Special News--April 2023
Being Interfaith-Based
Doing Better Together 
Eolia, Waterford, CT USA--Image © KOD 2023 “But of course UNHCR is not a faith-based organisation. Yet when I came here, I soon discovered in its work exactly the same principles that are enshrined in my own beliefs. And I also realized that the values of caring for those in need were equally shared by all major religions. This is of fundamental importance for refugee protection.” Opening remarks by Mr. António Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (12 December 2012) -----------
Overview
In this Update (#82) we share examples of joint efforts by people from different religions who are working together for the common good. These interfaith endeavors include ongoing coalitions, campaigns, and collaborations of religious bodies and leaders as well as more informal cooperation on an ad hoc and short-term basis. An example of the former is the Update's featured resource, the recent 8th Interfaith Dialogue at the UN Geneva, which we attended with much appreciation (the video recording is archived and available).
An estimated 7.1 billion of the world’s 8 billion people have a religious affiliation—7 out of 8 people. It's the majority world. Hence it makes sense that people of faith are and should be ubiquitously present at the global community tables and in the local community trenches—including collectively—on behalf of sustainable development and wellbeing for all people and the planet.
Three Caveats
1. Identity. Note that faith is not simply a component of a person’s identity which can be strategically leveraged on behalf of an important issue or agenda. Rather, for many it is the core of their human identity from which compassionate actions flow. Further, faith-based identity is often foundational for people's commitment to living as global citizens—embracing a deep, shared sense of belonging, identity, and responsibility that impels us towards doing better together.
2. Diversity. Also note that we are absolutely not advocating for a one-world religion even as we are not advocating for a one-world government. Our emphasis rather is to find creative and constructive ways to live and work together in peace and probity, dignity and diversity, true to our values and beliefs, on behalf of the wellbeing of all people and the planet.
3. Orientation. Finally, we note that being interfaith-based is more of an orientation rather than a carte blanche commitment to any joint involvement. It does not imply that faith-based people always need to work together or that there might be concerns to warrant not working together.
We conclude this Update with some personal reflections on being "people of faith-hope-love" in the Christian tradition who embrace "common ground for the common good."
Suggested Applications--Making It Personal
- Review the materials in this Update. Take note of any responses--or reactions--you might have to being or working interfaith.
- Probe further into one or more of the items. For example, you might want to watch the opening presentation from the 8th Interfaith Dialogue at the UN (11 minutes) and/or check out the PBS interactive World Religions Map.
- Share this Update with your colleagues, organization(s), and networks. Discuss practical applications for your life and work.
Going further--see these Global Integration Updates:
Warm greetings,
Kelly and Michèle
MCAresources@gmail.com
Featured Resources
Being Interfaith-Based
Doing Better Together
Statistics and Data, Major Religious Groups in the World – 1945/2022
Click on the link above to see the annual demographic comparisons from 1945-2022.
“The nexus between faith, human rights, diplomacy, and multilateralism of course precedes the United Nations by thousands of years. Religious teachings have laid the foundation of the sanctity of human dignity and value, including for societies’ most vulnerable people, centuries before the modern human rights law was conceived.” Opening presentation by Mr. Nikhil Seth, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of UNITAR at the 8th Interfaith Dialogue at the UN Geneva (10 February 2023)
8th Interfaith Dialogue at the UN Geneva (10 February 2023) “The Annual Geneva Interfaith Dialogue serves the purpose of commemorating World Interfaith Harmony Week, established in 2010 by UN General Assembly Resolution 65/5, to raise awareness about the value of interfaith dialogue while facilitating the exchange of best practices on how different faiths can contribute to harmony, peace, sustainable development, and towards building more inclusive communities....[This] event convened a diverse panel of Ambassadors, high-level representatives of the world's major faiths, and the International Geneva community to engage on the links between faith, politics, and society....The event consisted of two separate panel discussions. The first panel was entitled ‘Faith and Multilateralism,’ and the second ‘Faith and Public Policy.’ "
--You can watch or listen to the recording HERE.
---You can read a brief summary on the UNITAR website HERE.
Sponsors and Speakers
This two-hour event was co-hosed by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the Permanent Mission of Jordan. It brought together a diverse group of Ambassadors, high-level representatives of the world's major faiths, and the International Geneva community who addressed the broad topic of faith and interfaith collaboration for multilateralism and policy.
We especially encourage you to watch or listen to the opening presentation by Mr. Nikhil Seth, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of UNITAR (from the beginning to minute 11’30”--and worth listening to more than once!). Here is an excerpt: “How do we make [tolerance and respect for religions and human dignity...and caring for our common future] a part of our daily lives?....Faith, multilateralism, and public policy are the crucial ingredients for effective engagements to save us from ourselves because most of the crises we see today are self-inflicted wounds and we must find ways to heal them...”
More Interfaith Resources
PBS World Religions Map
Interact by clicking the link above
and then clicking a country for more detailed information
Religions for Peace
“Religions for Peace is committed to leading effective multi-religious responses to the world’s pressing issues. We believe ambitious goals and complex problems can best be tackled when different faith communities work together....We see the world’s challenges and understand they can benefit from an interfaith, innovative, and inclusive response. Our 90 national and 6 regional Interreligious Councils, or “IRCs,” bring together, not only the vast influence and resources of all faith traditions, but also their spiritual commitment to achieve solutions that leave no one behind.”(quote from the website)
See many of their resources HERE, organized by their six priorities:
--Promote Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies
--Advance Gender Equality
--Nurture a Sustainable Environment
--Champion Freedom of Thought, Conscience and Religion
--Strengthen Interreligious Education
--Foster Multi-religious Collaboration and Global Partnerships
G20 Interfaith Forum
“The G20 Interfaith Forum (IF20) offers an annual platform where a network of religiously linked institutions and initiatives engage on global agendas (primarily and including the Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs). The annual G20 Summits are a critical time and place where priority global issues are considered. The G20 process has evolved since it was established in 2008, with various platforms (ministerial meetings, engagement groups) that allow different sectors and communities to present ideas and recommendations to global leaders. Our goal is to contribute meaningful insight and recommendations that respond to and help shape the G20 and thus global policy agendas.
