Fear of change and anxieties about economic and cultural disruption in America are contributing to gridlock and polarization in our public life at a time when civil discourse, creative solutions, and bipartisan action are needed to address national problems. The media feed our anxieties and some have decided it is in their interests to fan public fears. Is there a role for religion and interfaith dialogue in countering the negative effects of fear in the public square?

Americans are also fearful about the possibility of a terrorist attack – and here, too, fear is having a negative impact on the quality of public debate and problem solving. If there is another terrorist attack for which religious justification is claimed, what would be the social and policy consequences for our nation? As we confront our terrorism-related fears, how can Americans, particularly people of faith, work together to strengthen America's resilience and encourage constructive responses to future national crises?  

Sponsored by Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church, U.S. in the World Initiative and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.
Co-hosted by Bethesda Jewish Congregation, Idara e Jaferia Mosque, the Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue, the InterFaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington and the New America Foundation

The Washington Post on line edition wrote about our March 23 Fear Conference.  Click here to read the article by Katherin Marshall.

Three papers have been commissioned for this conference.  Click the links below to view them.

Christian Faith and Life Beyond Fear, Tyler Zoanni
Fear in the Muslim Tradition, Hafsa Kanjwal
Fear Beyond Fright: Jewish Responses to Tragedy, Joshua M. Z. Stanton
 

Agenda

1:00 - 1:15: Welcome and Introductions
David Gray, Pastor, Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church

1:15 - 1:45: Impact of Fear on Public Thinking
Priscilla Lewis and Sue Veres Royal, Co-Directors, U.S. in the World Initiative

1:45-2:00: White House Priorities on Inter-Religious Discussion and Security
David Myers, Director Department of Homeland Security Faith Based Office

2:00 - 2:30: Impact of Fear on Culture
Peter Stearns, Provost and Professor of History, George Mason University

2:30 - 3:15: The Impact of Fear on Democracy, Citizenship and Leadership
Stephen Heintz, President, Rockefeller Brothers Fund
Daisy Khan, Executive Director, American Society for Muslim Advancement

3:30 - 4:20: Importance of Interfaith Dialogue in the Response to Fear Inducing Events
Clark Lobenstine, InterFaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington
Chloe Breyer, Interfaith Center of New York
Arthur Waskow, The Shalom Center
Sayyid Syeed, Islamic Society of North America

4:30 - 5:30: Participants Visioning a Community Response Infrastructure and reporting back

5:30 - 5:50: Discussion of Commissioned Papers on How Faith Helps People Respond to Fear
Joshua Stanton, Founder, Journal of InterReligious Dialogue
Tyler Zoanni, Harvard University

5:50 - 6:00: Wrap up