World Council of Churches (WCC) urges Davos Forum to consider longer-term good of all people

The General Secretary of the ecumenical body reminds world leaders meeting in Davos that, given the unprecedented constellation of global crises there is an urgent need for cooperation rather than division.


By Vatican News

The World Council of Churches is one of the many voices around the globe urging the the 54th World Economic Forum taking place in Davos, Switzerland, to commit to the longer-term good of all people.

The annual gathering bringing together leaders from government, business and civil society to discuss and shape global, regional, and industry agenda will conclude on Friday, 19 January after four days of discussions focused on the theme “Rebuilding Trust” as the world faces multiple crises.
Without trust world cannot function

In a statement this week WCC general secretary Rev. Jerry Pillay noted that trust is the essential ingredient without which human societies—and the global community—cannot function. “However, in today’s divided and increasingly conflictual world, it is a commodity in critically short supply,” he said. “While some of those in attendance in Davos are themselves drivers of inequality, injustice, and division, we want to believe that many others are genuinely committed to exercising their considerable influence to promote a greater measure of justice and peace in the world.”

The General Secretary of WCC remarked that rebuilding trust, will be an essential precondition for progress in any of the four areas discussed during the Forum: ‘Achieving Security and Cooperation in a Fractured World’, ‘Creating Growth and Jobs for a New Era,’ ‘Artificial Intelligence as a Driving Force for the Economy and Society,’ and ‘A Long-Term Strategy for Climate, Nature, and Energy.’
Urgent need for multilateral cooperation to address current world crises

“Given the unprecedented constellation of global crises – especially of climate, conflict, and economic inequality – there is an urgent need for cooperation and action, rather than division and unconstructive competition,” he stressed.


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Hence the urgent need for a renewed commitment to multilateral cooperation to address the current epochal crises “The power of this gathering must be leveraged for rebuilding trust and the renewal of commitment to multilateral cooperation in facing these crises, not only in the short-term interests of a privileged few but for the longer-term good of all people and our common home," the WCC General Secretary said.

Pope Francis, on Wednesday, addressed a message to the world leaders in Davos along the same lines, calling on them “to be mindful of the moral responsibility that each of us has in the fight against poverty, the attainment of an integral development for all our brothers and sisters, and the quest for a peaceful coexistence among peoples.”

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The Pope: 'Faiths are bound to guard our common home together'

(Translated version of original article in Italian)

'The climate drama is also a religious drama, it is urgent to act for the environment'


DUBAI, December 03, 2023 12:58 pm

ANSA editorial staff

Pope Francis - All rights reserved

"It is important to come together, beyond our differences, as brothers and sisters in humanity, and above all as believers, to remind ourselves and the world that, as pilgrims waiting in this land, we are obliged to guard our common home."

This was stated by Pope Francis in his greeting on the occasion of the inauguration of the Faith Pavilion at Expo City, in Dubai, as part of COP28, which was read out by the Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin.

"Religions, as consciences of humanity, remind us that we are finite creatures, inhabited by the need for the infinite," the Pontiff said. Yes, we are mortal, we are limited, and guarding life also means opposing the delusion of voracious omnipotence that is ravaging the planet. It arises when man considers himself lord of the world; when, living as if God did not exist, he allows himself to be carried away by the things that pass away."

"Then the human being, instead of having technology at his disposal, allows himself to be dominated by it," he emphasizes, "he 'commodifies' himself and becomes indifferent: incapable of weeping and pitiing (pitying), he remains alone with himself and, rising above morality and prudence, goes so far as to destroy even what allows him to live." "This is why the climate drama is also a religious drama," Francis adds, "because its root lies in the presumption of self-sufficiency of the creature."

The Pavilion of Faith, a platform to promote religious commitment

The Faith Pavilion established at Expo City Dubai by the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development (ICSD), together with the Muslim Council of Elders, the UN Environment Program's Faith for Earth and other partners, is the first Pavilion of its kind in the history of UN COP climate conferences. The Pavilion serves as a global platform to promote religious engagement and interfaith dialogue in the implementation of effective measures to address the climate crisis. The initiative, emphasizing the importance of engaging religious figures and leaders in developing strategies to address global challenges, including the pursuit of environmental justice, gives them the opportunity to launch proposals and present ideas that support the efforts of all nations and peoples of the world to combat climate change. In this regard, at the end of the inauguration ceremony, a "Confluence of Conscience" will also be signed by the Pope (Cardinal Parolin will do so in his place), the President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar.

