Rumi Forum had its monthly circle on December 15, 2023, to study Abrahamic scriptures on the topic of “Light” with our study leader, Cassandra Lawrence, from the Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign.

Scriptural Reasoning (SR) allows Christians, Jews, and Muslims to study each other’s sacred texts. SR participants meet monthly to read short passages from their respective scriptures on a certain topic. Facilitated by a study leader, each session is an opportunity to listen and share various perspectives. SR sessions help participants reflect on a curious list of topics within the Abrahamic tradition. The result is often a deeper understanding of others and one’s own scriptures, as well as the development of strong bonds across faith communities.

                Scriptural Reasoning: Introduction                         Jewish Scripture: Hebrew Bible

              Christian Scripture: New Testament                              Islamic Scripture: Quran

This Month’s Study Leader

Cassandra Lawrence serves as Communications and Community Engagement Manager with the Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign, a multifaith coalition-based campaign to connect, equip, and mobilize faith communities and people of goodwill to counter anti-Muslim bigotry in the United States. Cassandra worked with the diplomatic and mediation community to identify training gaps and design training processes to better engage religious and traditional peacemakers for more sustainable peace processes. She teaches negotiation and conflict transformation primarily to faith communities.

She worked with the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs on the President’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge International Program. She is a mediator, dialogue facilitator, and interfaith and racial justice community organizer. She has a BA in Religious Studies from the University of British Columbia and a master’s degree in comparative ethnic conflict from Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland. In 2021, she completed a master of divinity at Wesley Theological Seminary with honors, specializing in Public Theology, and received the Excellence in Public Theology Award.