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Working for a 'World Sabbath'(http://www.starnewspapers.com/lifestyles/fulka/220223,211fth1.article)
January 21, 2007
There is chaos in Iraq, carnage in the Middle East and religious wars raging across the globe.
How can we worship a God who calls people to kill in his name?
That's the question that sent the Rev. Rod Reinhart on a mission to establish a World Sabbath.
"Religious war is a tool of power, not an act of faith," said the rector of St. Joseph/St. Aidan Episcopal Church in Blue Island.
"Generals, dictators, kings and presidents want oil, land, money, gold, power and revenge. They're misusing and abusing God's name as a reason to kill people."
Reinhart founded the World Sabbath of Religious Reconciliation in 1999 to raise awareness about our acceptance of religious war.
"One of the things that touch people the most powerfully are religious celebrations such as Christmas, Hanukkah and Eid," he said.
"But there was no one holy day all religions celebrate that's universal around the world."
The first World Sabbath in 2000 drew 600 people from Baha'i, Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Hindu and Muslim faiths at Christ Church Cranbrook in Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
"We wanted it to be one of the great new millennium events, so I wrote prayers that were universal," said Reinhart, who was ministering in Monroe, Mich., at the time.
That service featured a rabbi sounding the shofar, gospel singers, drummers, soloists and chants.
Reinhart joins the Cranbrook crowd each year on the last Saturday in January with hopes the concept will spread.
When he moved to Blue Island, he scheduled the event at St. Joseph/St. Aidan at 7 p.m. on the first Saturday in February.
"There are just as many racial, ethnic and religious conflicts in Chicago as there are in Detroit and just as many people of good will," he said.
"We need to make the South Side a place of peace, equality, justice and kindness."
Forty people gathered in 2006 for that first Blue Island event.
More are expected on Feb. 3, when rabbis, imams, Christian ministers and Vietnam veterans will speak about working for justice and peace rather than hatred, violence and war.
The service includes prayers for Illinois soldiers who died in Iraq and for the safe return of those in distant lands.
"Let There Be Peace on Earth" and "Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee" are among the inter-religious hymns.
Performers include Lincoln Elementary School students from Blue Island and teens from Students Against Violence Everywhere at Thornton Township High School in Harvey.
The reception features an open forum, socialization and a literature exchange.
"So come ready to listen and to give a response after the service," Reinhart said.Rena Fulka may be reached at rfulka@starnewspapers.comor (708) 802-8829.
Find out more
The World Sabbath service is at 7 p.m. Feb. 3 at St. Joseph/St. Aidan's Episcopal Church, Greenwood Avenue and Oak Street, Blue Island.
Information is at (708) 528-9862 and www.worldsabbath.org.
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