New York, NY—The Interfaith Center of New York is offering school teachers and educators a week-long intensive course on American religious diversity with the context of New York City this July 6–12. The course offers a combination of theoretical and experiential training on the beliefs and practices of America’s new religious landscape.
The course places an emphasis on the great diversity within each tradition while utilizing the city itself as the perfect classroom for examining urban religion, the effects of immigration, ethnic studies, and interfaith community relations. The program’s unique approach provides training with both academic experts and representatives of New York’s religious communities.
Each day on the course will examine one or more major religious traditions, through presentations, site visits, and small group discussions. Morning sessions will feature theoretical introductions to beliefs and practices. Afternoon sessions will offer an immersion in New York’s religious communities with field trips to a variety of local places of worship, conversations with men and women from specific religious communities, and experience of religious rituals. A significant part of the training will include approaches to teaching about world religions in local contexts.
"I took this course some years ago and it was one of the best things I have ever done," says Raven Tarpley, chaplain at Heathwood Hall Episcopal School in Columbia, South Carolina. "It has enabled me to be so much more articulate when speaking about interfaith issues with our students. Students always love concrete experience and stories. The class itself was very diverse and from all over the country. Not just chaplains, but all educators in Episcopal schools would benefit greatly from this professional development opportunity."
The cost of the program is $650 (includes breakfast and lunch) and limited scholarships are available. Contact Raffaele Timarchi at the Interfaith Center of New York for more information or to register.