'It is urgent to act for the environment, faiths must educate to change lives'

"It is urgent to act for the environment, but it is not enough just to use more economic resources: we need to change the way of life and it is therefore necessary to educate to sober and fraternal lifestyles." This is what Pope Francis said in his greeting. "It is an indispensable action for religions, which are also called to educate in contemplation, because creation is not only a system to be preserved, but a gift to be welcomed," the Pontiff added. And a world poor in contemplation will be a world polluted in the soul, which will continue to discard people and produce waste; A world without prayer will say many words but, devoid of compassion and tears, it will live only on a materialism made up of money and weapons."
'Preserving creation, the little ones and the poor ask of us'

"I cordially greet you and I am very sorry that I cannot be with you. I entrust to Cardinal Parolin the words that I would have liked to address to you. I would like to say 'thank you': thank you because you have created, for the first time, a religious pavilion within a COP. And thank you because this testifies to the willingness to work together."

"Today the world needs alliances that are not against anyone, but in favor of all," the Pontiff continued. It is urgent that religions, without falling into the trap of syncretism, set a good example by working together: not for their own interests or those of one party, but for the interests of our world." Among them, "the most important today are peace and climate."
"Let us set an example, as religious representatives, to show that change is possible, to bear witness to respectful and sustainable lifestyles, and let us ask the leaders of nations to preserve our common home," Francis said. "This is what the little ones and the poor ask of us in particular, whose prayers reach the throne of the Most High," he concludes. For their future and the future of all, let us protect

creation and protect our common home; Let us live in peace and promote peace!"

'The task of faiths is also to preserve peace, no inconsistencies'

"We know how interdependent peace and the care of creation are: it is clear to all how wars and conflicts damage the environment and divide nations, hindering a shared commitment on common issues, such as the protection of the planet." This was stated by Pope Francis in his greeting on the occasion of the inauguration of the Faith Pavilion.

"A home, in fact, is livable for everyone only if a climate of peace is established inside," the Pontiff said. So it is with our Earth, whose soil seems to unite with the cry of children and the poor to make a single plea reach heaven: peace!"
"Preserving peace is also the task of religions," Francis warned. Please don't let there be any inconsistencies on this. Do not deny with facts what you say with your lips: do not limit yourself to talking about peace, but take a clear stand against those who, by declaring themselves believers, feed hatred and do not oppose violence." The Pope concludes his greeting with an invitation to "be, together, builders of peace and guardians of creation."

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Vivek Ramaswamy Quotes From The Bible With Ease While Confessing to Being a Devout Hindu

By Mary Anthony
Published on : 22:00 PST, Sep 23, 2023

Cover Image Source: Getty Images| Photo by Scott Olson

Vivek Ramaswamy, an Indian-American businessman and 2024 first-time presidential candidate, recently said that despite being a devout Hindu, he has read the Bible closely. "I’ve actually read the Bible much more closely than many of, probably most of, my Christian friends," Ramaswamy said at a campaign stop Saturday, adding, "I got a religion award back when I was at St. X High School in Cincinnati." According to the reports in NBC News, with his rising popularity, Republican voters are becoming more interested in his religious convictions. "What is your opinion of Jesus Christ?" an Iowan asked Ramaswamy at a campaign stop in Nevada. The billionaire Republican leader explained that in his Hindu faith, Jesus is "a" son of God and not "the" son of God. The potential caucusgoer followed up with another question about "the fact that the only way to heaven is Jesus Christ."

While on a campaign trail over the Labor Day weekend, a voter in New Hampshire inquired about Ramaswamy's religion, which prompted him to give a response regarding the significance of religious freedom in the US: "I’m Hindu, and I’m proud of that. I stand for that without apology. I think I’m going to be able to be more ardent as a defender of religious liberty." As per reports, Ramaswamy was questioned frequently about his relationship with God on August 31, a day filled with campaign trips around Iowa, and by the end of the day, he was naturally incorporating Bible stories into his speeches. "Remember the Book of Exodus," Ramaswamy told a crowd of voters in Boone. "The Israelites escaped the pharaoh; they’re lost in the desert," he continued. He compared the ancient Biblical narrative to how Americans, in his opinion, felt lost these days amidst a political shift.

Image Source: GettyImages| Photo by Scott Eisen

The Republican candidate had stated categorically that his Hindu faith would not be a barrier to his campaign in Iowa. "I’m a person of faith. Evangelical Christians across the state are also people of faith," he told NBC News back in July while highlighting faith during his political campaign. "We found commonality in our need to defend religious liberty, to stand for faith and patriotism, and stand unapologetically for the fact that we are one nation under God." At a town hall in Nashua, a voter had asked him, "How does your belief in your God inform policies that were originally informed by the belief in, fear of, and obedience to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?" Ramaswamy responded wisely, "Our country was founded on Judeo-Christian values; there’s no doubt about it. It is a historical fact."

