111 Connections & Confluences Among the Meditation Paths - Swami Veda Bharati  1  $10.00
Direct personal experience of the transcendent, whether or not given the name God, is the Source, Essence and Goal common to all religions. The processes and paths leading the realization of this source, essence and goal, are termed meditation. The presentation will give a summary of these parallels and confluences among the spiritual practices of various religions, those that are now prevalent as well as those that are now extinct.
Maha-mandaleshvara Swami Veda Bharati, formerly known as Usharbudh Arya D. Litt., was raised in the five-thousand-year-old tradition of Sanskrit-speaking scholars of India. He has been teaching and lecturing for the last 52 years. From 1952 to 1967, he served various communities in Africa, South America and elsewhere as a pandit and spiritual guide. From 1967 to 1972, he was professor of Sanskrit at the University of Minnesota, USA, where he received the Distinguished Teacher Award. In 1996 he was appointed Spiritual Guide of the Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences in Dehradun, President and Spiritual Guide of the Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy in India, and President and Spiritual Director of Swami Rama's Ashram (Sadhana Mandir) in Rishikesh where he resides. On March 15, 1999, he was honored by the Swamis of India who conferred on him the title of Maha-mandaleshvara, placing him among the top 30 or so leading Swamis of India.

112 From Dialogue to Relationship: Interfaith Women's Journey - D'Souza, Gregerson  1  $10.00
The Interfaith Women's Journey was a joint project of the Henry Martyn Institute and the United Church of Canada involving nine women from Canada and India of Muslim, Christian, Indigenous, and Hindu traditions. The group traveled together first in India and then in Canada, with a dual objective of exploring interfaith perspectives on women's issues and a women's analysis of interfaith dialogue. This workshop will share the learnings of the journey including the importance of a women's agenda for interfaith engagement and the significance of the journey model.
Diane D'souza is the assistant director at the Henry Martyn Institute in Charge of practical outreach and engagements. She is involved in the academic study of religion, as well as being an artist, and a student of the Bharatnatayam Dance Form.
Rev. Dr. Bruce Gregersen, Interfaith and South Asia/Pacific Secretary for the United Church of Canada, the Rev. Kerry Craig, Chairperson of the InterChurch Interfaith Committee of the United Church of Canada and the Rev. Rob Hankinson, a United Church minister and leader in Interfaith organizations including the Edmonton Centre for Interfaith Action and Education. All three have contributed towards the development of the document and continue to work extensively in Canada for interfaith action and awareness.

115 Ngaga Christ Paradigm - Gomang Seratwa Ntloedible-Kuswani   1  $10.00
The workshop will explore Ngaka's (healers) relationship to Christ. Ngakas are very important in much of Africa because health and well-being are core concerns of African religions. There will also be some special attention given to Botswana (divine-healer) and how divination makes a healer complete and powerful. Finally, the workshop will look at the spiritual character of African traditions.
Gomang Seratwa has a M. Th. from Edinburgh University, U. K. and is a lecturer at the University of Botswana. His areas of study are religion, theology, history and education and he has done research in the phenomenological study of African traditions.

116 Without Land, How Will the Spiritual Helpers Know Me? - Prof. Jennifer R. Joe  1  $10.00
The federal government's settlement of a century-year-old land dispute in Arizona, not only displaced and dispossessed numerous Navajo families, but it also impacted their health and spiritual well-being. In this presentation, Dr. Joe will discuss some of the human and spiritual consequences for these families after being forced from their homes.
Dr. Jenny Joe is a member of the Dine (Navajo) Nation of Northern Arizona. She is a Professor in the Dept. of Family Medicine, a Medical Anthropologist, and the Director of the Native American Research and Training Center at the University of Arizona in Tucson, AZ. She conducts research on American Indian physical and mental health issues.

117 African Origins and Unity of Religious Thought - Prof. Dr. Mathole Motshekga  1  $10.00
This lecture traces the evolution of religious thought from predynastic Egypt through dynastic Egypt, the Hyksos, Libyan, Persian, Greco-Roman and Islamic periods. In essence, it shows how modern religions - both Western and Eastern - were derived from, or at least influenced by, ancient African religions. This lecture strives to show the common origins of all religions and to illustrate the potential harmony of religions, which is a prerequisite for peace, security and development.

118 Foundations of Sikhism - Dr. Balwant Singh Hansra  1   $10.00
Dr. Hansra will present the history and fundamentals of Sikhism by highlighting the lives of Sikh gurus and their contributions toward improving the spiritual, social, political, and economic conditions in India. The presentation will also examine the social, political, and religious climate at the time of Guru Nanal's birth.
Dr. Balwant Singh Hansra is a Professor of Physical Sciences at City Colleges of Chicago. He is former President of the Sikh Religious Society of Chicago; Trustee of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religion (CPWR), Vice-Chair of CPWR; and Chair of IIPC CPWR.

119 Gathic Mysticism and Interfaith Harmony - Dr. Homi Dhalla   1  $10.00
There have been many causes that have divided religions, which has gradually led to conflicts. Today, when we are on the threshold of a new millennium, it is necessary that religions work together. Comprehending and appreciating the mystical element in the various religious traditions could foster tolerance and greater understanding amongst them. This paper attempts to shed some light on the mystical dimension of Prophet Zarathushtra's message and how this could enhance inter-faith harmony.
A researcher in the Zarathushti religion and Parsi History, Dr. Dhalla has represented the Parsi community at various international conferences for many years and presented papers on religion, ecology, peace, and interfaith dialogue. As the Founder and President of the World Zarathushti Cultural Foundation, Dr. Dhalla has initiated various projects for the preservation and spread of its culture and heritage.

120 How to Make Life Significant - Shri Gurudev Shree Chitrabhanuji  1  $10.00
This universe in which we find ourselves is a vast home. There are more planets in our Galaxy than there are people on the earth. Of what significance can this small span of 90 or even 100 years be in the midst of the vastness? The significance can be made by living a life with an open outlook in the world to what we see and experience. This presentation intends to demonstrate how life can be significant and purposeful by being charitable to all living beings, practicing Ahimsa (reverence for life), and not burdening the earth.
Gurudev Shree Chitrabhanuji is one of the leaders of 20 million Jains. In sequence, he is the founder and the president of The Divine Knowledge Society in India; founder and president of The Jain Meditation International Center in Manhattan, New York, USA; founder and President of The Vegetarian Society in India; and founder of JAINA (Jain Association in North America) which has a membership of 57 Jain Centers and 80, 000 members in North America. He was the First Jain monk to address the Summit Conference at Geneva, Switzerland in 1970, and at Harvard Divinity School in 1971. He transcended his cloistered life to carry his message of Ahimsa (reverence for life) to all of mankind, as a global citizen. He is now known as "A Man with a Global Vision."

121 Mending the World: An Ecumenical Vision for Healing and Reconciliation - Kerry Craig et. al.  1  $10.00
Mending the World introduces the concept of Whole World Ecumenism, and calls the United Church of Canada into a new understanding of ecumenical relationships. In the context of exploding bombs, fragile atmosphere, polluted waters, and myriad expressions of violence, the church is called to make common cause with peoples of other faith and ideologies for the sake of the healing of creation. The workshop will explore the meaning of Whole World Ecumenism, its implications for the historic understandings of ecumenism, and for the agenda of communities of faith in today's world.
Rev. Dr. Bruce Gregersen, Interfaith and South Asia/Pacific Secretary for the United Church of Canada, the Rev. Kerry Craig, Chairperson of the InterChurch Interfaith Committee of the United Church of Canada and the Rev. Rob Hankinson, a United Church minister and leader in Interfaith organizations including the Edmonton Centre for Interfaith Action and Education. All three have contributed towards the development of the document and continue to work extensively in Canada for interfaith action and awareness.

124 Religious and Spiritual Resources for Responding to Adversity - Bishop Willy Romelus  1  $10.00
Bishop Romelus will present on the past and current hardships that the Haitian People face and the strides that the Catholic Church has made in helping the people of Haiti take measures towards preventing future problems. Bishop Romelus will show how the Church of Haiti is attempting to establish a self sustainable society in Haiti that relies upon positive community spirit and communication.
Bishop Romelus was ordained as a priest on July 13, 1958 in Les Cayes, Haiti. Since his ordination, he has been active in creating support services for the people of Haiti. A leading voice on human rights in Haiti, Bishop Romelus was nominated for the Nobel Prize in 1994 for his work with and for the oppressed peoples of Haiti during the military coup. Bishop Romelus has been responsible for building most of the infrastructure in his Diocese of Grande Anse.

