Interfaith Dialogue Moderated by NPR Correspondent, Nov. 4

NPR Correspondent to Moderate Third Annual Interfaith Dialogue at First Congregational Church of Los Angeles on Nov. 4. Guests include host Pastor R. Scott Colglazier, Imam Jihad Turk and Rabbi M. Beaumont Shapiro.

One way to understand the world in which we live is to have a conversation among people of differing viewpoints, and to find similarities that exist among them. On Sunday, Nov. 4, Senior Minister R. Scott Colglazier will do just that when he invites Imam Jihad Turk and Rabbi M. Beaumont Shapiro to participate in First Congregational Church’s third annual Interfaith Service moderated by NPR News reporter Karen Grigsby Bates.

For the third year in a row, Dr. Colglazier is inviting guests to share in an open dialogue about the world’s three major Abrahamic religions. Following the violence that has emerged because of an anti-Islamic video distributed via the Internet, and because of the basic importance of such a discussion, Dr. Colglazier felt it more pertinent than ever to engage in this type of discourse. 

“I’m thrilled to offer this interfaith event for the city of Los Angeles,” explained Dr. Colglazier. “Recent world events remind us how far we have to go in understanding, not only our own faith, but the faith of others. People will never live at peace until the world’s religions learn to live in peace. My hope is that we’ll move past benign tolerance to mutual understanding and appreciation. I’m especially looking forward to welcoming to First Congregational Church two outstanding religious leaders and colleagues—Jihad Turk and Beau Shapiro. I think our discussion will be lively and interesting.”

Moderating this important conversation will be Karen Grigsby Bates, a correspondent for the National Desk of NPR News. With a beat covering social issues, she will bring a special perspective to the discussion. Bates specializes in reports that cover the many ways in which race and ethnicity have, and continue to affect aspects of American life.

Dr. Colglazier has served as Senior Minister of First Congregational Church of Los Angeles since 2008, and has brought about a renaissance of inclusion to the church by extending a warm welcome to the LGBT Community and by serving as the first Christian clergy person on the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Holocaust Museum. Imam Jihad Turk is the Director of Religious Affairs at the Islamic Center of Southern California, focuses his time on interfaith work. Rabbi M. Beaumont Shapiro serves on the staff of the historic Wilshire Boulevard Temple of Los Angeles, where he oversees its interfaith and social action programming.

The Interfaith Dialogue service will take place at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 4, at First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, 540 South Commonwealth Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90020. All are welcome.

For more information about Dr. R. Scott Colglazier or First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, please visit: www.fccla.org. You may also contact Curtis Rhodes, Communications Director, at (213) 355-5235 or CRhodes@fccla.org.