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Archive: Religion & Leadership
"Choose Your Own" Commemoration
Today's guest blogger is Becca Hartman, a Research Associate at the Interfaith Youth Core. Becca originally joined the IFYC as a Public Interest Program Fellow from Northwestern University, where she studied Philosophy and Religion and was active in organizing interfaith...
By Eboo Patel | March 11, 2009; 01:42 PM ET | Comments (0)
India's 'Slumdog' Role Model
The Indian who won two Academy Awards for music shows that Muslim pluralism is flourishing.
By Eboo Patel | March 9, 2009; 10:11 AM ET | Comments (46)
Mumbai Revival
Why did Mumbaikers overwhelmingly view the 2008 terrorist attacks as a case of pluralism vs extremism rather than Hindu vs. Muslim?
By Eboo Patel | March 6, 2009; 10:17 AM ET | Comments (65)
India, the Aspiring Pluralistic Democracy
The world's oldest democracy and its largest democracy should lead the world in interfaith cooperation.
By Eboo Patel | March 5, 2009; 10:19 AM ET | Comments (18)
Holding Our Brothers, Fathers, Sons Accountable
From the most conservative traditionalists to Muslim pro-feminists, all along the spectrum there is a growing men's acknowledgment of the corrosive effects of this violence on our communities.
By Eboo Patel | March 2, 2009; 01:33 PM ET | Comments (25)
Geert Wilders on Capitol Hill
Don't deport the anti-Islamic politician, or ban his film. Let's teach him the American value of religious liberty.
By Eboo Patel | February 26, 2009; 08:19 AM ET | Comments (142)
Martin Luther King Jr.'s Dream in India
The dream of India is the dream of pluralism, the idea of different communities retaining their uniqueness while relating in a way that recognizes they share universal values.
By Eboo Patel | February 23, 2009; 10:09 AM ET | Comments (15)
U.S. Reaching Out to the Muslim World
In his inaugural address, Obama promised the Muslim world that America would extend a hand; I hope what we have seen so far is just the beginning.
By Eboo Patel | February 20, 2009; 09:53 AM ET | Comments (27)
Then They Came for the Bahá'ís
An attack on the Bahá'ís is an attack on all of us who champion the cause of religious pluralism and freedom.
By Eboo Patel | February 18, 2009; 01:17 PM ET | Comments (4)
Defeating Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda rises and falls not so much on the actions of its hard-core adherents, but on whether it can bring other Muslims into its fold.
By Eboo Patel | February 16, 2009; 09:15 AM ET | Comments (50)
Lessons From the Land of Lincoln and Obama
As we look back, let's remember the story of unity that the myth of Lincoln teaches us -- the story of unity that Obama stresses time and time again.
By Eboo Patel | February 13, 2009; 10:37 AM ET | Comments (6)
World Leaders and Interfaith Cooperation
We have a former British Prime Minister and a new American President each articulating a vision of interfaith cooperation and building institutions to make good on that vision.
By Eboo Patel | February 9, 2009; 09:57 AM ET | Comments (19)
Why I Joined Obama's Faith Council
President Obama's vision for the faith-based council connects his domestic goals with his foreign policy goal of reaching out to people of all faiths and nations.
By Eboo Patel | February 6, 2009; 10:24 AM ET | Comments (22)
Finding Citizen Change-Makers at Boarding School
Today's guest blogger is Hannah McConnaughay, an Outreach Education and Training Associate at the Interfaith Youth Core. Hannah graduated in June of 2008 from the University of Chicago, where she studied religious studies and economics and was a member of...
By Eboo Patel | February 5, 2009; 02:07 PM ET | Comments (1)
Waiting for the Second Coming of Sadat
Those of us who see no contradiction between being pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian listened for common ground.
By Eboo Patel | February 4, 2009; 02:33 PM ET | Comments (1)
Muslims Speaking Up for Islam and Peace
The report states that such peacemaking efforts are organic to the tradition of Islam itself, and Muslim intellectuals are increasingly articulating these dimensions of Islam both within Muslim circles and beyond them.
By Eboo Patel | February 2, 2009; 12:27 PM ET | Comments (88)
Obama's Patchwork Heritage and Worldview
One of President Obama's key stories has always been about diversity as strength. And his life is the embodiment of that dimension of the American dream.
