The theme this year, “Occupy: Interplay of Economics, Faith & Politics” will be an opportunity for the panelists and then the audience members to consider the implications of the global economic situation on the role of faith in charity and community work, the use of the pulpit during a Presidential election year, and the techniques of faith-based mobilization and activism, especially in light of the global Occupy Movements.

Infinite Wisdom Day is a celebration of the One Integrative Force revealed in the Sikh Scriptural Canon, the Guru Granth Sahib, and features a panel of speakers who represent a variety of moral philosophies and spiritual traditions. Each panelist will speak on the theme, and then there will be time for audience members to share their thoughts and ideas on the topic, as well as to ask questions of the panel.

Confirmed panelists include:

Barbie Gorelick Callanan co-founded The Tri-Faith Dialogue of San Antonio In 1999, the first organized ongoing dialogue between Muslims, Christians and Jews in the area. Barbie is on the Board of The SolCenter, and serves on the Core Team of the Peace Center of S.A., and the Interreligious Council. She is the recipient of the San Antonio Bar Foundation Peace Maker of the Year Award and The Mind Science Foundation Imagineer Award. Barbie is a member of Temple Beth El and recently retired as a full time teacher at The Circle School.

Dr. I. J. Singh is a professor emeritus of anatomical sciences at New York University, and serves on the Boards of the United Sikhs, the MBSK Foundation (NY) and the Sikh Research Institute (Texas). He also serves on the Editorial Boards of The Sikh Review (Kolkata) and Nishaan (Delhi). He has authored four collections of essays on his journey as a Sikh in North America, and is a columnist for several online Sikh sites

Jim Parker is the president of the Freethinkers Association of Central Texas (FACT), an organization comprised of atheists, agnostics, skeptics, humanists and other freethinkers. He is also the Coordinator of the San Antonio Coalition of Reason. He holds a business degree, is a veteran of the army, and has always made volunteering a central part of his life

Kiley Jon Clark leads meditation groups for the homeless in San Antonio, Texas, through his organization,Homeless Meditation Practitioners Street Dharma. He is a senior student of Lama Tulku Tsori Rinpoche and isan Ordained Ngakpa.

Omar Shakir is Resident Imam at Masjid Bilal Ibn Ra'bah of San Antonio TX and employed by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, as a full-time Imam. He is a regular participant in ecumenical services and interfaith dialogues.

Tom Keene is a retired professor of religious studies at Our Lady of the Lake University. He served as a founding member of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio. He is a published poet. His latest book is titled Flowers for Love Makers, Peace Builders and God Searchers.

Waris J Faridi was born to Muslim- Sufi parents in Pakistan and moved to USA in 1983. At the age of 14, he undertook to study all mystical approaches to God, including esoteric Buddhism, theosophy, Sufism, Vedanta,the teachings of J Krishnamurti, and the teachings of Sathya Sai Baba. For the last 25 years he has been a devotee of and close follower of the teachings of Sathya Sai Baba. He currently holds the position of Vice President of the Sathya Sai Baba Center in San Antonio.

Lopita Nath is an Associate Professor of History at the University of the Incarnate Word and the coordinator of the Asian Studies program there. Her current research focus is on the Bhutanese Refugee Resettlement in the USA. She serves as the leader of the President’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge representing the Incarnate Word where she focuses on helping with the Refugee Resettlement Program in collaboration with the Catholic Charities.

“The third Infinite Wisdom Day underscores SikhRi's ongoing commitment to encourage interfaith dialogue to advance mutual understanding and co-operation, said Ravinder Singh, Executive Director of Sikh Research Institute. “Increasing globalization has been accompanied by a revival of faith movements as well. This year's theme, Occupy: Interplay of Economics, Faith & Politics’ challenges us to explore the role that religion can–and should— play in reducing economic inequities and political injustice.”

Infinite Wisdom Day is free to attend and all members of the public who are interested in the topic are highly encouraged to RSVP in order that SikhRI can most effectively plan for the langar (free community dinner)which will be served at 6. The panelists will begin speaking at 7 and a Question & Answer session will follow the individual panelist’s remarks, and tea and refreshments will be served after the event. Those interested in attending are encouraged to come for whatever portions of the evening’s event they are able to. SikhRI would like to especially thank Concept Therapy Institute for their generous assistance in hosting this event.

RSVP to Varinder Kaur

info@SikhRI.org | 210.757.4555 [ext. 1]