"God Is One" Adult Education Curriculum Training

The National Council of Churches, in a project co-sponsored by the Islamic Society of North America and Hartford Seminary is encouraging churches to undertake an Adult Education Study on Islam, using an excellent resource God Is One: The Way of Islam.

This is a primer on Islam for Christians was written by retired United Methodist minister Marston Speight and comes highly recommended by Christian and Muslim scholars. A six-week long study guide for use in churches was written by Dr. Jay Rock (Director of Interfaith Relations, Presbyterian Church (USA)). The study guide also encourages building of relationships between churches and mosques

We are encouraging potential teachers/leaders of Adult Education classes and pastors of those churches to attend a day-long training event to prepare for this teaching.

The day-long training events will be on Saturday, March 11th at Hartford Seminary, and Saturday March 25th and Union Seminary in New York City. The events are free but registration is required.

Below is a more detailed description. If you are in New York, New Jersey or Connecticut, I hope you and your church can participate. If not, please let me know of your interest so that we might schedule a training event in your area.

I will sincerely appreciate it if you would let your friends and colleagues in area churches know about this. Please call or email if you have questions or for registration. Thank you. My email is: shanta@ncccusa.org. You may also leave a comment to this post





“God Is One: The Way of Islam” Curriculum

Co-sponsored by:
National Council of Churches, USA
Islamic Society of North America
Hartford Seminary

God Is One: The Way of Islam by Marston Speight (former director of the Office of Christian-Muslim Relations of the NCCCUSA and retired United Methodist minister) was reprinted following 9/11, with an study guide written by Jay Rock (Director of Interfaith Relations, Presbyterian Church, USA). Upon the initiative of Muslim leaders the three sponsoring organizations have come together to encourage churches throughout the United States to use this book and it’s study guide as an adult education/Sunday school curriculum.

The goals for this project are threefold:

• Enhance the knowledge of Islam among Christians


• Improve the attitude of Christians towards Muslims


• Encourage building relationships between Churches and Mosques in local communities.

We are now ready to run a Pilot Project that will involve churches located in the vicinity of Hartford Seminary (Hartford, CT) and Union Seminary (New York City). If your church would like to participate in the important venture, we ask you to do the following:

1. Agree with your pastor and church leaders to participate in this pilot project


2. Schedule the God Is One Study either this summer as a special adult education session or this fall as a part of your regular adult education curriculum


3. Select leader/s for the study group/class and arrange for them to attend a day-long training session. This is required. Pastors are encouraged to attend but are not required.

• Two day-long training events are now scheduled.

Saturday, March 11th at Hartford Seminary
Saturday, March 25th at Union Seminary, in New York

• Training will be conducted by Hartford Seminary Islamic scholars who are themselves Muslims.
  
• Participants will receive a complimentary copy of “God Is One” for personal use and a set of resource materials for the participating church. Lunch and snacks will also be provided.

4. Conduct the adult education group/Sunday school class in the summer or fall, 2006

5. Conduct before and after surveys of participants

6. Participate in an evaluation in November or December 2006.

To register or for more information, please call or email

Office of Interfaith Relations,
National Council of Churches, USA
475 Riverside Drive #880, New York, NY 10115
Phone: 212-870-2560
Email: shanta@ncccusa.org