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In this issue ...
1. One year on ...
2. Help Make It Happen!
3. FFF Wish List
4. New Niagara Conference
5. Marcus Borg Seminar in San Francisco
6. JESUS database
7. FFF Study Guides
8. Financial Information
9. Web site redesign
10. What's happening?
The next few weeks will see FaithFutures Foundation complete its first year of activity.
When the Foundation was formally registered under Kansas law in mid-May and then launched in June 2001 we had no idea of the significant events that would soon impact upon all our lives. While those developments may have slowed our projected growth, they have also demonstrated the importance of building sustainable religious futures that are tolerant and pluralistic.
Religion is clearly an element in the major conflicts that threaten justice and peace in different parts of our global society. From Afghanistan to New York, from Tel Aviv to Kashmir, from Belfast to Kosova, religion often serves as fuel to feed the flames of fear.
While teaching a class on unity and diversity in Christian belief at the University of Queensland this semester, I have been struck by the low levels of religious literacy even among a self-selecting sample of religion undergraduates. Uncritical assumptions of cultural and spiritual superiority are commonplace; and they are often matched with considerable ignorance of other faith traditions.
Clearly we need to foster the formation of literate religious communities. We must encourage the sharing of ideas and resources between those concerned that our religions and spiritual traditions contribute to the future well-being of the Earth community.
FaithFutures is about working together for the future of faith in a fragile global society. We presuppose no particular answers while encouraging faith communities and religious practitioners to engage with one another in addressing the questions.
It may be timely to recall the vision underlying the Foundation, as expressed in the Preamble to our Bylaws
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The phrase "Help Make It Happen!" has been introduced throughout the FFF web pages as a link to a page that outlines some of ways in which people and groups who share an interest in the Foundation's work can participate in making the vision become a reality.
You will find it occurring where we previously used "Donate | Join" in the links that are provided at the top and bottom of most pages on the FFF site. The new phrase has been adopted because it captures the sense of what we are trying to achieve: to get people involved, not simply to secure their support or their gifts.
The new link takes you to a page that briefly outlines 10 of the many ways that you can get involved in the mission of the FaithFutures Foundation and work together with others who share your concerns for the future of our religious traditions in the new millennium ...
- SUBSCRIBE to an online discussion: FFForum | FFFUpdate | HODOS
- MAKE USE of our growing archive of resources
- PURCHASE the study guides and other materials FFF publishes
- TELL OTHERS about FFF: Brochure US Letter | A4
- PROMOTE YOUR OWN EVENTS on our calendar
- LIST your local faith community so others can find you
- JOIN as an individual, or as an affiliated organisation
- DONATE: Both cash and other gifts are welcome [Wish List]
- REGISTER an FFF Local Circle and claim your stake in the Foundation
- SHARE ideas and materials you have developed that others could use
We appreciate your interest in the FaithFutures Foundation and urge you to get involved in whatever way seems most appropriate to your situation. If you have any questions or suggestions about how best to advance the work of the Foundation, please contact us: office@faithfutures.org
The following information may be of interest to members and benefactors of the Foundation as you consider what gifts or membership contribution to make.
Income to the Foundation during its first year of operation has been modest but sufficient to cover the minimal overheads involved with an organization whose major activities are web-based and for which there has been no salary component.
However, if we are to achieve our goals we need sustained support to meet recurrent costs as well as increased levels of funding to support initiatives and improvements.
Priorities for the immediate future include the following:
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US dollars |
| Endowment Fund for scholarships & project grants.** |
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| Software upgrades
for web site: - Adobe Web Collection, or Dreamweaver MX Studio - Adobe Acrobat 5.5 (if Dreamweaver MX acquired) - FileMaker Pro 5.5v2 database |
$1,000 $250 $250 |
| Computer hardware
upgrade: - PowerMac G4 dual 1GHz desktop computer - Apple 17" Studio Display monitor - Apple-compatible scanner. |
$3,000 $1,000 $200 |
| Web hosting and ADSL charges (monthly). |
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| Advertising and web-based promotion of Foundation. |
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** The Foundation allocates a tithe of 10% of all general receipts (membership contributions, untied donations, and income from sales) towards the Endowment Fund that will be used for scholarships and project grants. |
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Your interest in the Foundation and your continued support is greatly appreciated.
Gifts to FFF are tax-deductible within the US.
SnowStar Institute of Religion in Canada held its first conference in early March. The conference-The New Niagara: Celebrating Human Diversity and the Search for Meaning-was held at Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Featured speakers included James R. Adams (The Centre for Progressive Christianity), Don Cupitt & Patti Whaley (UK Sea of Faith Network), David Galston (SnowStar Institute), Gregory Jenks (FaithFutures Foundation) and Raheel Raza (Canadian journalist).
During the conference there were opportunities for discussions to explore common interests and opportunities for collaboration between FFF, SoF, SnowStar Institute and TCPC. We have agreed to work together wherever possible, and to avoid duplication in our activities. We will also promote one another's events on our web sites and in our publications.
