Scriptural Reasoning: Creativity
2025-10-23 18:30 - 20:00 UTC | Virginia Theological Seminary-Addison Academic Center, 3630 Bishop Walker Cir., Alexandria, VA, 22304, United States
THIS IS A HYBRID EVENT. Join us in person or on Zoom. The Zoom link for this session will be provided the day of the event.
Scriptural Reasoning (SR) is a practice where Christians, Jews, and Muslims study each other’s sacred texts. SR participants meet once a month 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.
This month’s study leader will be Rabbi Greg Harris.
Rabbi Greg Harris is Senior Rabbi at Congregation Beth El of Montgomery County. He has a passion for social justice and interfaith activities. Beyond his many responsibilities at the congregation, Rabbi Harris is a Past President of the Washington Board of Rabbis, Founding Chair of the Pastoral Care Committee at the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington, and has served as an active member of the Boards for Camp Ramah in New England, the Community & Global Impact Committee of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington (JFGW) and Interfaith Works, a non-profit organization working with at-risk families in Montgomery County.
Rabbi Harris was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary where he was the recipient of the Dr. Michael Higger Prize in Talmud. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from The American University in Washington, D.C. and later a certificate degree in Nonprofit Management from the American Jewish University in Los Angeles. He is the founding chairperson of the Tomorrow Fellowship Jewish Communal Leadership Program. He is also a past recipient of the Matthew H. Simon Rabbinic Leadership Award from JFGW. Rabbi Harris has been a guest lecturer at the Washington College of Law, the National Defense University and the National Guard Bureau as well as a guest on The Kojo Nnambi Show and other press outlets. In his free time, he is learning to play guitar and has run the Marine Corp Marathon twice. He was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. He and his wife Sarah are proud of their five adult children.
We would like to thank Rose Castle Foundation for their permission to use www.scripturalreasoning.org content.
A map of the VTS campus can be found here.
The text pack for the session can be found here.

CFIG Panel:Fethullah Gülen’s Legacy&the Hizmet Movement’s Forward Trajectory
2025-10-29 17:00 - 19:00 | University of Southern California Capital Campus, 1771 N Street Northwest, Washington, DC, DC, 20036, United States
On the first anniversary of Fethullah Gülen’s passing, the Rumi Forum’s Center for Faith, Identity, and Globalization (CFIG) hosted a special panel featuring two distinguished scholars—Dr. Ori Z. Soltes and Dr. Anwar Alam—to reflect on Gülen’s intellectual, spiritual, and social legacy. The event drew a strong turnout and featured a lively, illuminating dialogue on how the Hizmet Movement continues to evolve in today’s complex global landscape.
Moderated by Lyndsey Eksili, the discussion explored how Gülen’s philosophy of education, interfaith dialogue, and civic engagement continues to inspire new generations to pursue peace, pluralism, and service (“hizmet”) across borders.
As participants marked a year since his passing, the conversation served as a meaningful reflection on Gülen’s enduring contributions and an engaging exploration of the path forward for the Hizmet Movement—its challenges, hopes, and role in shaping a more compassionate and pluralistic future.
Event Video

Event Photos

Panelists

Ori Z. Soltes, Ph.D., is Professorial Lecturer in Theology and Fine Arts at Georgetown University and former Director of the B’nai B’rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum in Washington, DC, where he curated over 80 exhibitions on a variety of subjects. He is the author of articles, exhibition catalogs, essays, and books on a range of topics, including Our Sacred Signs: How Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Art Draw from the Same Source; The Ashen Rainbow: Essays on the Arts and the Holocaust; Christianity and Islam: Searching for Oneness; Tradition and Transformation: Three Millennia of Jewish Art and Architecture; Magic and Religion in the Greco-Roman World: The Beginnings of Judaism and Christianity; and God and the Goalposts: A Brief History of Sports, Religion, Politics, War, and Art.
He also wrote Embracing the World: Fethullah Gülen’s Thought & Its Relationship with Jelaluddin Rumi and Others (2013) and Between Thought and Action: An Intellectual Biography of Fethullah Gülen (2022).

Anwar Alam, Ph.D., is currently a Professor with the Department of International Relations, Ala-Too International University, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and a Distinguished Fellow with Policy Perspectives Foundation, New Delhi. Earlier he served as Full Professor of International Relations and Deputy Vice Chancellor at Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja; Full Professor at Department of International Studies, Zirve University, Gaziantep, Turkey, Professor and Director at Centre for West Asian Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, (New Delhi); Associate Professor at Centre for West Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and Assistant Professor at Department of Political Science, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh.
Dr. Alam has authored more than 35 articles in national and international journals, as well as two books, six edited books, one co-edited book, and 17 chapters in edited books, all related to West Asia, Indian politics, Indian foreign policy, Islamic movements, and Muslim Politics. His latest publications are For the Sake of Allah: The Origin, Development and Discourse of The Gülen Movement (2019) and The Disintegration of ISIS: Implications for Indian National Security (2023).
Panelists

Lyndsey Eksili, Ed.D., is an experienced educator, writer, and advocate for holistic development and mental health. As the editorial director for Youth Titles at Tughra Books and a content editor for The Fountain Magazine, she combines nearly 20 years of educational leadership with her passion for creating meaningful, youth-focused content. She serves as the School Board President at Pinnacle Academy, contributes to the Early Childhood Development Task Force of Childhood Education International, and writes for and serves on the board of the Green Dome Foundation. Through her work, she champions early intervention, cultural understanding, and the intersection of faith and mental well-being.
Dr. Eksili holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Administration from Liberty University, as well as certifications in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness, and Clinical Trauma.