Image Source: GettyImages| Photo by Win McNamee

He went on to add, "We share the same values, the same Judeo-Christian values in power." He added, "I’m not running to be a pastor-in-chief. I’m running to be our commander-in-chief." He continued. "I think it’s legitimate to gain comfort with somebody who is of a different faith—I am a Hindu—occupying that office. But we share the same values in common. I think that is true. And because it’s true, I think that people will come to understand that for the commander-in-chief, that’s what matters."

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Pope says governments have nothing to fear from the Catholic Church*

 

Euronews (English) title:  

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Euronews em Português:
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Religious Liberty Event Pays Tribute to 130 Years of Advocacy

AUGUST 23, 2023

Religious Liberty Event Pays Tribute to 130 Years of Advocacy

IRLA 9th World Congress encourages participants to reflect and act for the good of all people.

Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review

Attendees of the IRLA’s 9th World Congress follow the proceedings in Silver Spring, Maryland, on August 21. [Photo: Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review]

Nearly 150 religious liberty leaders, scholars, and advocates from around the world met for the 9th World Congress of the International Religious Liberty Association (IRLA) in Silver Spring, Maryland, United States, August 21-23.

The international event invited attendees to discuss “a wholistic understanding of freedom of religion or belief as a pivotal human right,” organizers said.

In his remarks on August 21, Ted N. C. Wilson, president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, welcomed attendees, reminding them of the historical focus of the denomination on the topic.

“Adventist pioneers … saw in religious liberty an incontrovertible value without which our very humanity could be at risk of being diminished and impaired,” thus embracing “the priceless value of religious freedom, and the foundation of freedom itself,” Wilson said.

Wilson shared how Adventist pioneers fought against oppression of others, against slavery, and against early attempts at Sunday laws. “Adventist leaders officially adopted a solidarity with the whole human family through the advocacy of religious liberty,” he reminded attendees.

US Supreme Court Issues Historic Ruling Strengthening Religious Accommodation Protections for Workers

US Supreme Court Issues Historic Ruling Strengthening Religious Accommodation Protections for Workers

GC RELEASE, NEWS

BILL KNOTT, CAPITOL HILL LIAISON FOR THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH


Decision in Groff v. DeJoy will impact workplace religious freedom of many in the U.S.

Published on: 06-29-2023


In a unanimous decision issued on Thursday, June 29, the United States Supreme Court has discarded decades-long precedent by strengthening legal protections for workers whose religious beliefs conflict with their job obligations. The ruling in Groff v. DeJoy is expected to have a significant impact on job opportunities for Americans of various faiths who have frequently faced challenges due to their Sabbath-keeping practices. The Court’s decision will reshape how businesses offer religious accommodation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The case centered on Gerald Groff, a devout Christian whose faith prompts him to keep a 24-hour Sabbath on Sunday. Groff worked for the United States Postal Service (USPS) but faced ongoing difficulties in obtaining religious accommodation from his employer. Though initially accommodated by the USPS, Groff’s repeated appeals for continued freedom to not work on his day of rest and worship were ultimately denied when the USPS signed contracts with Amazon, the massive retail and distribution company, for Sunday deliveries.

Despite Groff’s repeated requests to be exempted from working on Sundays, the USPS denied his requests, citing the precedent from Trans World Airlines, Inc. v. Hardison (1977) that only required employers to suffer minimal hardship. This low threshold, referred to as a “de minumus standard,” was often used to justify denying religious accommodations.

The Court’s opinion, written by Justice Samuel Alito, specifically addressed the de minimus standard and insisted on a much more substantial reading of “undue hardship.” Alito wrote: “We think it is enough to say that an employer must show that the burden of granting an accommodation would result in substantial increased costs in relation to the conduct of its particular business.”

The legal team representing Groff included Adventist attorney Alan Reinach, who serves as director of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty for the Pacific Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. During the appeals process, First Liberty, a prominent religious freedom advocacy group, joined the litigation team and recruited appellate counsel Aaron Streett from the law firm Baker Botts, LLP. The case was argued before the Court on April 18, 2023.

Speaking for the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and its North American Division, Todd McFarland, Deputy General Counsel, who also wrote the amicus brief filed by the church, said, “We are very pleased this morning that the Supreme Court took an important step towards protecting people of faith in the workplace. No one should have to choose between their job and their faith. Today’s decision reaffirms that employers cannot use an employee’s religious belief as an excuse to terminate them.”

