The Interfaith Union for Progressive Religion

This program is intended to provide additional preparation for ministers wishing to think through, in a challenging yet non-academic setting, the pressing social questions of the day that they will face in public ministry and in forums where they will be asked to address emotional and divisive questions. The program will presuppose a love “theology” as is found in the Jewish, Christian and Buddhist traditions, and will ask the participants to view the issues of the day with reference to two questions: “What does love demand?” and “Is a love ethic enough?” These two questions will be the backdrop for explorations of such issues as global warming, sexuality, abortion, cultural identity, race & race relations, animal rights, poverty, capital punishment, the prison system, capitalism, and international relations. The program will also explore the meaning of “critical public ministry” by reference to such exemplars as Desmond Tutu, Martin Luther King, Jr., Mother Teresa, Cornel West, Joan Chittister and Michael Lerner.