Archive for July, 2009

July 28, 2009

SPIRIT of PEACE
person to person for peace

 JULY NEWSLETTER 2009
 
In This Edition

  Thoughts For The Month
  In Conversation – On Living Conditions in Bethlehem
  Events
  Shared Intention
   
 
Thoughts For The Month

Greetings from Jerusalem and Bethlehem. I have spent the last few days here meeting several of the peacemakers and visiting The Hope Flowers School.
 
So, apologies for the late arrival of this newsletter -  things often do not go to plan – but many other wonderful things emerge. Living in ‘the present moment’ is a very real and natural experience here!
 
A theme which has frequently emerged in conversations during the last few days is that of our shared humanity. We must meet first and foremost as human beings, one to another, looking beyond narrow defining labels and identities.
 
When we carry in our hearts the idea that whoever we meet shares with us a common identity as a human being, a neighbour on planet Earth, the possibility of reconciliation can become a reality.
 
We cannot and should not ignore the things which divide and differentiate us, but if we take the starting point of our shared humanity and home on this beautiful ‘blue planet’, we can begin a journey towards equality and unity.
 
This is a simple thought but difficult to live out amidst so much inequality, injustice and oppression. ‘The cycle of violence’ is well-recognised and discussed these days. We need to think also about the cycle of injustice and revenge for as Gandhi said , “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind”.
 
Sometimes it is easier to fight for justice than to break this cycle – we need to do both. I am grateful for the many great souls who are doing just this here in the land that many call ‘holy’ and throughout the world.
 
With heartfelt greetings, not just from myself but from the many people who are working for a better future here who are glad to feel your support – in peace,

Jane
Director, Spirit of Peace
 
 
In Conversation


Conversation offers us the opportunity to explore different perspectives. We may agree or disagree, but to co-exist in harmony we must at least be able to listen to what is being expressed behind the words.

On Living Conditions In Bethlehem

This month Palden Jenkins speaks with Adnam Sobeh. He is a shop keeper who lives and works in Bethlehem. The conversation offers a personal perspective on what it is like to live in Bethlehem today as Adnam describes how the current situation is affecting his family and business.

(Click here to download the interview)
 
 
Events

London – Peace Meditation
Just be here, holding peace in your heart – sitting, standing, or gently moving in the middle of the city with like-minded people. Nothing to do, just being the energy of Peace.

Date: Sun 2nd August, 10.30 – 11:30 am
Location: Neal’s Yard, between Shorts Gardens and Monmouth Street, London, WC2H 9DP
Full Information: www.peacemeditation.org.uk

West Sussex – Peace and Justice Retreat
Contemplation and Social Action: finding balance in our lives.
With Fr Paul Fleetwood and Jane Ozanne

Date: 31st July – 2nd August
Location: Worth Abbey, West Sussex
Full Information: Click here

Somerset – Interfaith Dialogue Facilitation Skills
A highly experiential workshop that will help you build your confidence and your skills in facilitating interfaith dialogue. A range of tested practical tools and techniques will be introduced, within a safe and supportive environment, by experts who have years of experience in the field.

Date: 6 – 8th November
Location: Ammerdown Centre, Radstock, Bath, Somerset, BA3 5SW
Full Information: Click here
 
 
Shared Intention

By holding peace in our minds and our hearts we bring more peace into the world. Let us spend a moment to align ourselves and share in this process of creation together.

This months intention was inspired by time recently spent with Muslim friends.

 from The Koran  Sura 49 v13

  “O people! We have created you from a male and female, and made you into nations and tribes that you may know one another.”


Let us bring awareness to those situations when we see others through a lense of separation.  May we all take it upon ourselves to reach out in friendship and encourage dialogue, especially in areas of conflict.
 
 
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Technology for a Low Carbon Future

July 13, 2009

Tony Blair today published ‘Technology for a Low Carbon Future’ which sets out practical solutions to tackle climate change through technology. The report comes just days before President Obama chairs the Major Economies Forum in Italy to discuss progress towards a new global climate agreement at Copenhagen later this year.

You can download the full report HERE

The report finds that 70% of the reductions needed by 2020 can be achieved by investing in energy efficiency – lighting, vehicles, buildings and motors – and reducing deforestation.

