Tibet's civilization, committed to spirituality, peace and non-violence, is dying. The world and the church are awakening to this tragedy.

Major movies communicating this disaster are being released: "Seven Years in Tibet" last month, and "Kundun" (the life of the Dalai Lama) Dec. 25. Major articles are appearing in several national magazines.

The Episcopal Church spoke on Tibet in July through its General Convention resolution. That resolution is very gently and carefully worded to avoid bringing repercussions on the registered Protestant Church in China. It reaches out in concern to the Dalai Lama and Tibetans. It expresses concern for the safety and future of Tibet's people. It encourages dialogue between the Episcopal Church and Buddhists through the Presiding Bishop's Committee on Interfaith Relations and other venues. It reaches out for deeper ties with the Protestant Church in China and dialogue with its leadership to understand better the situation in China and Tibet. It hopes for direct dialogue between the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama to deepen respect and understanding between the two peoples.

Viewed in light of the enormous tragedy occurring in Tibet, its wording is mild. But it is helpful to Tibetans. The resolution helps break the silence of the churches. Hopefully, additional national churches will speak, too.

My own awareness began with a personal journey to the Dalai Lama's Government-in-Exile Center in Dharamsala, in far northern India. The unpretentious and unself-conscious compassion and spirituality I found there was so genuine and profound as to be startling. The children in an orphanage playing joyfully with me and yet gently letting me go when it was time to leave showed they were profoundly loved and caringly disciplined.

Tibetans walking the meditation circuit around the village, saying their prayers with the prayer beads, showed on their faces a profound depth and inner peace that was striking.

In the early morning light, sitting with hundreds of Tibetan Buddhist monks in their maroon robes listening to the Dalai Lama was stirring. The monks' gentle regard for one another and their profound respect and commitment to this very human, unpretentious, jovial, and deeply compassionate Buddhist monk told me something extraordinary was in this place.

Yet there I also began to learn of the tragedy occurring to the civilization inside Tibet that had produced these remarkable people. When people in Tibet publicly object to the damage done to themselves and their culture under Chinese government policy, they frequently are arrested and imprisoned. Torture is common. At times death results. Westerners have witnessed demonstrators shot. Most Tibetan monasteries were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. Although many have been rebuilt, they now are strictly controlled.

Currently, pictures of the Dalai Lama are removed forcibly from monasteries. Pictures of the government's own state-appointed Panchen Lama replace them. This may seem a small matter to Westerners. However, for Tibetans, the Dalai Lama is compassion incarnate, the heart of their faith. How would we feel to have our own government forcibly remove one of our most cherished symbols from all our churches and replace it with one it chooses?

The Chinese government's economic policy and action have caused massive numbers of ethnic Chinese to move to Tibet. They are overwhelming the native population and culture.

I was distressed at this tragedy and wanted our church to know. I contacted my bishop and began networking nationally to inform and ask the church's help. To date, seven diocesan conventions and one provincial synod have passed strong resolutions. Most recently, General Convention passed its own resolution.

Ultimately, this is a spiritual and ethical matter and not only a secular and political one. This dimension cries out to be addressed. Although the secular world is beginning to pay attention, the church's leadership and moral influence are needed desperately.

General Convention's resolution begins the process. But only by our personally and corporately following up on it with our commitment, prayer and action will that process grow into real, embodied love reaching out to preserve this whole perishing civilization.

What, specifically, can we and our church do? I offer these suggestions:

Pray individually and also in our corporate worship on Sunday mornings.

Ask information from the International Campaign for Tibet (202-785-1515), Amnesty International (212-633-4200), and Human Right Watch/Asia (212-972-8400). Time-Life has an excellent video on Tibet, the last of its "Lost Civilizations" series (800-621-7026).

Dialogue at the local level with Buddhists. Talk to members of other denominations. Moving beyond the literal resolution but in keeping with its spirit, our national church also could initiate dialogue directly with the Chinese government.

Ask help from the Anglican Communion. Our national church can bring this tragedy before the Lambeth Conference next year and request its resolution and other actions.

Write and resolve. Write our comments to our church and political leaders. Also, parish, diocesan and provincial resolutions remain important.

Visibility. Most important, keep this issue alive and visible in our church and world. It is possible to help one another see and respond in compassion to save our dying neighbor in Tibet. o

The Rev. Dennett C. Slemp is a non-parochial priest of the Diocese of Southern Virginia. He resides in Richmond, Va.