Women
of Faith: In action for new directions
About us and our friends
September
2008
The
Faith Seeking Peace curriculum is a project of Women’s
Action for New Directions (WAND) Education Fund.
Mission
Women of Faith in Action is a program of the WAND
Education Fund that seeks to reorder national priorities
away from militarism toward peace and real security.
We do this by educating women (and men) of faith and
engaging their voices and values in the political
process.
Initiatives include:
Faith Seeking Peace, a 7-part curriculum
addressing federal budget priorities, the cost of
war, nuclear weapons, women’s experiences of
war, terrorism, peacemaking, and non-partisan election
activities for faith communities.
Muslim-Christian Initiative: a program
that brings together Muslims, Catholics, and Protestants
to address the nuclear weapons danger.
A
growing national network of nonprofit organizations
and communities of faith.
Educational Opportunities for communities
of faith through preaching, training, and workshops
including an annual Faith Seeking Peace training in
Washington DC.
2008 Accomplishments
Training of national leaders in conjunction with Ecumenical
Advocacy Days in Washington, DC * Workshop co-facilitated
with the Muslim-Christian Initiative on the Nuclear
Weapons Danger * Regional Faith Seeking Peace workshops
and preaching opportunities around the nation * Op-eds
(Asheville Citizen-Times) and LTEs (New York Times)
* Participation in national conferences * Updating
of FSP curriculum and groundwork on a Faith Seeking
Shalom curriculum for Jewish communities * Monthly
web columns * Production and distribution of an election
resource for churches * Development of the Women of
Faith Website * Monthly web columns
What
people are saying about Faith Seeking Peace
“Powerful, persuasive, provocative, well informed…faithful.
Information is presented in a wonderfully reflective
cadence even with the inclusion of hard facts. All
is continually presented with a return to the human
face, the women’s dilemma, the Spirit of the
living God.”
~Dr. Alton B. Pollard III, Dean, Howard University
School of Divinity
Coming
in 2009
Faith
Seeking Shalom: a Jewish resource addressing
federal budget priorities, cost of war, nuclear weapons,
terrorism, and Middle East peace and security.
Seeds
of Change, monthly theological reflection
on issues of peace, security, and budget priorities
for study, dialogue, and action.
Education
and outreach through workshops and resource
distribution.
Women
of Faith in Action presence on Capitol Hill for
the 2009 WiLL/WAND national conference.
History
The Women of Faith in Action program emerged in the
wake of the values debate surrounding the 2004 elections.
The women of WAND always knew that the convictions
we had about public policy were rooted in our values.
But we wanted to name those values, we needed practice
invoking them, and we hoped to initiate values-based
dialogue with those outside of our circles of influence,
so that we might stand on common ground when it comes
to issues like building a better world for our children
and caring for the earth as God’s creation.
The Women of Faith in Action program empowers women
and men to explore and name what we stand for, rather
than simply reacting to what we are against. It enables
us to raise the visibility of the values we bring
to the work of peacemaking in a time of charged debate
over how values are defined and who defines them.
The
Women of Faith in Action program, through its diverse
resources, provides space to practice values-based
dialogue about the most critical issues of our time—such
as federal budget priorities, the cost of war, nuclear
weapons, and climate change—in a context of
respect and dignity. We won’t all agree all
of the time. But we believe must begin conversation
in unlikely places. In a time marked by the polarization
of the American public, we believe dialogue at the
crossroads of faith and politics can bring together
diverse constituencies and inspire civic action.
Women of Faith in Action provides a positive vision
for public policy, envisioning a nation that shares
responsibility and works toward mutuality, recognizing
our interconnectedness. It provides a vision of doing
justice, loving one’s neighbor, holding on to
hope, and pursuing peace.
Some
of our friends...
The
Network of Spiritual Progressives | www.spiritualprogressives.org
The Beatitudes Society | www.beatitudessociety.org
 |
For
the Faith of the World Curriculum
Divided
into six sessions of less than 60 minutes each,
For the Peace of the World is designed especially
for adults in congregational religion classes.
It is also perfect for high school social studies
classes, campus ministry programs, social justice
groups, college seminars, and book groups. |
|
Peace
X Peace is
an international women's organization based in
Washington DC and on the internet. It connects
women across cultures to create a more balanced,
peaceful world where our lives, stories, and voices
are valued and honored. |
|
Women's
Circles communicate directly in the safe
environment of its online Global
Network to form supportive friendships,
educate and mentor each other, empower each
other by sharing expertise, deepen their passions
and commitments, and take action for sustainable
peace. All our supporting programs honor women's
wisdom. Visit Women
Stand with Iraq, a program
supported by the Global Network. |
