Interfaith Matters

Interfaith Matters

By Interfaith Center of New YorkReligion & Spirituality
Download on the App Store

Interfaith Matters episodes

  • “Faith in Humanity's Capacity for Goodness” - Dr. Anne Klaeysen on Humanism and the Morality of Atheistic Philosophy
    In this episode of our free
    podcast series “NYC Faith Leaders,” Maggi Van Dorn and ICNY’s
    Directory of Programs Dr. Henry Goldschmidt talk with Dr. Anne Klaeysen, leader
    of the New York Society for Ethical Culture, ethical humanist religious life
    advisor at Columbia University and humanist chaplain at NYU. 
     
    On the first
    Humanists: "While they were experiencing
    their lives and their commitments to their vocations as religious they were
    beginning to separate that more from a belief in a supernatural,
    anthropomorphized deity."
    On the "1st
    manifesto":
    "Humanism is a philosophy and a religion that emphasizes human
    responsibility and accountability."
    On Adler’s Supreme
    Ethical Rule: "You
    choose to attribute worth and dignity to every human being, and secondly, you
    act in ways to elicit the goodness in others and when you act in that way you
    are eliciting the goodness in yourself."
     
    Note: The music clips heard
    in this podcast episode are taken from the song “What About Love?" with
    full permission from its writer and performer, Athena Reich.  Complete song and lyrics here. 
     
    We hope you will not just
    listen to this series, but download the podcasts to hear while driving,
    jogging, or washing the dishes.  And subscribe in order to be alerted when
    new installments are available.  It’s a great way to learn about the
    faiths of our New York City neighbors.
    33 min
  • “What About Love?" written and performed by Athena Reich
    The music clips heard in our June podcast interview with Dr. Anne Klaeysen of the New York Society for Ethical Culture are taken from the song “What About Love?” written and performed by Athena Reich.  See http://www.athenareich.com/. 
    Lyrics:
    Will I let this time
    Define my state of mind?
    Will I let the news
    Be my only muse?
    Will I let these leaders
    Be my only meters
    on how to live, love
    work and die….
    Will we swallow laws
    just because?
    Will we swallow fate
    until it’s too late?
    Will we swallow war
    As nothing more
    than a tragic chapter
    in the human factor…
    I can’t take it anymore
    There’s gotta be a change for sure
    I’m so sick of being numb
    Would it make a difference if I gave you some of that
    LOVE
    Is difference of skin
    an excuse to sin?
    Is difference of faith
    An excuse to hate?
    does difference of land
    define the man?
    Or all we all the same
    Beneath this losing game
    We won’t take it anymore
    There’s gonna be a change for sure
    We’re so done with being numb
    Give me some, let me give you some of that
    LOVE
    Some say that hope is a fool just wasting time
    I say that hope is a prayer that can change… that can change mankind
    What about Love   
    LOVE
       
    When we gonna treat every heart that beats with
    LOVE
    4 min
  • “Faith in Humanity’s Capacity for Goodness” - Dr. Anne Klaeysen on Humanism and the Morality of Atheistic Philosophy



    In this episode of our free

    podcast series “NYC Faith Leaders,” Maggi Van Dorn and ICNY’s
    Directory of Programs Dr. Henry Goldschmidt talk with Dr. Anne Klaeysen, leader
    of the New York Society for Ethical Culture, ethical humanist religious life
    advisor at Columbia University and humanist chaplain at NYU. 




     




    On the first

    Humanists: "While they were experiencing
    their lives and their commitments to their vocations as religious they were
    beginning to separate that more from a belief in a supernatural,
    anthropomorphized deity."


    On the "1st
    manifesto":
    "Humanism is a philosophy and a religion that emphasizes human
    responsibility and accountability."


    On Adler’s Supreme
    Ethical Rule: "You
    choose to attribute worth and dignity to every human being, and secondly, you
    act in ways to elicit the goodness in others and when you act in that way you
    are eliciting the goodness in yourself."




     




    Note: The music clips heard

    in this podcast episode are taken from the song “What About Love?" with
    full permission from its writer and performer, Athena Reich.  Complete song and lyrics here. 




