In the presence of HRH Princess Mathilde of Belgium the Belgian Council of Religious Leaders was launched at a ceremony in the Belgian Federal Parliament on Thursday 17 December. The leaders of major religions in Belgium signed the founding document of the council and expressed commitment to continue to strengthen interreligious relations in the country.
> Read more at: http://www.rfp-europe.eu/index.cfm?id=271023
Inspiring to see that USA President Obama’s speech to Nobel committee included the quote “purpose of faith — for the one rule that lies at the heart of every major religion is that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us.”
In keeping with the spirit of the popular Norman Rockwell “Golden Rule” mural at UN made possible by Thanks-Giving Foundation.
Ecumenical News International
Peter Kenny Dec 14, 2009
Bells pealed as a warning on climate change after the Archbishop of Canterbury told a church service in Copenhagen, attended by people from major faiths and Christian denominations, that humanity can only show love to all by making the earth a secure home.
Archbishop Rowan Williams, the spiritual leader of the 77-million strong Anglican Communion, preached the main sermon before Danish royalty, Denmark’s prime minister and religious leaders in a packed Church of Our Lady, Copenhagen’s Lutheran cathedral.
“We cannot show the right kind of love for our fellow humans unless we also work at keeping the earth as a place that is a secure home for all people,” Williams said at the December 13 service described as “an ecumenical celebration for creation”.
The service marked the midpoint of United Nations-organized talks in the Danish capital to reach agreement on limiting emissions held responsible for causing climate change.
The Danish monarch, Queen Margrethe II, attended the service for which members of the public snaked around the block on which the cathedral stands, trying to squeeze in, only for many of them to be turned away.
Archbishop Williams told the congregation, “The deepest religious basis for our commitment to the environment in which God has placed us, is this recognition that we are called to be, and are enabled to be, the place where God’s love for the world comes through.
“We have to flesh out in our lives that fundamental biblical conviction that when God looks on the world he finds it good. We have to show in our lives some echo of the delight God finds in creation.”
The dean of Copenhagen Cathedral, the Rev. Anders Gadegaard, told the congregation, “As we light our candles, passing the flames to our neighbours, we give light to each other. Let us bring this sign of hope with us into the world.”
This was the signal for the cathedral to begin the chiming of its bells 350 times, joined by other churches in Denmark, Scandinavia and the rest of central Europe. Churches worldwide had been invited to ring bells and other instruments 350 times at 3 p.m. local time in solidarity with the service in Copenhagen.
Before the Copenhagen service, the pealing of bells had begun on the island of Fiji in the South Pacific and would end later in California.
The number 350 represents the particles per million that is the acceptable level of carbon dioxide emission, according to the United Nations.
Delegations from 192 countries at the U.N. meeting in Copenhagen have the task of trying to agree what should follow on from the first phase of the Kyoto Protocol, a U.N.-brokered agreement aimed at limiting emissions of greenhouse gases that lead to climate change. The protocol expires at the end of 2012.
Shortly before the service, police with bomb-sniffing dogs combed the church and its surrounding area as a helicopter hovered over the nearby parliament and city hall to keep an eye on the centre of the Danish capital.
The Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, enthralled thousands of people braving the cold weather as he took part in a petition handover before the cathedral service. The former anti-apartheid campaigner roared out to the crowd with a gusto that showed the 78-year-old one-time Anglican archbishop of Cape Town still brims with the energy to protest.
Standing before Copenhagen City Hall, Tutu handed the petition with 512,894 signatures to Yvo de Boer, the United Nations’ top climate official.
“Here we are today marching and demonstrating the injustice of climate change – 500,000 thousand have signed. Half a million signatures – that is fantastic,” enthused Archbishop Tutu, dressed in a grey worker’s cap and heavy overcoat. “Persuade them to be smart like you,” said Archbishop Tutu as he handed the petition calling for climate justice to de Boer.
De Boer replied to a crowd of a few thousand, “Next week about 120 heads of states and governments are going to be here. So, let your voices be heard.”
The day before, not far from the same spot, a group of church-led protestors had gathered in front of the cathedral, which was draped with a banner painted with the words “Time for climate change”. There, Archbishop Williams gave a speech in which he urged support for actions to combat climate change.
