Temple Sholom to Host A Conversation About Jewish and Christian Perspectives on Same Sex Relationships on August 13

On Saturday, August 13 at 7:00 p.m., Temple Sholom in New Milford, will host “A Conversation About Jewish and Christian Perspectives on Same Sex Relationships”. The conversation will open with discussion between Temple Sholom Rabbi Ari Rosenberg and Reverend John Rankin, president of the Theological Education Institute. The “Conversation” will be held at Temple Sholom located at 122 Kent Road (Route 7) in New Milford.

“This will be a very engaging, stimulating, respectful dialogue on a variety of approaches to this topic and will offer a variety of religious resources for individuals on either side of the debate,” stated Rabbi Rosenberg.

Following his delivery of a sermon in April 2016 entitled, “Discrimination Against LGBT is an Abomination”, Rabbi Rosenberg published an article on May 20 in the Danbury “News Times” entitled, “Forum on Faith: Bible makes no reference to ban on gay marriage, relationships”. On May 27, a rhetorical Letter to the Editor of the paper was published from a local Danbury-area pastor in response to the Rabbi’s column. In a responsive Letter to the Editor, Rabbi Rosenberg publicly challenged to pastor to a public debate on the subject. The challenge was not accepted by the pastor.

Members of Temple Sholom welcomed Rabbi Ari Rosenberg in 2015 as their rabbi. Previously, he served Temple Sha’arey Shalom in Springfield, NJ, a 250 family congregation. Rabbi Rosenberg is known to deliver invigorating sermons in support of Gay Marriage, Responsible Gun Reform, Immigration Reform, Women’s Rights, Combating Hunger and Poverty. He also conducts stimulating and engaging educational programs for lifelong learners of all ages. Recently he has been working with churches in New Milford to help settle a refugee family by providing ecumenical interfaith support.

A new member to the New Milford Rotary International organization, Rabbi Rosenberg is a graduate of Rutgers University and he was ordained by Hebrew Union College in 2008.

Reverend John Clifford Rankin is president of the Theological Education Institute (TEI) International (teei.org), which he founded in 1986, following and during his years in pastoral and pro-life ministry. Rev. Rankin is a graduate of South Kent School, Denison University, Gordon-Cromwell Theological Seminary, and Harvard Divinity School. Currently, he is pursuing an M.Phil. and a Ph.D., in Political Theology at the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies, studying “Hebrew Covenant, Human Freedom and the United States Constitution.”

Rev. Rankin is author of numerous books including “The Six Pillars of Biblical Power”, “The Six Pillars of Honest Politics”, “Jesus, In the Face of His Enemies”, “Genesis and the Power of True Assumptions”, “Changing the Language of the Abortion Debate”, and “When Islam Silences Itself” which are described at teibooks.com.

Rev. Rankin’s home church since 1992 has been Covenant Presbyterian Church in Simsbury. He is an alumnus of the Fellowship of Christians in University and Schools (FOCUS), of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF), and was ordained through the Vineyard Christian Fellowship.

Rabbi Rosenberg leads Temple Sholom in New Milford, which offers religious services on Fridays and Saturdays. Ongoing education programs are also offered with a unique, inter-generational approach. On Sundays, the Temple’s “Jewish Journeys” program attracts children of varying ages, their parents, and older adult members of the community. The Temple is also proud of their long-standing tradition of post Bar- and Bat-Mitzvah teens teaching in their after-school Hebrew program. For adults, the Temple offers numerous classes including Torah study and ongoing educational classes toward the ambition to provide valued intellectual, spiritual, and social connections.

Currently, Temple Sholom offers Kabbalat Shabbat on Fridays at 6:30 p.m., Torah Study on Saturdays at 9:30 a.m., and Shabbat Morning Services on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. On Saturday, September 17, at 8 p.m. Temple Sholom will host a fundraising event at the Temple, “A Night of Magic and Surprise”, with the Magic of Marco and mentalist Chris Anthony. Tickets are $30 in advance and $36 at the door.

The August 13 “Conversation” is free and open to the public, and no reservations are required.

To learn more about Temple Sholom, and their ongoing programs and special events, visit http://tsholom.org, or phone 860-354-0273.

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Submitted by Danbury, CT

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