List of
Facilitators & Speakers
Facilitators
| | |
Rev. Dr.
Terry Mathis
Rev. Mathis is the
Campus Minister at the University
of California in Riverside, where for nearly ten years he
promoted interfaith activity. Current interests include the metaphysical
and
psychological conditions that allow for interfaith dialogue, the history
and
rise of secularism and the relations between science and religion.
Ordained
with the Church of the Brethren, his pastoral expertise includes
counseling and
university outreach. He will facilitate Panel One: Compassion for
Youths. More
about him… |
| | | |
| | | Dr. Helene Slessarev-Jamir
Dr. Slessarev-Jamir is the Mildred M.
Hutchinson Professor of Urban Ministries at Claremont School of
Theology. She is currently a member of the Board of
Directors of Sojourners and serves on the UMC's National Committee for
Hispanic/Latino Ministry and its National Immigration Task Force. Dr.
Slessarev-Jamir's recent work includes reports on national
promising practices in community-based ministry among Asian and Hispanic
immigrant religious communities. She has also written articles on
congregational based community organizing and the role of public
theology in an
age of empire. Her current research focuses on the character of
religiously
inspired justice work in response to globalization and American empire.
She will
facilitate Panel Two: A Life of Compassion: from Birth to Death. More
about
her… |
| | | |
| | | Dr. Richard
Rose
Dr. Rose is the Professor
of Religion and Philosophy at University
of La Verne.
He is
also the Director of Christian Education at Christ our Redeemer African
Methodist Episcopal Church in Irvine,
CA. Dr. Rose is believer in doing things not just for the self, but for
the
broader community. A particular topic that interests Rose about religion
is the
conflicting truth claims of different religions. He will facilitate Panel
Three: Compassion in
Practice. More
about him… |
| | | |
| | | Dr. Michael Kerze
Dr.
Kerze is a Professor of History and
Religion at Los Angeles Valley College and Santa Monica College. He has
published articles on religion and science and has given talks about the
relationship of religion and
science. He used to the director of the Herrick Memorial
Chapel and Interfaith
Center at Occidental College
where he developed an innovative interfaith program with students and
the
religious staff. In addition, he is the member of the Los
Angeles Buddhist Catholic Dialogue. He has been the Catholic educator in
the Catholic Jewish Educational Enrichment
Program, a program now found in cities across the nation. More
about him… |
| | | |
Speakers
Panel 1
| | 10:30am ~ 12:00pm: Compassion and Youth
Facilitated by Rev. Dr. Terry Mathis |
| | | Dr. Muhamad
Ali
Assistant Professor,
Religious Studies(Islam), UC Riverside. As a experts in Islam religion. Dr. Muhamad
Ali has been writing and speaking on jihad, violence and peace, gender
relationship,
Islam and the West, interfaith dialog and global education, Islam and
politics,
religious pluralism, and other religio-cultural issues. As UC a
professor, he taught courses such as Qur'anic studies, Islam and
international relations, Muslim politics, and Orientalism. He received
his B.A. in Islamic
studies from the State Islamic University (Indonesia),
an M.Sc. from the Department of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies at
the University of Edinburgh,
and a Ph.D. in history (Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the
world)
from the University
of Hawaii at Manoa. |
| | | |
| | |
Rev. Dr. James Feliciano
Pastor, Manna Church,
Moreno Valley, CA.
Rev. James Feliciano moved to the Inland Empire in 2003 from
the Central Coast
area where he had been senior pastor of Niblick
Road Baptist
Church in Paso Robles and Morro Bay
First Baptist
Church. Pastor Feliciano
was born in Salinas, California,
and has lived in this state except for a brief four year stay in Texas.
After careers in
legal services and publishing, he went into the ministry. He has degrees
from Stanford University,
Pepperdine University, Austin Presbyterian Theological
Seminary, and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
|
| | | |
| | |
Imam Mahmoud Harmoush
Professor of Arabic Language
and Islamic Culture, California State University, San Bernardino. Director,
the
Islamic Center of Temecula Valley. He earned his religious
studies from private institutions in
Syria and was taught by a
circle of well known scholars in the Middle–East and in North
America. In the past two decades, Imam Harmoush has lead and
served a few Islamic Centers and Institutions in Southern California and
through out the United
States. Imam Harmoush is also involved in marriage
counseling,
interfaith activities and public relations. Since 2007 he has joined the
faculty at the California State University
in San Bernardino
teaching the Arabic Language, Arabic Literature and the World of Islam.
