Arizona Interfaith Movement gives Golden Rule Award to ASU center

The Arizona InterFaith Movement recently honored ASU's Center for the Study of Religion & Conflict with a Golden Rule Award. The celebration took place at the Phoenix Civic Plaza and celebrated several organizations and individuals.

The mission of the Arizona InterFaith Movement is to build bridges of understanding, respect and support among diverse people of faith through education, dialogue, service and the implementation of the Golden Rule.

The Golden Rule Awards are presented to individuals, businesses or organizations that have demonstrated “living out” the “Golden Rule Objectives” in their daily interaction with people and institutions in the community. According to the Arizona InterFaith Movement, “Their values, practices and life in the community reflect their understanding, respect and support for the dignity of all people, and a dedicated resolve to bring about justice, equality and sustainability life for all people.”

“Speaking on behalf of the many faculty and staff associated with the center, we are honored to be recognized by the Arizona Interfaith Movement,” says Linell Cady, director and Franca G. Oreffice Dean's Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies. “This organization, under the leadership of Dr. Paul Eppinger, is involved in working to foster understanding and respect across religious communities in our state. It is such important work. We very much appreciate their recognition of our efforts at ASU to deepen understanding and advance solutions for conflicts that include a religious dimension.”

Founded in 2003, the Center for the Study of Religion & Conflict promotes interdisciplinary research and education on the dynamics of religion and conflict with the aim of advancing knowledge, seeking solutions and informing policy. Projects within the center focus on such topics as religion and violence, religion and science, and religions and the secular.

“The Center for the Study of Religion & Conflict has done a fantastic job catalyzing discussion and discourse, bringing together disciplines, bringing together people and bringing a focus to some of the more complicated issues in our world today,” says ASU President Michael Crow. “So many things that are happening in the world today – in Afghanistan, in Iraq, in other places – have their roots in religion and people don't necessarily fully grasp this. The center has helped us to seek understanding. From understanding, we can gain insight – and, perhaps, wisdom – on what we should do and what we shouldn't do in moving forward.”

The Arizona InterFaith Movement also presented awards to two individuals with ties to ASU. Ira Fulton was presented with the Darl Andersen Award and Hugh Downs was presented with the Media Award.