1) Aboriginal Australian
( An Interfaith Approach to (
Religious Identity -
An overview of the history and geography of
TWENTY WORLD-VIEWS
( by Diana Chaudhuri (
(
Twenty World-Views
1. Aboriginal Australian
2. African Spirituality
3. Agnosticism
4. Atheism
5. Baha’i
6. Buddhist
7. Christian
8. Confucianism
9. Hinduism
10. Islam
11. Humanism
12. Jainism
13. Judaism
14. New Age
15. Rastafarianism
16. Shintuism
17. Sikhism
18. Taoism
19. Traditional
and Indigenous
20. Zoroastrianism
21. Other
Perspectives
| | | | | |
|NAME OF WORLD-VIEW |DATE/PERIOD OF ORIGIN |PLACE/S OF ORIGIN |NUMBER OF BELIEVERS IN THE WORLD |WHERE FOUND IN THE WORLD TODAY |
| | | |TODAY | |
|1) Aboriginal Australian | | | | |
| |Probably 30-40000 years ago – long before recorded time.|The Aboriginals are the original | | |
| | |inhabitants, the indigenous peoples |400,000 people, | |
| |One of the most ancient living faith systems and |of Australia, the Torres Strait and |which is some 2% |Mostly in Australia |
| |cultures. |Tasmania. |of the total population | |
| |The word ‘Aborigine’ is from the Latin word which means|They developed as a network of |of Australia | |
| |‘from the beginning.’ |interrelated but separate, | | |
| |Aboriginal religion is founded on a concept of |independent tribes or nations. | | |
| |‘Dreamtime.’ The Dreamtime ancestors shaped the barren | | | |
| |world and created everything from the same source. The | | | |
| |Dreamtime ancestors sleep in the earth, as its sacred | | | |
| |places, so the Aboriginal Australians have a unique | | | |
| |sense of kinship with the land. | | | |
| | | | | |
|NAME OF WORLD-VIEW |DATE/PERIOD OF ORIGIN |PLACE/S OF ORIGIN |NUMBER OF BELIEVERS IN THE WORLD TODAY |WHERE FOUND IN THE WORLD TODAY |
|2) African spirituality | | | | |
| |‘African Spirituality’ is an umbrella title |There are many ancient African | | |
| |for both the traditional polytheistic |religions, found throughout African | |Africa, |
| |religions of Africa which date from |continent. Most of these fall into the | |South America, (especially Brazil) |
| |pre-history - and the religions rooted in |general category of ‘Shamanism.’ | |the Caribbean, |
| |African culture and tradition practised in |The African Diaspora is concentrated in|Approximately |the USA, |
| |the African Diaspora, which have developed |South America, The Caribbean, USA and |3-4 million |Canada and |
| |over the past 100 years. Since both |UK | |the UK. |
| |Christianity and Islam have historical |African Spirituality tends to be | |There are smaller communities in the |
| |connections with Africa which go back for |practised by people of African descent | |African Diaspora found in many other |
| |hundreds of years, African Spirituality often|but there can be some overlap into | |countries. |
| |reflects these religions and they are often, |different cultures where they closely | | |
| |practised syncrenistically. |coexist – such as in the celebration of| | |
| | |Kwanza. | | |
| | | | | |
|NAME OF WORLD-VIEW |DATE/PERIOD OF ORIGIN |PLACE/S OF ORIGIN |NUMBER OF BELIEVERS IN THE WORLD TODAY |WHERE FOUND IN THE WORLD TODAY |
|3) Agnosticism | | | | |
| |Developed mostly in Western intellectual |Western Europe, (especially the UK and |Agnosticism is a philosophical |Western Europe, USA and Canada. |
| |circles during the past 200 years. Thomas|France) |perspective, | |
| |Huxley invented the term ‘Agnostic’ in |USA and Canada |not a religion. |Small populations of agnostics are |
| |the 1840’s ‘a’ is a negative prefix to | |It is impossible to quantify accurately. |likely to be found in most countries |
| |‘Gnostic’ the Greek word for knowledge, | | |now, especially in intellectual circles.|