Mr. Harmoush has traveled and conducted business in several parts of the
world. He is highly informed on the Middle East and the Global affairs.
|
| | | |
| | |
Rabbi
Sabine Meyer, Ph. D.
Director, Introduction to Judaism, Union for Reform
Judaism, West District Rabbi Sabine Meyer, Ph.D. was ordained from Hebrew
Union College Los Angeles, the Reform movement’s seminary. In addition to a Ph.D. in German Studies from
the University of Southern California, Rabbi Meyer received M.A. degrees in
Jewish Studies and Hebrew Letters from Hebrew Union College. She has held teaching positions in the Jewish
Studies department and the German department at the University of Southern California,
and served various Reform congregations in Southern California. In 2007, Rabbi Meyer was invited to join the faculty
of the International Peace School in Cologne, Germany, the first international
inter-religious school in the country.
At that time, she also developed and helped to implement the first
progressive Jewish curriculum for elementary schools in Germany. Intrigued by the shifting religious landscape
of Germany and a desire to put her interest in interfaith dialogue into action,
Rabbi Meyer joined clergy, academics, teachers and theologians from Christian
and Muslim backgrounds to found the non-profit organization, Network Religion and Education. Based in Cologne, Germany, the organization’s
mission is, “to work toward deepening understanding and respect among people, religions and cultures in the one
world that we inhabit together.” Network Religion and Education advocates
a holistic educational philosophy that encourages our children to grow into
morally, spiritually and intellectually grounded citizens of the world.
|
| | | |
| | |
Lawrence Slusser
Larry is currently
serving
as the 2nd Counselor in the Temecula Stake Presidency of The Church of
Jesus
Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon) where for the past 7 years this
presidency
has given spiritual guidance to the 4,000 members in Temecula Valley.
Previous church service includes Bishop,
youth leader, seminary teacher and as a missionary for 2 years in
Illinois and Wisconsin. Active in Interfaith Council of
Murrieta
Temecula Valley and currently serving as Secretary. Happily
married for 35 years with 4 children
and 7 grandchildren (2 more on the way).
He has been a builder-developer for 36 years and a Physician
Assistant
(part time) for 10 years. He earned a BS
degree from Brigham
Young University
and PA-C degree from Western University of Health Sciences. |
| | | |
| | | John Shin Jin Byrne The arc of
Mr. Byrne's life journey
has been defined by his relationships as a husband, father, grandfather
and friend; his various occupations as antique store owner,
manufacturing
executive, certified developer for Apple computers, systems analysis
consultant, retirement financial planner for educators and, his various
experiences, among them: as a U.S. Army Vietnam veteran, actor,
musician,
composer, published poet and traveler to many countries. Pulled by the
cross currents of a Roman
Catholic upbringing and an intensive life long look at the world’s
religions, he has been a Buddhist since 1993, oriented toward a Soto
Zen practice. In some ways, becoming a Buddhist was a generalized
statement of principle, rather than a rejection of any other particular
religion. Mr. Byrne’s experience found more similarities in
the world’s religions, more continuity in the spiritual threads that
weave among them, than the divisions of partisan, doctrinal literalism
that is available in all religions that tends to stunt the range of
humankind’s spiritual expression. |
| | | |
Panel 2 | | 10:30am ~ 12:00 pm: A Life of Compassion:
from Birth
to Death
Facilitated by Dr.
Helene Slessarev-Jamir |
| | |
Chaplain Bryan Ferry
Chaplain Ferry is an interfaith
chaplain at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, where he
also help train seminarians and lay practitioners to become chaplains.
Bryan
was ordained in Thich Nhat Han's Order of Interbeing in 2005. He
graduated with an M.Div from Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Co
after having
spent a foundational year in Naropa University's Engaged Buddhism
Program.
