Introduction

Symposium and Report Credits

Each group's members were asked in the afternoon session to develop two statements about how they would like to see the role of religion change in their discipline. Participants were asked to frame these recommendations as statements that began "We should . . ." or "We should consider . . ." A few groups issued more than two statements; several also issued minority reports.

Religion

• We should consider the necessity of searching for moral values, on the basis of which we could speak and act jointly in the public domain.
• We should consider how the morality of society is eroded or numbed when critical religious voices are silenced or are indifferent.

• We should encourage reporters to cover all aspects of the story, including values.
• We should personally commit to taking our values to work without proselytizing.
• Minority report: We should encourage organized discourse on religion and values in the newsroom.

• Nonprofit agencies should explicitly incorporate religious principles when establishing common workplace values. That should be one source that can inform workplace values.
• Foundations should fund more religious organizations and projects.

• We should consider how to create a world in which contemporary artists are free to create without fear of religious-based censorship.
• We should consider how to bring the contemporary art world to recognize religious themes and contents as valid forms of artistic expression.

"What we're saying is that religion has had an effect on contemporary art through political institutions," photographer Vince Leo responded. "Religious organizations have been able to influence political organizations to censor artists - to shut down funding for artists, etc."

• We should seek to develop religious institutions that promote the practice of civil and civic engagement. Renewal of government and civic life will require all of the institutions that participate in public life also to be renewed.
• If we are to have more religious involvement in government affairs, we should figure out a way to reassure the non-religionists, the minority religionists, and others among us who have suffered from past involvement of religious institutions in government affairs. Second, we should learn to construct rules of engagement which enable a useful dialogue and permit tolerance of others' beliefs.

• We should identify shared values in business life which religion can support and motivate. These values therefore would be at the intersection of religions, where they all come together and people can agree.
• We should recognize that religion can and does both temper and energize business competitiveness. For that reason, we should encourage religion in an influential role, although not in a directive role, within business.

• Religion cannot be disconnected from people's lives because it is part of our culture, history, and social structure; therefore, teaching about religions should be integrated into day-to-day learning. Religion survey courses should be available at the high school level.
• We should be attentive to the public sphere itself, to public practices and public spaces, so that controversial issues and diverse perspectives may be brought to light in an open environment.
• We should consider education's mission to teach people how to search for the truth rather than teach the truth.

• Because the medical model is inadequate, how can religion and culture broaden our understanding of medicine and help find a more adequate response, both moral and medical?
• Since 43 million Americans receive inadequate health care, religion should learn to integrate actions with belief, confessing the harm that's been done, and work on behalf of economic justice and access to full health care.
• A dissenting statement: As religion is corruptive to the human thought process, by teaching youth to believe in unreality such as virgin birth and resurrection, it is a hazard to mental health.

Public Relations/Advertising

This group offered two divergent viewpoints:

• We should keep role of religion in advertising, public relations, and polling the same as it currently is.
• We should encourage an open exchange and actively discuss the implications of our work in creating a more just, humane, and sustainable society.

• We are glad to have civil law because it empowers pluralism and protects religions.
• As practitioners, we bring our values to our work (in our roles as lawyers).
• We should recognize the tension between our religious convictions and our obligations under civil law.
• Religion is in the shadows, or the penumbra, of the law, and we like it there. We think it should remain there. If religion is too involved in the law, it is hurtful both to the broader society and to the specific religion.