| |so it literally means someone who does | |The 1996 and 2001 Canadian censuses | |
| |not know. | |showed that the percentage of atheists, |The Graduate Centre of the City |
| | | |agnostics and humanists etc rose from |University of New York conducted a study|
| | | |12.3% to 16.2% so it is a World-View |of 50,000 adults in 2001. From this they|
| | | |which is increasing in the West, but |estimate that there are 991,000 American|
| | | |there is no way of knowing the actual |adults who identify themselves as |
| | | |numbers worldwide. |Agnostic. That is 0.5% of the total |
| | | | |population. There are more |
| | | | |self-identified Agnostics than Atheists |
| | | | |in the USA. In The 1996 Canadian Census |
| | | | |counted 21,975 Agnostics. |
| | | | | |
|NAME OF WORLD-VIEW |DATE/PERIOD OF ORIGIN |PLACE/S OF ORIGIN |NUMBER OF BELIEVERS IN THE WORLD TODAY |WHERE FOUND IN THE WORLD TODAY |
|4) Atheism | | | | |
| |Atheism involves an active rejection of | |A worldwide survey in 2000 by the Gallup |Most atheists are found in the |
| |belief in the existence of God. But atheists | |polling agency found that 8% do not think|intellectual and anarchistic sections of|
| |usually are reacting against a particular | |there is any spirit, personal God, or |Western society, especially in the USA. |
| |cultural concept of God. | |life force. |Canada and Western Europe. |
| |Epicurus rejected the Gods of Ancient Greece,|Western Europe, especially Russia, |The 1996 and 2001 Canadian censuses |However the spread of global materialism|
| |Fredrich Nietzsche and Karl Marx reacting to |Germany, France and England. |showed that the percentage of atheists, |and idolisation of Western Capitalism |
| |the Christianity of the late 19th and early | |agnostics and humanists etc rose from |means that in other countries atheism is|
| |20th centuries, for example. | |12.3% to 16.2% so it is impossible to |becoming a fashionable attitude among |
| | | |give an accurate estimate. |young intellectuals. |
| |Mikhail Bakunin (1814–76) was a Russian | | | |
| |anarchist and atheist who founded the | | | |
| |philosophy known as Nilhism. However Atheism | | | |
| |as a conscious ‘faith stance’ is quite a | | | |
| |recent concept, probably originating in the | | | |
| |late 20th Century. | | | |
| | | | | |
|NAME OF WORLD-VIEW |DATE/PERIOD OF ORIGIN |PLACE/S OF ORIGIN |NUMBER OF BELIEVERS IN THE WORLD TODAY |WHERE FOUND IN THE WORLD TODAY |
|5) Baha’i | | | | |
| |Siyyis Ali-Muhammad 1819 – 1850 CE, assumed |In 1844 Mirza became a leading advocate of | | |
| |the title of ‘The Bab,’ (which means ‘The |the Babi movement, whose founder – the Bab |Difficult to give a precise figure, |About 2.5 million are in India, |
| |Gate’) On 23rd May 1844 he explained that his|was put to death for ‘dangerous heresy.’ |Baha’i sources estimate |140,000 in the USA, |
| |mission was to herald a new teacher who would|Mirza was imprisoned in Tehran. Here he |5 million members worldwide. |15,000 in Canada, |
| |fulfil all the great religions. |experienced a series of profound | |and smaller communities in about 200 |
| |The Baha’i religion takes this date as its |revelations. Exiled from Iran on his | |other countries. |
| |origin. |release from prison, he lived in Baghdad, | | |
| |On April 21 1863 Mirza Husayn-Ali-i-Nuri, a |(Iraq) Constantinople and Edirne, | |Baha’i is one of the worlds fastest |
| |prominent member of the ‘Babis’ assumed the |(Turkey.) Exiled to Acre in August 1868, he| |growing faiths. |
| |title of Baha’u’llah. (This name means Glory |wrote his most ‘important work – The | |In Iran, where the religion originated, |
| |to God’ in Arabic) |Kitab-i-Aqdas there. | |Baha’is are an important minority but |