Currently, his primary focus is in Clinical Pastoral Education, but he
have been
in the field of hospital and hospice chaplaincy since
2000. |
| | | |
| | |
Rev. Dr. David
Jamir
Senior pastor, United Methodist Church. Dr. Rev. David M.
Jamir was born and raised in a tribal
state of Nagaland in north east India.
He was commissioned as Missionary at Large to the Himalayas and then to
the United States by the Naga Church.
He did his undergraduate work in Kolkata, India and later pursued
theological education in
the United States.
He earned his MA in theology from the Bethany Theological Seminary and
M.Div
and D. Min from the Northern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is an
Ordained
Elder of the United
Methodist Church
in the California Pacific Annual Conference. He is currently a senior
pastor of
two urban congregations in Santa Ana,
CA where he ministers to
Caucasians, Tongans, Cambodians and Filipinos. |
| | | |
| | |
Chaplain Tahara Akmal
Chaplain Tahara Akmal is an interfaith
Chaplain Resident (Muslim) at
the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical
Center in Los Angeles.
She completed her initial Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)
training
at Ohio State
University Medical
Center in Columbus,
Ohio and worked as a chaplain intern at Huntington Hospital
in Pasadena, California.
Prior to joining UCLA, she was the bereavement coordinator for
Odyssey Healthcare (hospice) Los Angeles,
where she offered grief support for terminally ill patients and their
loved ones. She has been involved in interfaith work
for over a decade. She has spoken across
the United States
on Islam and interfaith relations, Islamic chaplaincy, and end-of life
care in
Islam. Internationally, Chaplain Tahara Akmal has
addressed audiences in Tokyo, Jerusalem
and Castel Gondolfo, Italy. Chaplain Tahara Akmal holds a bachelor’s
degree in
psychology, with a minor in religion, from Vanguard University of
Southern
California. She also holds a master’s
degree in pastoral care and Islamic studies from the Claremont School of
Theology in Claremont, California.
|
| | | |
| | |
DJur. Varun Soni
Dean of Religious Life, USC. DJur. Varun Soni holds a
bachelor’s degree in
religion from Tufts University, a master’s degree in theological studies
from Harvard University, a master’s degree in
comparative religion from UC Santa Barbara and a juris doctor degree
from UCLA.
He is currently completing a Ph.D. in religious studies from the
University of Cape Town and is a member of the State
Bar of California. Varun Soni’s interest in world religions is
long-standing:
As an undergraduate, he spent a semester living as a Buddhist monk in a
Burmese
monastery in Bodh Gaya, India, through the Buddhist Studies Program at
Antioch University. As a graduate student, he
spent months doing field research in South Asia through UC Santa
Barbara’s
Center for Sikh and Punjab Studies. A native of India,
he was raised in Southern California. |
| | | |
Panel 3
| | 1:00pm ~ 2:30pm: Compassion in Practice
– Sing,
Chant, Dance, Other
Facilitated by Dr.
Richard A. Rose |
| | |
Maharaj Nithya Bhaktapriyananda
Disciple of Paramahamsa Nithyananda,
Nithyananda Vedic
Temple. Mr. Maharaj Nithya Bhaktapriyananda is the
Department Head of Rituals and Worship
in International Vedic Hindu University. He trains and oversees
Puja Acharyas nation wide in US and Canada.He has a extensive knowledge
in Vedic and Hindu
rituals, pujas, festivals of Eastern traditions. He has writes and has
released Bhajan songs and CDs
in International market. He constantly represents the Vedic Temple as
Special
Guess Speaker national level. He also serves at Dhyanapeetam Temple
&Cultural Center, Brahmachari of the Nithyananda Order
formally initiated by Paramahamsa Sri Nithyananda, in Duarte,
CA
in where he is the Chief Puja Acharya. He conducts special pujas,
Homas, and all the
Vedic ceremonies from birth to last rights, Dasa Karmas. He also
manages and coordinate temple ceremonies
and celebrations base on Hindu tradition and leads the standards team
for global standardization of temple rituals and activities. He also
provides chanting services such as Sahasranama,
Ashtotram, Trisathis, Suktams, upanishads etc. |
| | | |
| | |
Rev. Shawn Kindorf
Reverend Shawn Kindorf is one of the most progressive ministers in Religious Science today. Heart-centered, wisdom based, enthusiastic and vivacious, her vision is that “all people know they are included in God’s perfect expression of Life, regardless of race, color, creed, gender, sexual orientation, economic status, or any other labels with which we tend to identify”. The Divine nature of each person is nourished and allowed to evolve through creativity, classes, playful events, meditation and prayer. Rev. Shawn began living her passion of seeing God expressed through the arts early in life. As a former professional dancer, dance teacher, and studio owner, she has brought that passion of self-expression and transformation into people’s lives. Rev. Shawn graduated from Holmes Institute School of Ministry in 1999 and began serving Harmony Center for Spiritual Living. She was Ordained in February 2002. She has been invited to speak at United Centers for Spiritual Living annual conference and has served on the organizations planning committee for 3 years. She has also participated in local interfaith events. Rev. Shawn has developed a broad repertoire and an uncanny ability to relate Spirituality in meaningful, and often playful ways. Her deep heart-centered nature helps her to teach Spirituality to many people on many different levels. Rev. Shawn adds, “Many people who consider themselves spiritual, but not religious (including myself), have found a home in this philosophy and in this spiritual community.”
