\n2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Preparation<\/a>
\n3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Workshop Outline in 13 Steps<\/a>
\n4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Sample Questions for Use in Step 4<\/a>
\n5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Other Helpful Hints for the Planning Group<\/a>
\n6.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Resources<\/a>
\n7.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Authors<\/a>
\n8.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Permission to Reprint this Document<\/a>
\n9.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0How to Order the Golden Rule Poster<\/a><\/p>\n
Download this document in PDF Format<\/a> At a dramatic pace, more and more regions of the world are becoming environments of multi-culture and multi-faith. This trend is having a profound effect upon public education, religious education, ethical education and education for social justice. Growing numbers of educators are discovering that religious and ethical education can no longer be conducted from the perspective of only one religion or culture. Indeed, religious educators of the future will call upon the wisdom and teachings of numerous religious and humanist traditions.<\/p>\n These guidelines are meant to be a small step toward this now-and-future direction. In this proposed workshop or group discussion experience, participants will be invited to reflect from the perspective of a universal moral principle – the Golden Rule – in its many and various expressions across the world’s religions.<\/p>\n People are often surprised and pleased to discover versions of the Golden Rule in so many religions and secular philosophies. In this workshop, you will be working with 13 expressions of the Golden Rule<\/a>. It should be noted, however, that researchers have discovered versions in numerous other religious traditions. Because the Golden Rule crosses so many traditions and philosophies, it possesses tremendous moral authority and indicates a profound human unity.<\/p>\n This workshop has been tested in a number of environments and has consistently generated great enthusiasm, reflection and discussion. Any group or individual who decides to sponsor it can expect rich and varied responses. This workshop also aims to provide tools for reflection and action in terms of the great ethical and social issues of our time.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This is a do-it-yourself workshop. The guidelines that follow are meant to equip an individual or group to sponsor, create and facilitate a Golden Rule Across the World\u2019s Religions workshop. Any group interested in sponsoring this workshop would benefit by first forming a planning group.<\/p>\n You will note that there is a good deal of time allotted for the participants to do private reflection during the workshop. The developers of these guidelines have learned that the process of individual reflection deepens the experience of the participants. Again, the planning group may want to vary this component of the process.<\/p>\n The target audience for this workshop is both adults and youth. It is hoped, for example, that this program will be utilized in adult and youth education programs in mosques, temples, gurdwaras, synagogues, churches, meditation centres, spiritual fellowships, etc. In fact, on a given day, an adult workshop and a children\u2019s workshop can be offered simultaneously in the same locale.<\/p>\n Please note that the constituency for this workshop can be a single-faith or a multi-faith audience. This workshop is also relevant to audiences that do not define themselves as “religious” or “spiritual” because the workshop content deals largely with ethics.<\/p>\n What you will need for the workshop<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Here follows a framework of 13 steps to guide the planning group in developing and presenting its workshop. As an aid to the planning group and facilitator, these steps are listed in both short form and long form:<\/p>\n Facilitator welcomes the participants and outlines the program and process of the workshop. If the group is not too large, participants can be asked to introduce themselves and comment on what attracted them to this workshop.<\/p>\n Step 2 – Distribution of Sacred Texts<\/strong><\/p>\n Facilitator provides each participant with a sheet containing the Step 3 – Silent Meditation<\/strong><\/p>\n All participants are invited to spend a few minutes in silence, reading and reflecting on the 13 Sacred Writings. Facilitator can explain that the practice of reflection and meditation on sacred texts in silence is common to many religious traditions. Step 4 – Individual Reflection<\/strong><\/p>\n Workshop participants continue their private and silent reflection in response to two or three questions provided them by the facilitator. The questions can also be listed on a flipchart. Participants may wish to journal their reflections. Suggested time frame: 7 to 12 minutes.<\/p>\n Prior to the workshop, the planning group prepares two or three questions appropriate to its audience, to stimulate private reflection and group discussion. The planners may want to provide just one question. On the other hand, they may choose more than two or three questions, perhaps as many as five or six. By increasing the number of questions, the planners are able to provide more rich material for reflection. However, more questions may lead to overstimulation of the individual reflections and of the subsequent small group process and plenary. So again, this is a decision for the planning group.