By Eboo Patel | January 30, 2009; 10:19 AM ET | Comments (4)
Hum Honge Kamyab/We Shall Overcome
Today's guest blogger is Jenan Mohajir, a program associate for the Outreach Education & Training program at the Interfaith Youth Core. She is extensively involved with the Muslim community through several grassroots initiatives in Chicago, IL "Hum Honge Kamyab." Throughout...
By Eboo Patel | January 28, 2009; 10:20 AM ET | Comments (2)
Obama Reaches Out to the Muslim World
Not only was Obama the first President to mention the word "Muslim" in an inauguration speech, he did it with his hand out instead of with his fist clenched.
By Eboo Patel | January 26, 2009; 12:52 AM ET | Comments (109)
The Legacy of King's Letter
Today's guest blogger is Angie Chan, a senior Linguistics Major at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, most of Angie's time is spent working with the Interfaith Youth Core's Fellows Alliance program, as well as acting as...
By Eboo Patel | January 21, 2009; 01:44 PM ET | Comments (0)
Who's Praying for Obama?
As the inauguration excitement fades and the prayer services come to an end, will these leaders continue to pray for Barack Obama? More importantly, will they and will we continue to join together on common ground?
By Eboo Patel | January 16, 2009; 10:19 AM ET | Comments (26)
What Is the Difference Between Bravery and Courage?
Filmmaker and human rights advocate Ronit Avni is today's guest blogger; she is also the Founder & Executive Director of Just Vision, a non-profit that researches, documents and creates media about Palestinian and Israeli civic peace builders. Recipient of Auburn...
By Eboo Patel | January 14, 2009; 11:27 AM ET | Comments (3)
Barack Obama: Faith and Community
It's clear to me that the Obama administration means to engage the efforts of ordinary citizens in the long march to solving poverty.
By Eboo Patel | January 12, 2009; 09:35 AM ET | Comments (7)
A Different Kind of Conversation About the Middle East
"Step One is recognizing that this is a difficult dialogue ... That's crucially important... [And] when you realize that it's difficult but that you're willing to take it on, I think that's where the courage starts ..." -- Ola, Interfaith...
By Eboo Patel | January 9, 2009; 02:16 PM ET | Comments (3)
Status Quo vs. Solution for Middle East
The sad truth of the Middle East conflict is that many Muslims and Jews agree that the Solution Rulebook makes sense to them, but when the crisis escalates and hits the front page (like now), the old logic takes over and Muslim and Jewish organizations revert to the Status Quo Rules.
By Eboo Patel | January 8, 2009; 06:17 AM ET | Comments (51)
De-Militarizing Young Israelis and Palestinians
My encounter and recent events in Gaza have forced me to think seriously about the consequences of militarizing, year after year, entire generations of young people in Israel and Palestine.
By Eboo Patel | January 7, 2009; 11:32 AM ET | Comments (6)
US Jews, Muslims Need New Playbook
It's time for us to find a Gaza and Middle East solution together, not circle the wagons and shout talking points.
By Eboo Patel | December 31, 2008; 01:14 PM ET | Comments (157)
Rick Warren and Our Either/Or Culture
Win or lose, you have to go to work with people who believe (perhaps passionately) differently than you.
By Eboo Patel | December 19, 2008; 10:16 AM ET | Comments (50)
The Day After Mumbai: Nothing Changed
Today's guest blogger is Dan Morrison. Dan is the founder of 1Well, an organization that connects socially conscious individuals and groups with communities in need of small but critical infrastructure projects. He is a graduate of the University of Notre...
By Eboo Patel | December 17, 2008; 10:58 AM ET | Comments (12)
The Power of Protest
This is why you don't see Pakistanis protesting their own government, but rather Denmark's. Because in Denmark, they might have a say.
By Eboo Patel | December 15, 2008; 12:37 PM ET | Comments (1)
In Defense of Sonal Shah
To link Sonal Shah to the activities of the Hindu nationalist right is offensive and inaccurate.
By Eboo Patel | December 11, 2008; 09:51 AM ET | Comments (133)
The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: External Violence, Internal Turmoil
Today's guest bloggers are Joshua Stanton and Mirah Curzer. Joshua is a first-year rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College. He is also founding Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue™ and a 2007 - 2008 Fellow of the Interfaith Youth...
By Eboo Patel | December 10, 2008; 12:29 PM ET | Comments (2)
Stealing Eid
Eboo Patel | The terrorists of Mumbai stole many things - lives, property, tranquility. Add the Hajj and Eid to the list.
