there. She focuses on experiences that waken us to the power of God in everyday life.
Pastor Don Mackenzie, PhD, recently retired as Minister and Head of Staff at University Congregational United Church of Christ in Seattle. He is currently devoting full time to interfaith work. His country music band, Life’s Other Side, has sung at the Opry in Nashville.
Sheikh Jamal Rahman, MA, is the Muslim Sufi Minister and co-founder of the Interfaith Community Church. He is the author of The Fragrance of Faith: The Enlightened Heart of Islam and a co-author of Out of Darkness, Into Light: Spiritual Guidance in the Quran with Reflections from Jewish and Christian Sources.
Program fee $95 Locals / Day Visitor fee $115