 |
    |
      |
|
ISSUES & FORUMS
Reclaiming Moral Values:
We gather together as people of conscience, faith, and conviction that ethics and morality cannot be claimed as the property of a single religion or political group, but must be understood in the context of furthering the well being of all humanity, present and future. We seek to develop and share an empowering moral language and action strategies with others who long to make their voices heard, both locally and nationally. We will work to transform public policy decisions to reflect the moral values of social and economic justice, ecological responsibility and integrity in the political process.
Contact James Lee or Rev. Ron Quay, 309-786-6494 Progressives Faith & Values Project
Meetings: Last Tuesday of every month at 6:30pm, at the Davenport Unitarian Church, 3707 Eastern Ave.
Update on Reclaiming Moral Values:
Reclaiming Moral Values forum held its monthly meeting on February 27th at the Unitarian Church. The Forum’s top priority for the year is sponsoring a Spiritual Progressives Conference in November 2007. The conference planning meeting for the month of February was canceled due to in climate weather, so conference planning was initiatied during the monthly meeting. It was decided that the 3 most desirable locations for the conference would be: Augustana College, Black Hawk College, and St. Ambrose College. The Spiritual Progressives planning committee already has a list of workshop topics, workshop speakers, and a list of potential keynote speakers.
The forum has also decided to hold a preliminary event on June 2, 2007 (location to be announced). This event will be a workshop on focusing on the Baylor University Survey on national religious attitudes. The survey found that Americans had four distinct views of God, and that these views were the greatest predictors of political attitudes and cultural preferences. This workshop will explore the effect that our views of God have on our political attitudes and actions. The forum hopes that this event will be a launching point for publicizing the fall conference.
The 3rd Annual RECLAIMING MORAL VALUES RETREAT
Saturday – June 7, 2008 (10 AM - 2PM)
at the beautiful Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat
2664 145th Street - "Near" Wheatland, Iowa
THEME: Bringing in the Era of the Spiritual Progressive:
"The Movement for our Time"
THE PURPOSE OF THE RETREAT
As members of the Reclaiming Moral Values Forum, we are connecting with an emerging movement of progressives who are learning how to express their progressive values and spirituality in a more powerful and persuasive way. Our goal is to change the cultural, political and social conversation in our nation to reflect progressive values & principles in all aspects of our private and public lives.
THE HIGHLIGHTS
The surroundings were serene and very peaceful, making it easy to relax and reflect during the retreat. There were 16 people in attendance. The day started with breakfast and then we launched into our first session led by Roger Butts entitled " Sharing Music that Moves us" Roger received 15 songs from retreat attendees and others who could not attend. He created a music CD composed of these songs. He then proceeded to ask the persons who chose the songs to introduce their song and explain to the group why the song was significant to them. The songs ranged from Bob Dylan to Coldplay. Many of the songs led to very in depth discussions about issues from inner peace to opposing the war culture in our nation. This session was very uplifting and demonstrated the power of music to move us to think and stimulate us to action.
After a short break, James Lee gave a presentation on Consumerism (Consumer Culture) and Progressive Values. His presentation focused on three things
1) The characteristics and effects of consumer culture
2) Why consumer culture is so provocative to individuals in our society
3) How a progressive worldview and its values can provide a counterbalance to consumer culture
After the presentation, the attendees discussed how easy it was to get caught up in consumer culture. The audience was also cautioned by one participant to realistically assess the positive points of having modern conveniences as opposed to looking at all aspects of our consumer culture as negative.
After the Consummerism session, the group broke for lunch. Lunch was provided by Darry Kannenburg and Roger Butts. During lunch, many ate and talked while others decided to walk around the grounds of the retreat.
The final session of the day focused upon the transition being made by the Reclaiming Moral Values Forum to become a chapter of the Network of Spiritual Progressives (NSP). James Lee talked about the principles and values of the Network of Spiritual Progressives and how they were closely aligned to those of the Reclaiming Moral Values Forum. Materials from the Network of Spiritual Progressives was provided to attendees that further explained the ideals and programming of NSP. As a new member of the Network - the Quad Cities chapter would become the first chapter of the organization in Iowa, it would also join a number of Illinois chapters scattered throughout the state.
The session wrapped up with a brainstorming on what the chapter could do to elevate its message in the Quad City area. Among the suggestions were holding house parties to introduce the new chapter, promoting a cultural event that emphasized progressive values, spearheading more activities around immigration (reinvigorating the Quad City Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees), and spearheading another "Hands Across the Table" dinner in the Quad Cities.
