Faith

Amidst the current global economic crisis, Jim Wallis of Sojourners argues that the wrong question is: “When is it going to end?” The right question remains: “How will this economic crisis change us?”

This weekend, while riding out what look to be an historic DC snowstorm, I’m reading Wallis’s new book, Rediscovering Values: On Wall Street, Main Street, and Your Street.

Rediscovering Values comes out of sessions that Wallis, a long-time ONE supporter, led at last year’s World Economic Forum in Davos. Having just returned from the 2010 World Economic Forum, Wallis recently wrote:

“… even before this crisis, the global economic system was already failing half of God’s children — three billion people living on less than $2 per day. This is the time to bring them in and include them in the global economy.”

In the end, a full economic recovery will be a global economic recovery.

You can read his whole reflection on Davos 2010 here.

Yesterday Pastor Matt Staniz from Temple Lutheran Church in Havertown, PA and I met with several local faith leaders in the Philadelphia area to discuss opportunities for ONE Sabbath in their respective faith traditions. To learn more about ONE Sabbath please click here.

Faith leaders attending the meeting included members of the Haverford Township Clergy Association, a group committed to interfaith dialogue and civic involvement among all faith traditions. We discussed different ways congregations could get involved after viewing portions of this ONE Sabbath video. There was also discussion on ways that the different congregations could come together as ONE and fight poverty together. Pastor Staniz suggested that a weekend be chosen to have simultaneous ONE Sabbath events in multiple congregations followed with a joint effort to engage people in active partnership with ONE’s goals.

Everyone left the meeting energized about the possibilities of working together on a common goal. Leaders of several small to mid-size congregations agreed that they could accomplish more by joining together than by working separately. The group identified that the challenge in congregations is to move beyond concern for the poor and generosity toward justice a response that creates change. All were in agreement that caring for the poor is at the center of every major faith tradition.

More to come when the multiple ONE Sabbath Sunday is announced!

This morning in DC, I gathered with a group of Evangelical church leaders to reflect on how best to take action on global issues facing the faith community, especially in the face of extreme global poverty.

The forum was the first of many US regional “Conversation Gatherings” leading up to the 3rd Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization happening this October in Cape Town, South Africa. The Lausanne Congress was first organized in 1974 by Rev. Billy Graham and Dr. John Stott, in Lausanne, Switzerland. This year’s Congress in Cape Town—held in collaboration with the World Evangelical Alliance—will bring together 4,000 leaders from more than 200 countries to confront the critical issues of our time: other world faiths, poverty, and HIV/AIDS among others—as they relate to the future of the Church and world evangelization.

In our lead-up conversation to Cape Town this morning, ONE partners World Vision and the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) called for greater action to help beat back senseless poverty and disease.

Galen Carey, NAE’s Director of Government Affairs, emphasized the particular need to take action around the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). “2010 is a critical year for the MDGs, and one way to get involved is through Micah Challenge’s 10.10.10 campaign.”

World Vision’s Bob Zachritz noted important success stories, such as PEPFAR and its work against global AIDS. Calling for greater community and partnership, Zachritz noted that “the US government cannot beat AIDS alone. Bill Gates cannot beat AIDS alone. Nor can the Church beat AIDS alone. We have to creatively work together.”

Find out even more about the Lausanne Congress in Cape Town—including ways that you can participate—on their website.

As climate negotiators hammer out an agreement in Copenhagen, what results are the Catholics hoping for?

As Executive Director of the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change (a network of 13 national Catholic organizations, including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops), I believe that a Catholic approach is different from that of other major stakeholders in this debate. Our contribution is not about the merits of cap and trade vs. a carbon tax. It is not simply about how many polar bears are saved. Our contribution shouldn’t question the reality of climate change or overstate its consequences.

An authentically Catholic response to climate change must be about both the care of creation and the protection of those most vulnerable to its impacts.