126 Spirituality, Sexuality and World Transformation - Pregs Govender  2  $20.00
Its "inferiority" has been justified by the belief systems of patriarchal religions - the resulting oppression of especially the violence against and is directly connected to the ideas about our bodies, our sexuality, our being. There is an alternative - can the partriarchal religion have the courage to take up the challenge and help end the violence against people and children.
Political activist in students or civic structures and orgs, trade union mkt. In 70's, 80's and 90's against apartheid. Teacher - schools and UDW, Educator (national) - SACTU head - 1st workers college in SA, headed WNC charter, ANC MP, Chair of Comm. on quality of life and status of and through JSCOF - initiated S.A.'s and budget. Change laws IRT violence AG and cust.law, maintenance etc. Through getting these prioritised by Parliament. Mother of Parusha.

128 Basic Ideas and Teachings of Judaism - Rabbi Herman Schaalman  1  $10.00
This is an introductory lecture on the fundamentals of the Jewish faith as it has developed over the last three thousand years. Major religious teachings regarding G-d, revelation, covenant, birth and death, and major festive occasions will be touched on. After the lecture there will be a question and answer session.
Rabbi Herman E. Schaalman, Emeritus Rabbi of Emanuel Congregation in Chicago, was ordained at the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1941. He began his studies in Berlin, Germany in 1935 having been born in Munich, Germany during World War I. Rabbi Schaalman teaches at the Garret Evangelical Methodist Seminary in Evanston, IL., and at the Chicago Theological Seminary. He is a member of the Executive Committee for the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions, and is a board member for the Millennium Institute in Washington, D.C. He is also a member of the Education Committee of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.

129 Partnership: Equity and Community Building North & South - Sr. Margaret M. Diener  1  $10.00
Katalysis' Partnership, doing international microcredit development in four Central American countries with seven nationally-based NGO's, has developed and lived the Partnership methodology presented here over the past 15 years. This is the story of development based on partnership values and community building by way of creating equity primarily for and among women through micro-financing of micro-entrepeneurs; of the 22,000 Katalysis and Partners clients 85% are women. This presentation will review the story, the evolution and impact of this methodology, with reference to the transformation occurring for southerners and northerners.
Margaret Diener, O.P. is a Dominican Sister of San Rafael, California and is Director of Administration for Katalysis Partnership, an international nonprofit committed to the economic and sustainable development of its southern partners and their clients. She has over 25 years' experience in education, administration and spirituality.

131 The Three Faiths Forum: Towards Understanding the Abrahamic Faiths - Sidney Shipton  1  $10.00
The Three Faiths Forum, a Muslim/ Christian/ Jewish Council, is dedicated to promoting dialogue between the world's three major religions (Judaism, Islam, and Christianity) that trace their origins to the Patriarch Abraham. The lecture will address the Three Faiths Forum's efforts to encourage friendship, goodwill, and understanding between the three Abrahamic monotheistic faiths in the UK and elsewhere.
Sidney Shipton is a solicitor by profession, a Bachelor of Laws, LL.B., a Master of Business Administration, MBA., a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, FRSA., a Fellow of the Institute of Management, FIMgt, and a Freeman of the City of London. He has been involved in communal and voluntary organizations all his life and is the coordinator of the Three Faiths Forum, a council of Muslims, Christians, and Jews.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4

133 Empowerment of Women in Hinduism - Dr. M. Lakshmi Kumari   1  $10.00
Owing to various historical and social compulsions, a number of negative forces have worked against Hindu women. These destructive forces are the very antithesis of Hinduism. This lecture will explore how Hinduism has an abundance of measures that could empower and emancipate women.
Dr. M. Lakshmi Kumari holds a Ph.D. in Botany from Madras University. She also completed a two-year post-doctoral Fellowship at the Ukranian Academy of Sciences. She has been associated with the Vivekananda Kendra in India for the past three decades and has served as its President. She is an eminent religious and social worker in India.

206 Liberation Theology In Action at the Beginning of A New Century - Bishop Don S.R. Garcia  1  $10.00
In this presentation, Bishop Don Samuel Ruiz Garcia of Chiapas, Mexico, will explore the role and of Liberation Theology in the coming century. Bishop Garcia will focus on how Liberation Theology can provide a basis for social justice action in Latin America, and throughout the world.
Bishop Don Samuel Ruiz Garcia is the Bishop of the Diocese of San Cristobal de las Casas in Chiapas, Mexico. He has been the principal negotiator for several years in peace talks between the government of Mexico and the Mayan Zapatistas.

207 Religions for Social Justice - Swami Agnivesh  1   $10.00
This lecture will introduce Religions for Social Justice, a multi-religious spiritual movement. Religions for Social Justice was born out of the conviction that commitment to justice is the spiritual core of all religions. It aims at the regeneration of religion and society alike. It also seeks to harness the prodigious energies of social spirituality to the enterprise of nation building and social regeneration.
Swami Agnivesh is the founder of Religions for Social Justice. He is an activist against child labor, supporter of women's rights issues, and conducts extensive tours throughout India to promote self confidence among the most vulnerable sections of society. He is also the recipient of the Anti-Slavery International Award (London 1990) and the Freedom and Human Rights Award (Berne, Switzerland, 1994).

134 Seeking the Common Core That Binds Us as One - Lynch, Cousins, Swidler, Gangadean  1  $10.00
This panel explores how to seek the common core that binds us as one. There will be three presentatons and then the panel will open itself to an open discussion with the audience and each other on the topic.
Thomas D. Lynch is a Professor of Public Administration at Lousisiana State University.
Dr. Ewert Cousins is Professor of Theology at Fordham University. Dr. Cousins has been Visiting Professor at Columbia University and New York University as well as Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He is the editor of the important twenty-five volume series World Spirituality: An Encyclopedic History of the Religious Quest. He is author of World Spirituality: The Meeting of Mystical Paths and Christ of the 21st Century.
Dr. Leonard Swider, Professor of Catholic Thought and Interreligous Dialogue at Temple University since 1966, is recognized internationally as a leader in ecumenical and interreligous dialogue and the articulation of global ethics. He is an author of about sixty books and Co-Founder/Director of Global Dialogue Institute (GDI). He and his wife Arlene founded in 1963, and he continues to edit, the Journal of Ecumenical Studies, a scholarly quarterly widely regarded as the most important ecumenical, interreligious and interideological publication in the world.
Dr. Ashok Gangadean is Professor of Philosophy at Haverford College where he has taught for the past thirty-one years. He was the first Director of the Gest Center for Cross-Cultural Study of Religion and has focused throughout his career on clarifying the dynamics of dialogue and discourse between diverse worldviews and polarized perspectives. He has sought to bring out the foundations of rationality between worlds in his books Meditative Reason: Towards Universal Grammar and Between Worlds: The Emergence of Global Reason. He is also Co-Founder/Director of GDI.

136 Buddhism In the 21st Century - Dharma Master Hsin Tao   1  $10.00 
An exploration of twenty-six centuries of Buddhist thought. A consideration of the influence of Buddhist thought on other belief and thought systems (religious, scientific, political, etc.) and their influences on Buddhism. Finally, a discussion of the ever more urgent need for all positive forces to work together for salvation of humankind, all living creatures, and the Earth itself.
Dharma Master Hsin Tao was born in Burma in 1948, came to Taiwan at age 13, educated in the Buddhist order at age 25, spent 8 years in ascetic practice, founded Ling-chiu shan monastic community in Fu-long in 1983. Established the WRM development foundation with branches in Taipei and New York in 1991. The Museum is due to open in Dec. 2000.

