provided to The Santiva Chronicle

Interfaith Outreach of Sancap is pleased to announce the 2026 Shared Scholar Program, featuring renowned author, activist, and faith-based thought leader Brian D. McLaren. His public lecture, titled “Where Faith-Inspired Action Could Take Us,” will take place on Sunday, February 15, 2026, at 3:00 PM in the Sanctuary of Sanibel Congregational United Church of Christ, 2050 Periwinkle Way. A dinner reception will follow the program.

Widely respected for his ability to engage complex spiritual and cultural questions with clarity and compassion, McLaren has spent decades helping individuals and communities reimagine faith as a catalyst for healing, inclusion, and meaningful change. His work invites people across belief systems to move beyond fear-based thinking toward a hopeful, action-oriented vision rooted in humility, love, and shared responsibility.

This year’s Shared Scholar Program offers a reflective, hope-centered exploration of what becomes possible when faith moves beyond belief and into action. Framed by essential questions—What kind of world are we working toward? And what is our shared vision of the desired future? The program challenges participants to imagine a future shaped by compassion, justice, and collective responsibility.

During the session, McLaren will guide attendees in examining how inherited assumptions, including misguided theologies, rigid economic ideologies, and complacent thinking, can limit our vision of what is possible. Together, participants will explore ways to move beyond these constraints and articulate a compelling, practical vision that can inspire meaningful, faith-inspired action in today’s world.

The Interfaith Shared Scholar Program brings together participants from diverse religious traditions, spiritual backgrounds, and life experiences for respectful dialogue and shared learning. By gathering across differences, the program affirms that unity does not require uniformity, and that meaningful collaboration emerges when communities listen deeply, learn from one another, and work together toward the common good. In a time of growing division, the program serves as a powerful model for how interfaith connection can strengthen relationships and inspire collective action grounded in hope.

The Shared Scholar Program is made possible through a coalition of congregations on Sanibel and Captiva, including Bat Yam Temple of the Islands, Captiva Chapel by the Sea, Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, and Sanibel Congregational United Church of Christ.

The program and reception are generously sponsored by The Leo Rosner Foundation, whose support continues to strengthen interfaith dialogue and community engagement across the islands.

This event is open to the public and welcomes individuals of all faiths—and those who identify with none—who are interested in thoughtful conversation, shared values, and hope-inspired action.

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