| |Baha’u’llah is considered to be the main |In the 1870’s he was given freedom to move | |still liable to persecution. |
| |‘Founder’ of the Baha’i faith. |outside the city and he lived peacefully | | |
| |Mirza Husayn-Ali-i-Nuri (1817 – 1892,) was |with his followers until his death on 29th | | |
| |born in Tehran, Iran. |May 1892. | | |
| | | | | |
|NAME OF WORLD-VIEW |DATE/PERIOD OF ORIGIN |PLACE/S OF ORIGIN |NUMBER OF BELIEVERS IN THE WORLD |WHERE FOUND IN THE WORLD TODAY |
| | | |TODAY | |
|6) Buddhism | | | | |
| |Siddhartha Gautama was born in Lumbini, (160 km |Lumbini, Samath, and many other significant |Estimates vary between |Top ten countries are Thailand (95%) |
| |north of Benares, in what was at that time |places where the Buddha travelled and taught in |230 and 500 |Cambodia (90%) |
| |northern India but is now southern Nepal) - in |India and Nepal |million. |Myanmar (88%) |
| |563 BCE. |________________________ | |Bhutan (75%) Sri Lanka (70%) |
| | | |Most sources |Tibet (65%) |
| |A prince of the Shakya kingdom, he left home to |The Buddha died at Kusinagara aged 80. After his|give a |Laos (60%) |
| |seek for the cause of suffering – and a way of |cremation his ashes were buried in monuments |worldwide total |Vietnam (55%) |
| |overcoming it. After five years he attained |called Stupas. |of |Japan (50%) |
| |enlightenment near the town of Gaya. |(According to most Buddhist chronicles, King |some |Macau (45%) |
| |Now given the title of ‘The Buddha’ – which |Ajatasatu of Magadha and a Brahmin priest named |350 million |and Taiwan (43%) |
| |means The Enlightened One’ - he preached his |Drona took custody of the Buddha's remains. They| |Important minority communities of |
| |first sermon in the Deer Park at Samath near |divided the relics into eight portions and | |Buddhists can be found in almost every |
| |Benares and taught for 40 years. |assigned eight kings the responsibility for | |country including other countries in |
| | |building stupas to enshrine the sacred objects | |Asia, |
| |(continued in next column.) |in eight different locations in what are today | |Western Europe, North and South America,|
| | |northern India and southern Nepal. These sites, | |Australasia |
| | |and others which contain his relics, are centres| |and Africa. |
| | |of pilgrimage for Buddhists today. | | |
| | | | | |
|NAME OF WORLD-VIEW |DATE/PERIOD OF ORIGIN |PLACE/S OF ORIGIN |NUMBER OF BELIEVERS IN THE WORLD TODAY |WHERE FOUND IN THE WORLD TODAY |
|7) Christianity | | | | |
| |Jesus was born during the reign of King |Israel/Palestine in the Middle East |David B Barretts World Christian |Christianity is a worldwide religion. |
| |Herod of Judea. | |Encyclopaedia (1994) gives a figure of |Some countries with high percentages of |
| |Records show that King Herod died in 4BCE |Born in Bethlehem, Jesus went to Egypt |1.9 billion Christians worldwide, and |Christians include: |
| |so Jesus must have been born shortly before|as a young child when his family fled |predicts that this figure would increase |Mexico (99%) |
| |that date. |there as refugees to escape from King |to 2.1 billion by the year 2000. |France (98%) Brazil and Philippines |
| |When Jesus was about 30 years old he began |Herod. They returned to the village of |Christianity is a very diverse religion |(93%) |
| |his Ministry. He was crucified about 3 |Nazareth where his parents had lived |with some 20,000 different denominations.|Italy (90%) |
| |years later. |before going to Bethlehem at the time |The largest are Catholic Church |United Kingdom (88%) |
| |It can be argued that Christianity as a |of his birth. |1,050,000,000 members, Eastern Orthodox |USA 85% |
| |distinct religion began after the death and|Jesus taught all around the region of |Churches 225,000,000 |Germany (83%) |
