Archive 2020

Around Old City Jerusalem, pointing out holy sites.

[THESE TIMES ARE JERUSALEM TIMES]
Sunday 2nd August - virtual tour around the Old City of Jerusalem. Meet at Damascus Gate at 10:00 am.
Wednesday 5th August - prayers at the Kotel and Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Meet me at Jaffa at 9:30 am.
Sunday 9th August - Garden of the Righteous at Yad Vashem - Meet at 10:00 am the entrance of Yad Vashem.
Tuesday 11th August - Meet at the botanical gardens at 3:00 pm.

Introduction by participants: “How the Coronavirus crisis affected me, my life, my faith”

“How the Coronavirus crisis affected me, my life, my faith”

Introduction to the course – “The parameters of religious life – in ordinary times and in times of crisis.”

Religion provides meaning – explains the human condition – Meaning in Judaism

Religion provides meaning – explains the human condition – Meaning in Christianity

Religion provides meaning – explains the human condition – Meaning in Buddhism

Religion provides meaning – explains the human condition – Meaning in Religions of India

Religion provides meaning – explains the human condition – Meaning in Islam

Religion provides meaning – – explains the human condition – Meaning in Bahai

Religion Provides Meaning: Synthesis, comparisons, contrast

in prayers at Kotel and Church of Holy Sepulchre.

Religion provides the path for a relationship with G-d/ (with something greater than ourselves). Can we build a “storehouse of spirituality” to equip us for times of crisis?

Prayer as a connection with G-d – building and strengthening the relationship in normal times and in crisis.

Testing the relationship and expressing doubt: Abraham arguing, David calling out, Jonah trying to escape, Job’s friends doubting, Peter and Thomas.

Religion provides community and identity Session 1 – Hindu, Jewish

Religion provides community and identity Session 2 – Muslim, Christian , Buddhist

“Redefining and expanding definitions of community.” To what extent has this crisis impacted on our interfaith community, extending even to those without a strong religious community?

Religion shapes social relations, cultivating morality, teaching us how to act towards one another – across religions

Case studies: Religious Geniuses exemplifying morality and social responsibility.

How Covid 19 did or did not bring out the principles of social responsibility.

of Garden of Righteous at Yad Vashem.

Where does Religion take place – heart, home, community? What is the balance between these loci of the religious life in different traditions and what happens when the “normal” is disrupted.

The balance of home and community – in regular times and in crisis.

Where does religions take place – heart, home, community? What is the ideal balance and what is the role of each of these “sites” in the religious life of the community and the individual?

of Botanic Gardens/ Biblical zoo.

Religion teaches us about our connectivity (religion orients us to life and to nature)

Appreciating our connectivity in times of crisis.

(geared towards day 9) – preparing questions for leaders on the meaning of religious leadership and the challenges to religious leaders in times of crisis and as we emerge into the future.

The challenges of religious leadership before during and after Covid 19. Hindu, Muslim

The challenges of religious leadership before during and after Covid 19. Buddhist, Christian

The challenges of religious leadership before during and after Covid 19. Jewish, Bahai

Which of the purposes of religion have been better understood, realised or deepened through our theoretical analysis of the Covid 19 crisis?

How has my spiritual life been affected by this encounter?

of the summer school and how we move forward as a spiritual community.