As the U.S. bishops said in their 2001 statement, Global Climate Change: A Plea for Dialogue, Prudence and the Common Good: “In facing climate change, what we already know requires a response; it cannot be easily dismissed.” And on the ground, we’re hearing from organizations like Catholic Relief Services that the impacts of climate change are real and tangible. This should add great urgency to those meeting in Copenhagen.

So what can you do to help? This spring, the Coalition launched a major new initiative: The Catholic Climate Covenant. It urges Catholics to take the St. Francis Pledge to Care for Creation and the Poor. Check out our video below to learn more—and please share with others!

-Dan Misleh, Executive Director, Catholic Coalition on Climate Change

Last weekend, 600+ high school students from Lutheran churches across five states gathered in Estes Park, Colorado to join ONE in the fight against extreme poverty and disease. High up at the base of the Rockies, the Rocky Mountain Synod Youth learned about the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and what they could do to help achieve them.

I was privileged to give the opening message, where I talked about how living out the MDGS was the modern day equivalent of caring for our global neighbors. Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson also spoke on Saturday, noting that “working for justice and peace meant making your voice heard.” He said that being a part of ONE was a great way for students to work with their friends from other faith communities.

It was a weekend of many exciting firsts, too: youth groups from Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Wyoming and Texas all kicked-off the Lutheran Malaria Initiative. Their aim? To mobilize 8 million Lutherans in the fight against malaria. At the end of the weekend, the students all then went down the mountain, energized to organize their communities at home.

Each of us has a unique role to play in addressing global challenges such as poverty, HIV/AIDS, clean water and maternal health. For over twenty years now I’ve been telling stories, through video and web media, designed to inspire small groups to live out their faith. In particular, I have a deep passion that individuals in small groups discover their role in seeking solutions in the fight against global poverty and pandemic diseases.

That’s why I created a small group and Church video and print resource called START: Becoming a Good Samaritan. That’s also why I’m excited to partner with ONE—to get this resource into your hands…your Church. Starting today, we’re offering “Becoming a Good Samaritan” as a free resource to small groups and Churches looking to raise awareness in their congregations and their communities.

This teaching tool will help your small group or Church become inspired to take action in the fight against global poverty—especially treatable, preventable diseases such as AIDS and malaria. You’ll hear personal stories from Kay Warren of Saddleback Church, Rich Stearns, president of World Vision, as well as Princess Kasune Zulu who shares her hope that we can end the senseless suffering of HIV/AIDS. Sign up and register at ONE Sabbath today to receive this free DVD session and study guide chapter from START: Becoming A Good Samaritan curriculum. Together as ONE… We can make a difference!

-Mike Seaton, C2 Group

Last week ONE joined with hundreds of leaders at the National Association of Evangelicals “Evangelical Leaders Forum” at First Baptist Church of Glenarden in nearby Landover, Maryland mobilizing action in the fight global poverty alongside other national and global challenges. The consensus here is that despite many differences and difficulties, there is hope when we work together in achieving positive change.

ONE was a cosponsor of the event, along with Micah Challenge USA, where we led discussion and discernment in how churches can best raise awareness and act in concern around AIDS, clean water, education and maternal health issues through ONE Sabbath and Micah Sunday. Other ONE partners such as Bread for the World, Save Darfur, and World Relief were also in attendance.

Friday morning we heard from Wesleyan General Superintendent and ONE Sabbath supporter Jo Anne Lyon on the importance of the church’s role in working to end poverty by direct relief and development as well as its role in advocacy to elected leaders. Lyon, in reflecting on Psalm 82 , made a compelling and passionate plea for the church to work towards women empowerment, continued AIDS initiatives like PEPFAR, as well as leadership for care for the environment – because “the world’s poor are hurt first and worst” amidst the climate crisis. Later at lunch, former President George W. Bush’s speechwriter and adviser Michael Gerson gave an eyewitness account of the President’s historic PEPFAR initiative and his on the ground stories of seeing US funds at work to rebuild a community in Ethiopia.

