Norway has a long history (over 150 years) of church involvement in countries in far corners of the world (Madagascar and Sri Lanka, for example). A host of faith-linked organizations are actively involved today, including some 26 under the umbrella organization
Norwegian Missions in Development, made up of evangelical churches, Catholic charities, and Muslim organizations.
But when scholar Arne Olav Oeyhus from Adgar University combed every government white paper, academic journals, and even the websites and reports of faith-linked organizations, he found barely a word about religion. The topic has been essentially unmentionable. So the conference on November 11 was a notable departure, billed by its organizers as a day to remember. It was largely a Norwegian debate; I was invited to situate the discussions in an international context, together with a Christian leader from Zimbabwe and a Muslim banker from Bosnia.
The conversation began with a startling series of elephant metaphors: elephants in a china shop (fears of religion), white elephants (well intentioned but misguided projects), the not-to-be-mentioned elephant in the room, and the blind men feeling the elephant and missing the reality of the whole. But the elephant of religion, as a large, powerful, and very present reality, was the central theme. Religion is so central to the way people see the world that it is simply foolish not to try to understand its role, in all its complexity and different manifestations. Failure to understand what people believe and what they desire is a leading cause of development failures. Scholar Thomas Hyland Erikson argued that in our "overheated, shrinking, divided world," taking seriously the values and views of others does not mean losing our own values. It means instead that we can make a start at living and working together, and doing a better job in our efforts to help one another.
The speech of Erik Solheim, the development minister, was the big event of the day. The attendees were looking for signals from their government that something really would change. Solheim gave a performance that I have rarely witnessed from a politician. Standing without notes or podium (or teleprompter) in the middle of a bare stage, he spoke for over half an hour, invoking specific examples from at least a dozen countries. He delved into the process that has led Chinese policy makers to conclude that without religion their path lacks a soul and they cannot motivate people to act. In Brazil, the unexpected strength of Marina Silva in the recent presidential election (she got almost 20 percent of the vote in the first round) owed much to her evangelical roots and ties. And Islam is a major force in the politics of modern Turkey.
It was inspiring to hear the lessons that a Norwegian politician invoked about Abraham Lincoln's religious beliefs: Lincoln's motivation to act came in part from his doubts that there is an afterlife, so action in the here and now is the leader's obligation.
So, argued Solheim, there is a huge religious component in development: economic, social, psychological, and historic. It can be positive: look at Mother Teresa and her inspiration. And it can be negative: churches were a key element in defending apartheid.
Among the many dimensions that need more attention is how religion and conflict are linked. Religion is a factor in some wars but religion can also be the glue that prevents wars and helps in building peace.
Solheim said he plans to hold a national debate about how religion affects global challenges, from Sudan to Cameroon, environment to gender and education. Churches and their critics are to be involved, as well as diplomats and academics.
Norway is one of the rare countries that has lived up to the global promise of rich countries to finance development with over 0.7 percent of GNP. The country's engagement in development debates has always (in my experience) been informed and thoughtful and its programs are often at the cutting edge of best practice. So it will be fascinating to follow the promised dialogue about why religion matters. We stand to learn much from its outcome.