     




    We hope you will not just

    listen to this series, but download the podc

    33 min
  • “What About Love?” written and performed by Athena Reich
    The music clips heard in our June podcast interview with Dr. Anne Klaeysen of the New York Society for Ethical Culture are taken from the song “What About Love?” written and performed by Athena Reich.  See http://www.athenareich.com/. 


    Lyrics:


    Will I let this time

    Define my state of mind?

    Will I let the news

    Be my only muse?

    Will I let these leaders

    Be my only meters

    on how to live, love

    work and die….


    Will we swallow laws

    just because?

    Will we swallow fate

    until it’s too late?

    Will we swallow war

    As nothing more

    than a tragic chapter

    in the human factor…


    I can’t take it anymore

    There’s gotta be a change for sure

    I’m so sick of being numb

    Would it make a difference if I gave you some of that

    LOVE


    Is difference of skin

    an excuse to sin?

    Is difference of faith

    An excuse to hate?

    does difference of land

    define the man?

    Or all we all the same

    Beneath this losing game


    We won’t take it anymore

    There’s gonna be a change for sure

    We’re so done with being numb

    Give me some, let me give you some of that

    LOVE

    Some say that hope is a fool just wasting time

    I say that hope is a prayer that can change… that can change mankind


    What about Love   

    LOVE

       

    When we gonna treat every heart that beats with

    LOVE


    4 min
  • “Walk a Path of Service” - Al Cadena on the Bahá'í faith, and living life with purpose and meaning
    In this episode of our free podcast series “NYC Faith Leaders,” Maggi Van Dorn talks with Al Cadena, one of nine members of an elected body called the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of New York City.  Al provides a wonderful introduction to Bahá'í
    beliefs, and how the faith informs a person's ethics.  He also shares
    his inspiring journey to victory on the game show "Jeopardy!".  
    On Bahá'ísm: "Bahá'í stresses the unity of all the world's religions, that they all come from God." 
    On
    Youth: "Oftentimes society believes that youth doesn't have the ability
    to be role models... but if anything, youth have the ability to move
    the world. So let's let them do that."
    On
    Morality: "The soul has no gender, no color, no class.  Because each
    one of us has a soul that comes from God, then we have to treat each
    other beautifully.  It's the 'Golden Rule,' but goes further because you
    want better for your brother or sister than for yourself."
    Note:
    The music clips heard in this podcast episode are taken from the song
    “Morning Prayer.”  The words are those of Baha'u'llah, the founder of
    the Bahá'í faith.  The music was written, and the song is performed by,
    Saphira Rameshfar.  Complete song and lyrics here.
    We
    hope you will not just listen to this series, but download the podcasts
    to hear while driving, jogging, or washing the dishes.  And subscribe
    in order to be alerted when new installments are available.  It’s a
    great way to learn about the faiths of our New York City neighbors.
    33 min
  • "Morning Prayer" performed by Saphira Rameshfar
    The music clips heard in our May podcast interview with Al Cadena
    of the Bahá'í Center of NYC are
    taken from the song “Morning Prayer.” 
    The words are those of Baha'u'llah, the founder of the Bahá'í faith. 
    The music was written, and the song is performed by, Saphira Rameshfar.
    Lyrics:
     “Morning
    Prayer”
    I have risen this morning by Thy grace, O my God, and left my
    home trusting wholly in Thee, and committing myself to Thy care.  Send
    down, then, upon me, out of the heaven of Thy mercy, a blessing from Thy side,
    and enable me to return home in safety even as Thou didst enable me to set out
    under Thy protection with my thoughts fixed steadfastly upon Thee.
     There is none other God but Thee, the One, the
    Incomparable, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
    4 min
  • “Walk a Path of Service” - Al Cadena on the Bahá’í faith, and living life with purpose and meaning

    In this episode of our free podcast series “NYC Faith Leaders,” Maggi Van Dorn talks with Al Cadena, one of nine members of an elected body called the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of New York City.  Al provides a wonderful introduction to Bahá'í

    beliefs, and how the faith informs a person's ethics.  He also shares
    his inspiring journey to victory on the game show "Jeopardy!".  


    On Bahá'ísm: "Bahá'í stresses the unity of all the world's religions, that they all come from God." 


    On

    Youth: "Oftentimes society believes that youth doesn't have the ability
    to be role models... but if anything, youth have the ability to move
    the world. So let's let them do that."