<\/p>\n If the constituency is a specialized group (e.g. hospital chaplains, teachers, teenagers, social justice activists), questions can be geared to its specific needs. If the constituency wants to deal with a specific issue (e.g. ecology, social justice, violence, compassion), the questions can likewise be oriented to such.<\/p>\n Numerous sample questions are listed below, by clicking each of the three categories:<\/p>\n a) the message of the Golden Rule<\/a>, Step 5 – Preparation for Group Discussion<\/strong><\/p>\n Each participant prepares for the small group discussion by quietly reflecting for a few minutes on the fruit of her\/his meditation in Step 4. To stimulate this reflection, the facilitator provides each participant with the following questions (please note that the purpose here is not to repeat or rehash the reflection of the previous step but to prepare the participant for the small group discussion.):<\/p>\n Journaling is optional. Suggested time frame: 3 to 5 minutes<\/p>\n Step 6 – Group Discussion<\/strong><\/p>\n Participants break into discussion groups (4 to 7 persons per group). The planning group may want to designate group leaders in advance. Suggested time frame: 20 to 45 minutes<\/p>\n Step 7 – Plenary Discussion<\/strong><\/p>\n Facilitator convenes all participants into a plenary. Participants are invited to give feedback by way of either group reports or spontaneous comments. It may be helpful to record key elements of the feedback content on flip chart paper. Following the feedback, the facilitator stimulates discussion within the plenary. Suggested time frame: 20 to 45 minutes<\/p>\n Step 8 – Appropriation of Learnings<\/strong><\/p>\n Facilitator asks each participant to take some quiet time (4 to 7 minutes) to reflect on her\/his experience of and learnings from the program (journalling is optional). Some of the following questions can be used to stimulate private reflection:<\/p>\n Step 9 – Sharing of Learnings<\/strong><\/p>\n Facilitator asks some or all of the participants to share one learning from the program. These could be recorded on a flip chart. Alternatively, these learnings could also be shared in groups of two.<\/p>\n Step 10 – Facilitator\u2019s Comments<\/strong><\/p>\n At this point, the facilitator may want to share some specific or general comments on the notion of The Golden Rule Across The World\u2019s Religions. The facilitator may also want to comment on the feedback reports and plenary discussion and make a summary statement.<\/p>\n Step 11 – Evaluation<\/strong><\/p>\n Participants are invited to evaluate the workshop process. The planning group may design evaluation forms in advance.<\/p>\n Step 12 – Next Steps<\/strong><\/p>\n The facilitator and participants take some time to determine if they want to do any follow-up to this workshop. For example, would it be helpful to organize additional workshops? Or to integrate the themes and learnings of this workshop into other projects that the participants or planning group are involved in?<\/p>\n Step 13 – Closing Prayer\/Meditation<\/strong><\/p>\n Workshop could close with an experience of prayer\/meditation\/liturgy\/song\/poetry\/chant related to the theme. One option is to have people meditate quietly for a minute on the Sacred Writings. Following this, 13 individuals can recite, one-by-one, in a rotation fashion, the individual sacred texts.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In Step 4, the participants are invited to do individual reflection in response to two or three questions provided by the facilitator. The planning group is responsible for creating these reflection questions. To aid the planning group in this task, numerous sample questions are listed below, divided into three categories:<\/p>\n a) the message of the Golden Rule<\/p>\n b) the message of the Golden Rule for you<\/p>\n c) the Golden Rule & its implications for society<\/p>\n <\/a>a) The message of the Golden Rule<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a>b) The message of the Golden Rule for you<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a>c) The Golden Rule\u2019s implications for society<\/strong><\/p>\n Taoist Golden Rule in Chinese language. English translation: \u201cRegard your neighbour\u2019s gain as your own gain, and your neighbour\u2019s loss as your own loss.\u201d<\/p><\/div>\n To what current issue in your city or country might the Golden Rule offer a solution? How so?<\/li>\n <\/p>\n 1) Ideal number of participants for workshop: This workshop could be conducted with a handful of participants or with as many as 200 participants. Larger audience sizes will necessitate more sophisticated planning and more skills on the part of the facilitator.<\/p>\n 2) Estimated time frame of workshop: A trimmed-down version of this workshop could be conducted in an hour. On the other hand, the workshop could be a day-long event.<\/p>\n 3) An extra step: In Step 6 of the workshop outline, participants are invited to break into small groups (4 to 7 people). An alternative to this is to have participants work in groups of two.<\/p>\n 4) Using the arts: To enrich the workshop, the planners may want to integrate music, art, dance, culture, etc. into the program.<\/p>\n 5) Breaks: The number, positioning and duration of breaks are left to the discretion of the planning group and facilitator.<\/p>\n “We are interdependent. Each of us depends on the well-being of the whole, and so we have respect for the community of living beings.. . . We must treat others as we wish others to treat us. We make a commitment to respect life and dignity, individuality and diversity, so that every person is treated humanely, without exception.”