It concludes that the strategy that should be adopted at the MEF and into Copenhagen should be to focus on existing energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies, along with efforts to halt deforestation, which can deliver major short-term cuts in emissions, while we invest in next generation technologies – carbon capture and storage, new approaches to nuclear and solar, and emerging biotech based solutions – that will drive down emissions through to the middle of the century.

Launching the report Tony Blair said:

“This report shows how major reductions even by 2020 are achievable if we focus action on certain key technologies, deploy policies that have been proven to work, and invest now for the development of those future technologies that will take time to mature.

“And these technologies bring economic and social opportunities too. Just as investing in electrification, railways and the internet led to economic growth in the past, investing in clean energy can help reignite the global economy now.

“This report shows that the challenge of combating climate change remains formidable; but it is do-able. This is not mission impossible.

“On the contrary, with the necessary decisions now, there is a credible, practical, realistic as well as radical way to act. We can set the world on a new path to a low carbon future; the Major Economies Forum is able to put in place a framework for a successful global accord in Copenhagen in December.”

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Religious Leaders Message to the G8

July 13, 2009
  
17 June 2009
Rome, Italy 
We, leaders of the world’s religions and spiritual traditions gathered in Rome on the eve of the G8 Summit of 2009, are united in our common commitment to justice and the protection of human life, the building of the common good and the belief on the divinely established and inviolable dignity of all people from conception to death.
 
We speak from the heart of the great majority of the human family who are members of religions or spiritual traditions. In a time of economic crisis when many securities are crumbling, we feel even more acutely the need for spiritual orientation. We are convinced that spiritual life and the freedom to practice it is the true guarantee for authentic freedom. A spiritual approach can touch the hunger for meaning in our contemporary society. Materialism often expresses itself in idolatrous forms and has proved powerless in the present crisis.
 
We carry forward important work begun in multireligious meetings held just prior to the G8 Summits, (in Moscow 2006, Cologne 2007, Sapporo 2008, Rome 2009) and building on earlier meetings in London. We have been convened by the Italian Bishops Conference, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for whose assistance we are grateful.
 
We greet the leaders of the nations gathered in L’Aquila and we pray for them as they exercise their heavy responsibilities to confront the challenges facing the human family today.
 
We commenced our meeting in L’Aquila in solidarity with those who are suffering there from the devastating earthquake and in solidarity also with all those around the world who are bearing the burdens of suffering.
 
We are convinced that the world politics needs a solid paradigm based on moral values to address today’s challenges. Through the notion of shared security we can draw attention to the comprehensive character of our moral and religious concerns. In the light of this understanding of shared security we make the following comments on matters of the greatest importance. We are using the term “security” in a new way. We add the word “shared” to draw attention to a fundamental moral conviction: the wellbeing of each is related to the wellbeing of others and to our environment. Shared security focuses on the fundamental inter relatedness of all persons and the environment. It includes a comprehensive respect for the interconnectedness and dignity of all life and acknowledges the fundamental fact that we all live in one world.  Ultimately we are convinced that to overcome violence justice with compassion and forgiveness are necessary and possible.
 
Shared security is concerned with the full continuum of human relations from relationship amongst individuals to the ways that people are organized in nations and states.  It follows that the security of one actor in international relations must not be detrimental to another.  Those international leaders who are responsible for global decision-making must act transparently and be open to the contribution of all involved. 
 
The current financial and economic crisis weighs most heavily upon the poor.  Addressing these related crises call for a new financial pact that addresses squarely (1) the causes of the financial crisis, (2) acknowledges the need for basic moral principles, (3) includes all stakeholders and (4) places at a premium the urgent need for sustained financing for development. We are convinced that, in a time of economic crisis and spiritual disorientation for the men and women of our time, religions can and must offer a decisive contribution to the search for the common good.  As we confront this crisis, there is the need for the spiritual wisdom entrusted to the great world religions so as to steer an ethical path to justice and human flourishing. Concretely, as part of the reform of the finance system, we urge concerted action to close down the unregulated off shore banking system. Regarding development assistance, we urge the inclusion as partners of civil society organizations including especially religious communities and their organizations. 
 
In continuity with previous world religious summits we continue to call for the fulfilment of the Millennium Development Goals. Their completion has been promised for 2015, but progress has now fallen behind. The current crisis has worsened the situation of those whom the MDG’s are designed to assist. We insist that it is an imperative for the lives of millions that the MDG’s be fulfilled on schedule and we commit ourselves to work together with the G8 leaders to that end.
 
