About Us

Clergy Beyond Borders is dedicated to an active religious pluralism that goes beyond mere tolerance for difference. The basic premise of CBB's work is the conviction that all religions contain a message of commitment to improving the world, and that too often the differences rather than the commonalities become the subject for discussion. CBB promotes mutual recognition among religious communities, seeking not to remove meaningful borders between them, but rather building bridges of understanding and cooperation.

Representatives of CBB have visited countries across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, as part of an effort to empower religious leaders to use the resources of their own traditions to counter bigotry, injustice and violence. CBB plans further international Journeys of Reconciliation as circumstances permit, presenting a model and an example based on the ideals, aspirations and actual experience within the American context of religious diversity and cooperation.

At present, however, religious and cultural pluralism in the United States is facing a critical challenge. Fear of the other, already heightened in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks, has been exacerbated by events of the last decade, including disputes over the rights of undocumented immigrants and increased presence of religious minorities.

This situation, however, is not solely a concern for religious minorities or for those who favor inter-religious understanding. It epitomizes the on-going struggle to realize the United States' aspirations and founding principles of pluralism and tolerance in the face of lingering nativism, racism, and other forms of bigotry. Historically minorities including Catholics and Evangelical Protestants have also been victimized. We have not confronted such a concerted threat for many years. This threat is also harming inter-religious understanding worldwide.

In response to the deterioration of interreligious harmony in the U.S., CBB has also expanded its work in the United States. We provide lectures, workshops, and training for religious leaders, the central focus of our mission. Program detail.