<\/em><\/p>\n –from Towards a Global Ethic – An Initial Declaration, signed by 300 representatives of the world\u2019s religions at the 1993 Parliament of the World\u2019s Religions in Chicago<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n The Scarboro Missions website features a Helpful Resources section that contains one of the most comprehensive collections of Golden Rule resources in the world. Most of these resources are free. Many are oriented to youth. Some are interfaith-related. Also included is a listing of Golden Rule websites. Here is the link:\u00a0http:\/\/www.scarboromissions.ca\/golden-rule\/golden-rule-curriculum-1\/35<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The guidelines in this document were developed by Paul McKenna; Paul collaborated with a number of individuals in creating the Scarboro Missions Golden Rule Poster. Currently he functions as Interfaith Co-ordinator for Scarboro Missions. The quality of this document is also largely the result of consultation with a number of individuals committed to interracial, intercultural and interreligious cooperation: Joel Beversluis, Ellen Campbell, Gerald Filson, Fr. J.P. Horrigan S.J., Leslie Mezei, Tony Muhitch, Paul Nazareth, Patricia O\u2019Connor, Fr. Ray O\u2019Toole SFM, Charles Purdy, Joseph Romain, Ted Slavin, Kathy VanLoon, Beverly Vantomne, Sharon Willan, Larry Windland.<\/p>\n If you have suggestions for improvements or would like to make other comments, contact Paul McKenna at interfaithgold@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Compiled by Paul McKenna Permission to reproduce these guidelines in print or electronic form.<\/strong><\/p>\n We encourage the reproduction and use of this document for educational purposes. For more information, contact Paul McKenna at\u00a0interfaithgold@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n Print or electronic reproductions must include the following notice: These Golden Rule workshop guidelines were inspired by the Golden Rule Across the World’s Religions poster.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This striking and beautiful four-colour poster (22″ X 29″) features a symbolic and scriptural depiction of the golden rule in 13 religions. Produced by Scarboro Missions, the poster is now being used in schools, homes, hospitals, prisons, universities, workplaces and congregations.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.scarboromissions.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/download.gif\")
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\nDownload this document in DOCX Format<\/a> <\/a>
\n<\/p>\nWhy Create a Golden Rule Workshop<\/h2>\n
![\"wg_bahai\"](\"http:\/\/www.scarboromissions.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/wg_bahai-300x225.png\")
The planning group can review the range of choices and options outlined in these detailed guidelines. Again, these are just guidelines. The planning group may want to change, adapt or shorten the proposed program. For example, the guidelines contain suggested time frames for various sections of the program. But these are just suggestions and can be varied.<\/p>\n\n
\nQuestions about the learning and experience of workshop participants (Step 9)<\/li>\nWorkshop outline in 13 steps:<\/h2>\n
![\"wg_buddhism\"](\"http:\/\/www.scarboromissions.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/wg_buddhism-300x225.png\")
<\/a>Step 1 – Welcome & Introduction
\nStep 2 – Distribution of Sacred Texts
\nStep 3 – Silent Meditation
\nStep 4 – Individual Reflection
\nStep 5 – Preparation for Group Discussion
\nStep 6 – Group Discussion
\nStep 7 – Plenary Discussion
\nStep 8 – Appropriation of Learnings
\nStep 9 – Sharing of Learnings
\nStep 10 – Facilitator\u2019s Comments
\nStep 11 – Evaluation
\nStep 12 – Next Steps
\nStep 13 – Closing Prayer\/Meditation
\nStep 1 – Welcome & Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n13 written versions of the Golden Rule<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\nSuggested time frame: 5 to 7 minutes<\/p>\n![\"wg_christianity\"](\"http:\/\/www.scarboromissions.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/wg_christianity-300x225.png\")
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\nb) the message of the Golden Rule for you<\/a>,
\nc) the Golden Rule and its implications for society<\/a><\/p>\n\n
\nas a result of my reflection on these Sacred Writings?<\/li>\n![\"wg_confucianism\"](\"http:\/\/www.scarboromissions.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/wg_confucianism-300x225.png\")
<\/a><\/div>\n\n
Sample questions for use in step 4<\/h2>\n
![\"wg_hinduism\"](\"http:\/\/www.scarboromissions.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/wg_hinduism-300x225.png\")
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![\"wg_islam\"](\"http:\/\/www.scarboromissions.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/wg_islam-300x225.png\")
<\/a>Is there something you can name within your workplace (or school, family, city, etc.) that promotes or prevents the practice of the Golden Rule?<\/li>\n\n
![\"Taoist](\"http:\/\/www.scarboromissions.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/wg_taoism_2.jpg\")
<\/a>Other helpful hints for the planning group<\/h2>\n
![\"wg_jainism\"](\"http:\/\/www.scarboromissions.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/wg_jainism-300x225.png\")
<\/a><\/div>\nResources<\/h2>\n
Authors<\/h2>\n
Permission to Reprint this Document<\/h2>\n
\nPublished by Scarboro Missions
\n\u00a9 Scarboro Missions 2002<\/p>\n
\nGuidelines for a Golden Rule Workshop<\/strong>
\nCopyright \u00a9 Scarboro Missions 2002<\/strong><\/p>\nHow to Order the Golden Rule Poster<\/h2>\n