Africa is already hard hit by the world financial crisis and it runs the risk of being seriously damaged in its efforts against poverty with a negative impact on the economic growth of its countries. It is our hope that the international community places Africa at the centre of policies for development, by finding new sources for financing cooperation and favoring the involvement of States and civil societies of African countries in a perspective of rebirth of the whole continent. In this same context we would like to affirm that the time has come to commit ourselves decisively to the healing of the entire continent wounded.
 

Seventy years from the beginning of the great tragedy for humanity that was World War II and the many subsequent conflicts, causing human suffering, injustice and poverty, we call for nations to resist making war a means of international politics and to make every effort to establish a just peace for all. We believe that the attempt to militarily dominate the sea, space, neutral territories or states creates obstacles on the way to nuclear and conventional disarmament.  We also believe that conventional disarmament and efforts to ban military technologies and initiatives that could provoke a new arms race should go hand in hand with efforts to advance nuclear disarmament.   

 
We call the G8 Summit to pursue rigorous implementation of nuclear reduction and non-proliferation policies leading to the goal of total nuclear disarmament. We call the five acknowledged nuclear-weapon states should work toward eliminating existing nuclear weapons step by step.  States with nuclear weapons that have not acknowledged them must acknowledge their possession, make similar commitments to their elimination and enter into the NPT. We press for prompt ratifications and entry into force of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and commit to take no action leading toward the reintroduction of any form of nuclear weapons testing.
 
We call attention to the plight of the ever growing number of “illegal” immigrants and the absence of adequate and uniform standards designed to protect them.
 
We urge that the full rights and dignity of people be respected and cost-sharing introduced where appropriate as states re-evaluate their comprehensive policies for legal residents and immigration. We urge attention to the fact that immigration is growing and that ecological pressure may greatly accelerate it.
 
We representatives of world religions and spiritual traditions gathered in these days in Rome facing the threats and the challenges of a difficult time of crisis for our societies, reaffirm our commitment to work with all people of good will, for the realization of the common good. In this context we call for the establishment of mechanisms for dialogue between religious communities, political leaders, international organisations and civil society structures.
 
Our method and our strength, the strength of yesterday, today and tomorrow will always and only be that of the transformation of hearts and shared action through dialogue.
 
Dialogue is an art that everyone must practise and cultivate within and between religions, culture, politics and especially those who have power in the world. Dialogue requires courage and enables people to see each other more clearly, enabling us to offer life and hope to new generations.
 
This is our renewed commitment, this is the appeal we address to the world.
 
We commit ourselves to meet again in Canada in June 2010.
 
 
[1] The following Statement was produced by an inter-religious gathering of 120 religious delegates hosted by the Italian Roman Catholic Bishops Conference.  The major sponsor was the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  Religions for Peace was placed to participate as a partner.  The Statement was delivered to the Head of State of Italy by H.E. Msgr. Vincenzo Paglia, Chairman of the Commission for Ecumenism and Dialogue of the Italian Bishops Conference. 

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Globalization for the Common Good

July 1, 2009

From Dr Kamran Mofid

Dear all, I hope this email finds you all well. I am delighted to let you know that our eighth annual international conference of  the Globalisation for the Common Good Initiative, held at Loyola University, Chicago’s Jesuit University, during during May 31st to June 4th 2009 was a resounding success.The conference attracted 250 delegates and 99 extraordinary presenters from many corners of the world for a lively discussion and a fruitful debate on many different aspects of globalisation. The conference’s main theme was on “Globalisation: The Challenge to America”. The participants at the conference focused their attention primarily on a critique of the role of the United States in the current dynamic of world affairs. They examined the positive and negative dimensions of America’s global stance. They explored some of the very real challenges that America must meet if globalisation is to be guided toward the common good, both within the US and in the larger world. Other thematic areas were also addressed and debated. They included (but were not limited to) the following:

 

  • The Virtuous Economy: the Role of the Global Business Community
  • Globalization and the Media: Balanced Representation and the Common Good
  • Globalization, Civilizational Dialogue, and the Role of the Global Interfaith Movement
  • The Global Environment: Climate, Habitat, Water, Energy, and All Life
  • The Struggle for Social and Economic Justice and Universal Human Rights
  • Global Cultures of Peace

The Conference provided an excellent forum to analyze, discuss and debate the challenge of globalisation, and to make recommendations for the future, as noted in

our “Chicago Declaration”:  http://www.gcgchicago2009.org/Conference_Declaration.html

To read the conference report please see: http://www.gcgchicago2009.org/CONFERENCE_REPORT.html

For past conferences see: http://www.gcgchicago2009.org/PastConferences.html

Finally, it is my pleasure and honour to extend our warmest invitation to you to consider joining us for our 2010 international conference which will be hosted at

California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks.