    On

    Morality: "The soul has no gender, no color, no class.  Because each
    one of us has a soul that comes from God, then we have to treat each
    other beautifully.  It's the 'Golden Rule,' but goes further because you
    want better for your brother or sister than for yourself."


    Note:

    The music clips heard in this podcast episode are taken from the song
    “Morning Prayer.”  The words are those of Baha'u'llah, the founder of
    the Bahá'í faith.  The music was written, and the song is performed by,
    Saphira Rameshfar.  Complete song and lyrics here.


    We

    hope you will not just listen to this series, but download the podcasts
    to hear while driving, jogging, or washing the dishes.  And subscribe
    in order to be alerted when new installments are available.  It’s a
    great way to learn about the faiths of our New York City neighbors.




    33 min
  • “Morning Prayer” performed by Saphira Rameshfar


    The music clips heard in our May podcast interview with Al Cadena

    of the Bahá'í Center of NYC are
    taken from the song “Morning Prayer.” 
    The words are those of Baha'u'llah, the founder of the Bahá'í faith. 
    The music was written, and the song is performed by, Saphira Rameshfar.




    Lyrics:




     “Morning

    Prayer”




    I have risen this morning by Thy grace, O my God, and left my

    home trusting wholly in Thee, and committing myself to Thy care.  Send
    down, then, upon me, out of the heaven of Thy mercy, a blessing from Thy side,
    and enable me to return home in safety even as Thou didst enable me to set out
    under Thy protection with my thoughts fixed steadfastly upon Thee.




     There is none other God but Thee, the One, the

    Incomparable, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.




     



    4 min
  • “Music Can Say Things that the Heart Cannot Find Words to Say” - Michael Manswell on Yoruba, the Arts, and Spiritual Transformation
    In this episode of our free podcast series “NYC Faith Leaders,” Maggi Van Dorn interviews dancer, singer, choreographer, teaching artist, artistic director and Orisha devotee Michael Manswell.  Mr. Manswell talks about the origins and practices of the Yoruba tradition (one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa), religious leadership, and "Something Positive," an arts and education organization dedicated to the art and culture of the African Diaspora and its cross-cultural influences through performance and education.
     
    On his preferred title of "devotee": I have always felt that the word "priest" places you in a solitary position, in a kind of enforced solitude ... whereas the Yoruba [leader] is part and parcel of who the community is... is woven into the fabric.
     
    On divination: "Opening the portals so you can see your possible paths ... or the possibilities that lay if you were take a certain action ... or not."  
     
    On chanting and movement: "It is a channel through which you can present your petition, your thanks,your rage, your disappointment, your hurt your grief, your love to the divine because it inhabits a place that’s not seen."
     
    We hope you will not just listen to this series, but download the podcasts to hear while driving, jogging, or washing the dishes.  And subscribe in order to be alerted when new installments are available.  It’s a great way to learn about the faiths of our New York City neighbors.
    32 min
  • “A Commitment to Radical Equality” - Sonny Singh on Revolutionary Sikhism, Advocacy & Bhangra Music
    On Sikhism:
    "It's about having direct devotion and access to the Divine, and if that's our way of thinking, that is a commitment to radical equality.  Prayer is an important access point to the divine, but prayer is also fighting against injustice, organizing, feeding people, clothing people..."
    On being a faith leader:
    "There's no concept of 'clergy' in the Sikh faith.  I define [a faith leader] as someone who is organizing and mobilizing people from a particular faith community for ... at its best, various forms of social and economic justice."
    On leadership opportunities for youth:
    "We're seeing very smart and on-point young folks that are challenging some of the more conservative elements of our community... about homosexuality, caste, and gender equality."
    In this episode of our free podcast series “NYC Faith Leaders,” Maggi Van Dorn interviews Sonny Singh, a Brooklyn-based justice educator, activist, published writer and community organizer and musician, who talks with us about Sikhism, his call to social justice, and the expression of his faith and calling in music. 
    We hope you will not just listen to this series, but download the podcasts to hear while driving, jogging, or washing the dishes.  And subscribe in order to be alerted when new installments are available.  It’s a great way to learn about the faiths of our New York City neighbors.
    29 min

About Interfaith Matters

From the publisher's feed

Interfaith Matters is an original podcast series from The Interfaith Center of New York that explores how interfaith engagement matters to making positive social change