A diverse group of faith-based and religious liberty organizations filed amicus briefs with the Supreme Court supporting Groff, including the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, The American Center for Law And Justice, The Sikh Coalition, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the American Hindu Coalition, the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, and the Baptist Joint Commission.

Organizations opposing Groff’s petition to the Court included the AFL-CIO, the American Postal Workers Union, the Freedom from Religion Foundation, and the Center for Inquiry and American Atheists.

“Drawing on the 1977 case, employers only had to suffer a bare minimum amount of hardship to justify denying religious accommodation to an employee,” Reinach said. “This standard neutered the law and led to the termination of employment for literally thousands of Americans of all faiths. Seventh-day Adventists were especially harmed in that hourly wage workers are frequently assigned shift schedules including Sabbath hours.”

The Supreme Court’s ruling in Groff v. DeJoy not only acknowledged the unfair burden placed on workers with religious conflicts but also highlighted the need for a more robust approach to religious accommodation.

The ruling is expected to have far-reaching implications for workers across the country. By raising the standard for employers to justify denying religious accommodation, the Court’s decision provides greater protection for employees with sincerely held religious beliefs. It sends a clear message that employers must make reasonable efforts to accommodate their employees’ religious practices, even if it requires some degree of hardship.

The decision in Groff v. DeJoy is seen as a significant victory for religious freedom advocates who have long argued for stronger legal protections. It marks a shift toward a more equitable approach that recognizes the importance of accommodating the diverse religious practices of American workers. As a result of this ruling, employees who face conflicts between their job requirements and their religious beliefs can expect increased opportunities to obtain reasonable accommodations from their employers.

Attorney Mitch Tyner, retired associate general counsel for the church and also a former Capitol Hill liaison, was both pleased and cautious about the Court’s decision. “First, kudos to Todd McFarland and team who finally got the court to right a wrong from fifty years ago,” Tyner said. “I spent more than 40 years working toward that end, and they were able to get the job done. That said, note that the opinion leaves lots of wiggle room for lower courts to decide what constitutes a substantial cost increase in each case. The Court has changed the recipe to be used to arrive at a correct decision. But remember, the ultimate proof is in the pudding, not in the recipe.” As the ruling sets a new precedent for religious accommodation, it remains to be seen how rapidly employers will adapt their policies and practices. Further litigation to clarify the Supreme Court’s new thresholds is anticipated. It is clear, however, that this decision marks a significant milestone in protecting the rights of workers with religious conflicts.

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Pope appeals for a renewal of our relationship with Creation

A red tailed bumblebee gathers pollen from a flower

 

Pope Francis' message for the 2023 World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation is released focusing on the theme, “Let Justice and Peace Flow”, inspired by the words of the prophet Amos: “Let justice flow on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream.”

By Vatican News staff writer

In his Message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation (released on Thursday 25 May ahead of the 2023 celebration on 1 September) Pope Francis chose the theme “Let Justice and Peace Flow," inspired by the words of the prophet Amos: “Let justice flow on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream.” The Pope begins by noting that, "God wants justice to reign; it is as essential to our life as God’s children made in his likeness as water is essential for our physical survival."

Pope Francis first instituted the September 1st World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation in 2015, serving as a way to encourage the faithful around the world to pray for our common home. The annual day also marks the beginning of an ecumenical outreach bringing Christians to pray and work together in what is called the Season of Creation which lasts till 4 October, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. The origins of the day also go back to Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios who proclaimed September 1 as Creation Day for the Orthodox in 1989, followed by other Christian European Churches in 2001, and by Pope Francis in 2015.

Hearts in harmony

Recalling his apostolic journey to Canada in July 2022, and in particular his visit to the Indigenous People on the shores of Lac Ste. Anne in Alberta, the Pope reflected on how so many of the people down through the ages have found "consolation and strength" from these waters, likening the natural beauty there to the "maternal heartbeat of the earth." And just as the heart of a baby in the womb beats in harmony with the mother, so also "we need to harmonize our own rhythms of life with those of creation, which gives us life."

"During this Season of Creation, let us dwell on those heartbeats: our own and those of our mothers and grandmothers, the heartbeat of creation and the heartbeat of God. Today they do not beat in harmony; they are not harmonized in justice and peace.," he writes.

And decrying the fact that too many of our brothers and sisters are prevented from drinking from that mighty river, the Pope says "Let us heed our call to stand with the victims of environmental and climate injustice, and to put an end to the senseless war against creation."