|
| | | |
| |
|
Dr. Deborah Roberts & Steve Kinzie
Dr. Deborah Roberts
Campus Minister,
University of La Verne where she directs the Peace Studies
Minor an the Campus Mediation
Center. A member of the
Church of the Brethren, she received a Master’s Degree in Theology from
Bethany
Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. in Women’s Studies in Religion from
Claremont Graduate University.
She has a special interest in the study of conflict engagement as
spiritual
practice, incorporating feminist and non-Western visions for and
critiques of common
U.S.
mediation practice.
Steve Kinzie Steve Kinzie currently serves as the Interim
Director of the Learning Enhancement Center
at the University
of La Verne, where he is
also Adjunct Professor of Peace Studies and Writing. He earned a B.A. in Philosophy
from the American University of Beirut
and an M.A. in Classics from the University
of Washington. A singer
song-writer, he has been playing guitar and five-string banjo since 1960, and for
many years has drawn inspiration for lyrics from the writings and spirituality
of various world religions. |
| | | |
| | | |
| Dr. Ahmad H Sakr
Dr. Sakr obtained his Ph.D. from the University
of Illinois in 1966.
While studying in America, he was a founding member and president
of the Muslim Students’ Association of the U.S.A and Canada,
currently known as the Islamic Society of North America (or ISNA), a
mother
organization in North America. Dr. Sakr was
also a founding member of the World Council of Mosques whose
headquarters is in
Makkah. He was the first director and representative of the Muslim World
League
to the U.N. Furthermore, Dr. Sakr is an educator and has taught in
several universities. In 1973, he was selected as an Outstanding
Educator of
America. He is also an administrator and has served in numerous
capabilities at
various American universities, the last of which was as the Acting
President of
the American Islamic College in Chicago.
In 1976/1977 he was selected as a Community Leader and a Noteworthy
American. Currently, he is the president of the Foundation for
Islamic Knowledge. Director of the Islamic Education Center in Walnut,
California, a member of Operation Safe Community, a member of the Walnut
Interfaith Council in California, and a board member of the Islamic food
and
Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA).Dr. Sakr has appeared on ABC’s
“Nightline” as well as
the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). In addition, he has made
numerous
radio and television appearances. He has also organized and coordinated
many
national and international conferences. Additionally, he is a well known
writer
and has written a series of books and booklets on Islam, food, health,
behavior, terrorism, fundamentalism, Khutab, and orations. At last
count, he
had written over forty five (45) books (in English and Arabic) and
booklets not
counting the innumerable articles he has authored. Dr. Sakr’s approach is to
build a bridge of
understanding through commonalities with Muslims and non-Muslims. He
visited Vatican in Rome,
Italy where he
participated in a Dialogue with the Bishops, Cardinals and the Pope. |
|
| | |
| | |
Venerable Miao Hsi Shih
Fo Guang Shan Hsi Lai Temple, Hacienda
Heights, California.