| |resurrection of Jesus, about 30 CE, |Galilee and in Jerusalem, where he was |Anglican Communion (including the Church |Many other smaller countries have 95 – |
| |although Christians usually take the date |executed by crucifixion. |of England) 73,000,000 and the Ethiopian |almost 100% Christian populations and |
| |of 0CE, the traditional date given for | |Orthodox Church 35,000,000. |even when the percentage population is |
| |Jesus’ birth. | | |low this can represent a huge number of |
| | | | |people, for example in China where |
| | | | |Christians represent only 5.7% of the |
| | | | |population but number over 70 million |
| | | | |people. |
| | | | | |
|NAME OF WORLD-VIEW |DATE/PERIOD OF ORIGIN |PLACE/S OF ORIGIN |NUMBER OF BELIEVERS IN THE WORLD |WHERE FOUND IN THE WORLD TODAY |
| | | |TODAY | |
|8) Confucianism | | | | |
| |K’ung Fu Tzu or Confucius as he is called in the |China |About 6 million, |China, Taiwan and other parts of Asia. |
| |West was born in 551BCE, in the state of Lu | | |There are small communities in many |
| |(today known as Shantung, China. ) He died in |(Confucianism is a ‘code of |mostly in China and other parts of |other countries, mostly within the |
| |479BCE. |conduct’ rather than a religion and|Asia. There are small communities in |populations of the Chinese Diaspora, |
| | |can be lived in syncretism with |many other countries, mostly within |(including some 26,000 in USA) |
| |Confucius was an official in the state, deeply |other religions. Many Confucians |the populations of the Chinese | |
| |concerned with the militarism which dominated |are Buddhist or Christian.) |Diaspora, (including some 26,000 in | |
| |China at that time. His philosophy, based on love,| |USA) | |
| |compassion and right relationship, led him to be | | | |
| |expelled form Li, and he travelled around China | | | |
| |with his disciples, on what he believed to be a | | | |
| |Heaven ordained Mission, teaching, writing, | | | |
| |compiling and editing texts which continue to | | | |
| |offer inspiration and guidance some 2,500 years | | | |
| |later. | | | |
| | | | | |
|NAME OF WORLD-VIEW |DATE/PERIOD OF ORIGIN |PLACE/S OF ORIGIN |NUMBER OF BELIEVERS IN THE WORLD TODAY |WHERE FOUND IN THE WORLD TODAY |
|9) Hinduism | | | | |
| |The word Hinduism has its roots in the name of the |India |Hinduism, |About 80% of India's one billion people |
| |river Indus. The Indus civilisation is one of the |in its ancient, geographical |the faith of more than 860 human beings |consider themselves Hindus; there are |
| |oldest civilisations in the world and Hinduism is |area, which stretches |in India, |perhaps 30 million Hindus elsewhere, |
| |believed to have its origins in the religion practised|from the Indus valley in |and in smaller communities around the |including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri |
| |by this ancient Indus Valley Civilisation combined |Pakistan to Myanmar in the |world, largely within the Indian Diaspora|Lanka and Indonesia. |
| |with the Aryan invaders who were nomadic peoples, and |east, the Himalayan mountains |(see below and in next column.) |Sizeable minority populations all around|
| |all the many and varied tribal and regional ancient |in the north and Sri Lanka in | |the world including. Africa, |
| |cultures and religions of India (the land East of the |the south. |Europe's largest Hindu population is |Australasia, Latin America, the |
| |Indus.) | |1.3-million in the United Kingdom, |Caribbean, a million in the USA and in |
| |Hinduism has grown organically like a garden from the | |followed by |Canada and Europe. |
