Two different and important conferences will be held here in Portland, Oregon in August and September. The Interfaith Alliance (TIA) will be bringing their One Nation, Many Faiths, Vote 2006 conference to the Rose City on August 23rd, featuring TIA executive director and Air America’s State of Belief host Welton Gaddy, and the Faith and American Values Summit 2006, with special guest Jim Wallis, will be held on September 14 and September 16.
Here is the lowdown on The Interfaith Alliance event:
The Interfaith Alliance (TIA) is making a difference in America by working at the intersection of religion and politics. TIA’s election year program, One Nation, Many Faiths, Vote 2006, analyzes and interprets the role that religion plays in an election year.
This election year, TIA is hitting the road -- literally. We are traveling throughout the nation to set the record straight about how religion and government can work together in a manner that both preserves the autonomy of houses of worship and ensures that religious institutions are not reduced to the status of political tools for candidates.
Please join The Interfaith Alliance for a day-long workshop and town hall forum on these important issues. Our Issue Training and Skills Building Workshop will give you the skills you need to educate, train others and initiate faith based activism around issues of concern to you and your community! The Election Year Program town hall forum will provide expert perspective analyzing and interpreting the role religion is playing in this election year. The Interfaith Alliance is committed to providing you with the tools that will enable you to Facilitate community activism; Challenge religious political extremism; and, Encourage civic participation.
I’ve been invited to be a panelist for the Portland town hall forum and look forward to participating with Rev. Gaddy. Similar conferences will also be held in Pittsburgh, Las Vegas and Detroit.
Download a poster for the August 23rd Portland event (PDF file).
Here’s more information for the September event:
The purpose of the Faith and American Values Summit is to promote dialogue, reflection and action on issues in American politics that have often been overlooked as moral and spiritual values issues in the past, such as...
POVERTY and WEALTH, PEACE and HUMAN RIGHTS, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, & HEALTH CARE
Because moral values should be central to public policy decisions, we are bringing together a nonpartisan group of faith leaders, community advocates, and public citizens to explore how Christian values could shape public policy in America.
Summit participants will deepen their understanding of the spiritual-political connections behind these issues and will network with other citizens, leaders and organizations who want to take action on these issues in their own communities.
This event is sponsored by the new Oregon Center for Christian Values.
Be sure to put these events on your calendar.
