Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia

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Interfaith Center In the News: CN8 Comcast News

Video from CN8 Comcast News interview of Interfaith Youth

National Day of Interfaith Youth Service

Video from National Day of Interfaith Youth Service 2008

• Nearly 200 youth participated in the National Day of Interfaith Youth Service on Sunday afternoon, April 13, 2008, at Cobbs Creek Environmental Center. Youth were engaged in environmental learning and action, interfaith conversations and arts workshops.
  
  The event was sponsored by the Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia in cooperation with the Fairmount Park Commission of the City of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Green Program of The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, Neighborhood Interfaith Movement, (NIM), and Cobbs Creek Community Environmental Education Center, Inc.
  
  Download the Press Release | Event Overview & Photos | Watch the Video
  

Alternative Spring Break

• A group of students from North Carolina State spent the first week in March participating in an Alternative Spring Break program coordinated by the Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia.
  
  The students attended worship services and visited a variety of religious communities as well as spent time serving Philadelphia's homeless population.
  
  See photos and read poetry from their week.

Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

• An extensive new survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life details the religious affiliation of the American public and explores the shifts taking place in the U.S. religious landscape. Based on interviews with more than 35,000 Americans age 18 and older, the U.S. Religious Landscape Survey finds that religious affiliation in the U.S. is both very diverse and extremely fluid. Download the complete report.

News Archives

• Over 225 people of diverse backgrounds gathered on Feb. 12 for the Interfaith Center’s event featuring Dr. Eboo Patel, founder of the Interfaith Youth Core. The icy evening was both heartwarming and inspiring. See the photo gallery and video excerpts of the program.
  
  Dr. Patel’s address, The Faith Line: Building the Beloved Community, focused on stories of religious leaders who shaped major social movements after encountering people and ideas of other faith traditions: Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
  
  He described the “faith line” as dividing not Christians and Jews, Muslims and Hindus, but pluralists and enemies of pluralism. See the video excerpts of Dr. Patel’s speech
• Eboo Patel was interviewed by Marty Moss-Coane on WHYY's Radio Times on Tuesday, February 12th on 90.9 FM.
  Listen to the Interview Online *
  
  * Note: you will need Real Audio Player in order to open Real Audio files. You can download Real Audio Player free from RealAudio.com.
• A youth perspecitve on Walking the Walk: a high school student writes of her experiences in a story for the Jewish Voice. Read the Article.
• Building a Beloved Community Through Interfaith Action, Mainline Times, February, 2008.
• Over 40 religious leaders gathered for the Sixth Annual Women Clergy Retreat, "Diversity at the Table". on January 28, 2008, a day rich with story-telling, text study and dialogue. For ongoing activities for women relgious leaders, contact meh@interfaithcenterpa.org.
• The Interfaith Center, assisted the Religous Leaders Council of Greater Philadelphia, coordinating their interfaith inaugural service for Mayor-Elect Michael Nutter on January 3, 2008, attended by nearly 300 people at the Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, 18th St and Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia.  The Co-Conveners of the Religious Leaders Council presided at this service: Cardinal Justin Rigali, Rabbi David Straus and Imam Anwar Muhaimin.  The service included a non-violence pledge that was released region-wide by the Council. View event photos and video at www.archphila.org/evangelization/ecum/ecum.htm
• Our Coordinator of Interfaith Educator Sister Maria Hornung, MMS has authored a book entitled Encountering Other Faiths. This book, published by Paulist Press (September 2007), focuses on the importance of interfaith dialogue in one’s spiritual and holistic growth. A FREE companion workbook can be downloaded in PDF format.
• Our youth service-learning program Walking the Walk is in its third year!  We are serving the same three communities in 2007-08: Philadelphia, Northwest Philadelphia, and Suburban West.  We look forward to welcoming our new high school participants.
• Walking the Walk – Philadelphia was selected as one of four pilot cities for a national grant for Interfaith Youth Service Learning.  The grant is from Learn and Serve America and is coordinated by the SEARCH Institute and the Interfaith Youth Core.
• Due to our community’s increasing needs, the staff of the Interfaith Center is growing!  Read about our staff team.