A Short History of Religions for Peace USA’s First 15 Years

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A Short History of Religions for Peace USA’s First 15 Years                                                                                                                                                              

Religions for Peace USA (RFPUSA) is the largest and most broadly-based representative multi-religious forum in the United States, with participants from more than 45 religious communities, representing diversity within in each of the major faith traditions and many of the minor ones.

The mission of RFPUSA is to inspire and advance common actions for peace through multi-religious cooperation among our nation’s religious communities.

RFPUSA identifies shared commitments among religious communities in the U.S., enhances mutual understanding among these communities, and facilitates collaboration to address issues of common concern. The current foci are: protecting religious minorities and advancing religious freedom, advocating for refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants, addressing racial and ethnic tensions, and defending creation and challenging climate change.

777 United Nations Plaza, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10017, 212‐338‐9140, rfpusa@rfpusa.org, www.rfpusa.org

RFPUSA seeks to contribute to the well-being of civil society and to advance peacebuilding efforts and reconciliation in the United States and throughout the world.

RFPUSA is a national interreligious council of Religions for Peace, which supports a network of nearly 100 national and regional global affiliates. Religions for Peace came into formation in the 1960’s in response to an editorial to The New York Times by Rabbi Maurice Eisendrath. Originally dubbed the World Conference on Religion and Peace, by 1970 it came together as a multi-nation global organization, established itself formally in the United States, and was situated to interface with the United Nations and work as faiths together on the challenges such as violent conflict and the need for nuclear disarmament. The US actors who worked on the global growth of what eventually became named simply Religions for Peace started an independent affiliate in the United States in 2000.

Most of the communities affiliated with RFPUSA have national constituencies, which affords the ability and potential to carry out programs in every locality. RFPUSA has done work in dozens of local US communities, as well as led national campaigns.

RFPUSA enjoys support from member communities, individuals, and foundations. Foundations and partners have included: Rockefeller Foundation, United Nations
Foundation and Better World Campaign, Henry Luce Foundation, David and Barbara B.
Hirschhorn Foundation, UNICEF, International Shinto Foundation, El-Hibri Foundation, GHR Foundation, Betty and Bernard Werthan Foundation, William and Mary Greve Foundation, and Religions for Peace International.

RFPUSA member communities include:
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
American Islamic Congress
American Society for Muslim Advancement
Armenian Church of America
Buddha’s Light International Association
Buddhist Churches of America
Conference of Major Superiors of Men
Episcopal Church
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Federation of Jain Associations of NA
Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of NA
Focolare Movement
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Hindu American Seva Charities
Hindu Community of South Carolina
Hindu Temple Society of North America
Imam Al-Khoei Benevolent Foundation
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
Islamic Circle of North America
Islamic Society of North America
Jewish Reconstructionist Federation
Karuna Tendai Dharma Center Konko Church of Vancouver
Maryknoll Sisters
Mosque Cares
Muslim American Society
National Congress of American Indians
National Council of Churches
Orthodox Church in America
Paulist Fathers
Presbyterian Church USA
Rissho Kosei-kai
Sadhana: Coaliton of Progressive Hindus
Servite Fathers
Sikh Council for Interfaith Relations
Syrian Orthodox Church
Tendai Dharma Center
Union for Reform Judaism
Unitarian Universalist Association
United Church of Christ
United Methodist Church
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
Won Buddhist International

For more information on RFPUSA, please contact our Executive Director Dr. Tarunjit Singh Butalia at tarunjit@rfpusa.org.

777 United Nations Plaza, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10017, 212‐338‐9140, rfpusa@rfpusa.org, www.rfpusa.org