World Scriptures Volume 2

About the Book

About Unity-and-Diversity World Council, Inc.

The Unity-and-Diversity World Council, Inc. (UDC) is a nonprofit, tax - exempt California Corporation.  It was originally formed to develop the ideals and activities undertaken during International Cooperation Year 1965, which was voted into being by the General Assembly of the United Nations.  The U.N.’s goal in establishing that year was to encourage cooperation among non-governmental organizations. 

Vision Statement:  The vision of the UDC is to establish and sustain a local-to-global cooperating body of individuals, groups, and networks – for the pursuit of peace, justice, and an environmentally sustainable civilization for all races, cultures, and religions based on universal ethical and spiritual principles. 

Objectives: 

1.  To realize our connection to the Source of All Life and to all life forms.

2. To facilitate personal and social transformation and cooperative activities among individuals, groups, and networks.

3.  To create an international vehicle for economic cooperation.

4.  To study and take action of different issues, as well as making recommendations for needed action to institutions around the world.

5.  To support the United Nations and its efforts in behalf of global community.

Activities:

(1)   Peace Sunday – An annual event featuring speakers, performers, in interfaith candlelighting, and table displays of participating organizations.

(2)   Peace Convergence – A full-day event drawing together the twelve sectors of the Peace Wheel to interact and discover ways of cooperation.

(3)   Interfaith Celebrations – A monthly event involving the world’s religions and spiritual groups at various houses of worship.

(4)   Culture of Peace Series – A monthly educational and action program featuring the different sectors of the Peace Wheel.

(5)   Interfaith Services – A weekly Sunday a.m. gathering to explore the moral and spiritual values of the emerging global civilization.

(6)   Unity-and-Diversity Ministry Training – Ministers-to-be study all faiths, the relation of science and religion, and the practical aspects of the ministry.    

Unity-and-Diversity World Council, Inc.

Address: P.O. Box 661401 Los Angeles, CA 90066-9201 USA

Phone number: (424) 228-2087

Email: udcworld@gmail.com

About the Author

REV. LELAND P. STEWART grew up in Detroit, Michigan, and attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he obtained two Bachelor of Science degrees – one in mathematics and the other in mechanical engineering.  While working as a test engineer for the General Electric Company and planning to study further at the Harvard Business School in preparation for administrative work in industry, he suddenly came to the realization that his life was to be headed in another direction.  Leland Stewart then applied and was accepted at the Harvard Divinity School, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Theology degree in 1953.  He was ordained by the Universalist Church of America at Little Falls, New York, in 1954. 

During his time in industry he wrote a book now entitled From Technological Power to Lasting Peace, which outlined his thinking along general and philosophical lines.  During the time he spent at Harvard Divinity School, he worked on a 400-page compilation of  the scriptures of the world’s living religions and modern inspirational writings called World Scriptures.  This book was published in 2003.  Volume Two is an extension of this work as a separate volume focused on guiding principles for living in the emerging global civilization.

Since his entry into the life of world spiritual and community leadership, Rev. Stewart has served, and continues to serve, as Founder and Central Coordinator of the Unity-and-Diversity World Council (UDC), bringing high energy to the practice of universal cooperative co-existence.  The Council began during 1965, when the General Assembly of the United Nations declared International Cooperation Year.  The Council has its headquarters in Los Angeles. 

Rev. Stewart is also the Founding Minister and Director of Ministry Training of the Unity-and-Diversity World Fellowship, a specialized affiliate of Unity-and-Diversity World Council, Inc.  The Fellowship is responsible for the ministry training and the holding of Unity-and-Diversity Celebrations.  More recently a committee has published Science and Spirituality, a book of sacred readings, articles, music, three major documents including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and a civilization timeline.