A Buddhist nun with the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Order, she
has served for four years as the Editor-in-Chief of the English pages of
the
Merit Times (America) daily newspaper, and the director of both the Fo
Guang
Shan International Translation Center and Buddha’s Light Publishing in
America
for three years. Responsible for translating the works of Venerable
Master
Hsing Yun into English, her translated works include seven volumes of
the
series, Between Ignorance and Enlightenment, and the two volumes of
Dharma
Words. Currently, she is one of the directors of Fo Guang Shan Hsi
Lai Temple in Hacienda Heights,
California, in charge of cultural
and educational activities, community outreach, and the planner and one
of the
teachers of the temple’s English Buddhism classes. |
| | | |
Panel 4
| | 3:00pm ~ 4:30pm: Compassion in Charity & Social
Work -
Exhibits/Projects
Facilitated by Dr.
Michael Kerze |
| | |
Mike Kennedy & Richard Garcia's team and project.
Mike
Kennedy is a Jesuit priest and the former pastor of Dolores
Mission. He and his co-worker Richard Garcia has been
coordinating social justice work for the California Province of the
Society of Jesus.
|
| | | |
| | | Alex
Wu and BLIA's project The Buddha's
Light International Association (BLIA, Chinese: 國際佛光會), is a Buddhist monastic and lay organization with millions of members in
which Humanistic Buddhism is practiced. BLIA was
established by
Venerable Master Hsing Yun in 1992. The organization is associated with
the Fo
Guang Shan Buddhist Order, the largest Buddhist organization in Taiwan. In 2003,
BLIA was granted the NGO association status by The
Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC) and
Department of
Public Information (DPI) under UN. The world
headquarters is located on the Hsi Lai Temple, in Hacienda
Heights, California. Alex Wu is the founder of private WISEMICRO International. He has
been doing business in the industries of computers, electronics, and now security
products in US for more than twenty years. As his religious practice, he has
been learning and practicing Humanistic Buddhism advocated by Venerable Master
Hsing Yun since early 1990s. He currently serves as the Vice President of BLIA
LA chapter where he has consistently promoting Humanistic Buddhism through
charity and social works. Some projects that he has evolved are: computer
donations program to many schools in different districts, food release program
with FAME church, community food release service, and Hsi Lai Temple’s Winter
Love Joy scholarship program, etc.
|
| | | |
| | |
Glen Peterson and the project of "Job Quest Ministry," Whittier Area Community Church.
Glen has developed training and mentoring programs to help families
improve their economic wellbeing through work. Glen is a consultant
doing community and economic development work including program design,
organizational assessment and development and resource development with
Capacity Partnership Group. |
| | | |
| | |
Steve Kemp and the project from Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Pasadena Stake).
|
| | | |
| | |
Mary Helen Monarrez and Whittier Area First Day Coalition's "Keeping Families Together" project. |
| | | |
| | |
Veronica Hernandez and Interfaith Food Center's “Food
Pantry” project.
|
| | | |
| | | Pastor Jim Ortiz and My Friends House Assembly of God's project.
Pastor Jim
Ortiz finds homes in need of repairs from HUD and
deploys a team of recovering addicts and men released from prison to
complete the repairs. The men learn to show up for work on time and
acquire marketable skills as carpenters or electricians
|
| | | |
| | |
Dottie
Andersen and St. Matthias Episcopal Church(Whittier)'s "Soup
Hour” Project.
|
| | | |
| | |
Mike Wong and Buddhist Chaplaincy Program,
University of the West
The
Buddhist Chaplaincy program in UWest provides students with the
necessary
knowledge and skills to excel as Buddhist practitioners working in the
field of professional chaplaincy. The program is designed to meet the
needs of those who wish to engage in spiritual care and counseling work
and become properly trained and certified professionals. The exhibition will show how compassion is infused into its classroom courses and practicum trainings.
|
| | | |
| | |
Ms. Irem Choksy and the exhibition from University of the West Student Association.
|
| | | |
| | |
Mr. Rex Qing Song Goh and the exhibition from BudaWest (Buddhist Association of University of the
West).
Buddhist Association of University of
the West (BudaWest) is one of the organizers of this conference. They are
proud to present the charitable activities they have conducted to the
conference audience. |
