Religion / Faith

inclusive

I have attended the Parliament of Religions:

Melbourne 2009

Local Religious Community / Interfaith Affiliation:

Association of Interfaith Ministers (Asia Pacific)

Website:

http://www.interfaithnet.wordpress.com

I have come to PeaceNext looking for:

networking, interreligious advocacy, interreligious exploration, intrareligious reflection, friendship

Interreligious causes I care about:

inclusive worship, pastoral care, chaplaincy, education pathways

Changes I am working toward in my community:

Interfaithnet is a group of Interfaith Ministers living and working in Asia Pacific

About Me:

Interfaithnet is a group of Interfaith Ministers who graduated from interfaith seminaries in the USA, UK and Canada and who are practising as congregational ministers, chaplains, celebrants, spiritual counsellors and healers, pastoral carers, social and sacred activists and educators in the Asia Pacific Region.

Interfaith is not only a form of deeply respectful dialogue between different faith traditions, it is a faith path in its own right for those who experience that the attributes religious and faith traditions share are more common than those which divide them.

Our intention is to create two organisations in the Asia Pacific Region, a religious organisation and a professional association. The benefits of creating an ecclesiastic order or religious organisation are many – consistency of belief, practice, image, public relations, ethical standards, approach to ecclesiastic matters, religious policy and consistency of education as a minister are some of these. There is also the ability to lobby governments on important ecclesiastic matters.

Creating a professional association is necessary to develop the educational, professional and accreditation standards for Interfaith Ministers to attain and retain professional status with all the inherent benefits, such as recognition in academic, school, government, hospital, police and defence force environments, as well as lobby for private health fund rebates for services such spiritual counselling, or meditation classes. We also intend to create educational and professional pathways for Interfaith Ministers which include academic and corporate positions, specialisations and post graduate studies, our own superannuation fund and legal services - whatever is needed to enable Interfaith Ministers to practice their calling and be properly supported – financially, professionally, socially and spiritually.