The ICJS configured another program that was modeled on Genesis: A Living Conversation. The ICJS facilitators came to the Maryland House of Correction at a perfect time, for the recent crackdown has left us with few constructive outlets. The program enabled inmates of different religious backgrounds to engage in open and honest dialogue -- to make a courageous effort to deal with the differences that separate us from one another.

Our group is far more than a group of inmates and occasional visitors coming together to pontificate about biblical stories. Over the course of several weeks, we have managed to bring Christians, Jews, Muslims, Black Nationalists, a Ghanaian, a Kuwaiti, believers and skeptics into a genuine camaraderie. We have established an atmosphere with such intense spirituality that Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, and Siddhartha Gautama would probably salute us -- if for no more than our collective effort. I am amazed that a group as diverse as this one has avoided a disruptive melee.

This program lifts the veil of misunderstanding, helps us con-front prejudices, and enables us to face the suffering that comes from those who think themselves superior. We were assured at the initial stage of this group's development that our individual views, opinions, and beliefs would be respected. There was to be no proselytizing in the program. Therefore, we felt under no pressure to arrive at a consensus. The Genesis group is about learning, sharing, interreligious under-standing, tolerance, and honoring humanity.

The Genesis group has been a wonderful experience. The lofty goals may not be fully realized, yet we will emerge more knowledgeable about biblical stories and more skilled in han-dling the clash of different perspectives.

Thanks to a grant from the Nathan Cummings Foundation, the ICJS was able to coordinate a second project in the Maryland Prison System. In collaboration with Brenda Vogel, the head librarian for Mayland's correctional facilities, the ICJS hopes to generate educational materials that equip inmates to disarm religious hatred and discover new strategies for responding to conflicting worldviews.