Everyone in attendance felt a sense of optimism at the prospect of the new chapter being able to positively impact the Quad Cities and bring a refreshing viewpoint to the public conversation on values, faith, and spirituality. After the session on the Network of Spiritual Progressives the Retreat wrapped up.
PAST ACTIVITIES:
MOVIE: THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS, a film by Martin Doblemeier.
Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, Jews and academicians discuss the idea of forgiveness and reconciliation.
March 24th, Augustana College
Olin Hall Auditorium at 1:00pm
Doblemeier will speak after the movie - Brought to you by an interfaith coalition of local clergy and leaders:
Rev. Roger Butts, James Lee (Moral Values Forum of PACG), Rev. April Johnson, Ass't Dean of Diversity, Augustana College, Rev. Ron Quay and Dan Ebener, Bridges of Faith, Rev. Scott Jansen (First Presbyterian, Davenport,), Rev. Douglas Johnson, Community Bible Church, Knoxville, IL, Rev. Katherine Mulhern (Edwards United Church of Christ) among others, have signed up to help get the word out. Join them, won't you? Help us spread the word.
Call or write Roger: 563.508.0209, roger.butts@mchsi.com for more information.
POWER OF FORGIVENESS - Over the last 20 years forgiveness has come into its own as an area of academic study. Researchers are examining the psychological and physical effects of forgiveness on individuals and within relationships under a wide variety of conditions, ranging from petty insults to sexual assault. Clinicians have developed interventions that guide people through a process that allows them to forgive transgressions and get on with their lives.
THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS explores this important work and translates it into a popular, accessible 90-minute documentary film for national public television. The broadcast will be only one part of a national outreach strategy that includes limited theatrical release, a major Internet presence, and print and electronic media promotional campaign, and a variety of national and local conversations that will form The Campaign for Love and Forgiveness. The focus is on the emergent understanding of contemporary research that forgiveness is a valid tool with real potential for personal and spiritual transformation.
The film provides an honest look at the intensity of anger and grief that human nature is heir to. It combines character-driven stories of the most dramatic transgressions imaginable with those that seem more commonplace and thereby more familiar to its general audience. It examines the role that forgiveness can play in alleviating the resulting anger and grief and the physical, mental and spiritual benefits that come with forgiveness. It also looks at what many of the world's religions teach about forgiveness. The stories of the people we meet assure us that there is hope if we are open to seeking it and accepting it.
South Carolina Educational Television (SCETV), long recognized as a provider of quality programming to national PBS, is the presenting station. Major funding was provided by The Fetzer Institute as part of its Campaign for Love and Forgiveness.
THE RECLAIMING MORAL VALUES RETREAT
I would like to thank all of those who attended and assisted with the Reclaiming Moral Values Retreat on Saturday. Your contribution was very important to the success of our event.
Phillip Cryan of ICAN was very impressed with the quality of the conversation and the insights that were shared during our workshops.
There is so much work to do in the area of values, spirituality and religion. As progressives we are playing catch-up, but as we commit more time and effort to these issues - I believe that we can change the conversation in this nation.
We hope to have a very engaging and provocative Spiritual Progressives conference on this subject matter in November. It was good to see so many volunteer to assist with the planning of this conference. With all of the enthusiasm, there is no doubt that we will have a great conference.
Peace and Love
James Lee.
Upcoming Events:
Immigration Project
We are in the process of coalition building and outreach within the Immigrant communities. Our goal is to hold an Immigration Town Hall meeting some time in September in order to promote tolerance and a greater understanding on this issue. What started as an event that our forum would spearhead has evolved into something much larger and more inclusive. Details pending...
Network of Spiritual Progressives(NSP)
Our forum is considering an affiliation with a growing national organization The Network of Spiritual Progressives. At our last meeting we viewed a DVD that they sent to us which introduces the organization and gives an overview of their mission and future plans. We will continue our networking efforts and evaluate our next steps with NSP.
God, Humanity, and Earth
A Community Conversation on Morality and the Environment
Earth Day
Saturday, April 22, 2006
10 AM - 12 Noon
Davenport Main Library
321 Main Street
Davenport, Iowa 52801
Sponsored by: Reclaiming Moral Values Forum and
Environmental & Energy/Sustainability Forum
For more information email: James Lee or Molly Regan
General Background for Community Conversation (Environment)
During our first community conversation on Moral Values , "A Community Conversation on Morality and the Environment" we will discuss how deeply held beliefs, faith, and moral values direct humanity?s behavior toward the environment.