137 Entering the New Millenium with New Energy - H.E. Siri Singh Khalsa Yogi Ji  1  $10.00
In the new millennium, people will have new dimensions and energy. It will coincide with a globally prevailing fast-paced human life style. A person has to express and value their own creative capability beyond that which can be measured by artificial intelligence, ever present computers. If his or her energy is below the computer's performance, insanity prevails and results in a profound feeling of inferiority. To avoid this hellish human catastrophe, we have to prepare ourselves to be heavenly elevated and supremely excellent.
His Holiness the Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogi Ji also known as Yogi Bhajan Ph.D. is the chief religious and administrative authority for the Ministry of Sikh Dharma in the Western Hemisphere. In 1969 he founded 3HO Foundation a nonprofit organization, dedicated to the advancement of the individual through education, science and religion. Actively involved with inter-religious dialogue he was a member of the Parliament's Assembly of Religious and Spiritual Leaders since 1993. In June of 1985 he established the first International Peace Prayer Day. Yogi Bhajan, Ph.D., is also a gifted Doctor of Psychology, counselor, and yogic therapist. He is currently the Chief Management Advisor (CMA) for 14 corporations worldwide which supply goods and services in health food manufacturing, computer and security services.

140 Religion in Zen Perspective - Dr. Osamu Rosan Yoshida   1  $10.00
Zen originally meant meditation, then it took on more meaning as the total full functioning of the limitless life source in profound pure meditation. From this vantage point, the true significance of meditation, and religion in general, will be critically and creatively questioned and clarified.
Dr. Yoshida is the Founder and Director of the Missouri Zen Center, USA. He is an ordained priest of the Soto Zen Tradition. He is also Professor of Philosophy at Tokyo University Junior College in Japan.

141 Interfaith Peacemaking: The Work of the Fellowship of Reconciliation- Prof. J. Copenhaver  1  $10.00
The Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR) is the largest, oldest interfaith peace and justice organization in the United States and in the world. The Fellowship, founded in 1914, has over a half million members in forty countries. The FOR "envisions a world of justice, peace and freedom. It is a revolutionary vision of a beloved community where differences are respected, conflicts addressed nonviolently, oppressive structures dismantled, and where people live in harmony with the earth, nurtured by diverse spiritual traditons that foster compassion, solidarity and reconciliation." This presentation will feature some of the current initiatives of the FOR.
John Copenhaver, a Universitiy Professor and United Methodist Clergy, has served on the National Council of the Fellowship of Reconciliation (USA) for three years and Chairs its Interfaith Committee. He has been involved in interfaith dialogue and peacemaking for twenty years. He is the author of Prayerful Responsibility, a book examining the religious thought of Douglas Steere, a Quaker pioneer in interfaith spirituality.

142 Is This A New Din-e-Ilahi: Muslims' Quest for Interfaith Dialogue - Abdul Malik Mujahid  1  $10.00
Mughal Emperor Akbar's unique concept of coexistence resulted in creating the new religion of Din-Ilahi in India. While creating a more tolerant society, it also generated a strong mistrust and resentment among Muslims. Dr. Siddiqui, using this historic experiment as an example, will explore contemporary Muslim apprehensions in, and the opportunities for interfaith dialogue.
Dr. Siddiqui is a Research Fellow at the Islamic Foundation, Leicester and visiting Fellow at the Centre for the History of Religions, Interfaith Dialogue and Pluralism, Leicester University. He is the author of Christian-Muslims Dialogue in the Twentieth Century (London/New York: Macmillan/St. Martin's Press, 1997) and Co-Editor of Encounters: Journal of Intercultural Perspectives.

143 Living Your Tao: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Living - Chungliang Al Huang  1  $10.00
Through performance (flute and tai ji), storytelling and audience engagement in movement, the body/mind wisdom is evoked.
Chungliang Al Huang is a philosopher, performing artist, and internationally acclaimed Tao Master, and is the founding president of the Living Tao Foundation. In addition to his many awards, Mr. Al Huang is the author of several acclaimed, best-selling books, including: Embrace Tiger, Return to Mountain; Quantum Soup; and most recently The Chinese Book of Animal Powers.

144 Buddhist Ethic for World Peace - Dr. Achahn Phangcham   1  $10.00
This lecture will address the objectives of Buddhist morality based on the Buddhist Ethic Train which consists of five precepts: not to kill or cause to kill, not to take what is not given, not to commit adultery and sexual misconduct, not to lie and avoid false speech, and not to take intoxicating drinks and harmful drugs.
Ven. Dr. Phangcham was the President of the Buddhist Council of the Midwest (BCM) from 1993-1997 and is currently president emeritus of the BCM. He hs been on the Board of Trustees for the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions since 1993. He is also consultant to the International Buddhist Committee. Ven. Dr. Phangcham received his BA from Muhachular Buddhist University and a M.Ed., a M. Phil (1982), Ph.D. in Education (1985) from Delhi University, India. Dr. Phangcham has been an educator for over three decades and a Buddhist monk since he was 19.

145 End of History: Clash of Civilizations or Transformation of Civilization - Dr. Abdullah al-Ahsan  1  $10.00
At the end of the century, and the millennium, ideas such as the end of history, decline of the West, and the clash of civilizations have become subjects of popular debate. Do religions have any say on these debates? Dr. al-Ahsan will examine the relevance of religion in society for the next millennium.
Dr. Abdullah al-Ahsan graduated from McGill University, in Montreal, Canada, and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (Ph.D.). He is currently teaching at the Department of History and Civilization at the International Islamic University, Malaysia. He has written extensively on contemporary civilizational issues.

146 Interfaith Harmony In the 21st Century - Dr. Karan Singh   1  $10.00 
The presentation will highlight the fact that the 20th century has been the most lethal in human history and that religious clashes have been responsible for wide-scale death and destruction. This continues down to the present day. Unless we establish inter-religious harmony, we will never succeed in ensuring world peace. The emergence of a sane and harmonious global society depends largely upon the interfaith movement.
Dr. Karan Singh is the former Indian Ambassador to the United States. An educator, statesman, and scholar, Dr. Singh is a renowned thinker and speaker on philosophy, religion, culture, politics, and the environment. He is the Chairman of the Temple's Board of Directors and has established several Temple of Understanding chapters throughout India.

147 The Mystics Speak: Christian Mysticism and Social Commitment - Sr. Susan Rakocz  1  $10.00
The Christian mystical tradition contains rich resources for grounding a commitment to the work of justice and peace. The insights of Catherine of Siena, Ignatius of Loyola and Evelyn Underhill on the unity of prayer and action will be presented. The presenter will also explore the implications of their teachings for active engagement on social and political issues.
Susan Rakoczy, IHM, holds a Ph.D. and lectures in spirituality and systematic theology at St. Joseph's Theological Institute, in Cedara, South Africa. Her publications include Common Journey, Different Paths, Spiritual Direction in Cross Cultural Perspective and numerous articles on spirituality.

149 Peace and Human Unity In the New Millenium -Dr. Margaret Czerny  1  $10.00
Meditation cuts across cultural, professional, and social boundaries. More and more people all over the world, realizing that professional success is no guarantee of personal happiness, are seeking their own transformational experience through spirituality. Dr. Czerny will speak about meditation as a way to balance personal and professional life with spiritual vision. She speaks from her experience as an internationally recognized economist and a person who has been meditating for many years.
Dr. Czerny is an economic scientist and economic policy advisor to the Austrian government and the European Union Presidency. She is head of the department of East-West Relations, infrastructure, housing policy, and comparative international economics of the Austrian Institute of Economic Research. She has organized conferences for OECD, World Bank, the European Union and other national and international organizations.

150 Beliefs and Concepts Zoroastrians Share with Other Faiths - Dr. Dastoor Kersey Anita  1  $10.00
The Zoroastrians have a number of beliefs, concepts, and practices in common with other faiths. These include the belief in the almighty God, theology, the problem of evil, life after death, the importance of ethics, resurrection, environment, immortality of soul, and the higher destiny of man.
Dr. Antia has been high priest of the Zarathushti community in the Chicago area since 1977, when he was awarded the Dastur's shawl by ZAC. He has been a fully ordained priest since 1950. Dr. Antia has lectured widely since he was 17, and is the author of numerous papers on religion and psychology. He is a licensed clinical and management psychologist in full time private practice in Illinois and is also affiliated with several hospitals.

151 The Christian Evangelical In Today's World - Rev. Barry Isaacs  1  $10.00
A bold view of the Evangelical position as it impacts on the church and on the world.
Rev. Isaacs is Executive Director, Cape Town City Mission and Chairman of the Evangelical Alliance of South Africa in the Western Cape.

