Faith, Equity & Inclusion

With generous support from the Monsignor Edward J. Ryle Fund, in 2018 we will launch our “Faith, Equity & Inclusion” event series. This event series will be a way for AFN to honor the legacy of Monsignor Ryle and to work on critical issues we all care about.

The Faith, Equity & Inclusion Series will be the 2018 mission focus for the Arizona Faith Network. Each session of the series will present facts, dispel myths, and provide opportunities for direct social action promoting equity and inclusion. More sessions may be added.

Session I  Faith and Justice—Equity and Inclusion? (1/16/2018)
Session II: Fair K-12 Educational Opportunities: Stop Pushing Students out of School! (2/22/2018)
Session III: Faith, Equity & Inclusion in an Age of Mass Incarceration (3/22/2018)
Session IV: Confronting Religious Intolerance (9/20/2018)
Session V: Indigenous Peoples’ Day: Decoding the Doctrine of Discovery (10/6/2018)

Faith 101 Series

The Faith 101 series of events are opportunities for persons to experience the history, doctrines, prayer and worship in community with various faith traditions here in Arizona. While the details of each evening event are specific to the faith community who hosts the event, typically attendees enjoy light refreshments, learn about the faith tradition’s origin and history, experience prayer in the format and context of the host faith and an introduction to the foundational beliefs and practices of the faith tradition. Often the events are held at the places of worship for the hosting community. Many events include a questions and answer time as well as opportunities for conversation following the formal presentations.  The events are co-sponsored by the AFN Theological Dialogue Commission and the hosting faith community. Prior events have included: Islam 101, Sikhism 101, Buddhism 101, Bahá'í 101.

Please check back for an updated list of Faith 101 events.

Faith in Solidarity

The AFN Faith in Solidarity (Rapid Response) team is committed to proactively working with communities of faith and the greater community to recognize and build up the inherent worth of every human being as put forth in our religious teachings.

Our Mission is twofold:
Immediate response to hate or inequity
Longer range: what are the causes of hate, injustice, and inequity? Facilitate dialogue, learning, and building solidarity

2016 Uniting Faiths of America Campaign
In response to a significant rise in hate crimes and hate-filled rhetoric taking place across our country and appearing on social media over the past 18 months, as reported by the FBI and law enforcement, 145 Arizona faith leaders and people of faith signed a statement of solidarity to promote peace, respect, and understanding, entitled “Uniting Faiths of America”.