Muslim, Christian and Jewish women share wisdom in “Hidden Treasures”
Last Modified:
Fri, 25 Dec 2009 16:21:53 GMT
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On November 8 and 9, powerful women from all three Abrahamic faiths inspired an audience and learned from one another at a wonderful event sponsored by the Catholic Theological Union, The Council and The Chicago Board of Rabbis among other organizations. Tasneem Osmani, vice chair of the Council gave the opening remarks.
"This event provided an opportunity for me to share information on how my faith guides and enables me to do the work that I do," said Dr. Bambade Shakoor-Abdullah, member of the Council's Executive Committee and one of the speakers at the event. "My personal family history, though not immediately always Islamic, has always been rooted in Islamic values and principles that direct my work."
Participants were intrigued by how interfaith work helps us to realize that we have more in common and how faith plays a pivotal role in many lives. The first panel was moderated by Janaan Hashim and focused on uncovering sources of wisdom in faith traditions. The second panel dealt with naming challenges and complex contemporary issues with panelists like Jane Shapiro, Laurie Brink and Laleh Bakhtiar, the first American woman to translate the Quran. Men and women from different faith backgrounds felt the event was enlightening and inspiring.
"My sister and 85 year old mother joined me at this event and participated in the discussions," said Dr. Bambade. "My mother is not Muslim, and I wanted her to know how proud I am of my ancestors because of their religious commitment to serving God. If my heart can rest in a state of interfaith, so can our families and communities."
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