Ceremony to mark multireligious common action on climate change
Three Religions for Peace international co-presidents, Grand Mufti Mustafa Ceric of Bosnia- Herzegovina, Venerable Grace Chung Lee of Won Buddhism in Korea, and Church of Sweden Archbishop Anders Wejryd attended a multireligious ceremony on Thursday 10 December in Copenhagen. The ceremony gathered international as well as Danish religious leaders in support of world leaders’ efforts to reach agreement on climate change measures. It is a follow up of an international conference of religious leaders on climate change in 2008 initiated by archbishop Wejryd. Rev Dr Hans Ucko, President of Religions for Peace, Europe, organises the ceremony. On the opening day of the Climate Summit he wrote from Copenhagen: “When faced with threats to
justice, peace and our environment, there are possibilities to discover our common humanity across religious and cultural boundaries. And in situations of crisis we become more open to listen to and receive the spiritual resources of each other.”
News from RELIGIONS for PEACE :
Strong participation from Religions for Peace at the Parliament of the World’s Religions
Make a World of Difference: Hearing each other, Healing the earth has been the topic of some 8000 people gathered in Melbourne, Australia for the 5th Parliament of the World’s Religions from 3 December to 9 December 2009.
Among the participants and speakers are a number of Religions for Peace
representatives, including Dr. William Vendley, Secretary General for
Religions for Peace. Dr. Vendley gave several sessions including one on
Conflict Transformation and Peace Building where he emphasised the role of religion in periods of mediation and in times of peace building and
reconciliation. Dr. Vendley says: “Religion and interreligious cooperation often offers different perspectives, not only on the conflict itself but on the solutions and the processes towards it.” Dr. Vendley also participated in a panel together with Dr. Tariq Ramadam and Rabbi Michael Melchior discussing War and Peace in Al-Islam: The Prophet’s Struggle. The panel underlined the importance of including the context when dealing with holy texts. Dr Tariq Ramadam emphasised that the world for a long time has been divided in “us and them” and that this has to end. “We need to build a new we” Dr Ramadam said.
Read more at: http://www.rfp-europe.eu/index.cfm?id=270290
A World of Difference
‘A Celebration of Difference’ was how one of the organisers described the Fifth Parliament of the World Religions held in the brand new Convention Hall in Melbourne, Australia from 3rd to 9th December 2009. A Sufi Whirling Payer Ceremony, Deep Chanting by Tibetan monks, Plainsong and Gospel Music, Traditional Song and Dance by Australia’s First People and much more were, for example, all part of a Concert of Sacred Music.
Celebrating the rich diversity of religious beliefs and practices is more important than it may sound. Still today, as in past centuries, ethnic and religious differences are a cause of mistrust, hostility and even massacre. Several programmes were devoted to ‘Respecting the Other.’ Not all difference, however, is to be respected. As Katherine Marshall of World Faiths Development Dialogue, insisted, religions need to challenge the economic injustices, which allow the few to live in plenty and millions to subsist in abject poverty.
There was little opportunity to bring the themes together. Moreover, with the emphasis on respecting difference, the hope of the pioneers
of the interfaith movement that religions can provide a spiritual basis for humanity to live together in a global society was scarcely mentioned, although HH the Dalai Lama insisted that the root cause of the world’s problems was the failure to recognise that this is a moral universe.
With more than six hundred programmes – lectures, seminars, religious observances, concerts, films and much more – there was certainly plenty of variety. No one could do more than sample the rich banquet. Like the Wimbledon Tennis Tournament, where there are perhaps twelve matches on court at the same time, one can only watch one of them. As a result each participant had a different ‘Parliament experience.’
The overall theme of ‘Make a World of Difference: Hearing Each Other;
Healing the Earth’ was broken down into several major subthemes:
Healing the Earth with Care and Concern,
Indigenous People,
Overcoming Poverty in an Unequal World,
Securing Food and Water for All People,
Building Peace in Pursuit of Justice,
Creating Social Cohesion in Village and City,
Sharing Wisdom in the Search for Inner Peace.
In addition a number of sub-themes emerged from the programme
suggestions submitted:
Local to Global Interreligious Movements,
Partner Cities Network,
Islam in a Global Context,
Women in Leadership,
Youth,
Family,
Media and Religion,
Interreligious Education,
The Parliament programme, through the extensive use of e-mails, was carefully arranged. All major religious traditions were well
represented and compared to earlier Parliaments ‘fringe’ groups were
not conspicuous.