| |mists of pre-history. Unique in having no one | |Holland, 150,000; Germany, 30,000; Spain |There are major Hindu populations in |
| |‘founder,’ countless sages and saints have added to | |and Portugal, over 10,000; Switzerland, |South Africa (1,100,000) |
| |and shaped the teachings of Hinduism over the | |8,000; Sweden, 8,000; and Norway, 2,000. |Tanzania (60,000), Kenya (60,000), |
| |millennia, like gardeners inheriting and tending a | | |Nigeria (30,000) and Zambia (20,000) |
| |most beautiful family estate. Such Hindu luminaries | | |with significant communities in |
| |can be found in every period of time and those alive | | |Zimbabwe, Somalia and Botswana. |
| |today continue to shape and add to the wealth of | | | |
| |wisdom and truth that is Hinduism. | | | |
| | | | | |
|NAME OF WORLD-VIEW |DATE/PERIOD OF ORIGIN |PLACE/S OF ORIGIN |NUMBER OF BELIEVERS IN THE WORLD TODAY |WHERE FOUND IN THE WORLD TODAY |
|10) Humanism | | | |There are Humanist groups in some |
| |Humanism began in the Renaissance period |Early Renaissance Humanism began in |Humanism comes under a general ‘umbrella’ |60 countries worldwide. The largest|
| |in Western Europe |Western Europe and centred on Italy. |heading of |and best organised groups are found|
| |(1300 – 1500CE) |Humanism grew in importance during the |‘Non-Religious groups’ which in some surveys |in Europe and North America, but |
| |when intellectuals were re-discovering |18th Century European Enlightenment |is given a world percentage of about 14% |there are probably |
| |the Greek and Roman classics in art and |period with the French Voltaire, |(World Christian Encyclopaedia.) In Britain |independent-minded humanists in |
| |literature. Italian Petrarch and |Diderot and Rouseau – and English |the British Humanist Association (which is an|most if not all countries. |
| |Boccacio, English Thomas More and Dutch |Matthew Arnold leading the way. |organisation promoting secular, ethical | |
| |Erazmus were among the best known of |In the early days many Humanists were |Humanism and tends towards an atheistic | |
| |those early humanists. |religious but since |rather than agnostic perspective) has about | |
| | |the mid 20th Century |50 branches. | |
| | |Humanism has become largely associated |I can not yet find any reliable statistic for| |
| | |with non-religious and atheistic |humanists worldwide or in the UK, which is | |
| | |perspectives. |not surprising as it is not a highly | |
| | | |structured or organised World-View. | |
| | | | | |
|NAME OF WORLD-VIEW |DATE/PERIOD OF ORIGIN |PLACE/S OF ORIGIN |NUMBER OF BELIEVERS IN THE WORLD |WHERE FOUND IN THE WORLD TODAY |
| | | |TODAY | |
|11) Islam | | | | |
| |The prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was born in Makkah in | | |Top ten largest Muslim populations – |
| |the year 571 CE. One night in the month of Ramadan| |1.3 billion worldwide. |Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, |
| |in 610 CE Muhammad was praying and meditating in a|Makkah |Sunni Islam – 900,000,000 |Turkey, Iran, Egypt, Nigeria, + China. |
| |cave on mount Hira, near Makkah, when an angel |and |Shi’ite Islam 125,000,000 |Other countries where the population is more|
| |appeared to him and commanded him to read or |Madinah |Ahmadiyya 10,000,000 |than 50% Muslim include: |
| |recite. This was the start of revelations which |in the part of |American Muslim society 2,000,000 |Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Yemen, Oman, |
| |continued for the rest of his life. |Arabia |And some 1,591,000 (which is 2.7% of |Kuwait, Iraq, Syria, Jordan and in the |
| |Commanded to teach the new religion which demanded|now found in |the population) in the UK |Middle East, Albania and Bosnia in Europe, |