152 Progressive Islam - Dr. Fajeed et. al.  1   $10.00

153 Mythology and the Millenium: An Introduction to Joseph Campbell - Robert Walter, Al Huang  1  $10.00
This will be a panel discussion on Campbell's legacy with responses. Audience questions will be addressed. Video clips may be shared.
Robert Walter is the Executive Director of the Joseph Campbell Foundation and was Campbell's editor on The Atlas of World Mythology.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 5

155 A New Religious Discourse for a Rapidly Changing World - Ebrahim Rasool  1  $10.00 
In this presentation Mr. Rasool will explore the challenge of steering a course between religious apathy and extremism.
Mr. Rasool is the leader of the African National Congress (Party) for the Western Cape.

156 The Faith of Modernity and Traditional Religions: Conflict or Creative Engagement- Bronstein  1  $10.00
The premise for this presentation is that the Parliament should have the opportunity to process our world religious situation after the critique of modernity. The session would be based on the following premises: first, Modernity can be considered a faith which originated in Western Europe and is considered by some dichotomous with traditional religious faiths of various kinds. It has its creed, its constructs and its salvific vision. Second, the core faith of Modernity, which is that reason, science, and technology could bring earthly salvation on all levels material and social and that empiricism is the source of all truths, is no longer viable. Indeed, some intellectuals ascribe to the constructs and premises of western Modernity, with its emphasis on development, many of the problems and oppressions of our time. Third, it is important for various religious traditions to assess the new religious situation and the challenges to indigenous and 'axial' spiritualities now that the faith of Modernity is being roundly criticized.
Herbert Bronstein teaches Comparative Religion at Lake Forest College and has been a Senior Scholar at the North Shore Congregation Israel in Glencoe, Illinois for over 25 years. He has combined a successful vocation as a congregational rabbi with life long achievements in scholarship, academic teaching, and lecturing at various universities.

157 Liberation Theology and Freedom of Religion in Postcolonial S. Africa - Nokuzola Mndende  1  $10.00
The Bill of Rights asserts that everyone has the right to freedom of religion. This lecture discusses the extent to which African religions have been liberated and unclothed from colonial and apartheid interpretations. This presenter will also explore how capitalism and Christianisation have been used to further marginalise and humiliate those who are poor. The presenter will also illustrate how Africans are still made objects of study by outside researchers.
Ms. Mokuzola Mndende is a practitioner of African indigenous religion and scholar at the South Africa University of Cape Town and is National Chairperson of the National Council of African Traditional Religion.

160 Trends, Models, Paradigms of Change: Preparing for Life In the 21st Century - Dr. Linda Groff  2  $20.00
This presentation will have four parts, with each part looking at a deeper level of analysis and change. The presentation will begin with a brief introduction to Future Studies, including characteristics of a futurist perspective. Next, Dr. Groff will discuss key trends in different areas. She will propose a number of models of processes of change transforming our world, with examples of each, which collectively provide an overview of much future literature. A summary of new scientific paradigms, or overarching world views, including common characteristics of such paradigms, will be followed by a look at cultural paradigms or world views. This will follow with a discussion of how such changes are impacting all of our lives, and how we can be proactive, instead of reactive, in dealing with change.
Linda Groff is Professor of Political Science & Future Studies at California State University, Dominguez Hills, in Carson, California for over 26 years. She is also the Director of Global Options Consulting. Linda teaches, writes, consults, and gives talks and workshops on global, futures, evolution, peace, conflict resolution, intercultural, interreligious, spiritual, and Internet topics to a wide range of educational, community, business, and government groups, and has published over 25 articles on such subjects.

161 Beyond Dialogue: Interfaith Solidarity for Reconstruction & Reconciliation - Dr. Farid Esack  1  $10.00
Dr. Esack will offer his reflections on the history of the interfaith movement and the challenges confronting it if the movement is to make a meaningful contribution to the lives of ordinary people. This presentation will focus on marginalization and interfaith action to confront this issue.
Dr. Farid Esack is a Commissioner for Gender Equality in the South African government and Senior Researcher at the Institute of Religion, Identity and Culture at the University of the Western Cape. He is a Muslim theologian who has studied in Pakistan, the United Kingdom and South Africa.

162 Jubilee: The Teaching of Compassion - Rabbi Sjalom Awraham Soetendorp  1  $10.00
Rabbi Soetendorp will describe his experiences with the Jubliee Year campaign, which works to cancel the crushing debt owed by third world countries.
Rabbi Soetendorp is currently the Rabbi of the Reform Jewish Community of the Hague, and Rabbi of the Union of Dutch Reform Jewish Communities. A survivor of the Holocaust, he has been a long standing Human Rights activist. He frequently lectures at many Universities and Centers around the world.

163 Spiritual and Moral Roles In the New Millennium: A Baha'i Review - Shohreh Rawhani  1  $10.00
This lecture will explore what humanity has achieved up to now, and what can be achieved in the coming millennium. She will also discuss the potential of humanity, with particular emphasis on technological and moral advances.
Mrs. Shohreh Rawhani holds a M.Phil in Psychology, and is married with three children. For the past 10 years she has been an elected member of the National Spiritual Assembly of The Baha'is of South Africa. She is currently serving as its General Secretary.

165 African Renaissance: The Role of the Religious Communities - Imam Rashied Omar et. al.  1  $10.00
A panel presentation featuring South African religious, spiritual, political and cultural leaders discussing the idea and the reality of African Renaissance.
Imam Rashied Omar is an Imam at  Mosque in the City of Cape Town and is Co-Chair of the Parliament of the World's Religions, South Africa. He is also the National Secretary of the World Conference on Religion and Peace and has a Master's degree in Comparative Religion from the University of Cape Town.

166 An Interior Pilgrimage: Remedy for the Year 2000 and Beyond - Swami M. Saraswathi  1  $10.00
Educational institutions are active to introduce the science to see the outer, which does not contribute towards establishing the inner contact. Sight is a faculty but seeing is an art. If this vision is introduced in the systems of our education, then the world will come to know that you and I are not two, but one person. This is the secret for peace on this planet. Everything is present every time, everywhere in every condition because of the oneness in our deepest being. To awaken ourselves towards this unique understanding, we must humbly embark on an inner pilgrimage which could direct the human resources to participate in the glory of perfection.
Swami Saraswathi began his spiritual quest when he left his family home in 1969. After training with Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj in the Himalayas for 16 years, Swami Saraswathi began giving discourses on the great treasure of vedic knowledge. In 1989, Swamiji started The Arunachala Unique Mountain Trust, which assists young students in their pursuit of higher education and spiritual guidance.

169 Jihad and Human Rights in Islam - Prof. Anis Ahmad   1  $10.00
Jihad is commonly understood as the use of violence for religious purposes, hence, it is translated as "holy war." The Qur'an and the Sunnah use this term in a wider connotation. The paper will make an effort to understand how Islam looks at human rights and examine the role of Jihad as a corrective method.
Dr. Ahmad is presently Professor of Comparative Religion and Director General of Da 'wah Academy of the International Islamic University, in Islamabad, Pakistan. Dr. Ahmad has held the positions of Vice President, IIU; Dean, Faculty of Usul al Din, IIU; Dean, Faculty of Islamic Revealed Knowledge & Human Sciences, IIU, Malaysia; President, Association of Muslim Social Scientists, USA.

170 Poverty Alleviation: A Spiritual Outlook - Parmahansa Prajanananda  1  $10.00
This presentation explores the use of religious beliefs to put an end to poverty. The Vedantic approach to remove poverty is through a distribution of benevolent resources, ideas of universal brotherhood, and religious involvement.
Paramahansa Prajnanananda was born in 1960, Orissa, India. He is the Vice President of Kriya Yoga Institute, USA; Kriya Yoga Zentrum, Vienna and Kriya Yoga Ashram, India. He is the designated spiritual successor of the only living God-Realised Kriya Yoga master Paramahansa Hariharanandaji. He holds MA in Economics. He is teaching Kriya Yoga in India, Europe, North & South America and Australia. He is well-versed in all of the worlds Scriptures-Vedas, Upanishads, Bible, Torah and Qur'an. Mr. Prajnanananda is an accomplished orator, philosopher, author and editor of many books. He is also proficient in many languages.

