The Interfaith Connection

I returned yesterday from five amazing days at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Salt Lake City, Utah. Most people I told about it here in Augusta wanted to know why it was being held in Salt Lake City, maybe thinking that somehow the Mormons were hosting this.

The answer I never had time to give is that the first Parliament was held in Chicago in 1893, organized with the help of a Unitarian minister, Jenkin Lloyd Jones. He was a promoter of Unitarianism in the Western United States; he was a charter member of the Chicago Peace Society, and was a supporter of women in ministry. There were 4000 attendees to the first Parliament, which exposed many Americans for the first time to world religions. The Parliament was re-established in 1993 in Chicago, and since then has been held every five years in places like Barcelona, Spain and Melbourne, Australia.

The Parliament in Salt Lake City was organized very much in the spirit of Rev. Jones, offering for the first time a Women’s Convocation, featuring speakers such as Marianne Williamson and the dynamic Indigenous Grandmothers. 

As a UU minister who celebrates a faith that has ordained women since the mid-19^th century, I was able to be in solidarity with Roman Catholic women who spoke up for women’s ordination.  Pagan priestesses, whose panel presentation included the theologian Starhawk and the Rev. Selena Fox, spoke of the value of pastoral presence and worship expertise that I strive for in my ministry. And the passion of Mother Maya Tiwari and Dr. Vandana Shiva in lifting up the nurturing and creative strength of women made me want to widen the circle of opportunity for women in our community, who care for their families against the odds of poverty and illiteracy, and in our world, where women still are not afforded dignity.

Jones would have been amazed that over 10,000 people from 80 nations and 50 faiths attended. One of the most impressive achievements of the Parliament was an act of selfless service. Sikhs from all over the world converged to offer Langar, a free meal that is central to Sikh hospitality. 

Langar with Imam Jamal from the Augusta Islamic Center

Hundreds lined up every day to go into the hall and get not only their fill of wonderful food, but also conversation with people sitting beside and across from them.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/sikh-langar-parliament-of-world-religions_5622c61be4b02f6a900c9e68?utm_hp_ref=religion

Dialogue truly was a highlight of the Parliament. On my last day there I went with another female UU minister to lunch and we ended up sitting with a Mormon woman. We discussed our lives, our religion and what it means to us in terms of our relationships and our lives. Each of us was moved to tears when sharing things openly, and after lunch was over we exchanged warm handshakes and a smile, wishing that we could have that kind of encounter everywhere we go.

The challenge of the Parliament to the 10,000 who attended came in the form of the theme: Reclaiming the Heart of Humanity. So many speakers brought up the issue of climate change and how we must act so that future generations can still inhabit this glorious planet. How we do that will be determined by our ability to open our hearts to our fellow human beings and reach out, despite - or perhaps because of - our diversity.

May we be the ones who make it so.