PROGRAMS

Gather Heart
Faith Voices offers this nationwide sermon-preparation program for clergy and other religious leaders seeking a collaborative approach using internet technology to enhance preaching and educational efforts. Each week, leading theologians and policy experts assemble resources and develop projects for use within the Synanim collaborative, educational writing system. Participants utilize resulting materials for sermons, op-eds, and newsletter articles. Details available at the Gather Heart website.

Coalition of Theological Schools
Faith Voices supports a network of theological schools for education of the general public on shared religious values from various Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish traditions. The coalition members meet annually to cooperate on joint educational programs, to share programs across schools, and to provide resources to clergy and lay leaders for their educational efforts.

Synanim
Faith Voices organizational members make use of the Synanim educational technology for their nonprofit organizational initiatives that can be advanced by online exchange of ideas and development of consensus in articulating and applying shared religious values.

In past uses under the sponsorship of Progressive Christians Uniting, Synanim technology has demonstrated its effectiveness as an internet tool first to facilitate online discussion and then to identify the values and applications of those values that are shared among diverse religious viewpoints. The written results of the Synanim process have been compelling and educational expressions to wider audiences both on what religious values are shared and also on their application to public policy. Participant numbers in such past uses of Synanim ranged from 500 to 13,000. Among these past uses were:

Beyond Iraq 2006
The Beyond Iraq statement was presented to the general public at the March for Peace, Justice and Democracy in New York City, April 29 and at a public presentation to the United Nations on May 1.

Declaration of Interdependence
In December of 2005, participants produced a Declaration of Interdependence.

Peace Not Poverty
This event was held in March 2005 using Synanim. The final document was read by Kelley Ogden at the Beyond Iraq interfaith service at Riverside Church on April 4 (video here).

2008 Centennial Social Creed
Faith Voices worked with the National Council of Churches using Synanim as part of a national dialogue about creating a 2008 Centennial Social Creed for churches to commemorate the 1908 Social Creed.

Hard Road Home
In February 2008, Faith Voices organized the Bay Area Premiere of Hard Road Home a searing documentary about Julio Medina, a drug-dealing gang leader sentenced to Sing Sing prison. Julio served 12 years and emerged a changed man. He created Exodus Transitional Community, an amazing program run by people formerly incarcerated and dedicated to breaking the downward cycle of recidivism.

FOR 2008
Faith Voices is organizing a conference June 8-11 in New York City called "EnVision: the Gospel, Politics, and the Future." The event will feature Randy Balmer, Obery Hendricks, Brian McLaren, Jim Wallis, Kay Warren, Brenda Salter McNeil, Jay Bakker, and Shane Claiborne among some 30+ speakers.