171 The Worldly Spirituality of the Lotus Sutra - Dr. Gene Reeves  1  $10.00
The modern world is increasingly plagued by the three-fold problem of rapid population growth, depletion of the earth's resources, and pollution. The Buddhist Lotus Sutra, many believe, provides a spiritual basis for overcoming this environmental crisis. What is especially interesting about the Sutra in this connection is its use of stories, especially highly imaginative, fantastic stories to express a special affirmation of this world. We will consider two of these stories in an effort to understand this spirituality as both earthly and cosmic.
Dr. Gene Reeves-Retired from University of Tsukuba, Japan; former head, Meadville/Lombard Theological School at the University of Chicago. Regularly writes and speaks about the Lotus Sutra.

173 Voices Into the Millenium: The NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt - C. Jones, H.H. Bhagavati  1  $10.00
The display of the AIDS Memorial Quilt is a powerful, emotional, and spiritual reminder of the enormity of the AIDS pandemic. Cleve Jones and Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati will speak about the impact of AIDS in the world. The experience of the Quilt provides a creative means for remembrance and healing. Each participant at this event will feel the "call to remember and to serve" what the Quilt engenders. This presentation and display will coincide with World AIDS Day and AIDS Awareness Week, December 1-8, 1999. South Africa is among those nations hardest hit by the pandemic disease with over 14% of the total population of 32 million estimated to be infected with HIV. AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa has already orphaned over eight million children. The Quilt, like the Parliament, is a tapestry that both connects us to one another and transcends all boundaries. The AIDS Quilt exhibit is presented by the River Fund and sponsored by the Green Family Foundation.
Cleve Jones is a AIDS Activist and Founder of NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt.
Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati is the founder of Kashi Ashram an interfaith spiritual community that embraces the sacred practices of many traditions. Ma's teachings are based upon a commitment to humanity through service. She founded the River Fund dedicated to serving people with AIDS and other life challenging illnesses and the River School which educates students in an environment that weaves spirituality and service into the curriculum. Ma is a Trustee of the Parliament of the World's Religions and works with other religious and spiritual leaders to promote interfaith dialogue and global cooperation for peace. In 1997, Ma established World Tibet Day to raise awareness of the plight of the Tibetan people and support for international freedom of religion for everyone.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 6

181 "Dharma" University of the Sublime Values of Human Life - Bhupendra Kumar Modi  1  $10.00
Respect of all religions is Dharma. Dharma applies to all human beings. It sustains life. It does not create conflict. The word 'Dharma' cannot be defined. It can only be explained. Religions pass away. Dharma does not change.
Bhupendra Kumar Modi-Chairman and President, Modicorp; Working President, Vishva Hindu Parishad; Vice President, Mahabodhi Society of India, representing Buddhists in India. Author of several books.

182 What Is Scientology? - Heber C. Jentzsch  1   $10.00
Developed by L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology is a religion that offers a precise path leading to a complete and certain understanding of one's spiritual nature, one's relationship with self, family, groups, mankind, all life forms, the material universe, spiritual universe, and the Supreme Being, or infinity.
President of the Church of Scientology International since 1982, has lectured on L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology internationally through media and at several universities.

183 IBBY Builds Bridges Through Children's Books- Jay Heale   1  $10.00
This lecture will provide an overview of the past, present, and future missions of IBBY and its sixty five member countries. It will also address what IBBY is aiming to do in Africa in the future.
Jay Heale is the president of the 2000 Hans Christian Andersen Jury for IBBY. He is also the founding member of the South African section of IBBY ( the South African Children's Book Forum), and the congress organizer for the 2004 IBBY Congress in Cape Town.

184 La Decouverte de Soi: Discovery of the Self - Abdoulaye Dieye  1  $10.00
Professional landscape architect and urbanist; research worker, writer, and lecturer of international standing. Cehiky Abdoulaye Dieye is the spiritual guide of the Mouridiyya, a Sufi Tariqaa or "path." Member of "Les Gens du Livre" (People of the Book), whose aim is to awaken the consciousness of people to the transcendent unity of all revealed religions.

186 Common Enemies Facing Faith Communities - H.E. Sayyed Musawi  1  $10.00
Common dangers facing the human society at large are the real enemy of all religious groups. Some examples of these perils are immoral wars, drugs, crime, and the misuse of religion for political gains. The presentation will focus on the need for Faith communities to cooperate and join efforts to tackle such common dangers.
Sayyed Musawi is head of a worldwide Shiite Muslim organization covering 5 continents. He was head of the Interfaith Council of India, and he is now head of Interfaith International, which is an NGO at the United Nations. Mr. Musawi continually works with heads of state and leaders of various religious and international organizations to make the world a better place.

187 Giving By Reducing One's Share: Toward Closing the Gap - Rev. Heng Sure  1  $10.00
The richest fifth of the world's people consumes 86% of all goods and services, while the poorest fifth consumes just 1.3%. Any viable solution to this growing crisis must include some measure of restraint by the "overdeveloped" nations, as the earth cannot sustain its present consumption frenzy. Nor can the "developing nations" be expected to limit their rising expectations unilaterally, while the richest fifth continues to overindulge. Thus, it would seem that some call to action that exhorted people in the more developed nations to give by reducing their share would be in keeping with basic tenets of most faiths: to eschew greed and cherish giving. Whether expressed as giving, sharing, simplicity, moderation, the sacredness of life, compassion, or sane stewardship of creation-- the basic idea is something all religions could endorse.

188 Introducing Quakers (Religious Society of Friends) - Richard Steele  1  $10.00
What religious beliefs and social practices follow the experience of the Inner Light in Quaker (Friends) understanding? This presentation will cover Quaker History, principles and practices, the Inner Light, experimental worship, pacifism, and combined Christian and universalist sympathies.
Richard Steele is a member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). He resides with his wife and two children in Houston, Texas. He is an active member of his monthly meeting, Live Oak Friends Meeting of Houston where he is active with the high school age youth as a Friendly Adult Presence (FAP). He is also active in the South Central Yearly Meeting of The Religious Society of Friends as well as Friends General Conference where he serves on the Christian and Interfaith Relations Committee. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in geology and a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree in common law. He works as a counselor at law and mediator.

189 Islam and World Peace - Dr. Maneh Hammad Al-Johani   1  $10.00
Islam is a religion of "peace." It is "submission to the will of God" which leads the believers to the service of Mankind. However, the present condition of the world calls for concern in a number of ways. In this presentation, Dr. Al-Johani emphasizes that Islam take a greater religious responsibility to act as a "peace force" for the world.
Dr. Maneh Al-Johani, born in 1942 in Saudi Arabia, obtained his MA and Ph.D. degrees from Indiana University at Bloomington, Indiana, USA , where he specialized in linguistics. He taught at the English Department of the King Saudi University. Presently, he is Secretary General of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth, an independent International Muslim youth organization and a NGO associated with UNO. He is the author and co-author of many papers and books and has participated in many international conferences.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7

190 Buddhist-Christian Theological Encounter and Global Problems - Dr. Rosemary R. Ruether, Sulak Sivaraksa, Dr. David W. Chappell, Dr. Sehul Ogden, Ven. Dr. Yifa  2  $20.00
Six members from the International Buddhist-Christian Theological Encounter will reflect on their sixteen-year experience of dialogue and their joint work on issues of ecology, world peace, and the global economy.
Dr. Rosemary Radford Ruether is the Georgia Harkness Professor of Applied Theology at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois, and the author or editor of 35 books and many articles in the area of feminist, liberation and ecological theologies and inter-religious and intercultural relations.
Sulak Sivaraksa is a world-renowned Thai Buddhist social activist. Sulak is the author of Seeds of Peace: A Buddhist Vision for Renewing Society and Global Healing and is the founder of the International Network of Engaged Buddhists and is actively involved in the Buddhism and Social Welfare Project in South and Southeast Asia.
David W. Chappell has a Ph.D. from Yale University. He is the Director of the East-West Religions Project, a founding member and past president (1993-95) of the Society for Buddhist-Christian Studies and is currently a professor and Graduate Chair of the Religion Department at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. With the convictions that what unites people is more than what divides them, he has focused his work not only on Christian, Buddhist and Taoist studies, but on exploring their boundaries and inter-connections in society.
Sehul Ogden is a University Distinguished Professor of Theology Emeritus at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX., where he taught for thirty-four years. He earned an A.B. degree from Ohio Wesleyan University and his D.B. and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago where he taught for three years. He has written seven books, contributed to some fifty more and translated and edited the writings of Rudolf Bultman. His most recent books are Is There Only One True Religion Or Are There many? and Doing Theology Today.
Ven. Yifa is a Fo Guang Shan Humanistic Buddhist Order, Bhikkhuni. Ven. Yifa received her Ph.D. from Yale University, USA.