See details: http://www.callutheran.edu/CLV/2010_GCG_conference.pdf

Warmest regards,

Go Well,

Kamran

…………………………………..

Kamran Mofid PhD (ECON)

Founder, Globalisation for the Common Good Initiative

www.globalisationforthecommongood.info

Co-editor, Journal of Globalisation for the Common Good

www.commongoodjournal.com

Globalisation for the Common Good, Chicago 2009

http://www.gcgchicago2009.info/

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Tribute to Father Berry

July 1, 2009

 Greetings!

 
Welcome to the June issue of the newsletter for the Forum on Religion and Ecology.  
 
With the passing the geologian Thomas Berry on June 1st, we have had the privilege to be in contact with many people who knew him, and it has been deeply moving to hear many expressions of the profound gratitude and joy that they have experienced through their encounters with him and his work.  Although we never met Thomas, we have been touched by his warm presence through our encounters with his writings and with people who knew him. 
 
Thomas has been an unending wellspring of inspiration for our endeavors to work at the intersection of religious and ecological perspectives, particularly insofar as he was able to cultivate a humble and compassionate way of being in the world while also pursuing deep and rigorous thinking about the pressing ecological and spiritual issues of our current evolutionary moment.  Furthermore, we are proud to be earning our doctoral degrees in an academic department that is guided by Thomas’ work.  The mission statement of the Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness program at the California Institute of Integral Studies expresses commitment to what Thomas called “the great work,” that is, the work of transforming human civilization from a destructive presence on this planet to a presence that nurtures mutually enhancing relations between all members of the Earth community. 
 
Thomas is an important figure in the field of religion and ecology because of his early teaching and research in the history of religions. Thomas wrote a book on Buddhism and one on the religions of India, both of which are available through Columbia University Press. He also founded a history of religions program at Fordham and trained some 25 PhD students. It was there that John Grim and Mary Evelyn Tucker met. Thomas married them 30 years ago when they were his graduate students. It was because of the broad range of his teachings that they were able to organize the Harvard conference series in religion and ecology. Thomas participated in a number of those conferences. 

Thus, Thomas can be seen as a pioneer in this field, as he integrated his efforts to facilitate inter-religious dialogue and his concern for the Earth community and the place of humans in the evolving cosmos.  In other words, Thomas was a leader among those who sought to transform human-Earth relations by bringing religious traditions into contact with one another while also bringing these traditions down to Earth.  Thomas’ writings engage the complex challenges of reinventing the human species and sharing in a new vision of the Earth community, and these challenges are expressed in a way that is too often absent from scholarly writing: an accessible style with simple and clear language. His two final books illustrate his work in the history of religions and will be published in August 2009: The Sacred Universe (Columbia University Press) and The Christian Future and the Fate of Earth (Orbis Books). 

 
We hope that Thomas continues to inspire people to participate in the great work of our time.  We also hope that Thomas will be an example for others who want to articulate radical ideas while cultivating a grounded personality.  For more information about Thomas’ life and work, we encourage you to visit the recently updated Thomas Berry website (http://www.thomasberry.org), which includes biographical information about Thomas as well as information about his books, essays, and films.  Recently, we updated the website to include tributes, photos, and obituaries in memory of Thomas (http://www.thomasberry.org/tributes_and_photos.index).  We are also happy to direct your attention to the Thomas Berry Award and Memorial Service (listed below).  The website and this Memorial Service are two among many ways to honor Thomas’ legacy and participate in the great work.
 
Sam Mickey & Elizabeth McAnally
California Institute of Integral Studies
Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale
Web Content Managers & Newsletter Editors
http://www.yale.edu/religionandecology
news@religionandecology

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