Imagine

Imagine 6,500 people from 95 countries representing 212 religious traditions gathered in one place to work together to address the most pressing issues of our world.

No need to imagine. The Parliament of World Religions started its meeting August 14, 2023 in Chicago, IL. The purpose of their gathering is to build trust, relationship and interfaith collaboration, to address the crucial issues of our times.

Why this is not smeared across the front page of every newspaper in the country, all social media and every news outlet is a mystery to me. This is big stuff. Leaders come together with the belief that interfaith collaboration holds a key to solving the ills of the world. They come with an attitude of respect and openness, acknowledging the differences in faith and believing in the possibility of unity, which is not to be confused with uniformity.

Unity enables diverse groups of people to come together around shared values and goals, working together for relief and solutions for those in need. Uniformity tries to shove everyone in the same mold and have everyone come out looking the same and believing the same. Needless to say, it has never worked.

Not intending to be cynical, but given that protestant churches can’t agree on whether to say “debts” or “trespasses” in the Lord’s prayer, or if/how the actual presence of Christ is in the Lord’s Supper, it seems like a tall order to address religious genocide, sectarian violence, and the plethora of religious dissensions that exist around the world.

Still, it is a great idea with a great history. According to the website of the Parliament of World Religions, “The organization was founded on a mission to cultivate harmony among the world’s religious and spiritual communities and to foster their engagement with the world and its guiding institutions to address the critical issues of our time. The Parliament was incorporated in 1988 to carry out a tradition and legacy that dates back to the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, where the historic first convening of the World’s Parliament of Religions created a global platform for engagement of religions of the east and west.”

It seems that a little trickledown energy would be a good thing here. We know trickledown economics doesn’t work, but maybe trickledown energy and learning might. Imagine if religious leaders from a community came together and talked about something other than dwindling memberships and budget problems and pooled their energy and money on a project that could make a real difference in people’s lives. For example, an after school program for kids that includes tutoring, joining forces to advocate for more affordable housing, educating our religious communities to accept multi-unit family units to make home ownership more accessible to a larger population of people. There are environmental projects that would benefit from united interfaith voices that address local issues of concern. It’s impossible for one group of dedicated religious leaders to do it all, but to choose a project and stick to it can make a real difference in the life of a community.

There are churches that are starting community meals that are open to all, and they are growing! They provide quality food and fellowship for diverse groups of people. It builds community, and a lot of things start there.

A church in Rhode Island opened the first adult day center over fifty years ago and has continued to lead the way in superior care for vulnerable elderly adults regardless of level of physical or cognitive ability. Their program set the national standard for adult day care and now hundreds of centers exist around the country.

Our political process (such that it is) needs advocates to speak for the poor and needy. As civil rights for LGBTQIA people are eroding at an alarming rate, straight allies are needed to speak up and communicate with legislators. We are way past the time for signing petitions and thinking we have done our civic duty.

The options are endless. The point is, gather together and work together. The harvest is plenty laborers are few (Matthew 9:37).