Visitors from around the world were given a warm welcome by the people of Melbourne, which is a vibrant multi-cultural and multi-religious
society. The state of Victoria is home to people from more than 200
countries of origin, speaking more than 230 languages and dialects,
following more than 110 faith traditions. Many people from Melbourne
acted as volunteers and offered hospitality in their homes. The
Parliament received support from the government of Australia and the
Sate of Victoria as well as from the City of Melbourne. It was perhaps
a pity that there was no big public event in the city to which anyone
could come. Even for day-participants registration was expensive.
The Melbourne Parliament was the fifth Parliament of World Religions. The first was held in Chicago in 1893 and is often seen as the beginning of the modern interfaith movement. The International Association of Religious Freedom and the World Congress of Faiths, despite widespread opposition, continued this initiative, but their work was often eclipsed by the dominance of Communism, Fascism and Secularism, let alone two World Wars. Moreover the prevalent theological fashion in the Churches was to dismiss the world religions as expressions of human arrogance.
The situation began to change in the nineteen sixties following the historic document Nostra Aetate – agreed by the Second Vatican Council – which recognising glimmers of divine truth in other religions, stressed the importance of dialogue with people of other faiths. A similar approach was soon adopted by the World Council of Churches, despite angry opposition from some member churches. Moreover, the growing recognition by the churches that centuries of anti-Jewish teaching had contributed to the great suffering of the Jewish people – not least in the Holocaust – had led to a new humility.
Christians began to take the initiative in promoting dialogue and found a ready response from some members of other religions. It was, however, the centenary of the 1893 World Parliament of Religions – marked by gatherings across the world and especially in Chicago – that first caught the attention of a wider public. At the 1993 Parliament, attention was focussed on defining a Global Ethic, which highlighted the agreement of religions on a code of morality. Well over 20,000 people attended the open-air finale at which the key speaker was the Dalai Lama. The 1999 Parliament, at which Nelson Mandela was a speaker, gained its significance from its venue – Cape Town – in the newly multi racial and multi religious South Africa. The Parliament began with a public rally to express solidarity with the victims of Aids.
It was not, however, until the first years of this century, that politicians, in the aftermath of 9/11, began to recognise the vital importance of interfaith co-operation. At the 2004 Parliament, which met in Barcelona – where Europe looks across the Mediterranean to North Africa – speakers of all traditions insisted the religion should never be used to sanction acts of terrorism. Melbourne, at a time when concern for the Environment is high on the world’s agenda was an appropriate choice for 2009 meeting, especially as the Aboriginals, Australia’s first people, have much to teach us on this subject.
The many programmes at the Melbourne Parliament ranged over issues of vital concern to all people – the search for peace, the relief of poverty, an end to the abuse and discrimination from which so many people suffer and above all concern for the future of planet Earth. What is need now is for people of faith to engage in serious dialogue with politicians, scientists, business leaders and many others. Religions will not solve the problems but equally they cannot be solved if the religions are ignored.
The Parliament of Religions is a Parliament in the original sense of a place where people meet to talk together. It is not a law-making or executive body. No grand resolutions were passed. The Parliament will make ‘a world of difference’ by the difference it has made to those who shared the experience. They will return home with new enthusiasm and energy for their work for interfaith fellowship, peace, social service, help for the poor and action to reduce climate change. There is an old prayer, ‘Change the world and begin with me.’ It is people who are different who make a world of difference.
Members of the World Congress of Faiths played an active role at the Parliament, although some who had hoped to be there, sadly had to cancel because of illness. Members of the World Congress of Faiths arranged a beautiful interfaith morning observance on ‘Respect for the Earth,’ Mary Braybrooke, a Vice-President of WCF and a social worker, led a session on ‘Older People: Revered or Redundant,’ which was a very personal and inter-active sharing. She also was a member of the panel at a session on the religious situation in Europe. Sister Maureen Goodman and Marcus Braybrooke arranged a half day retreat on ‘The Inner Voice of Peace: Interfaith, a Life Changing Experience,’ at which Dadi Janki, a Patron of WCF, gave a short talk on the Importance of Silence. Vinod Kapashi took part in a programme on ‘The Jain perspective on Nonviolence and Self-Control: a Model for Education.’ Marcus Braybrooke also took part in a panel on ‘Respect for the Other,’ moderated one session and preached at a local church. There were also opportunities for several members of WCF from different parts of the world to renew their friendships.
Together with the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University and the
International Interfaith Centre, WCF had a stand in the exhibition area.
Rev Dr Marcus Braybrooke,
President of the World Congress of Faiths.