We will examine factors that create acceptance and resistance to ecological responsibility in the faith based, business, and advocacy communities. We will also explore the possibility of diverse faith traditions, business interests, and environmental advocates developing a cooperative framework to amplify the message of ecological responsibility across all segments of our society.
The Reclaiming Moral Values Forum has chosen two core values/principles that direct our actions as a forum:
1) Positively Valuing Diversity
2) Spreading Power Broadly
These values can be used to shape and give direction to the community conversation on morality and the environment.
Social Gospel in Theory and Practice:
From "The Prophetic Imperative" by Richard S. Gilbert
The Ten Commandments for Social Action
1. Thou shalt always seek to make tangible in action what is intangible in values. To be biblical, 'Faith without works is dead' (James 2:17).
2. Thou shalt consider thyself a fulcrum to change the world. The Greek Archimedes once said, "Give me where to stand, and I will move the earth." Thou art a lever to move things to a better place; each action has cosmic
consequences.
3. Thou shall carry a newspaper in one hand and a Bible (or its equivalent for you) in the other. Social action grows out of a value system, be it religious or secular, be it the Koran or the Constitution, be it the Hebrew prophets or Ralph Nader (or Howard Dean).
4. Thou shalt remember that many are called, but most are frozen. Beware being like Voltaire's Candide, who, seeing the evils of the world, decided he would simply cultivate his garden. I have nothing against gardens, only against those who spend ALL of their free time there.
5. Thou shalt resist burnout; thou shalt invest thyself for the long haul, yea, even beyond the next issue. One of my friends hath said the world is changed by those who stay at meetings until the very end. Thou shalt remember that to love justice is not an occasional pursuit, but a way of living. Be thou not summer citizens who quit their work when icy drafts of apathy and reaction cool their ardor. Thy goals will not be achieved during thy lifetime.
6. Thou shalt do thy homework. Blessed (and effective) are the informed. Ye shall know the facts, and the facts shall make thee powerful. And remember George Bernard Shaw's dictum: The world?s best reformers are those who begin on themselves.
7. Thou shalt think globally and act locally. Thou shalt see thy work in thy larger context of meaning and action and do thy own small part well. Think of the cartoon of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza approaching a great modern city of skyscrapers. Saith Sancho to Don Quixote, "Tell me again how we're going to fight city hall." By thinking globally and acting locally.
8. Thou shalt change the world (fight city hall) one step at a time. As it has been said by Lao Tze, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Thou shalt have thy great goals before thee, but thou shalt also have thy objectives (specific, measurable, achievable, and consonant with thy values) thy strategies, thy tactics, and thy time-lines, especially thy time-lines. Thou shalt adhere unto them.
9. Thou shalt constitute thy group as a community of moral discourse and action. Thou canst not change the world by thyself. Harken unto thy comrades and they will hearken unto thee. Act faithfully and thy comrades will do
likewise (hope we always).
10. Thou shalt be a happy warrior. Grouches seldom change the world. Prepare thyself for a 'joyous struggle' (Fred Shuttlesworth as he lay bleeding from a beating in a civil rights demonstration). Keep thy sense of humor, for thou wilt need it in a crazy world. Celebrate life in all thy going out and coming in, yea, from this day forth.
"People who have principles but no programs, turn out in the end to have
no principles."
Solidarity and Suffering: Toward a Politics of Relationality
(Suny Series, Religion and American Public Life) (Paperback)
by Douglas Sturm
Book Description:
This book delineates a vision that moves beyond a politics of divisiveness toward a new way of constructing lives together throughout the world. Sturm's "politics of relationality" is an alternative to classical liberalism and cultural conservatism. It calls for mutual respect and creative dialogue, promoting a principle of justice as solidarity. Sturm develops a radically reconstructive approach to a wide range of social issues: human rights, affirmative action, property, corporations, religious pluralism, social conflict, and the environment. Solidarity and Suffering: Toward a Politics of Relationality is infused with a spirituality of compassion, suggesting that, in their core meanings, justice and love coalesce.
Douglas Sturm is Professor Emeritus of Religion and Political Science, Bucknell University. He is also the author of Community and Alienation: Essays on Process Thought and Public Life.