Scriptural Reasoning: Stewardship
2025-11-06 18:30 - 20:00 | Virginia Theological Seminary-Addison Academic Center, 3630 Bishop Walker Cir., Alexandria, VA, 22304, United States
Let us sit together to discuss stewardship.

This is a hybrid event. The Zoom link for this session will be provided the day of the event.
Scriptural Reasoning (SR) is a practice where Christians, Jews, and Muslims study each other’s sacred texts. SR participants meet once a month 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.
Our study leader for this session will be Mother Sara Palmer:
Mother Sara was chosen to serve as the 9th and first female Rector of All Souls’ Episcopal Church in Washington DC. She began working at All Souls on January 2nd, 2024.
Her first career in England was as a teacher of French and German in a Middle and High School near London. God called her to become a Spanish-speaking church-planting missionary with the Church of England in Bolivia, having studied at Bible and then Missionary College in England. She worked with an English family to start a new congregation in Santa Cruz, the second largest city in Bolivia, where she preached, taught Bible to the women and helped lead the Sunday School and youth group. She met and married her husband David, a missionary with the American Episcopal Church in La Paz. After three years, they moved to the USA. The newly planted congregation Cristo, Luz del Mundo, continues to grow and has their own building and land.
Mother Sara tutored privately in Spanish and French in the USA, then taught Spanish at college level in Rochester, NY and Charlotte, North Carolina. She was hired by the Diocese of North Carolina as lay Hispanic Missioner to help four small rural congregations plant a Latino congregation in Salisbury, NC. This congregation thrived and grew from 2002 to 20012 when the funding stopped. She entered the ordination process and attended the Virginia Theological School where she was awarded her M.Div. magna cum laude in 2010. After ordination to the priesthood in 2011, Mother Sara worked for six years as Assistant to the Rector in High Point, NC; she served as Rector of Holy Trinity in Oxford, Ohio, for four years, starting various ministries and reaching out to students at Miami University; she was Senior Associate Rector at St Mary’s, Arlington for three plus years, before being hired at All Souls in DC.
She is passionate about sharing God’s love and helping people grow in their relationship with God. She is delighted to have opportunities to speak French and Spanish, and to engage in interfaith dialogue. She is active in supporting social justice issues and international outreach.
Before this, she served as Senior Associate Rector at St. Mary’s in Arlington, VA where she had clergy oversight of Pastoral Care, Spiritual Formation, and the relationship with the Santa Maria congregation. She served as Assistant to the Rector at Saint Mary’s, High Point, North Carolina from 2010 to 2016, and then as Rector of Holy Trinity in Oxford, Ohio from 2016 to 2020. At Holy Trinity, she led the outreach to students at Miami University, leading a Bible study for them.
Mother Sara completed her Master of Divinity degree at Virginia Theological Seminary in 2010. She and her husband David, a music professor and musician, met in Bolivia where they served as church-planting missionaries with the Anglican Church. They have one adult son, Steven who lives in Ohio.
We would like to thank Rose Castle Foundation for their permission to use www.scripturalreasoning.org content.
A map of the VTS campus can be found here.
The text pack for this session can be found here.

2025 Annual Gala and Dialogue Awards Ceremony
2025-11-18 17:00 | Meridian House, 1630 Crescent Pl NW, Washington, DC, 20009, United States
This week, Rumi Forum hosted its 2025 Annual Gala & Dialogue Award Ceremony, honoring a visionary leader in interreligious understanding: Dr. John Borelli, Special Assistant for Catholic Identity and Dialogue to the President of Georgetown University.

This year’s ceremony was also a special celebration of the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the landmark #Vatican II declaration that transformed #Catholic relations with other faith communities and laid crucial foundations for modern #interreligious dialogue.

We were grateful to honor Dr. Borelli’s lifelong commitment to building bridges—and to commemorate a document that continues to inspire mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation across traditions.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this meaningful evening!

Rumi Forum Young Professionals Friendsgiving Dinner
2025-11-20 19:00 - 21:00 | Friends Meeting of Washington, 2111 Decatur Pl. NW, Washington, DC, 20008, United States
Rumi Forum Young Professionals Friendsgiving Dinner

What a beautiful evening!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Friendsgiving Dinner on Thursday, November 20th. The night was filled with good food, live music, warm conversations, and heartfelt gratitude — everything Friendsgiving is meant to be.

