Center for Ethics and Spirituality at UCSD

01/06/2021

Religious freedom is the bedrock of a strong, healthy, democratic society, regardless of political affiliation and that religious pluralism is more than side-by-side tolerance of the other, but rather robust engagement based on an understanding and respect for our differences.

Join us as we celebrate National Religious Freedom Day with a diverse panel who will move beyond the current polarized discussion and look to identify points of consensus and common ground. This panel is hosted by the The Aspen Institute's Inclusive America Project and features speakers from the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, The Sikh Coalition, and Public Square Strategies LLC.

Recent data shows that while 8 in 10 Americans see religious freedom as an important issue, it’s understood in vastly different ways depending on political leaning and background.

12/25/2020

To all of our Christian friends, Merry Christmas!

(RNS) Refugees. Genocide. Oppressive regimes. These aren't the warm, fuzzy parts of the Christmas story most churches like to focus on, but some are connecting the Holy Family's flight to Egypt at the end of that story to the modern-day refugee crisis.

12/13/2020

The San Diego Union-Tribune published a series of three commentaries from religious communities in the area reflecting on the end of the year. Check them out below:

2) https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/commentary/story/2020-12-11/islamic-faith-reflection

3) https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/commentary/story/2020-12-11/pandemic-light-holiday

In these days of pandemic, economic struggle, sickness and isolation, God still stands with us.

11/25/2020

We won't have our weekly group meditation tomorrow with The Zone at UCSD, but here's an easy meditation you can do this week.

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at the CES!

11/14/2020

Today marks two religious holidays. Hindus celebrate Diwali in honour of warrior prince Rama defeating the demon Ravana. Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas, commemorating Sri Guru Hargorbind Sahib Ji's release from prison and return to Amritsar in 1619.

Diwali, one of the biggest occasions on the Hindu and Sikh calendar. But Covid-19 restrictions mean celebrations cannot take place as normal.

10/23/2020

"What I perceive as an inability to see others' world views and respect their way of thinking and believing is a crisis in America, and reflects a spiritual illness in our society," Rabbi A. Brian Stoller said, adding that he thinks what the Tri-Faith Initiative is doing is part of the "antidote to that illness."

The goal of the Tri-Faith Initiative is to foster understanding of the "religious other," and to create more tolerance and less fear.

10/15/2020

Pillars of the Community San Diego is working with pretrial inmates to register eligible voters from behind bars. The group’s leaders say it’s part of their faith as Muslims.

The CES is looking for UCSD students to make a short 30-60-second video about how your worldview (e.g. values, faith, outlook on life) motivates you to vote. We're not looking for support for or opposition to particular candidates or political parties, just your motivation to vote.

You can either upload to your Instagram/Facebook and tag us () or email your video to us (spirituality@ucsd.edu) by next Friday (10/23) and we'll post it to our account.

(RNS) — Pillars of the Community is hiring a team of pretrial inmates to register eligible voters from behind bars. The group’s leaders say it’s part of their faith as Muslims.

10/14/2020

Our programs start next week! To kick off we will be offering weekly Meditation guided by our friends at . Join us every Thursday from 2-2:30pm!

10/03/2020

Sukkot celebrates the gathering of the harvest and commemorates the miraculous protection G‑d provided for the children of Israel when they left Egypt. On the holiday of Sukkot, Jewish people spend time in the sukkah, treating it like their home-away-from-home, because it evokes the temporary dwellings the Israelites inhabited on their way out of Egypt.

09/29/2020

Check out our Week 0 events starting tomorrow. Welcome (back) Tritons!

*Wed. Sep. 30 12:00-3:00 PM Student Services and Academic Support Virtual Fair (virtualfairs.ucsd.edu)
*Wed. Sep. 30 1:00-2:00 PM Welcome Back UC San Diego Hillel Schmooze
*Wed. Sep. 30 2:00-2:30 PM First Year Students of Hillel Welcome Party
*Thu. Oct. 01 8:00-9:00 PM Catholic Game Night
*Sun. Oct. 04 12:30-1:15 PM Welcome Mass (Newman Center Catholic Community at UC San Diego)
Each event has more information in their respective Facebook Event page. Click below to access them.

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09/28/2020

Today is Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish year. It is a day when people ask for forgiveness from others they have hurt.

Making an effective apology is a scientifically verified way to increase your spiritual wellness, because it can 1) restore the offended person's sense of dignity, validating that they are not to blame and did not deserve to be hurt and 2) give the offended person an opportunity to express their feelings and grieve their losses. A sincere apology can also reassure victims that they are safe from further harm, making them more likely to trust the offender again.

Whom do I choose to ask for forgiveness and from whom will I choose to accept forgiveness today?

G’mar chatima tova!

Learn the basics of the Day of Atonement in 3 minutes. Yom Kippur is the most holy day of the Jewish year and it is full of spiritual opportunity if you open...