United Religions Initiative North American - Briefings

More than 30 ‘how-to’ workshops were presented, with
“The Rise of Christian Fundamentalism and its Impact on Interfaith
Work,” “Southern Sudan Education Project,” and
“Community Foundation Fundraising” popular enough to bear
repeating. Peacemaking, community, and creation each were explored in a
series of sessions that ran throughout the conference. A site visit the first
day took a busload to Child Haven, a state-supported center that works with
9,000 abused and abandoned children a year. We saw how faith communities can
participate in this historic work.

Content rich, in other words! Some thought we ran a day too long. Most,
though, were energized rather than exhausted by the smorgasbord, and few left
before the end.

In the evening…

Evening programs were the highlight for many, unexpected and deeply moving
events. An opening banquet was set in a ballroom. Over 300 attended, the
conferees sitting down with several dozen Muslim families from southern
Nevada who had prepared the feast. They brought enough food to have fed us
all twice and still have leftovers. We were warmly welcomed. At each table
hosts shared stories and pictures of the different countries they came from
on the way to citizenship here. After we ate, a Moroccan concert on drums and
the oud, a plucked Middle Eastern instrument, was astonishing. Muslim
hospitality set the tone for the whole conference.

Very few knew the name Sister Jose Hobday when the community gathered the
next night to hear her speak about gratitude. But we fell in love. An
American Indian Roman Catholic sister with an outrageous sense of humor,
Sister Jose, 76, had recently fallen, breaking an arm and bruising her ribs
and ‘tailbone.’ Counseled to stay at home, she said she could be
miserable and stay at home, or miserable and come to the conference, so she
couldn’t see any good reason to stay at home. Her stories brought
tears, punctuated with hilarity and even cheering, as she unpacked the often
neglected, powerful gift of thanks.

At the final banquet, graciously prepared and hosted by readers of the
Urantia Book, Dirk Ficca of the Council for the Parliament of the Worlds
Religions spoke from a prophetic stance. He wondered why the aggregate
religious community in the United States is unable to mobilize itself against
an ill-conceived and unjust war, unable to halt environmental degradation in
our own backyard, unable to make a significant difference in opposing
poverty. As his speech developed, and during a panel response, the
evening’s theme became resolute hope in the midst of darkness.

Dirk’s speech troubled some in the group, still flush with the high
energy and richness of the four days just shared. It seemed incongruous in an
arena where up-front politics is particularly uncomfortable for some
traditions. But the observations of at least three Canadian participants
tempered that evaluation, at least for this participant.

In their own gentle way, these Canadian brothers expressed relief that an
interfaith leader from the host nation of this event is finally calling the
current administration to account. “How can we, as religious people,
neglect talking about these matters,” asked one, “if we care
about overcoming poverty and healing the earth and making peace?” In
the e-mail discussions which followed the conference, Kay Lindahl, a leader
with both sponsors of the conference – NAIN (North America Interfaith
Network) and URI (United Religions Initiative-North America) – wrote,
“the burning question for interfaith these days – how do we speak
as a moral voice in the world?”

The complexity of spiritual relationships

The conference’s spiritual context grounded and inspired the
dialogue and relationship-building. It was developed through multiple,
voluntarily attended expressions of  prayer, meditation, ceremony, and
ritual led by different traditions, a “Spiritual Immersion,” as
host chair Gard Jameson put it. Muslim Friday Prayers, a Jewish Shabbat
service, and a Christian Eucharist were part of a much longer list of events,
including various indigenous ceremonies.

These sessions were comforting and meaningful to most, though troubling to
some. At least one participant noted that his constituency of more
conservative religious leaders would disappear in a flash with shared
religious practice. Others acknowledged that some of the shared ritual
stretched them and would be difficult ‘back at home.’

At one evaluation session, shared practice was affirmed with the caveat
that sensitivities, protocols, guidelines, and learnings regarding the matter
deserve more reflection and discussion as future events are planned.
Blessings before meals were appreciated. At the same time, members of the
young adult caucus suggested that discussing the distinction between
pluralism and syncretism is overdue in the interfaith movement.

Who came?

The remarkable content and the yeasty differences of opinion at
NAIN/URI-NA 2006 in part came from a partnership among interfaith leaders
from Las Vegas, from NAIN, and from URI-NA. They are grassroots networks that
had never joined hands in a convocation before; like-minded strangers from
across the continent met in Las Vegas and quickly became friends.

In addition, leaders came from major organizations such as the Council for
a Parliament of the Worlds Religions, the Interfaith Alliance, Interfaith
Youth Core, Religions for Peace–USA, Temple of Understanding, and
URI’s Global Council, altogether an unprecedented set of connections.
Twenty of 140 participants were 35 years old or younger, mostly newcomers,
adding imagination, new energy, and provocative questions. Dozens of
individuals across the continent volunteered in the planning, making the
whole effort a collaborative, capacity-building exercise.

NAIN holds annual “connects” and will be gathering again
June 23-27, 2006, in Vancouver, BC, to explore the theme of
peace. The interfaith conference will be held in conjunction
with Vancouver’s World Peace Forum, expected to draw 7,000 people from
around the world with a passion for making peace. Put it on your
calendar!

Paul Chaffee
August 22, 2005

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