Faith-Based Organizations
Discuss Civil Society at LA Conference
By Dr Shaheen Kassim-Lakha
Dr.
Azim Nanji delivers his address. The panel included
Prof Amir Hussein,
Dr. Jack Miles, Rabbi Elliot Dorff and Rev. Leonard
Jackson |
Distinguished representatives
of local government, academic institutions and faith-based
organizations convened on Monday, December 16, 2006, at Loyola
Marymount University, for a conference on “Government
and Faith-based Communities: Working Together to Build a Civil
Society .”
The conference sought to examine the role of voluntary associations,
faith communities and non-profit organizations in assisting
those whom governments cannot reach. The event was co-sponsored
by the Department of Theological Studies, Loyola Marymount
University (LMU), the School of Religion, Claremont Graduate
University (CGU) and His Highness Prince Aga Khan Council
for the Western United States.
In his welcome address, Father Michael Engh, Dean of the Bellarmine
College of Liberal Arts at LMU, stated that “civil relates
to both the civic community as well as to the communities
whose members are civil to one another.” Dr. Karen Torjesen,
Dean of the School of Religion, CGU, expressed the hope that
the conference could explore ways for greater dialogue between
faith-based organizations and institutions, hopefully leading
to greater understanding between them.
Moderated by Prof. Amir Hussein of LMU’s Dept. of Theological
Studies, the guest speakers included: Dr. Azim Nanji, Director
of the Institute of Ismaili Studies in London, England; Dr.
Jack Miles, Resident Scholar, Getty Museum and Senior Fellow,
Pacific Council on International Policy; Rabbi Elliot Dorff,
Rector, Professor and Co-Chair Bioethics Dept.., University
of Judaism and Rev. Leonard Jackson, Special Advisor to the
Mayor of the City of Los Angeles.
Working upon the premise that a civil society cares for humanity
and provides social order through the voluntary involvement
of individuals working for a common good, speakers addressed
the ethical premises of their respective faiths that related
to service to others, and the inspiration they drew from their
sacred texts, in promoting this concept. Dr. Nanji noted that
“the dichotomy is not between faith and the world; in
fact, the components of civil society may become a bridge
between the notion of faith and how to engage the world.”
To demonstrate the practice of such traditions, representatives
of nonprofit organizations, whose genesis lay in religious
teachings, namely the UMMA Community Clinic, Dolores Mission
and the Jewish Family Services, described their efforts in
providing services to those in need, irrespective of background
and creed. It was noted that this event was a good first step
in encouraging greater dialogue amongst the various institutions
and would be instrumental in creating the momentum towards
working more closely with the City of Los Angeles in assisting
those on in need.
In her closing remarks, Ms. Samia Rashid, President of the
His Highness Western United States expressed the hope that
“a process of engagement with each other would also
allow our community leaders to better understand each other
and for our youth and others to develop relationships that
may be productive for many years.”
Guests at the event included Rabbi Allen Freehling, VP of
the LA Human Relations Commission, Professors Zayn Kassam
of Pomona College, Hamid Mavani of CGU, Ismail Poonawalla
of UCLA and Karen Leonard of UCI, Dr. Nazir Khaja of the Islamic
Information Service, Rabbi Steven Jacobs of Temple Kol Tikvah,
and Shabbir Mansuri, Director of the Council on Islamic Education.
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