| |people turn from their old religious ways and |Saudi Arabia, | |Western Sahara, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, |
| |embrace Islam, Muhammad met with strong |in the Middle East. | |Lybia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and |
| |opposition. In 622CE he left Makkah and went to | | |Mauritania in Africa and Azerbaijan, |
| |live in Yathrib, a town to the north, which was | | |Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and |
| |renamed as Madinah. This journey is called the | | |Turkmenistan, in Asia. There are also large |
| |Hijra and marks the start of the Muslim calendar. | | |minority populations of Muslims in most |
| |After returning to Makkah in 630, Muhammad | | |other countries including UK + USA |
| |returned to Madinah where he died in 632CE at the| | | |
| |age of 63. | | | |
| | | | | |
|NAME OF WORLD-VIEW |DATE/PERIOD OF ORIGIN |PLACE/S OF ORIGIN |NUMBER OF BELIEVERS IN THE WORLD TODAY |WHERE FOUND IN THE WORLD TODAY |
|12) Jainism | | | | |
| |According to Jain philosophy Lord Mahavir was the 24th| | |Mostly in India |
| |and last Tirthankara or Jina of the Jain religion. (A |Bihar |4 million, mostly in India but small |but small communities found in the |
| |Jina is a spiritual conqueror.) Tirthankaras were born|and other places associated with |communities found in the Indian Diaspora,|Indian Diaspora, for example some |
| |as human beings but attained a state of perfection |Lord Mahavira |for example some 25,000 in Britain and |1,500 in Canada. |
| |through God-realisation so they are the ‘gods’ of |and the earlier |1,500 in Canada |In the USA there are Jain Centres in 25 |
| |Jainism. |Jina | |of the 50 States. |
| |Lord Mahavir was born in 599BCE as Vardhamana, a |in | |As with most recent immigrant groups |
| |prince of Bihar, India. At the age of 30 he became a | | |they tend to be in the cities where |
| |Monk. After 12 years of silence, austerity and |India | |there are enough Jain families living |
| |meditation he was able to conquer his desires and | | |locally to form and need a Centre. |
| |emotions and achieved realisation. He spent the next | | |There are about 25,000 Jains in the UK, |
| |30 years of his life travelling around India teaching.| | |mostly in families which came from |
| |At the age of 72 (527BCE) he died. | | |East Africa where there are also |
| |Unlike the Buddha Mahavira did not start a new | | |sizeable communities among the Asian |
| |religion but reformed and continued the teachings and | | |populations there. |
| |traditions of Jainism which was a distinct religion | | | |
| |already in existence. | | | |
| | | | | |
|NAME OF WORLD-VIEW |DATE/PERIOD OF ORIGIN |PLACE/S OF ORIGIN |NUMBER OF BELIEVERS IN THE |WHERE FOUND IN THE WORLD TODAY |
| | | |WORLD TODAY | |
|13) Judaism | | | | |
| |Judaism began when God called Abraham to leave |In the Middle East | |1 USA 5,602,000 |
| |the city of Ur near the Persian Gulf and take | |Some |2 Israel 4,390,000 |
| |his family and flocks to the Holy or Promised |The name Judaism comes from the name of the | |3 Russia 1,450,000 |
| |Land. Abraham lived in about 1800 BCE. |Middle Eastern kingdom of Judea, part of the |14 million |4 France 640,000 |
| |Abraham was followed by his son Isaac and his |land promised to them by God, where the Jews| |5 Canada 350,000 |
| |son Jacob. In Jacob’s time there was a famine |first settled. It is now part of |worldwide |6 United Kingdom 320,000 |
| |and the Jewish people moved to Egypt where they |Israel and Palestine. | |7 Argentina 250,000 |
| |settled but after some time they were treated as|________________________ | |8 Brazil 150,000 |
| |slaves. In about 1300BCE God called Moses to be |continued from first column | |9 Australia 92,000 |
