Orange robed swamis sitting next to black robed with purple trim orthodox bishops. Saudi officials in their black with Gold trimmed robes talking to a American rabbi with his purple kippah. These were the sights and sounds of the Inter-faith World Religious Summit that I was apart of last week.
For me the most poignant moment came as Romeo Dallaire, the Canadian General in charge of the UN forces during the Rwandan Genocide talked about how “Every Human is Human and not anything less”
Here is the insight that united these people from across the globe, who each confessed a different creed. Behind this insight stands all the ways in which we treat so many as less then human. Genocide, hunger, refugees, violent conflict, child soldiers, poverty . . . the list goes on. In front of this insight stands the basic Christian belief that all are created in the image of God, and therefore of infinite value. The insight of Senator Dallaire, and the insight that the earth and its environment was something we all shared, and held us together.
In that week, around that table I saw a foretaste of what our future calling is as a Christian Church. It is a calling to join with others; To work with others of all faith; for our shared calling to love each others, and to care for God’s creation. For we now face challenges in which the willingness to act with compassion is more important then the iotas of a creed. And to face these challenges it will take nothing less then the miraculous power of faith to bring the impossible into reality.
If you want to read more. My sermon on the World Religious Leaders Summit can be found at Religious Leaders Summit Sermon
The website for the summit is at www.faithchallengeg8.com
PT
What if...? 