192 Get Together: Festival of Faiths - Michelle Staggs Doninger, Christina Lee Brown  1  $10.00
The lecture will begin with a brief history on the founding of The Cathedral Heritage Foundation and its role as a spiritual center for the community, which set in motion the revitalization of an urban community. The lecture will also touch upon the concept development, four year progression and international recognition of its Festival of Faiths. The presenters will discuss the strides that have been made with guiding institution partnerships with media and education. Lastly, there will be some discussion of the Cathedral Heritage Foundation's agenda for the future.
Michelle Staggs Doninger has been the Executive Director of Cathedral Heritage Foundation since 1997. Michelle, along with Christina Lee Brown, and hundreds of volunteers are responsible for developing and implementing the restoration and revitalization plans for CHF into one of the most significant cathedral projects in the country, and an internationally acclaimed festival celebrating the diversity and unity of our faiths.
Christina Lee Brown is the current president of the Cathedral Heritage Foundation and serves on its Board of Directors. She is a cofounder of CHF and has taken a leadership role since its beginning in 1985.

193 The Journey: Fall and Rise of Man - Roy LittleSun  1   $10.00
Roy LittleSun will describe the cycle of consciousness, which will ignite the memory of oneness from each cell of our Being. He will share how participants can find the beginning and the end within themselves - dissolving illusionary boundaries. This lecture will also explore the Circle of Hearts Medicine Wheel and the Hopi message of peace.
Roy LittleSun initiated the Circle of Hearts, and has been traveling around the world to help build it. His spiritual quest led to his studies with Titus Quomayumptewa, a Hopi elder and shaman. He has also created several ceremonies which activate the Wheel and offers complementary teachings depending on people's desire for involvement.

194 The Promise of Tomorrow In the Meeting of Generations - Dadi Janki  1  $10.00
This lecture calls young people to explore spiritual values that are needed to create a harmonious and powerful tomorrow. The workshop will culminate in an open conversation with two elders who are role models of  values-based leadership through their own spirituality.
Dadi Janki is one of the founding members of the Braham Kumaris World Spiritual University, Mt. Abu, India. A spiritual teacher since 1971 and one of the teachers of wisdom selected to participate in the Rio Earth Summit in 1992.

196 Saint Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj's Message of Peace and Unity- Lozano, Holmes, Stein,et.al  1  $10.00
Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj is head of Swan Kirpal Ruhani Mission/ Science of Spirituality. The Message of love, peace, and lasting happiness is achieved through meditation. His teachings appeal to people everywhere. At its core is the promise of direct personal inner experience. Recognizing the transcendent oneness at the heart of all religions, he emphasizes prayer and meditation as the true building blocks for achieving both inner and outer peace. He works tirelessly toward the fulfillment of his vision: personal transformation, coupled with spiritual growth, leading to a spiritual renaissance in the next millennium. This program will include a video presentation.
Mr. Carlos Lozano Angel is a lawyer and a diplomat and has had twenty-five years public and private administration experience, including eight years as consul general of Colombia to the government of India and two years in Egypt with the Colombian embassy. He has coordinated many major conferences in South America, focused on spirituality and interfaith understanding. He is currently employed as a corporate executive consultant. He has been a member of Swan Kirpal Ruhani Mission/ Science of Spirituality for three decades.
Raymond Holmes received his BS in Paralegal Studies from the University of Maryland and currently works as a senior Paralegal Supervisor for the U.S. Department of Justice. During his twelve years of service with the U.S. Army, Mr. Holmes first studied meditation on the inner Light and Sound with Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj. He now studies under the guidance of Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj, head of Swan Kirpal Ruhani Mission/Science of Spirituality. Mr. Holmes also founded Quintessence and The Academy of Inversion Scientist, a spiritual institute located in Baltimore, Maryland.
Dr. Arthur Stein teaches Peace Studies and Comparative Religion at the University of Rhode Island. He has written extensively in these areas, including several books to his credit, and is a co-founder of the new Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies at the University of Rhode Island. He has been a student of meditation and other contemplative practices for many years.
Ernestina Thomas is an entrepreneur, real estate developer, and lecturer. She holds an MBA in Finance and Marketing from the University of Chicago. Ms. Thomas owns and runs E.T. International Consulting Group, a consulting, investment and real estate development company, which she started in 1982. She has been a practitioner of various types of Yoga and meditation for over twenty years.
Andrew Vidich, MA in comparative religions, MS in Education, is currently teaching as an assistant professor of Religion at Iona College of New Rochelle. Professor Vidich also teaches history and creative writing at an alternative high school in New York City. He is the author of Love Is a Secret (1990), co-author of The Heart of the Healer, which sold more than twenty thousand copies. He is currently the executive co-chair of the Interfaith Council of New York. Andrew has been a practitioner of meditation for over two and a half decades under the guidance of three great spiritual Masters of our time, Sant Kirpal Singh, Sant Darshan Singha, and Sant Rajinder Singh.

197 Wilderness and the African Spirit - Dr Ian Player  1   $10.00
An internationally renowned conservationist; founder, The Wilderness Movement in Africa.   
 

199 Naam Simran: The Key to Living - H.H. Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji  1  $10.00
Human beings go to great lengths to achieve academic degrees to attain materialistic needs - whether real or perceived. Due to this dilemma, the pressenter urges all humans need to do Naam Simran to attain their real spiritual needs. He also urges participants to consider the time and effort spent on academic degrees, and will illustrate how a similar effort needs to be spent on ones spiritual development
His Holiness Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji is the supreme spiritual head of the Namdhari Sikhs since 1959. He is the successor to Satguru Partap Singh, holding the continuation of the lineage to Satguru Ram Singh, who was exiled in 1872 for his activities in India's struggle for independence. He currently resides in the Punjab state of India.

200 Religion and War - Prof. Ephraim Isaac  1   $10.00
Messages of peace are practically universal in religion. However, religion continues to be a major cause of conflicts and wars-of almost all the conflicts and wars taking place in our own time. Some thinkers believe that the situation will be worse in the coming millennium. Organized religions will assist the cause of wars that will result in dramatic bloody conflicts. Individuals seeking power will use religion as an excuse to satisfy their private ends. The issues of war and peace will cease to be but mere abstractions. We will explore the structure of religion and suggest ways of understanding that can limit the use of religion in service to warring.
Prof. Ephraim Isaac, Ph.D; author of numerous articles and books on Late Second Temple Jewish life and thought; founder, Ethiopian National Literacy Campaign; currently, international Chairman, Board of Peace and Development for Ethiopia and the horn of Africa, and President, Yemenite Jewish Federation of America.

WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS:

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2

208 The Interfaith Work of Prophet Muhammad - Hai, Mohamed, Wahajuddin (partial)  1  $6.00
It is not widely known that Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was an advocate and a practitioner of interfaith work. The panel will discuss authentic ahadith (i.e. recordings of the words and deeds of Prophet Muhammad) and the basic principles of interfaith work that were derived from a study on its contents.
Dr. Hamid Abdul Hai is a writer, lecturer, physician, and he received his Islamic education in India. He was Chairman of the Islamic Group at 1993 Parliament. He has been active in Interfaith work for many years., and he is currently a Trustee of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions.
Mr. Ishak Mohamed is a Vietnamese Muslim living in Chicago. He is an Engineer by profession and is a serious Interfaith Islamic worker who participated in the 1993 Parliament of the World's Religions.
Chicago area Muslim community leader. Very active in interfaith work, and a CPWR Trustee nominee.

210 The Jain Experience of Vegetarianism - Dr. N.B. Jain   1  $10.00
The workshop is devoted to the Jain experience of vegetarianism from religious, ethical, philosophical, psychological and health points of view. Jain faith envisages vegetarianism as a vital and potentially highly promising tool to propagating nonviolence in thought, word and deed. Vegetarianism is a meaningful step to restore harmonious balance among nature, humans and other living beings, and as an esteemed tool in the protection of cruelty to animals.
Dr. N.P. Jain is the former ambassador of India to the European Union, United Nations, Mexico, and Nepal. He is also the former Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs. He is a member of the World Spiritual Assembly, a writer, poet, economist and environmentalist.

