Episcopalians 'Charged to Do What Is Just and Right' in Interfaith Relations
Episcopal News Service. October 18, 2004 [101804-1-A]
In a conference topping off a three-year cooperative effort between Episcopal Relief and Development and the Office of Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations, over one hundred Episcopalians were hosted by the Washington National Cathedral and the College of Preachers September 30 through October 2. Nationally renowned keynote speakers alternated with interfaith teams and ministries in challenging the participants to build on the post-9/11 Interfaith Education Initiative in forming a network of Episcopalians committed to inter-religious dialogue and cooperative actions for justice and peace.
Sonia P. Omulepu, interfaith education coordinator for the Episcopal Church, was the chief planner of the event.
Dr. Wesley Ariarajah, professor of ecumenical theology at Drew University, set the tone in his opening address by providing the theological grounding for interfaith dialogue and sketching in a brief history of its development to the present day. Dr. Diana Eck, of Harvard's Pluralism Project, brought the many resources of her research to the conferees’ attention (see http://www.pluralism.org). Clare Amos, coordinator of the Network for Interfaith Concerns for the Anglican Communion, broadened the perspective to include work being done worldwide through the Anglican Communion. Finally, Shanta Premawardhana, associate general secretary for interfaith relations of the National Council of Churches, closed by summarizing the conference itself as well as placing the perspectives needed for interfaith dialogue in the context of the cultural and political contexts the church finds itself in today.
A challenging moment, highlighting the sensitivities of interfaith work, came toward the end of the conference when Jewish participants expressed their concern at a recent press release outlining the Episcopal Church's processes in considering church investment policies with respect to certain companies doing business in Israel in light of recent actions by the Presbyterian Church in the United States.
"It is unfortunate that the release came during the conference, " said Bishop Christopher Epting, ecumenical and interfaith officer for the Episcopal Church. "However, these were simply parallel developments which happened to occur at the same time. It is probably not possible, any longer, to separate questions of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East from our interfaith relationships, whether with Jews or Muslims."
In addition to the various speakers, the conference included presentations by local teams of Jews, Christians, and Muslims from Abilene, Texas; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and Dearborn, Michigan. This gave conference attendees an opportunity to hear from interfaith dialogue efforts "on the ground" and to receive some practical advice on how to get started. Finally, well-established interfaith organizations such as the United Religions Initiative, the Interfaith Alliance, and the InterFaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington offered presentations and workshops describing interfaith action for peace and justice in the United States and around the world.
Small gifts of gratitude were presented to Sandra Swan, president of Episcopal Relief and Development, for the initial grant, and Canon Michael Wyatt of the National Cathedral and Shelagh Casey Brown of the College of Preachers for their assistance in planning and executing the conference. Wyatt indicated that the National Cathedral's partnership in the conference was but one more example of its ongoing work in the field of ecumenical and interfaith relations.
A "Manual on Interfaith Dialogue," produced by the Interfaith Education Initiative and edited by Sonia Omulepu, was presented to conferees as part of their packets of information. These manuals are available through the Office of Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations at the Episcopal Church Center and further information is always available on the web site, http://www.interfaitheducationinitiative.org
-- Compiled from staff reports.