» Kamran Pasha: Hollywood Goes to Mecca
By Eboo Patel | December 8, 2008; 10:17 AM ET | Comments (235)
Is She Muslim Enough?
Inspired by Obama's "Joshua Generation," some day soon a Muslim American women will rise up and run for Congress, and face similar challenges in her own community.
By Eboo Patel | November 21, 2008; 08:28 AM ET | Comments (11)
Obama and the Old Guard
Barack didn't ask the permission of the Old Guard - in the black church, in the civil rights generation, or in the Democratic party. He understood that the past was further away and the future nearer than any of the Old Guard thought.
By Eboo Patel | November 17, 2008; 10:15 AM ET | Comments (20)
Saudi Hypocrisy or Saudi Tolerance?
Maybe King Abdullah, by articulating the central Muslim value of religious pluralism on the world stage, will find the citizens of his Kingdom demanding that he implement it at home.
By Eboo Patel | November 14, 2008; 10:00 AM ET | Comments (77)
Obama's New Weather Forecast
One place where the change in weather will be most welcome is on the U.S. relationship with the Muslim world.
By Eboo Patel | November 10, 2008; 09:52 AM ET | Comments (16)
New American Gospel
When Obama took the stage, I heard my little boy stir. He felt the earth shift. We all did. As I looked at television images of crowds in Atlanta and Chicago and Kenya, I felt like I saw the faces of King and Lincoln and Mandela.
By Eboo Patel | November 5, 2008; 02:32 AM ET | Comments (35)
Studs Terkel and Barack Obama
The spirit of Studs Terkel is going to fire the soul of this nation for a long time to come.
By Eboo Patel | November 3, 2008; 10:09 AM ET | Comments (10)
Mean Enough for Politics?
If I was an idealistic college student coming of age in this election and considering a career in public life, my idealism may well be giving away to a searching question: "Am I mean enough for politics?"
By Eboo Patel | October 31, 2008; 09:55 AM ET | Comments (167)
Faith as heritage, faith as recognition
Today's guest blogger is Remz Pokorny, a senior at Brandeis University, majoring in Political Science and Middle East Studies. He is also an IFYC Fellow and an active member of the Brandeis Baha'i Association. Let's start at the beginning: My...
By Eboo Patel | October 29, 2008; 12:37 PM ET | Comments (6)
The New Veterans Movement
Because today's veterans are often tomorrow's political and civic leaders, the IAVA and Paul Rieckhoff may well be creating a social movement that shapes American life for generations to come.
By Eboo Patel | October 24, 2008; 10:30 AM ET | Comments (9)
Colin Powell and the American Dream
Colin Powell has always played the good soldier, but on Sunday he became the ultimate statesman - insisting on our country's core principles in the midst of a pitched partisan battle.
By Eboo Patel | October 21, 2008; 10:15 AM ET | Comments (113)
Whose Religious Values?
As a young voter and interfaith activist, this is what I like to hear. For my peers, focusing on these urgent issues creates common ground for walking across the lines of faith. Without having to agree on the meaning of marriage, we can lobby together for health care and renewable energy.
By Eboo Patel | October 15, 2008; 02:22 PM ET | Comments (15)
Biden, Palin Focus on Issues, not Ideology
Eboo Patel | Conservative Christians might be lukewarm to Sarah Palin's emphasis on tolerance for same-sex relationships.
By Eboo Patel | October 3, 2008; 08:00 AM ET | Comments (32)
Rick Warren, Interfaith Activist
Warren's words and work signal an important turn in American Evangelical tradition - from viewing people of other faiths primarily as lost souls requiring conversion to viewing them as partners in the plan to make earth more humane and just.
By Eboo Patel | September 29, 2008; 10:14 AM ET | Comments (98)
Anti-Obama Smears About Religion or Race?
Eboo Patel | The strategy of linking Obama's fictitious Muslim-ness with his dark skin might backfire, if Americans follow their creed.
By Eboo Patel | September 22, 2008; 10:14 AM ET | Comments (200)
The Qur'an, the Constitution and the Legacy of W.D. Muhammad
Every Muslim in America owes our existence to Warith Deen Muhammad.
By Eboo Patel | September 15, 2008; 01:24 AM ET | Comments (30)
"Traitor": the Challenges of Hollywood and the Muslim World
Today's guest blogger, Dr. Cynthia P. Schneider, teaches, publishes, and organizes initiatives in the field of cultural diplomacy, with a focus on relations with the Muslim world. For the Brookings Institution, she leads the Arts and Culture Initiative within the...