It was a spirited couple of days of conversation and calling – I look forward to the action that will come out of this national gathering in the days to come.

Trinity Presbyterian Church and Dar al Hijrah Islamic Center co-hosted an Interfaith Hunger Banquet this past weekend in Arlington, VA to unite the community in the fight against hunger. The Oxfam Hunger Banquet simulates the number of people living in poverty worldwide. Guests sit according to a randomly assigned income level and eat a corresponding meal with the high group enjoying a nutritious feast and the low group, half of all attendees, eating just a small portion of rice.

Pastor Bernie Nord and ONE Sadaqa endorser Imam Johari Abdul-Malik opened the ceremony with prayers from their distinct traditions. Despite their differences, these two faith communities are working together in the fight against global hunger. They welcomed Congressman Jim Moran to the podium who shared a message of unity reflective of his career-long commitment to human rights issues in the developing world. He invoked a metaphor of the human organism to illustrate how our lives are interconnected. He said:

“We really are part of a human organism, of really one organism, hence the organization that is represented here, ONE…A majority of the humans on this earth really don’t have a whole lot of opportunity to realize their full potential, so we as a human species will never realize our full potential…when we ignore so much of that body of which we are a part.”

At the end of his speech, Rep. Moran pointed to my ONE shirt and reminded the audience, “That’s really what this night is all about. It’s recognizing that we’re all one.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5ReK927cjo&feature=player_embedded

Faith communities in Virginia and across the country are organizing to raise awareness and take action to end the suffering caused by global poverty. Learn more about ONE Sabbath here.

-Lauren Conn

This past week, Australian’s Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, along with Leader of the Opposition Malcolm Turnbull, lifted up the role that citizens, people of faith, and governments have in the fight against global poverty at the launch of the new Poverty and Justice Bible, at the Parliament House in Canberra.

Joined by Tim Costello of World Vision Australia as well as representatives of Micah Challenge, Prime Minister Rudd highlighted Australians collective commitment to increased international development assistance, and the role faith groups have in advocating for more and better aid:

Of course, for those of us engaged in national political life, our work on policy is incomplete unless we are working arm-in-arm with the great organisations of the Church and charitable sector.

All of you in this room know full well that there is a limit to what Government can do. All of you know full well that, when it comes to dealing with poverty, at home and abroad, this is often done best when you have a creative and effective partnership between the resources of Government and the compassion of Church and charitable organisations.

…In Australia, what we have sought to do in recent times is to put our shoulder to the wheel by lifting Australia’s contribution to ODA around the developing world…

Problems abroad however, cannot be ignored. Remember, it was [John] Wesley who said ‘the world is my parish’. And so it is for us as well.

Therefore, by lifting what we seek to do around the world, and by also putting our shoulder to the wheels of other countries in pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals, our objective is to make a real and quantifiable difference.

Video of the speech can be found here.

-Adam Phillips

Last night I was joined by 100 faith leaders from across the country, to launch and begin to plan ONE Sabbath events in churches, mosques, synagogues and temples. Speaking on the call with me were 4 national faith leaders – Princess Kasune Zulu, a noted AIDS activist, Zambia native and Christian activist in Chicago; Rabbi Shawn Zevit, Director of Tikkum Olam for the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation; Imam Mohamed Hag Magid, Vice President of the Islamic Society of North America; Ishani Chowdhury, the Hindu American Foundation Director of Public Policy. They endorsed ONE Sabbath and discussed the role of faith inspired advocacy with ONE.

ONE Sabbath organizes congregations to raise awareness and advocate with ONE through their worship services, small groups, youths groups and women’s organizations.

If you missed the call last night and would like to listen in, check it out here.

And do be sure to learn more sign up to host your own ONE Sabbath event at www.one.org/onesabbath.

-Adam Phillips