211 Maintaining American Indian Culture for the Seventh Generation - Douglas George  1  $10.00 
Maintaining the American Indian Culture for the Seventh Generation The presentation speaks of the future for indigenous people worldwide. There will be discussion on the problems that face indigenous people today and how these problems may be avoided in the future.

212 The Resplendent Vision of Zarathustra In His Gathas - Keki R. Bhote  1  $10.00
The Gathas represent the oldest, monotheistic, scholarly quintessential religious literature in the world. They remain a virtual revelation by God to Zarathustra - a Rossetta Stone for later religious leaders to decipher the universality of his message. This lecture outlines 12 principles that Zarathustra details, making Zoroastrianism a rational and non-prescriptive religion - ideally suited for the yearnings of the modern man.
Mr. Keki R. Bhote is a life long student of Zoroastrian theology and history and is a pioneer in furthering Zoroastrianism in North America. A founding influence in both the Zoroastrian association of America and of the Zoroastrian Association of Metropolitan Chicago, he has served these organizations as President and Trustee, respectively. Mr. Bhote chaired the 2nd Zoroastrian Symposium of North America. A much sought after lecturer, he has presented at over 100 church groups and, most notably, at the Parliament for the World's Religion's Centennial Gathering in Chicago in 1993, as well as, at the 3rd World Zoroastrian Conference.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3

214 Women and Spirituality: The Role of Women as Spiritual Leaders and Practitioners in the 21st Century - H.H. Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati, Rev. Mary Manin Morrissey, Dr. Bibiji Inderjit Kaur, H.H. Guru Maa J. Saraswati, Sr. Joan Chatfield, Fatima Khan, Nokuzola Mndende  2  $20.00
Women have the power to bring the true heart of spirituality into existence regardless of the obstacles life places in front of them. Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati along with other women of diverse faith traditions and spiritual backgrounds will share their teachings and insights into the spiritual issues facing women in the 21st century. How do women answer the universal spiritual question "who am I"? Religion, race or sexual orientation doesn't matter when you are seeking the truth of who you are. By not allowing anyone to define us, women will create a shift in the next millennium. The true strength of being a woman is in the power of love.
Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati is the founder of Kashi Ashram an interfaith spiritual community that embraces the sacred practices of many traditions. Ma's teachings are based upon a commitment to humanity through service. She founded the River Fund dedicated to serving people with AIDS and other life challenging illnesses and the River School which educates students in an environment that weaves spirituality and service into the curriculum. Ma is a Trustee of the Parliament of the World's Religions and works with other religious and spiritual leaders to promote interfaith dialogue and global cooperation for peace. In 1997, Ma established World Tibet Day to raise awareness of the plight of the Tibetan people and support for international freedom of religion for everyone.
Rev. Mary Manin Morrissey is co-founder and Senior Minister of the Living Enrichment Center in Portland, Oregon. She is also the president of the Association for Global New Thought and serves on the Board of Directors for Radio for Peace International, New Dimensions Radio and Global Renaissance Alliance. She is the best-selling author of Building Your Field of Dreams.
Dr. Bibiji Inderjit Kaur is known and loved by thousands all over the world. Affectionately known simply as "Bibiji," she is the wife of Yogi Bhajan, the Siri Singh Sahib of Sikh Dharma of the Western Hemisphere. She holds the distinguished position of "Bhai Sahiba" and has authored numerous books and other publications to instruct people in the Sikh teachings. Bibiji sits on the Khalsa Council of Sikh Dharma as the "Bhai Sahiba" or "Chief Religious Minister" to guide the Council's proceedings according to the Sikh Rehit Maryada or the Sikh code of living. Bibiji is the head of the N.G.O. delegation for 3HO Foundation to the United Nations (3HO- Healthy Happy Holy Organization-is the non-secular arm of Sikh Dharma) and has been a presenter at numerous world conferences including the United Nations Fourth World Meeting on the Status of Women, the White House Outreach Round Table for Women, and the World Interfaith Conference in Rome, Italy.
Guru Maa Jyotishanand Saraswati is the Founder of the Vedic Heritage Foundation, and Director of the Sri Hanuman Mandir.
Sister Joan Chatfield is a Catholic Nun and the director of research and planning for the Marinol Sisters.
Ms. Nokuzola Mndende (practitioner of African indigenous religion and scholar at the South Africa University of Cape Town; National Chairperson of the National Council of African Traditional Religion.

215 Tasawwuf (Spirituality): The Heart of Islam - His Eminence Shaykh As-Sayyid Al-Haqqani  1  $10.00
There is a very famous tradition in the teachings of Islam where the Archangel Gabriel comes to Earth to teach the religion of peace through the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He is asked what is Islam (submission), what is true faith (Iman) and what is the perfection of faith (Ishan). The heart of Islam is in the perfection of faith, which is obtained through spirituality. " It is to worship God as if you see him, and if you see Him not, he nevertheless sees you." Learn about the spiritual aspect of Islam from a renowned spiritual leader who will detail issues of purification of the self, meditation, and pure worship, with a short dhikr (remembrance of God) to follow.
Shayhk Muhammad Nazim Adil al Haqqani is one of the foremost Islamic authorities in Turkey and Cyprus, and is the worldwide leader and Sufi master of the Naqshbandi Sufi Order. He has worked tirelessly to revive Islam in the Muslim world and to introduce Islam to the western world in a universal way. In addition to his duties as a religious leader in Turkey and Cyprus, Shaykh Nazim is the spiritual advisor to students worldwide, many of whom are social, cultural, and political leaders.

216 Where Judaism Differs - Rabbi David Hoffman  1   $10.00
Using the Festival of Hanukkah as a basis, this lecture will explore the uniqueness of Classical and Rabbinic Judaism vis a vis the Pantheons of antiquity. The debate on the origins of anti-semitism will also be discussed.
Rabbi David Hoffman recently celebrated his 10th anniversary with the Cape Town Progressive Congregation. He is a delegate to the Vaad Hapoel Hatzioni, the co-Chairman of the South African Association of Progressive Rabbis, and the National Chairman of Arzenu Southern Africa. He is also a member of the Assembly of the Parliament of the World's Religions.

217 The Mystic Heart - Br. Wayne Teasdale, Professor Huston Smith  1  $10.00
The lecture will be an exploration of the possibility of a Universal Spirituality, by identifying the common ground of the mystical traditions within the World's Religions. Each person has a mystic heart, or is a mystic. It is from this deeply human truth that spirituality and religion are born. We will explore the nature of the mystic heart in all its major expressions, and consider the universal elements scattered among all the traditions.
Brother Wayne Teasdale is a Christian sannyasi, or renunciate (lay monk) in the lineage of Father Bede Griffiths,O.S.B. Cam. He has a Ph.D. in theology from Fordham University, and is an adjunct professor at DePaul University, Columbia College and Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. He serves on the board of directors of the Parliament of the World's Religions, writes, lectures widely, including Common Ground in the Chicago area, and gives occasional retreats. His new book is The Mystic Heart: Discovering a Universal Spirituality in the World's Religions.
Huston Smith is Professor Emeritus at Syracuse University, and a visiting Professor at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the author of many books including, The World's Religions, and is a subject of a recent Bill Moyers television series, The Wisdom Of Faith.
Robert Jesse serves as President of the Council on Spiritual Practices in the U.S. (www.csp.org), a collaboration among spiritual guides, scientists, and scholars studying primary religious experience, with special interest in the entheogens.

218 Native American Culture and Spirituality - John Twobirds   1  $10.00
This program looks at Native American Myths, legends, prophecies, rituals and ceremonies. The presenter brings his message and vision by teaching others how to carry the sacred medicine pipe, and through the ritual of the medicine lodge ceremony. He invites participants to learn how to be in balance, live in harmony, and walk in beauty.
John was born in 1942, and was taught the medicine and ways of several tribes: Choctaw, Ojibway, Navajo, Lakota, Creek, Sawnee, Aztec, Toltec and Maya. His teachings have been given to him through visions and by his own Elders. They do not belong to any particular tribe, but are generic, and therefore available to all people regardless of gender, race, colour or nationality.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4

219 Prosthetic Devices That Change Lives - Vijaykumar G. Naik  1  $10.00
The Parliament of the World's Religions is designed to shift the path of human civilization towards a more sustainable future. In keeping with this objective, this lecture will address how the P.R. Vadhar Artificial Limb Centre in Bhavnagar, India provides simple and cost-effective artificial limbs for people who have lost arms and legs do to landmine injures, polio, cancer, diabetes, and accidents. Mr. Naik will discuss and describe the training of new technicians to do this vital work.
Vijaykumar G. Naik is a prosthetics and orthopedic engineer from India. He has worked with SMS Medical College in Jaipur, India and the Kesseler Institute in New Jersey. He has been with the P.R. Vadhar Artificial Limb Centre since 1992.

