An Interfaith Pilgrimage from Atlanta
to Morocco & Spain
June 4 - 16, 2006
“How are we to judge that much discussed ‘convivencia’ (711-1492 CE) among Spaniards who were Muslims, Christians and Jews? If we read the prose and the poetry it produced, listen to the music, watch the dance, admire the architecture, it truly was a golden age, when men and women of the three great faiths combined and mingled their talents and sensibilities to create something unique in European culture.” (F. E. Peters)
Early in the month of June 2006 you are warmly encouraged to join with Atlantans of Islamic, Jewish, Christian and other faith traditions for a two-week pilgrimage to Spain and Morocco where this unique culture once took root and flourished. Neither a “trip” nor a “tour,” this pilgrimage promises to be inward and spiritual journey through places of extraordinary importance to our three communities. We will become acquainted with people who creating a new interfaith reality in the very lands where "convivencia" once flourished but came to a tragic end.
Atlanta’s “pilgrims” will be accompanied on this journey to destinations in
Spain and Morocco by respected local faith leaders – Jewish, Muslim and Christian. These
leaders will be available for private conversation and spiritual direction; they
will encourage community-building across our various traditions. As
World
Pilgrims
we will share the “basics” of our various religious traditions with each other
as we travel together. We will pray with local Jewish, Christian and Islamic
congregations. Knowledgeable and sensitive local guides will provide the right amount of relevant
information. Atlanta's Pilgrims will have opportunities to engage
members of the local faith and interfaith communities.
We will reflect
together on our experiences as we enjoy unhurried visits to various sites. There
will be ample time for prayer within our several traditions. We will drink
deeply from the life-giving waters
that flow through our separate traditions. We will converse with our ancestors
and our contemporaries about things that give meaning to life. While examining
the accomplishments and the failures of the past, we will share with each other the challenges we
now face and the hopes we hold for the future.
We may be surprised to learn that, though others drink from distinctly different rivers, their deep devotion and spiritual perspectives strengthen us in our own faith. This knowledge aids us in our journeys toward wholeness. Together we will develop our own version of convivencia -- the intimate art of mutual respect and forbearance that will help us and all humanity move from hostility to tolerance, and from tolerance to celebration.
Join this pilgrimage to
·
Become part of
an interfaith movement determined to make a difference in today’s world, and
become part of Atlanta's growing interfaith community
· Enrich your own spirituality and deepen your own faith as you learn from others what they find meaningful in theirs
· 
Develop abiding
friendships with people of other traditions
· Search for the secrets of the land that gave rise to Maimonides, Ibn al-Arabi and John of the Cross
· Explore first hand the history, architecture and religious practices of other faiths
· Discover ‘convivencia’ and imagine a world where differing faiths live together in peace
· Learn from the successes, the excesses and the failures of those who went before us
· Relax and enjoy the diversity of a traveling interfaith community
This pilgrimage is designed especially for Jews, Christians and Muslims whose faith communities shared a common life and contributed to a high Andalucian civilization for nearly 800 years. People of other faith traditions are welcomed and encouraged to join us. This journey is about discovery and sharing more than it is about reaching agreement. An important goal will be an equal number of participants from each of the three Abrahamic faith traditions.
Rather than having seminars in the United States, World Pilgrims knows that
there is a dynamic that occurs when people travel together—they necessarily
adjust to each others’ needs and it is easier to establish meaningful
friendships with all members of the group.
The Friendship Force is assisting us to create pilgrimages that provide enriching and enlightening experiences for the participants. But the mission of World Pilgrims doesn’t end with the return from each pilgrimage. An active alumni network has been developed with regular programs that bring together the new friends on a regular basis back home, where the real challenge of interfaith relations is so important.
For more information about World Pilgrims and pilgrimages to other parts of the world, contact Plemon El-Amin or Jan Swanson at (404) 378-8417.