The G20 Interfaith Forum builds on the vital roles that religious institutions and beliefs play in world affairs, reflecting their rich diversity of institutions, ideas, and values. These include interfaith and intercultural organizations, religious leaders, scholars, development and humanitarian entities, and business and civil society actors....The Forums have considered wide-ranging agendas, including economic models and systems, the environment, women, families, children, work, humanitarian aid, health, education, freedom of religion or belief, global security, governance, human rights, and the rule of law.” (quote from the website)
See more information on their 11 working groups HERE.
Berkley Center for Religion Peace and World Affairs, Georgetown University
"The Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs seeks a more just and peaceful world by building knowledge and advancing cooperation through research, teaching, and dialogue. Two premises guide the center’s work: that a comprehensive examination of religion and norms is critical to address complex global challenges, and that the open engagement of religious and cultural traditions with one another can promote peace. To this end, the center engages students, scholars, policymakers, and practitioners in analysis of and dialogue on critical issues in order to increase the public understanding of religion." (quote from website)
Research areas and programs:
--Religion in Diplomacy
--Globalization and Religion
--Religion, Culture, and Society
--Religion, Norms, and Ethics
--Church and the World
The Global Charter of Conscience: A Global Covenant Concerning Faiths and Freedom of Conscience (2012).
“The Charter has been drafted by people of many faiths and none, politicians of many persuasions, academics and NGOs, all committed to “freedom of thought, conscience and religion” for people of all faiths and none. The Charter calls for the cultivation of civility and the construction of a civil public square that maximises freedom for everyone. It provides a vision and framework to help us discuss and resolve our present problems in a constructive, rights-honouring manner. This long-term endeavour is now even more important than it was at its 2012 launch. As human interconnectedness increases with globalisation and online interaction, differences of belief can collide. The Global Charter of Conscience explains principles which will make it possible for human beings to live together with their deep differences.” Summary HERE.
“Keenly aware of the titanic promise and peril of our time, as forms of global interconnectedness reach an unprecedented speed, scale, and scope across the earth, we issue and subscribe to this Charter to address a major world challenge whose resolution will be decisive for the cause of civilization and human flourishing. That is, we address the urgent problems raised by the challenge of “living with our deepest differences” when those differences involve core beliefs, worldviews, and ways of life, and when they are increasingly found within single communities, nations, and civilizations. Our purpose is to set out a vision of the rights, responsibilities, and respect that will be the foundation of a civil and cosmopolitan “global public square,” and the habits of the heart for those who would be “citizens of the world” as well as patriots in their own countries, and so to advance the cause of a “good world” and thus of global civilization over against the forces of global.” Introduction to the Charter
Excerpted from the annual statistical chart by Gina A. Zurlo, Todd M. Johnson, and Peter F. Crossing.
World Christianity 2023, International Bulletin of Mission Research, Vol. 47 (1), Jan 2023, pp 71-80.
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[You] created all human beings equal in dignity: pour forth into our hearts a fraternal spirit and inspire in us a dream of renewed encounter, dialogue, justice and peace. Move us to create healthier societies and a more dignified world, a world without hunger, poverty, violence and war. May our hearts be open to all the peoples and nations of the earth. May we recognize the goodness and beauty that you have sown in each of us, and thus forge bonds of unity, common projects, and shared dreams. Amen. Fratelli Tutti--On Fraternity and Social Friendship (2020), one of the two concluding prayers of the encyclical by Pope Francis.
Personal Reflections
Being People of Faith-Hope-Love
California Coastline USA--Image courtesy and © ENOD 2016
"I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality.
This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.”
Martin Luther King Jr. Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, 1964
As people of faith who practice Christian spirituality, we are committed to responsibly engage with others in the challenges facing our world, locally through globally, while holding firmly to our belief that we are in God's hands. We pray that God's purposes "will be done on earth as they are in heaven;" acknowledge that prayer, repentance, and relationship with God are key to human-planetary wellbeing; and live in hope for the time when God through Jesus Christ will decisively intervene in human history with equity--righteousness and justice--to restore all things. And in the meantime, we seek to embrace lifestyles of integrity that prioritize a deep, practical love for truth, peace, and people.
We do not want to further problematize our world's plight by focusing primarily on the negative. Rather we want to also promote the many examples of the good going forward, as people of integrity find common ground for the common good.
Finally, we want to highlight that the despair and disillusion that result from seemingly intractable problems like corruption can also be quite positive. They can embody a crucial existential message about reality that can be "revisited"--explored and heeded--rather than simply "resisted." They can point us to Someone who is bigger than ourselves, the SDGs, humanity, and our world--the knowable, Eternal One who is both in and beyond space-time and who loves us all dearly.
The above thoughts build upon the Personal Reflections in Perils, Paralysis, Hope: Sustainable Development-Sustainable Destruction? (Global Integration Update, October 2022).
Member Care Associates
MCAresources@gmail.com
Member Care Associates Inc. (MCA) is a non-profit, Christian organization working internationally from Geneva and the USA. MCA's involvement in Global Integration focuses on the wellbeing and effectiveness of personnel and their organizations across sectors (e.g., mission, humanitarian, peace, health, and development sectors) as well as global mental health and integrity/anti-corruption, all with a view towards collaboratively supporting sustainable development for all people and the planet. Our services include consultation, training, research, resource development, and publications.