220 Critical Issues: Questions for Religions from the 1993 Parliament - Dr. G. Barney, Jim Kenney  1  $10.00
This panel will discuss a series of questions for the world's religions that emerged from the 1993 Parliament. The questions all relate to the critical issues of a peaceful, just and sustainable future. Engaged individuals from various faiths will present thoughtful answers from their perspectives.

221 The Concept of God Head - His Divine Grace Bhakti Swarupa Tirtha Maharaja  1  $10.00
Everyone claims God is great. How great is he? Or where is he? How does he create and annihilate? What does he look like? What are his characteristics? Is God a person? Where does he reside? These are some of the questions and themes the presenter will address.
Bhakti Swaroopa Teertha Goswami Maharaja is the spiritual preceptor of Transcendental Science, which teaches the essence of Vedic wisdom.

222 Sisters for Earth: Christian Women for Ecological Sustainability - Rosemary Ruether  1  $10.00
Dr. Ruether is the Georgia Harkness Professor of Applied Theology at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois and is the author or editor of 35 books and many articles in the area of feminist, liberation and ecological theologies and interreligious and intercultural relations.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 5

223 Lessons from African Traditional Religions - Prof. Taban LoLiyong  1  $10.00
This lecture will will describe African Traditional Religions, with a particular focus on major features that they share with other religious and spiritual traditions. The presenter will also address possible reasons why "experts" on African Traditional Religions often come from outside these traditions.
Taban Lo Liyong was born in South Sudan, but grew up and was educated in Uganda. He has worked as a researcher at Nairobi University's Institute of African Studies, and has also taught in Papua, New Guinea, the Sudan, Japan and Australia. He is currently the Director of the Centre for African Studies at the University of Venda, Thohoyando, South Africa. He is an expert on African Traditional Religion and has published over 20 books, including Homage to Onyame: An African God.

224 The Agony of Tibet and the World's Religons - Brahma Das, Br. Wayne Teasdale  1  $10.00
This presentation examines the threat of cultural and religious extinction facing the Tibetan people and focuses on the response of the world's religions. The session will include a question and answer period, and features the world premier of Tibet's Stolen Child - an important new movie featuring interviews with six Nobel Laureates.
Brahma Das is the Executive Director of the Council for World Tibet Day. He is serving as Media Director for two other organizations founded by Ma Jaya and he was a Pulitzer Prize nominee in History, (Across the Barricades, Lippincott, 1971) as well as a National Correspondent from the U.S. Senate for Westinghouse Broadcasting. He is now a writer, editor, and consultant on various issues. He also teaches journalism and comparative religion at the River School, a small private School in Sebastian, Florida.
Brother Wayne Teasdale is a Christian sannyasi, or renunciate (lay monk) in the lineage of Father Bede Griffiths,O.S.B. Cam. He has a Ph.D. in theology from Fordham University, and is an adjunct professor at DePaul University, Columbia College and Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. He serves on the board of directors of the Parliament of the World's Religions, writes, lectures widely, including Common Ground in the Chicago area, and gives occasional retreats. His new book is The Mystic Heart: Discovering a Universal Spirituality in the World's Religions.

225 The Gift/Curse of "Second Sight:" Exploring Blackness As A Shamanic Category in the Myth of White Supremacy - Dr. James W. Perkinson  1  $10.00
This presentation will explore the possibilities of a modern or even post-modern form of shamanism that emerges precisely at the point of the peculiarities of racialization in the changing context of a historically supremacist culture like the U.S., as a case study in the interaction between race and religion that may have wider global significance.
James W. Perkinson holds a Ph.D. in theology from the University of Chicago; his studies focus on questions of race, class and gender. He spent 15 years as an activist with an inner city Christian community in Detroit and currently teaches world religions, social ethics and theology at Ecumenical Theological Seminary and Marygrove College.

226 Paganism: Serious Religion or Fantasy and Child's Play? - Dr. Michael York  1  $10.00
The contemporary Western pagan movement presented a high and often contentious profile during the Chicago gathering of the Parliament of the World's Religions. Many attendees were shocked and horrified by some of the pagan "antics," occasioning even the departure of the Greek Orthodox Church from the proceedings themselves. This address investigates the theological considerations beneath the range of expression and practice among today's contemporary Western paganism in which the traditional dichotomy between the spiritual and the profane is denied, disallowed, or, at least, de-emphasized.
Michael York lectures for the Study of Religons Department of the Bath Spa University College and co-directs the London-based Academy for Cultural and Educational Studies which sponsors intercultural dialogue in Britain and educational programs in India.

228 Bridging Medical Science, Healing and Spirituality: The MANTRA Study Project-Krucoff, Crater  1  $10.00
Treatment of heart attacks involves the application of advanced medical technologies which have clearly benefited clinical outcomes. Despite the fact that patients suffer both physical and spiritual pain during such acute life and death illness, the role of human contact, compassion, relaxation and prayer have not been systematically examined as a part of health care in this setting. The MANTRA Study Project combines a prospective randomized clinical outcomes research model with the study of healing touch, imagery, stress relaxation and prayer in cardiac patients.
Dr. Mitchell W. Krucoff is an interventional cardiologist at Duke University Medical Center, Director of the Cardiovascular Laboratories at the Durham VA Medical Center and Director of the Monitoring & Actualization of Noetic TRAinings (MANTRA) Study Project at the Duke Clinical Research Institute in Durham, North Carolina. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Sri Satya Sai Baba Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Puttaparthi India
Suzanne Crater is a Nurse Practitioner in cardiology at Duke Medical Center. She has coordinated clinical research in patients with advanced coronary heart disease for 10 years. She has a Master's degree in nursing and is an advanced practitioner of healing touch and imagery. Ms. Crater is the Co-Director of the MANTRA Study Project.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8

227 Morning Meditation - Dada Vasvani  1  $10.00

229 Sekem Egypt: Gift to the World - Annelie Franken  1   $10.00
This lecture is an introduction to the Sekem organization's project Human Encounter as Sacrament of the Future: Biodynamic Agriculture, Sacrament of the Soil. The organization Sekem has fostered a sacred encounter of man, earth, art, science and religion. Mrs. Franken will show how Sekem's gift to humanity can be spread throughout the world.
Annelie Franken studied art and design, pioneered the Design Department at PTA University. Co-founded the PTA Waldorf School on the Bio Dynamic Farm. Taught and trained teachers for 24 years. Started support work and design for Sekem in 1996.

230 Stories of the Struggle - Pratiba Daya  1   $10.00
Experiences and reflections of key individuals who played a significant role in the struggle against apartheid will be explored in this workshop. It will be an opportunity for us to learn how their wisdom sustained them through that difficult time and for us to thank them for their courage. Invited participants include: Sr. Bernard Ncube, Ahmed Kathrada, Albertina Sisulu, and many others

231 What Is Wicca (Neopagan Witchcraft?) - Catherine Star, Rowen Fairgrove  2   $20.00
Although Wicca is one of the fastest-growing religions in the United States it is often misunderstood. This talk will introduce the basic concepts of the Craft and dispel some common myths.
Catherine Star is  High Priestess of a Gardnerian coven in Northern California and is a member of the New Reformed Orthodox Order of the Golden Dawn (NROOG).
Rowen Fairgrove is an Elder of NROOG, being a member since 1981 and is a former First Officer of the Covenant of the Goddess.

232 The Sacred Spaces - Jan Horn  1   $10.00
This lecture and video presentation will explore the values and sacred practices of the San people of South Africa - the first peoples of this country. Also explored will be how ten years of TV documentary filming with the San have taught the presenter values and practices he found mirrored in the shrines of Tibet and Nepal when he climbed Mount Everest in 1998.
Mr. Jan Horn has been producing documentaries for 25 years on the topics of archaeology, ancient civilisations and mountaineering. He also received training in nuclear and solid state physics from the University of Stellenbosch.

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