The Story behind One World, Many Voices

When Charles Gibbs, executive director of United Religions Initiative, asked me to play an 'interfaith' song in 1998 at a URI Charter-writing summit at Stanford University, I wondered - What to play?! What music and lyrics would people from all religions and spiritual, indigenous traditions around the world want to sing together? I kept asking, and people started suggesting good examples. They started talking about composing new songs for the interfaith community to share.

Assembling and publishing a new kind of songbook is a daunting task. The challenge was picked up by a URI Cooperation Circle dedicated to music and the arts, the first project of a group with members on three continents. The Interfaith Center at the Presidio in San Francisco agreed to publish the first edition, and we were off and running. Dozens of hymns, choruses, chants, and songs were mailed to the editorial team. Original compositions were written, some for the songbook, others because people gathered in places like East Africa or North America liked singing surprising new lyrics set to familiar tunes.

So here is our modest first attempt at a magnificent notion - the idea of singing about hope, peace, and love with millions of brothers and sisters from every branch of the human family. With the hope that this book serves the cause of peace among religions, it is warmly dedicated to everyone making that dream come true all around our war-weary world. May peace and songs of peace prevail on Earth!

Jack W. Lundin, Editor
Sonoma, California, USA
June 1, 2002

Contents:

Songs of Celebration: One World, Many Voices; Hymn of Celebration; Alleluia (Guiraldi), Jubilate, Everybody; This Little Light of Mine; Alleluia (Lundin); Halleluya (Ashrat); Halle, Halle, Hallelujah; Joy is Passing By; African Processional; Songs of Peace: Let There Be Peace on Earth; There'll be Peace; Give Peace (Da Pacem Cordium); O God of Love, O God of Peace; Prayer of St. Francis; Peace Like a River; The Song of Peace; Dona Nobis Pacem; Bring Many Names; Ya Salaam; Ose Shalom; Light One Candle; Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream; Cordel da Cultura de Paz; Down By the Riverside; A Time for Building Bridges; Songs of Solitude: A Quiet Place; Breathe On Me, Breath of God; Santo, Santo, Santo; Dedication of Merit; Prayer; Hymn to Mary; Ya Ali; Kelson's Song; Into Ecstacy; Simple Gifts; Canto de Entrada; Eli, Eli; Songs of Nature: Wakanaka Taku Niawa; The Chorus of Life; What If?; What a Wonderful World; Animals; Juntos Creamos Espiritu; Songs of the Human Family: We Are One; We Are Marching to the Light of God (Siyahamba); In Star and Crescent, Wheel & Flame; Join Hands Together; Weaving Round; We Shall Overcome; Jin Suy Kung; Weave Us Together; Canticle of the Turning; De Colores; Kol Ha'olam Kulo; Life Every Voice and Sing

The Editorial Team -

Iftekhar Hai, United Muslims of America, the Reverend Paul Chaffee, Interfaith Center at the Presidio; the Reverend Heng Sure, Berkeley Buddhist Monastery; Robert Walter, Joseph Campbell Foundation; Father Gerard O'Rourke, the Archdiocese of San Francisco; Sri Ravi Peruman, KGO Radio-San Francisco; Cantor Roslyn Barak, Congregation Emanu-El (San Francisco); Elder Rowan Fairgrove, Covenant of the Goddess; the Reverend Lizann Bassham, United Church of Christ; Salima Ginny Patton Machette, Taneen-Sufi Music Ensemble - IAS; and Pastor Jack Lundin, Lutheran, convener of 'Expressing the United Religions Initiative through Music and the Arts' Cooperation Circle. The team's work was supported and enhanced by musicians from around the world and many faith traditions who sent in contributions.

The Production Team -

Special thanks goes to the production team. Hugh Trutton provided musical editing and typeset a cameraready manuscript for the printer. His new arrangements grace many selections. Georga Allen, a gifted musician herself, secured permission from copyright holders and provided new lyrics to the title song of the book, set to the tune of "Morning Has Broken." Jack Lundin championed the idea in the first place, organized the project, and led the editorial team. Appreciation also goes to Don Frew, a national leader in the Wiccan community, and Mort Miller of the United Religions Initiative Interim Global Council for their help with the project. And thanks goes to Paul Chaffee and the board of directors of the Interfaith Center at the Presidio for accepting the role of publisher.

Donations from members of United Religions Initiative's Interim Global Council and the Interfaith Center at the Presidio made it possible to collect, secure permission, edit, and print copies of One World, Many Voices as a nonprofit venture offered to the interfaith world at a modest cost.

We invite lyricists, composers, poets, musicians, translators, and donors the world over to make further contributions for later editions! Send your contributions to Interfaith Center at the Presidio, P.O. Box 29055, San Francisco, CA, USA 94129.