“Let us heed our call to stand with the victims of environmental and climate injustice, and to put an end to the senseless war against creation”

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Symposium explores how religious communities can be agents of change in securing wellbeing and sustainability

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Symposium explores how religious communities can be agents of change in securing wellbeing and sustainability


More than 600 people attended the Ninth Annual Symposium on the Role of Religion and Faith-based Organizations in International Affairs, held online on 24 January. Exploring the theme “Securing People’s Wellbeing and Planetary Sustainability,” the symposium was organized by the World Council of Churches (WCC) and a coalition of faith-based and UN partners. The event featured UN officials, representatives of international faith-based organizations, and other experts on climate change, disarmament, and other relevant topics.




Rev. Dr. Liberato C. Bautista (third from left), Assistant General Secretary for United Nations and International Affairs, General Board of Church and Society of The United Methodist Church, served as chair of the 2023 Symposium Planning Team. In this photo taken during the concluding session of the symposium, he is accompanied by Ms. Nika Saeedi (fourth from left), global focal point on Religion, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, and Hate Speech for UNDP, Mr. Jonathan Granoff (first from left), Senior Advisor and Representative to the United Nations of the Permanent Secretariat of the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates, and Dr. Ganoune Diop, Director, Public Affairs and Religious Liberty, Seventh-day Adventist Church. Photo:
WCC
25 January 2023


WCC central committee moderator Bishop Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, who spoke at the symposium, noted that religion reaches not only people’s heads but also their hearts. “That is why religious communities are so important in issues like human wellbeing and planetary sustainability that are highly linked to our attitudes and lifestyles and can only be successfully pushed if political change is connected with a change of heart,” he said. “All together we want to secure people’s wellbeing and planetary sustainability as religious communities.”

On a personal note, Bedford-Strohm said this task comes closer to him when he thinks of his 3-year-old grandson. “I love him deeply,” he said. “He will be as old as I am now, in the year 2081. As every grandfather, I want him to have at least as good a life as I have now.”

Bedford-Strohm said he is convinced that churches and religious communities in general are the ideal agents of global civil society. “They are deeply rooted in local congregations and at the same time live in a global horizon by affirming their belief in a God who has created heaven and earth,” he said.

Many UN officials and civil society leaders reflected on why faith actors are critical players.

Ulrika Modéer, UN assistant secretary-general and director of the Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), spoke on how gender inequality intersects with human insecurity.

“The rise of hate speech, radicalization, inequality, and political extremism are undoubtedly among the most pressing threats to human security, pushing back development gains by decades with a significant implication on women and girls,” she said. “Not to forget that at the current rate of progress, it may take close to 300 years to achieve full gender equality.”

Faith actors are a critical player, she said. “Historically, many faith actors have extended vital social services to local communities, especially humanitarian relief, health, and education,” Modéer said. “In fact, in many countries, they are the dominant civil society actors.”



Some moderators and speakers took part of the symposium from a studio hub set especially for the event at the Church Center for the United Nations in New York City. Photo:
WCC

Discussions laid bare a variety of existential threats to human and planetary security, among them the threat of nuclear weapons.

Ambassador Sergio Duarte, a retired Brazilian ambassador and former UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, spoke on disarmament. “It has become commonplace to identify climate change and the existence of nuclear weapons as the two greatest existential threats to human life and civilization upon our planet,” he said. “We know that we cannot completely control the cosmic forces that shape our climate, but by working together we may avert disaster. Disarmament, on the other hand, depends entirely on our ability to muster the necessary political will.”

Speakers and participants also highlighted key learnings that relate to work for human security and the roles different actors can play. The symposium addressed, in concrete ways, the development of unity, solidarity, international cooperation, and global coordinated action necessary to make human security real.

Dr Ganoune Diop, director of public affairs for the World Headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and secretary general of the International Religious Liberty Association, reflected on envisioning and building a better future. “Nearly every area of human experience is connected to the undergirding issue of human security,” noted Diop. "From threats to personal security, to collective predicaments, to regional, national rifts in human solidarity, to needed global security, human security is in fact a lens through which to look at various aspects of human experience.”

WCC Director for International Affairs Peter Prove who attended the event in person remarked that “after 9 years, the Annual Symposium has become a fixture in the agenda of faith-based and UN partners in New York, and a key forum for the expression and development of shared priorities in the international agenda.”

The WCC’s participation in the promotion of all editions of the symposium has been facilitated by the Ecumenical Office to the United Nations, the WCC and ACT Alliance’s focal point for advocacy initiatives at the United Nations headquarters in New York City.

Learn more about the 9th Annual Symposium on the Role of Religion and Faith-Based Organizations in International Affairs

Watch the recording of the event

Ecumenical Office to the United Nations


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