By Eboo Patel | September 3, 2008; 06:25 PM ET | Comments (5)
Vodoo Helping to Heal New Orleans
Today's guest blogger is Erik Schwarz, founder of Interfaith Works, a nonprofit based in New Orleans, Louisiana and Washington, DC that partners a wide range of faith communities and other organizations around innovative social-change projects. He also serves as an...
By Eboo Patel | August 29, 2008; 05:19 PM ET | Comments (8)
Kashmir is not Hindu vs. Muslim
Today's guest blogger is Hafsa Kanjwal, a recent graduate of Georgetown University and a Director of KashmirCorps. Hafsa is a former Interfaith Youth Core Fellow and recently joined IFYC as a staff member. Much to the dismay of the Indian...
By Eboo Patel | August 20, 2008; 10:21 PM ET | Comments (298)
Interfaith Youth At Work in New Orleans
Since Katrina, diverse faith communities have come together in the absence of government to open their arms, hearts, heads, homes, wallets, prayers and places of worship for New Orleanians.
By Eboo Patel | August 19, 2008; 03:58 PM ET | Comments (8)
What We Can Learn from Bahá'í Elections
In sports, violations are often imposed for unsportsmanlike conduct. In similar fashion, voters could discourage negative attacks between the candidates, through opinion polls and on Election Day.
By Eboo Patel | August 15, 2008; 01:57 PM ET | Comments (7)
Speak for Yourself
The peaceful and pluralistic must work to make their voices heard through actions that speak louder than those of the aggressors. American Muslims will find that voice through civic engagement.
By Eboo Patel | August 12, 2008; 06:38 PM ET | Comments (3)
Conflict or Cooperation? A Case for the Interfaith Youth Movement
The world would have us hate one another, but here we are coming together to do something we all care about. There must be something divine in that.
By Eboo Patel | August 11, 2008; 03:05 PM ET | Comments (0)
The New Interfaith Generation
Many older Americans still don't know someone from another faith, but their children do. The first "Interfaith Generation" in America is growing up.
By Eboo Patel | August 4, 2008; 10:56 AM ET | Comments (10)
Piecemeal Pragmatic Pluralism
How can we encourage interfaith dialogue on public policy issues without predetermined universal principles of adjudication?
By Eboo Patel | August 1, 2008; 02:16 PM ET | Comments (18)
Guest Blogger: How U.S. Jews Can Best Help Israeli Jews
Much as the American Muslim community can provide an example to its European counterpart, it might be possible for the American Jewish community to model intra-religious tolerance for Israeli society.
By Eboo Patel | July 23, 2008; 02:54 PM ET | Comments (5)
People Build the Steeple
The solution is not denigration of religion a la Hitchens, but new religious leadership that acts on dimensions of faith that are life-affirming instead of suffocating.
By Eboo Patel | May 25, 2007; 10:56 AM ET | Comments (76)
On Admiring the Religious Other
Many of our most significant Abrahamic religious leaders – Thomas Merton, Bede Griffiths, Badshah Khan, Martin Luther King Jr. – had a deep admiration for Eastern spiritual traditions.
By Eboo Patel | April 16, 2007; 09:41 AM ET | Comments (33)
Religious Extremists Have a Media Strategy
The best way to reduce the amount of religious extremism on television is to make a stronger case for religious pluralism.
By Eboo Patel | March 30, 2007; 09:17 AM ET | Comments (60)
Pointing Fingers, or Pointing Forward
My faith – in Islam, in history, in humanity – teaches me that there is a different script, guided by the question, “How do we speak and act in a way that promotes the freedom, safety and dignity of all people?”
By Eboo Patel | February 25, 2007; 12:42 PM ET | Comments (68)
Environmental Care: An Opportunity for Muslim-Evangelical Cooperation
The first time I met the Rev. Richard Cizik, vice president of the National Association of Evangelicals, we talked about earth, not heaven....
By Eboo Patel | February 12, 2007; 05:09 PM ET | Comments (17)
Candidates Should Stress America’s Devotion and Diversity
America is the most religiously devout nation in the West and the most religiously diverse country in the world in an era of global religious conflict. The next President needs to help our country - and the world - understand...
By Eboo Patel | January 31, 2007; 11:37 AM ET | Comments (5)