19.12.09
Faiths meet to build ties across religious divides
By Christopher Landau
BBC religious affairs correspondent, Melbourne
What happens when an imam, a priest and a rabbi get into a lift together?
It may sound like a joke, but it is an everyday occurrence at the world’s largest inter-faith gathering – and such unexpected encounters are positively encouraged.
The Parliament of the World’s Religions has brought together representatives from 80 nationalities and more than 220 faith traditions for seven days of debate and dialogue.
The organisers hope that chance meetings in lifts, along with attendance at the 600 different formal meetings, will lead to new partnerships between religious groups.
This is only the fifth such “parliament” to take place.
A groundbreaking meeting between religious leaders from different parts of the world happened in Chicago in 1893.
One hundred years later, a group of inter-faith practitioners decided to hold another such meeting, and they have happened almost every five years since then.
The emphasis is on building relationships and giving members of each faith the opportunity to better understand several others.
There are no formal debates or votes, but organisers say that any commitments made by members of a particular community are formally recorded.
This parliament is distinctive because of the central role being given to representatives of Australia’s aboriginal peoples – and to leaders of indigenous peoples from around the world.
Ten percent of the parliament’s sessions are devoted to issues of concern for aboriginal and indigenous communities.
The opening ceremony began with a traditional aboriginal dancer accompanied by the didgeridoo, before an elder from the Wurundjeri people of Melbourne gave a formal welcome.
“We are grateful. We are honoured. We are privileged to have you here,” said Aunty Joy Murphy-Wandin, before welcoming visitors with a traditional ceremony, symbolically inviting participants to share a leaf from “the branches of learning”.
“I take a leaf in hope that you will accept this welcome to country,” she said.
The opening ceremony also included performances from Melbourne’s philharmonic choir and orchestra, plus formal blessings from the world’s eleven major faiths.
A key area of debate and dialogue has been around environmental issues.
Indigenous leaders from northern Canada have highlighted how the effects of climate changes are already being felt in their communities.
Rev Dirk Ficca, director of the parliament, says that delegates are appealing to climate negotiators at the UN summit in Copenhagen to ask this question of themselves:
“Is the earth sacred enough to make those hard, courageous short-term decisions that will have implications for decades to come?
“Religious leaders are trying to draw on their wisdom and persuasiveness to make sure that we all believe it is sacred enough.”
Concerns have been also raised about whether religious perspectives are taken seriously, particularly by secular governments in the West.
Prominent American rabbi David Saperstein told delegates that religious leaders must work hard to make their voice heard, particularly concerning the moral questions facing the world.
“We are the first generation that produces enough food to feed every human being on earth. Our failure to do so now is a failure of moral vision and political will.
“In a world in which you can do everything, what you should do – the moral question – is the fundamental challenge facing humanity. And on that question, the religious communities have urgent, profound, indispensible wisdom to offer” he said.
The parliament could hardly be accused of failing to account for the broadest possible range of spirituality and religious experience.
Pagans, Zoroastrians, and even atheists make up the rich mix of perspectives.
Organisers have faced some criticism for giving a platform to the Church of Scientology – which some accuse of being more of a business than a conventional religion.
But this is an event which is prepared to given even the most unusual new religious movements a fair hearing.
The parliament’s marketplace offers a glimpse into some of the more unusual spiritual experiences on offer – often only for those prepared to pay.
Leaflets for new initiatives might also raise a few eyebrows. Plans to turn the island of Alcatraz into “a jewel of light” promise “a new, peaceful and enlightened epoch for all humanity”.
Meanwhile the “Skywheel” sacred art project hopes to send a satellite into space with thousands of copies of prayers wound inside a prayer wheel, “radiating its blessings to the universe above and our world below”.
But however eccentric some of the fringe offerings, the parliament also attracts a wide variety of prominent, mainstream leaders.
From the Dalai Lama and a senior Catholic Cardinal to young community activists, there seems to be a space for anyone of faith who is prepared to engage with others in a spirit of goodwill.
There have been some tense exchanges. The religious freedom in Iran of members of the Baha’i faith was raised with an Iranian speaker; the Roman Catholic church was challenged on its opposition to using condoms to halt the spread of HIV/Aids.
But most of the time this event achieves what so often seems a distant hope in today’s world: honest, genuine engagement between people from very different backgrounds, holding profoundly different beliefs.
It may be limited in clear, concrete results, but the parliament certainly helps build relationships across religious traditions – and that alone may offer some hope for fewer religious divisions in future.