The paper by Greg Jenks (In the Name of Jesus: Contested claims to the legacy of Jesus.) is available on the FFF site.
Check the SnowStar Institute web site for information on plans to publish all the papers from the conference.
St. James Episcopal Church, San Francisco and FaithFutures Foundation present a three day seminar led by the noted historical Jesus scholar and best-selling author Marcus J. Borg:
Friday, June 14 at 7:30pm
Seeing the Bible Again: History, Metaphor and SacramentSaturday, June 15 from 9:00am to 3:00pm
Seeing God Again
Seeing Jesus Again
Seeing Christian Faith and Life AgainA reception and book signing will follow each event
Sunday, June 16
Marcus will preach at the 8 & 10am Eucharists:
Open Hearts and Thin PlacesThere will be a breakfast discussion after the 8:00am service and a luncheon forum at 11:30am
Costs:
Friday evening only: $7.50
Saturday Seminar: $65.00
Combined Friday evening and Saturday: $70.00Register today.
Friday & Saturday attendance will be limited.Call 415/751-1198,
visit www.stjamessf.org to download a registration form
or email Peter Lawson
The number of clusters within the database continues to increase. The notes are also being expanded to provide more information, including brief citations from major scholars on specific issues. In addition, surviving traditions about Jesus from Islamic sources are now to be incorporated into the collection.
Bookmark this site: http://faithfutures.org/Jesus/Jesus.htm
Our major need at this stage is to upgrade the software used for developing and managing the web-based collection.
We would also welcome further collaborators as the task expands and we seek to cross-reference the clusters to other materials on the FFF web site.
The Foundation publishes materials that will be suitable for local groups to use for discussion and educational purposes.
In many cases these will be materials already prepared for local use but now made available to a wider audience as part of the networking function of FFF. We invite offers of suitable materials. Please see the guidelines for contributors.
The study guides are published in digital form; most often as PDF files that can be used to produce master copies for photocopying.
The PDF files can also be read on a PC or Mac using the Adobe Acrobat Reader software that is available by free download. Adobe also provides software to assist access by people with special needs.
This form of distribution allows us to make the materials available at a very low cost since the purchase price is shared among all the participants in the class or discussion group. There is no additional charge no matter how many copies are made or how many groups the purchaser leads.
In addition, the study guides are available at free of charge to FFF Local Circles as one of the benefits of their membership in the Foundation.
The current list of FFF Study Guides is as follows:
1. John Dominic Crossan, The Birth of Christianity
(prepared by Susan B. Curtis)2. John Shelby Spong, A New Christianity for a New World
(prepared by Gregory C. Jenks)3. Marcus J. Borg, Reading the Bible Again for the First Time
(prepared by Gregory C. Jenks) [in preparation]4. Richard Holloway, Doubts and Loves
(details to be advised)
Your suggestions of other texts for study guides are also invited.
You can also tell us about other study group materials you have found helpful, including video resources. These will then be added to our online directory of educational resources:
Following in the pattern set by our earlier public financial reports, the report for the period to 31 March 2002 is now available on the FFF web site. The next report, for the period to 30 June 2002 will be published in late July.
Changes have been made to the costs of study guides published by the Foundation. Prices for individual study guides have been increased for sales to non-members. Individual members and FFF Local Circles will now be able to order copies of study guides for no additional cost beyond their annual group membership contribution.
Following the introduction of Mastercard and Visa Card facilities, we are in the process of establishing a facility for Pay Pal transactions as well. This should be especially helpful for people wishing to make donations to the Foundation. It may also allow us to move into an ecommerce service for sales.
Your continued support is greatly appreciated. Gifts to FFF are tax-deductibe within the US.
Preparations are underway for an extensive redesign of the FFF web site, as we move to new software that will allow us to take better advantage of the latest developments in web standards. This will also involve positioning the site to take better advantage of the major Internet search engines and indexing services so that we can reach a wider audience. Keep an eye on the site as we roll out the improvements, even though many of them will be technical advances and not immediately noticed by the casual visitor.
Check the FFF web site for information on coming events, including the public schedules for Marcus Borg, John Dominic Crossan and John Shelby Spong.
The public schedule for FFF Executive Trustee, Gregory Jenks, is also available from the FFF Calendar page.
Tell us about other events that should be listed: events@faithfutures.org
Email: office@faithfutures.org
Canada and United States
Robert
J. McElwain, FFF Treasurer
P.O. Box 6728
Shawnee Mission, KS 66206
USA
All other countries
FAITHFUTURES
P.O. Box 822
Kenmore, Qld 4069
Australia
Your interest and support is greatly valued.
Please help make FFF known among colleagues and friends.
Prepared
by Gregory C. Jenks
Executive Trustee, May 2002
© 2002 FaithFutures Foundation, Inc.