We’re grateful for the young professionals, community members, and friends who came together to celebrate friendship, connection, and the spirit of Thanksgiving.

Here’s to more gatherings that bring people closer, nurture community, and remind us of the power of gratitude.

Until next time!

Rumi Forum Thanksgiving Programming
2025-11-25 18:00 | Saint Bernadette Catholic Church 7600 Old Keene Mill Rd., Springfield, 7600 Old Keene Mill Rd, Springfield, VA, United States
Coming together in gratitude

This Thanksgiving season, Rumi Forum was grateful to join hands with diverse faith communities to host two multifaith celebrations—one in Maryland and one in Virginia.

Both gatherings were powerful moments of shared witness, renewed community bonds, and heartfelt appreciation for neighbors of all backgrounds.

With music, reflections, and warm conversations, these celebrations reminded us that gratitude deepens when shared across traditions.

Heartfelt thanks to all our partners, clergy, musicians, volunteers, and friends who made these evenings possible. May the spirit of connection and
mutual understanding continue to guide us forward.

Here’s to gratitude, community, and the beauty of coming together.

Scriptural Reasoning: Abraham's Journey
2026-01-29 18:30 - 20:00 | Virginia Theological Seminary-Addison Academic Center, 3630 Bishop Walker Cir., Alexandria, VA, 22304, United States
Kick off the new year with the Rumi Forum!

This is a hybrid event. The Zoom link for this session will be provided the day of the event.
Scriptural Reasoning (SR) is a practice where Christians, Jews, and Muslims study each other’s sacred texts. SR participants meet once a month 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.
Our study leader for this session will be Mother Sara Palmer!
We would like to thank Rose Castle Foundation for their permission to use www.scripturalreasoning.org content.
A map of the VTS campus can be found here.
The text pack for this session can be found here.
This is a hybrid event. The Zoom link for this session will be provided the day of the event.

Scriptural Reasoning: Beginnings
2026-02-12 18:30 - 20:00 | Virginia Theological Seminary-Addison Academic Center, 3630 Bishop Walker Cir., Alexandria, VA, 22304, United States
Explore how the story of creation is told in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam!

This is a hybrid event. The Zoom link for this session will be provided the day of the event.
Scriptural Reasoning (SR) is a practice where Christians, Jews, and Muslims study each other’s sacred texts. SR participants meet once a month 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. 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.
About the Study Leader: Rabbi Marc Israel
Based on the Torah’s dictate to love your neighbor as yourself, Rabbi Israel works to create vibrant and inclusive communities within the congregation, across Rockville, and throughout the world. He is an active member of Jews United for Justice and Action In Montgomery and serves on the J Street clergy network executive council. Rabbi Israel received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan in 1992 and was ordained a rabbi in 1998 by Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion. Since June 2019, Marc Israel has been the rabbi of Tikvat Israel in Rockville, MD.
We would like to thank Rose Castle Foundation for their permission to use www.scripturalreasoning.org content.
A map of the VTS campus can be found here.
The text pack for this session can be found here
This is a hybrid event. The Zoom link for this session will be provided the day of the event.

Scriptural Reasoning: Clothing and Modesty
2026-04-09 18:30 - 20:00 | Virginia Theological Seminary-Addison Academic Center, 3630 Bishop Walker Cir., Alexandria, VA, 22304, United States
How are clothing and modesty addressed in Christian, Jewish, and Muslim scriptures?

This is a hybrid event. The Zoom link for this session will be provided the day of the event.
Scriptural Reasoning (SR) is a practice where Christians, Jews, and Muslims study each other’s sacred texts. SR participants meet once a month 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. 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.
This month our forum will be led by Rev. Dr. Jay L. Moses from Saint Mark Presbyterian Church, in Rockville, Maryland.
Through a call in the Presbytery of Chicago, Jay found the opportunity to work in Inter-religious and Ecumenical Dialogue, where there’s a vibrant intra-cultural community of Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, etc. “Having the ability to live with these communities in seeking peace and understanding has been a great thrill, adventure, and opportunity for growth in my own spiritual understanding.”
We would like to thank Rose Castle Foundation for their permission to use www.scripturalreasoning.org content.
A map of the VTS campus can be found here.
The text pack for this session can be found here.
This is a hybrid event. The Zoom link for this session will be provided the day of the event.
Photography & Media Disclosure
This event, hosted in partnership by Rumi Forum and Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS), may be photographed, audio recorded, and/or video recorded for documentation, educational, archival, and promotional purposes.
By participating, you grant permission to Rumi Forum and Virginia Theological Seminary to use your image, voice, and likeness in print and digital communications, including but not limited to:

Websites and newsletters
Social media platforms
Event recaps and publications
Annual reports and promotional material

Note: These materials may be used without additional notice or compensation.
