Christian clergy at churches across the country will host readings from the Qur’an and other sacred religious texts as they welcome their Muslim and Jewish colleagues on Sunday, June 26, 2011 for Faith Shared: Uniting in Prayer and Understanding.
UPDATE 6/2/11: Priest says it's a “good thing for the church” to publicly recognize the existence of Islam.
-- From "Clergy plan Qur’an readings to combat anti-Muslim bigotry" by Jeff Kunerth, Orlando Sentinel 5/17/11
Faith Shared is a project of Interfaith Alliance and Human Rights First, which seeks to send a message both here at home and to the Arab and Muslim world about our respect for Islam. The National Cathedral in Washington, DC, along with 50 churches in 26 states have committed to participating in this effort.
[Interfaith Alliance President Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy said,] “Appreciation for pluralism and respect for religious freedom and other human rights are at the core of our democracy.”
A full list of participating houses of worship can be found at faithshared.org.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Christians, Muslims, Jews to share sacred texts" by Bob Allen, Associated Baptist Press 5/17/11
Contrary to highly publicized anti-Islam statements from some U.S. Christian leaders . . . churches involved in the Faith Shared project “want to read each other’s scriptures instead of burn them.”
[National Cathedral Dean Sam Lloyd said,] “As Americans and people of faith, we must use our great traditions to come together for mutual enrichment and understanding.”
By coming together to read from and hear each other’s sacred texts, organizers believe Christian, Jewish and Muslim clergy will model respect and cooperation in ways that create concrete opportunities to build and strengthen working ties between their faiths.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Also read Allah Worshiped in Virginia Methodist Church