The Pluralism Project at Harvard University
Marcia Beauchamp
California Institute of Integral Studies
Uses of
the Building Bridges of Understanding Curriculum
Project Description
In 2002 the California Council of Churches made a decision to respond to
the events of violence and mistaken identity that followed 9-11. Their
chosen response was a curriculum study guide on six of the world's
religions, which was funded by The California Endowment, Presbyterian
Church (USA) Peacemaking Program, United Methodist Church Peace and
Justice Program, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Reconciliation
Fund and Southern California Ecumenical Council. I was the writer and
editor of the curriculum.
Building Bridges of Understanding focuses on six major faith traditions
found in California, and is designed primarily for use by the Council of
Churches member congregations. Although the Council has for many years
produced study guides for their member congregations on many topics of
broad public concern, never had they considered such an academic and
potentially "inter-faith" educational initiative.
The curriculum was written and published by August 2002. It was first
piloted in about 70 congregations who had sent representatives to a
number of facilitator training sessions across California. Following
the piloted sessions in churches, a brief survey was done. Many
interesting things were noted by the researcher, including a hesitancy
on the part of most of the congregations to take on one of the Council's
recommendations: to conduct the study with another faith tradition or as
part of an interfaith collaboration.
My research project involves conducting interviews with individuals and
groups in both Southern and Northern California who have conducted the
study, or plan to, in settings other than churches, especially in
interfaith settings. I am interested in the challenges that arise as
these Christian congregations interact with people from other faiths,
and in stories of understanding that emerge from those interactions.
Marcia Beauchamp Bio
Marcia Beauchamp received her MTS from Harvard Divinity
School in 1995. She has been a national coordinator of the
Religious Liberty Programs of the First Amendment Center and a public
schoolteacher. Her work with the First Amendment Center took her into
school communities across the U.S. where she helped teachers and
administrators understand the guidelines provided by the Religious
Liberty Clauses of the First Amendment for teaching about the world's
religions and for resolving culture war conflicts in the schools. She
is currently a Ph.D. student at the California Institute of Integral
Studies in Philosophy of Religion, works as a consultant, and is the
chair of the Religion in Schools Task Force of the American Academy of
Religion.
Research Report