Inter-Religious Studies at Vancouver School of Theology

12/05/2023

Voices for Peace at Baitur Rahman Mosque, 9570 River Road, Delta BC. Sunday December 10, 2023, 2:00 pm.

06/08/2023

Interfaith Climate Event - June 6
Fraser River Discovery Centre
788 Quayside Drive, New Westminster

Sunday June 6, 1:00-6:00 pm
Drop in for as long as you'd like - there are speakers all afternoon, and feel free to enjoy the Discovery Centre

Organized by Foundation for a Path Forward and Metro Vancouver Alliance
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

Saving Our Planet: Faith in Action II is a multi-faith event focused on the climate crisis and its impact on our planet.

05/25/2023

Great lecture: Conference keynote event free and open to the public. JOIN US May 30, 7:00-8:30 pm on Zoom or in Epiphany Chapel (UBC)

"Disinformation and Democracy" by Canadian journalist Peter W. Klein

"Disinformation and Democracy," an evening with Peter W. Klein. Canadian journalist; Emmy Award-winner; Founder, Global Reporting Centre

05/25/2023

REGISTRATION DEADLINE COMING! May 26 for in-person, May 29 for Zoom. Join us for the whole conference (May 30-June 1), or just the (free) public keynote address (May 30, 7pm)

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? Public and social media cultivate outrage. Disinformation mixes freely with information. Activists call attention to a crisis of democracy. How should spiritual and religious communities respond? What is our role in making meaning together? Join journalists, scholars, activists, and spiritual teachers in exploring these questions.

WHO ARE THE SPEAKERS? Click on the link!

Public and social media cultivate outrage. Disinformation mixes freely with information. Activists call attention to a crisis of democracy. How should spiritual and religious communities respond? What is our role in making meaning together? Join journalists, scholars, activists, and spiritual teache...

05/12/2023

Please read this excellent article and join us! We'll be discussing "Making Meaning in a Time of Media Polarization" at the Vancouver School of Theology, May 30-June 1, 2023.

This article gives an outline of our keynote lecture by Canadian journalist Peter W. Klein. Now, imagine how great the lecture is going to be!

The article ends with a link to register for the keynote or the whole conference.

Web version of the article: https://www.jewishindependent.ca/spotting-disinformation/

04/30/2022

So you're thinking about attending our annual Inter-Religious Studies conference, May 24-26, on Religious Responses to Climate Change?

And you want to know what the conference might be like? Check out our new podcast "Inter-Religious Studies Conference," based on last year's conference.

Episode 1: Rachel Wilkowski examines depictions of God’s justice in three Christian children’s Bibles: The Jesus Storybook Bible, The Big Picture Bible, and The Children of God Storybook Bible.

https://interreligiouspodcast.podbean.com/e/rachel-wilkowski-ondepicting-god-s-justice-in-children-s-bibles/

Many thanks to podcast creator, Shadia Qubti.

Happy listening!

03/02/2022

Happy Ash Wednesday, everyone!

Pope Francis implores us all to pray for peace and to fast for our Ukrainian sisters and brothers today. He reminds us that during this period of abstinence, we should again fix our eyes on God and pray for the peace "which men and women are incapable of building by themselves."

May it be so.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin presides over the customary Mass on Ash Wednesday in Rome's Basilica of Santa Sabina in place of Pope Francis, who is resting ...

02/25/2022

We have been devastated this week to read reports of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This invasion has come after nearly a decade of rising tension and violence in the area. Since 2014, more than 14,000 people have died due to Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea and ongoing military presence.

During this sad and frightening time, let us do what we can to support the Ukrainian people and pray for a peaceful resolution for everyone involved.

(RNS) — In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, religious leaders prayed for peace and asked God to watch over civilians.

01/27/2022

Tonight from 7-8:30pm PST, Rev. Dr. Carmen Lansdowne will be speaking at the Vancouver Unitarian Church as part of the Faith, Spirit, and Climate Dialogue Series. This event will be both livestreamed and have limited in-person attendance.

For more information or to watch the livestream, go to their website at ucv.im/FaithAndClimate.

11/29/2021

Happy Hanukkah to our Jewish sisters and brothers!

Last night was the first of the eight nights of the holiday, which commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over their Syrian Greek conquerors and the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem.

To learn more about this beautiful "Festival of Lights," see this article that explains the history of Hanukkah and how it is celebrated today by Jewish people around the world.

Hanukkah, or the Festival of Rededication, celebrates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after its defilement by the Syrian Greeks in 164 BCE. It is also known as the Festival of Lights and takes place in December, at the time of year when the da

11/04/2021

Happy Diwali to all who celebrate!

Today our South Asian friends from Hindu, Sikh, Jain, and Newar Buddhist backgrounds are observing Diwali, or "The Festival of Lights." It is a celebration of the triumph of knowledge over ignorance and goodness over evil. Families gather together to feast and enjoy sweets, to decorate their homes and outdoor spaces with flowers, and to light diya lamps and fireworks that drive out the darkness.

There are various ancient stories associated with Diwali. To learn more about them and how they are remembered today, check out this excellent article from YES Magazine.

Diwali has many origin stories and is celebrated in several faith traditions, but all center the triumph of justice.