PROCLAMATION

In Honor of Former Charleston Police Chief Reuben Greenberg and the Charleston Congress of Religions.

The City of Charleston South Carolina recognizes Former Police Chief Reuben Greenberg for the development of the inter religious project known as the Charleston Congress of Religions operating from 1993 to 1997 in Charleston South Carolina.

Chief Greenberg was appointed Chief of Police of the Charleston, South Carolina Police Department in 1982. His first book, Let's Take Back Our Streets, was published in 1989. He has authored numerous police-related articles, and appeared as a guest columnist for several newspapers. As Charleston's first African- American and Jewish police chief, Chief Greenberg has been profiled in a variety of newspapers and magazines, as well as on the television news magazine "60 Minutes." The Chief retired in 2005.

The Charleston Congress of Religions, composed of denominations of Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists and many other religious perspectives, celebrated their similarities and developed respect for their religious differences through personal friendship and by reaching personal understandings of each other and their religious perspectives.

Titles, religions, genders, backgrounds, and their denominations reputations and histories were of secondary importance. The souls and spirits of the following men and women representing their religions were of primary importance.

Rabbi Edward Friedman of Temple Emanuel, Iman Hakim Abdul-Ali, Shirley Comen, Bishop Salmon of the Episcopal Church, Father James Parker of the Catholic Church, Rev. Herman Yoos of the Lutheran Church, Rev. Jacqueline Collins of the Unitarian Church, Rev Leonard Fox of the Swedenborg Church, Ben Breitkruez representing the MUSC Chaplains, David Doose representing the Unification Church, Bruce Evenson of the Roper Hospital Pastoral Care, Dr. B.J. Das representing the Hindu Community, Rev. James Fields of the Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ, Imam Mohammed Idris, Rev. Chris Phalen, Steve Baughman of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Imam Wally Beyah, Rabbi Doron Aizenman, of the Chabbad of Myrtle Beach, Rev A. Blake of the Morris St. Baptist Church, Dr. Kathy Donavan, her husband Gyalzin Sherpa, and Geshe Dakpa Topgyal of the Buddhist Society, Rev. F. O Pharr of the Charleston-Atlantic Presbytery, Pastor Achim Daffin of the Park Circle Presbyterian Church, Rabbi David Radinsky of Birth Shalom Beth Israel, Rev. W.J. Skilton of the Episcopal Church, Rev. Allen Parrott of the Morris Brown AME Church, The Quaker Society, Rev. J.H. Gillison of the AME Church, Imam M Puser Abdur Rahim, Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald of the Catholic Church, Dr. Carl Evans of the Religious Studies Department of the University of South Carolina, Dr. June McDaniels of the College of Charleston Religious Studies Department, Elizabeth Baron of New Life Center and Abbot Francis Kline of Mepkin Abbey

Welcome

Welcome to the official homepage of the Charleston Congress of Religions. We are an interfaith organization dedicated to encouraging communication and understanding among followers of different faiths. Our programs and events allow people of all beliefs to come together in service to our community and to the universal tenets of peace and fellowship.

Please take a look at our programs, read a bit about our history and philosophy, and then stop by Nathan's Restaurant on any Thursday evening to attend a meeting of the Congress yourself.

Recent News

Congress Meets with Mayor Joseph Riley - Forges a City of Charleston/ Charleston Congress of Religions program

The meeting with the Mayor was very successful. It set a vibrant new beginning to the Charleston Congress of Religions. There were some 25 to 30 people there. Imam W.D. Mohammed flew in from Chicago. Rev Brenda Kneece of the Christian Action Council and her Assistant drove from Columbia to attend. Jake Levine came in from Myrtle Beach representing Rabbi Doron Aizenman and the Chabad. Esther Furguson, a friend of Chief Greenberg, also attended. She is on our team, enjoyed the meeting, and thinks that the ideas of the recognition of the chief and the revial of the congress are very good ideas.

Joe Darby is also on board with us. He actually will be the new Christian Action Council's Board Chair in May. His e-mail late Nov 25th that church business at 10 AM precluded his joining us but he asked us to tell the Mayor he endorses the project. The Christian Action Council's Director Rev Brenda Kneece traveled all the way from Columbia. The C.A.C. represents 4500 churches throughout the state.

The Dinner

Will be rescheduled for May/June based on several recommendations and an estimated $25,000 price tag for the event to do it right. The Mayor pledged support for the Dinner and festival Imam W. D. Mohammed pledged financial support for the affair as well. We would appreciate any ideas for other fundraising.

Tim Pye represents Biz to Biz, a Charleston based Barter Program. He has agreed to sponsor some of the Dinner as well as the Forums on Jan 12 and the Festival. I have asked him to develop a system whereby any church, synagogue, mosque, or other religious institution can benefit from any member that becomes part of Biz to Biz through directing some of their "barter" benefits to be utilized by your church, synagogue, mosque, or other religious institution.

Business and Religion Seminar

Imam W.D. Mohammed solidly endorses our Congress and the January and May/June events. He will return to Charleston January 12, Saturday to lead a seminar on Business and Religion. This is will also become a planning meeting for the Dinner/Festival. We would like to set up a series of business, ecumenical, government, and education forums for the 12th. We will conclude the day with a dinner. The Christian-Jewish Council has a program scheduled for the 13th, so our program will be only a one day program. On the 13th I would like to take Imam W.D. Mohammed to Mepkin Abbey.

Upcoming Events

Nathan's Roundtable Dinner Forum
Meets and eats every Thursday from 7 PM to 8:30 PM at Nathan's Deli (2004 Ashley River Road). Click here for more details.

Fundraising

Have Dinner at Nathan's Bella Napoli, Support Your Church and the CCOR!
Buy a $10.00 meal coupon for Nathan's Bella Napoli and Your Church receives $2.00 for use by your church and by the Charleston Congress of Religions

Simply purchase a Nathan's Bella Napoli gift certificate at the church and the certificates will be sent to the church. Certificates are sold in $10.00 increments and are good for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Catering

Nathan's Bella Napoli 2004 Ashley River Rd. Charleston, South Carolina 29407 556-3354

Mission

"Confirming our similarities while respecting our differences"

To promote the coming together of our world religions to learn from each other, to respect each others differences, and to work together for the common good.

To promote ways to effectively and cooperatively work with local and regional Governmental, Business, and Educational communities to stand together against pervasive social problems such as poverty, indifference, and crime.

To work together to end religious intolerance.

To promote meaningful and lasting social and interpersonal change.

To help realize the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King and to make possible the Thomas Jefferson/ Philip Mazzei philosophy that one day this nation and this world will rise up and live out the true meaning of its egalitarian social values and its democratic, noble vision: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all [humankind] was created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness."

The Congress is presently in the process of outlining a series of forums to begin this process. If our neighboring faiths can agree on a compassionate and just vision for humankind, then all of the nations of our world will take notice; We act locally, and will eventually work together to act across nations and cultural divisions to make the world in which we live free of bigotry, racism. or religious intolerance. We wish to build together a world where every person has worth, has dignity, and can live safely in freedom and in mutual responsibility for one another and for upholding the values of the more compassionate and just culture we have created.