September 2022
Interfaith News Roundup
by Paul Chaffee
The Interfaith News Roundup is an aggregator of important religion and spirituality news in the world. It is a monthly feature in The Interfaith Observer since 2011 and today is at home in The Center for Ecumenical and Interreligious Engagement (CEIE) at Seattle University.
Stories from Institutional Religion
Bishop Mary Ann Swenson – Photo: Paul Jeffrey/WCC, United Methodist Insight
United Methodist Bishop Mary Ann Swenson, a vice moderator of the World Council of Churches’ Central Committee, unpacks the Council’s difficulties with the Russian Orthodox Church since Russia invaded Ukraine earlier this year. A quarter of the Central Committee’s 150 members are Orthodox. In a Religion News Service interview, Swenson details the difficulties generated by Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill’s blessing and support of Russia’s aggression. Does this justify cancelling Russian Orthodox membership in the 75-year-old Council? The complexity of the situation makes this a case study in how difficult ecumenical relations can be.
Charles Haynes has been America’s leading supporter of the constitutional separation of church and state, and he sees that separation crumbling. He notes that a conservative U.S. Supreme Court has encouraged this development, and a number of right-wing thought leaders have suggested ending the U.S. Constitution’s guarantee that government will neither establish a religion nor prohibit a religion’s practice.
Pope Francis’ recent trip to Canada asking forgiveness for Catholicism’s abuse of Indigenous peoples has generated a request for more than words. “The Vatican’s Anima Mundi Ethnological Museum, … houses tens of thousands of artifacts and art made by Indigenous peoples from around the world…,” and a number of Indigenous groups are asking that the artifacts be returned.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) got serious about improving its lagging relationships with Indigenous people at last month’s triennial Church Assembly in Columbus, Ohio. This included publishing a Declaration that “contains not only confessions, but also pledges to eliminate racism and white supremacy in the denomination, to develop Native leaders and encourage the return of land.”
More kudos go to the ELCA for their new Guidelines for Ministry in a Multi-Religious World. Bits and pieces of the subject have been addressed before, but this resource (which you can freely download) brings together the various skillsets and ministerial practices that make local interfaith relationships healthy and vital.
An interfaith “national network of state-based environmental faith groups is gearing up for a final push to register their communities to vote and cast ballots with caring for creation front-of-mind during the November elections. Since last spring, Interfaith Power & Light has mobilized its membership with an emphasis on promoting “the environment, climate change and democracy” to its 22,000 participating congregations.
The Pluralism Project at Harvard is an ongoing source of important interfaith information. A particularly valuable resource for anyone interested in world religions today is their Selected Media Sources. You probably read a lot about Catholic and Methodists, Muslims and Jews, and … But what about the Bahai World News Service, The Wild Hunt (from the Pagan community), Jain Spirit or TheHumanist.com? Nearly 50 publications are listed with links.
The Far Reaches of Faith and Practice
For nearly 20 years, under the leadership of Eboo Patel, the Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC) has been laser-focused on offering college and university students an interfaith perspective and leadership training. This past May, IFYC changed its name to Interfaith America with an expanded mission “to inspire, equip, and connect leaders and institutions to unlock the potential of America’s religious diversity.” Religion News Service’s profile of their annual interfaith leadership training underlines how important Patel’s organization has become in an increasingly interfaith world.
Kumari Virgin Goddess of Kathmandu, Nepal – Photo: shankar s., C.c. 2.0
Chanira Bajracharya is a young woman who lives in Nepal, outside of its capital, Katmandu. She has secured an MBA and works for an Australian mortgage brokerage evaluating loan applications. Back in 2001, at the age of five, she was recognized as a “kumari,” a goddess, and was worshiped by Nepalese for ten years. In 2010, following a tradition reaching back to the 14th century, she stepped down and a new goddess was recognized. Today Chanira is helping to provide resources and educational opportunities for kumari to sustain themselves once their ten-year term as a goddess ends.
Elizabeth Johnson Jr. was sentenced to death in 1693 as a self-confessed witch in Andover, Massachusetts. Three hundred and twenty-nine years later she has finally been legally exonerated, the last such person to have her name cleared. Getting it done required a campaign by eighth graders and their civics teacher, Carrie LaPierre. During a time when injustice is so prevalent, it’s inspiring and heartwarming to see children standing up and using their voices and actions to demand justice for someone who cannot advocate for themselves.
The Whanganui River in New Zealand was given the status of personhood in 2017. This development has enhanced and strengthened the Maori population of the country, who approach the river as a sacred part of their lives. (If this seems a stretch, consider that in the United States, corporations share the protections of personhood with human beings.)
What does an interfaith perspective bring to mental health issues and treatment? This difficult question is receiving some well-deserved discussion.
Interfaith Awareness Week is a global network developed by religious leaders in southern California. Last month, they devoted August 7-13 to live streaming 48 workshops over Zoom. Interfaith practitioners from around the world presented their stories and insights. The sessions, which emphasized local grassroots efforts, were free, and many of them can be accessed here.
In Memoriam
Frederick Buechner in his home in 2008 – Photo: Wikipedia
Frederick Buechner, a much loved writer, novelist, poet, autobiographer, essayst, preacher, and theologian, died on August 15 at the age of 96. He was an ordained Presbyterian minister and the author of 39 published books. CNN published a fine profile of Buechner titled “He ‘made room for the terrible and the beautiful.’ How Fred Buechner redefined the art of not preaching.”
At the age of 82, Ron Sider, author, seminary professor and social justice advocate died on July 27. Sider is best known for his book Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: Moving From Affluence to Generosity (1977) and for founding Christians for Social Action.
Header Photo: John Schaidler, Unsplash