Berkley Center

Many introductions to interfaith activities start with a momentous meeting in Chicago in 1893, a “Parliament of the World’s Religions.” It was a historic gathering and is seen as opening the way to both dialogue and understanding among diverse traditions. On the one-hundredth anniversary in 1993, also in Chicago, another ambitious gathering launched what has become an important tradition, a landmark in the interfaith world. A quite modest Chicago-based institution has kept the tradition alive, organizing large gatherings in Cape Town (1999), Barcelona (2004), Melbourne (2009), and Salt Lake City (2015). The Parliament proudly proclaims itself the "oldest, largest, most diverse and inclusive global interfaith event."

A new Parliament is meeting now in Toronto, November 1-7. The theme of the 2018 event is "The Promise of Inclusion, the Power of Love: Pursuing Global Understanding, Reconciliation, and Change." Attendance is large, perhaps 10,000. It is remarkably diverse, with people from some 80 countries and a wide swath of religious traditions. Attendees include Canadian notables, Karen Armstrong, Rabbi David Rosen, Rev. Jim Wallis, Sakena Yacoobi (winner of the 2013 Opus Prize), and many others. The presence of indigenous representatives is striking, as is large and active women’s participation (not always the case in religious gatherings). The event includes a bewildering array of programs: over 500, sometimes with over 40 ongoing at a time, in addition to large all-morning plenaries. A variety of artistic events are an integral part of the Parliament approach. The ethos and character of the event is "progressive," and events are punctuated by calls to action. 

A notable feature of this (as other parliaments) is the daily Sikh-offered langar, a vegetarian meal offered to all at no cost.

Georgetown University and the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs were among the participants. The Berkley Center and the World Faiths Development Dialogue (WFDD), a non-profit based at the center, have a history of involvement, notably at the Melbourne Parliament, where we led a major series of events centered on poverty and development. I was also involved in the Salt Lake City Parliament and both in WFDD’s interfaith report and in various blogs have followed and commented on the Parliament over the years. Among those participating were Professor Leo Lefebure (who also has a long involvement with the Parliament), Professor Ayse Kadayifci-Orellana, Susan Hayward, and several students. The leadership of the United Religions Initiative (URI) was actively involved. The International Partnership for Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD) was actively involved, and I also participated in a panel that presented PaRD’s work and focus on women and religion.

The 2018 Parliament's six central themes (with a focus each day) are:

1. (The Dignity of Women Across the World's Wisdom Traditions.
2. Countering War, Hate & Violence Track: Peace and Love: Not War, Hate & Violence.
3. Climate Action: Care for Our Earth, Responsibility for Our Future.
4. Indigenous Peoples: The Spiritual Evolution of Humanity & Healing Our Mother Earth.
5. The Next Generations: Interfaith Has No Age, Youth Voices for Change.
6. Justice: Advancing Concrete Change Toward a Just, Peaceful, and Sustainable World.

Saturday, November 3 focused on women, starting with an elaborate and extended morning plenary. Audrey Kitagawa was presented as the new Parliament board chair (a first woman in that role). Among others featured prominently were our colleagues Azza Karam and Sakena Yacoobi. The plenary also highlighted an effort to ensure that 1,000 women religious leaders are featured in Wikipedia. The rest of the day featured panels and events centered on women's roles.

I was part of a panel entitled: "Are Our Stained Glass Ceilings Cracking Yet? Women and Leadership in the World of Interfaith." The challenge was described as follows: "Women play vital roles in development and peacebuilding. As governmental, non-governmental and faith based organizations commit to the Sustainable Development Goals, the importance of engaging women is obvious. Yet, despite intellectual and theoretical agreement, glass ceilings are not breaking quickly and completely enough—in particular in religious leadership. Faith activists, leaders and faith inspired organizations have irreplaceable roles to play in achieving the SDGs’ vision. And yet, when world religious bodies and multi-lateral organizations invite religious leadership, they include too few women. This panel convenes women leaders to consider honestly how, together, we can break that stained-glass ceiling."

It was notably diverse, if an all-women panel, with Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, Audrey Kitagawa, Canon Sarah Snyder, Joyce Dubensky, Azza Karam (moderator), and myself. Despite the plethora of competing events, attendance was substantial, with more questions than could be accommodated in the time. The approach involved a recounting of experiences by each panel member (rather in the nature of "war stories") followed by a round of ideas and suggestions for the future. The response was quite enthusiastic, with suggestions that this be a "road show" across the world. A first idea is to do a retake during the Status of Women meetings in March 2019 at the United Nations; I favor the idea of a D.C. event.

The exhibit hall is a prominent feature of Parliament events, illustrating the extraordinary diversity of religious approaches and practices. I was especially struck by a moving presentation of “missing girls,” a forest of tiny baby shoes, each one representing 10,000 girls who are not alive today.