The Amazing Faiths Project
The Amazing Faiths Project
* National Amazing Faiths
* Houston Amazing Faiths
Sign up for a Houston area dinner here!
Join the Dialogue. Change Your Life. Transform the World
“There will be peace on earth when there is peace among the world religions. No future for the planet without world peace; no world peace without peace between the nations; no peace between the nations without peace between religions; no peace between religions without religious dialogue.”
--Hans Kung
The Amazing Faiths Project is a movement that brings together people to learn about the beliefs and faith traditions of others through exploration and dialogue; to foster an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding; and to stand as a witness for tolerance and justice.
To visit the National homepage for The Amazing Faiths Project click Here.
History of the Amazing Faiths Project
In 2006, Roy Spence published a book called The Amazing Faith of Texas which showcases the wide variety of expressions of faith in his native Texas. The book, a beautiful collection of photos and essays, was a result of his travels throughout Texas after the 2004 presidential election to rediscover the impact faith and spirituality has on individuals’ lives. Houston Mayor Bill White was featured in the book, and wanted to find a tangible way to showcase the ideals expressed by the book in Houston, one of the most diverse cities in the United States. Mayor White had his staff convene a brainstorming meeting including The Boniuk Center for Religious Tolerance at Rice University and Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston to develop ways to make the "common ground on higher ground" theme of the book a tangible reality in the experience of Houstonians and to celebrate the religious diversity of the city and enhance the climate of religious tolerance and appreciation.
The Executive Director of The Boniuk Center, Dr. Jill Carroll, suggested an evening of Dinner Dialogues that would call on Houston residents of diverse beliefs and faith traditions to join together to discuss life, spirituality, and faith. Shortly thereafter, The Boniuk Center joined with Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston and co-founded the Amazing Faiths Project. A plan for the inaugural Amazing Faiths Dinner Dialogues was formulated by both partnering organizations with support of the Mayor’s Office, City of Houston.
On January 30, 2007, twenty volunteer hosts opened their homes to 250 men and women from diverse faith traditions and cultural backgrounds for an evening of passionate, deeply personal, and peaceful discussions about life, spirituality and faith.
The inaugural Amazing Faiths Dinner Dialogues were a great success and led to the continuation of subsequent Dinner Dialogues. On November 15, 2007, the movement grew to include three cities in Texas and had 850 participants. In just 11 months the movement grew by 200 percent!
The Present and Future of the Amazing Faiths Project
Staff and lead volunteers anticipate that the Amazing Faiths Dinner Dialogues will expand to hundreds, even thousands, of homes in cities across the United States and around the world. The Amazing Faiths Project has the potential to be a powerful experience of unity in, what we hope is, a global trend towards greater tolerance and co-operation among the world’s religions, as evidenced by organizations such as Tony Blair’s Faith Foundation, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia’s interfaith conference in Spain (July 2008), and the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions.
The Greater Houston Area Amazing Faiths Project is one of the many programs that Interfaith Ministries offers to the community of Houston residents to promote interfaith dialogue, cooperation, and understanding. Interfaith Ministries believes it is crucial that people of faith gather together over a meal to learn about one another, dispel stereotypes, and build relationships that strengthen the fabric of our community.
In August of 2008 The National Amazing Faiths Project expanded to many other cities across the nation. For a complete list of partnering cities please visit the National Amazing Faiths Project site at www.amazingfaithsproject.org. The National Amazing Faiths Project plans to open participation to international cities in 2010.
The Greater Houston Area Amazing Faiths Project was co-founded by The Boniuk Center for the Study and Advancement of Religious Tolerance at Rice University and Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston, with the support of the Office of the Mayor, Houston, Texas.
UNDERWRITERS
$10,000+
Farida and Nasru Rupani
Ruth and Ken Arnold Family Fund of the Houston Jewish Community Foundation
The Eleanor and Frank Freed Foundation
The Samuels Foundation
St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Houston, TX
Tara Energy
D. Fort Flowers
MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS
$5000.00+
Abdel Fustok
PARTNERS
$2,400.00+
Anti-Defamation League - Southwest Region
Coastal Plains Area of the Christian Church
AFFILIATES
$1,200.00
If you are interested in becoming a supporting member of AFP please contact
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Interfaith Relations Manager at Interfaith Ministries at 713-533-4904.
We Need You!
In order to accomplish our goals we need you! The support of individuals, organizations, and corporate sponsors are integral to the success of The Amazing Faiths Project.