| |a new prophet and lead his people back to the | | |10 South Africa 70,000 |
| |Holy Land. |(which were known in oral tradition only | | |
| |Tradition tells that it was Moses who collected |until that time) and he wrote them down on | |(including non-religious cultural/ethnic Jews)|
| |together the stories found in the first five |the scrolls which are now called the Torah. | | |
| |books of the Hebrew scriptures |The first of these books is Genesis – which | |Source: Ash, Russell. The Top 10 of |
| | |means ‘In the beginning’ and is a poem about | |Everything, DK Publishing, (1997). |
| | |God’s Creation of the world. So Judaism can | | |
| | |claim to have its beginnings in the very dawn| |Top 5 U.S. States With Highest Proportion of |
| | |of creation. | |Jews in the Population, 1995 |
| | | | |Rank State Percent Number |
| | | | |1 New York 9.10% 1,654,000 |
| | | | |2 New Jersey 5.50 436,000 |
| | | | |3 Florida 4.60 641,000 |
| | | | |4 Washington, D.C. 4.50 2,000 |
| | | | |5 Massachusetts 4.40 268,000 |
| | | | | |
|NAME OF WORLD-VIEW |DATE/PERIOD OF ORIGIN |PLACE/S OF ORIGIN |NUMBER OF BELIEVERS IN THE WORLD TODAY |WHERE FOUND IN THE WORLD |
| | | | |TODAY |
|14) New Age | | | | |
| |‘New Age’ is an umbrella term which covers quite|Many New Age members look to the |Because New Age is such a loosely defined | |
| |a range of communities. On the Internet New Age |pre-Christian Druid and ‘Pagan’ forms of |collection of communities there is no way of | |
| |Resource you find four main areas – |religion. |estimating the numbers. | |
| |‘Conversation with God’ and Courses in Miracles,| |NeoPagans are the most organised group within|New Age |
| | |For the sake of simplicity I am defining |the New Age ‘family.’ They attempt to |is largely a Western |
| |Pagan, Magic, Druid and Earth Mysteries |New Age as those who focus on ‘Mother |recreate and revive the best aspects of |development with the main |
| |Astrology, Psychics, UFO’s |Nature’ in their worship and seek for |pre-Christian polytheistic religion blended |communities to be found in |
| |Alternative Healthcare Practises. |knowledge and guidance in the ways of |with modern humanistic, pluralist and |the English speaking world. |
| |‘New Age’ itself is still exploring what it is |Pre-Christian and indigenous societies. |inclusionary ideals. |The largest communities |
| |and what it stands for. Some members identify |This includes those who use crystals and |There is a willingness to ‘perform magical as|appear (from Internet |
| |with the Theosophical Society which began in the|herbal healing methods. Some of these |well as spiritual rituals to help both |entries) to be found in |
| |late 19th Century. That is perhaps the ‘oldest’|people may be monotheistic, believing in a |themselves and others.’ Isaac Bonewits, | |
| |that ‘New Age’ can claim to be. It is largely a |‘Great Spirit’ and some may be |(writing on a) claims |the USA, Canada and the UK. |
| |20th Century development, dating particularly |polytheistic, recognising divinity in all |that there are hundreds of thousands of | |
| |from the 1960’s and ‘Hippie’ experiences, which |aspects of nature. |Neopagans worldwide. With other types of | |
| |rejected traditional religions and sought for a |New Age people are likely to be tolerant of||New Age community the total number of people| |
| |new, more earth-centred, naturalistic |all kinds of differences and see all life |is probably over 1 million | |
| |world-view.– |as a unity, and human beings as just one | | |
| | |part of a beautiful and wondrous Creation, | | |
| |(continued in next column) |everything sacred and part of the whole | | |
| | |transcendental Truth. | | |
| | | | | |
|NAME OF WORLD-VIEW |DATE/PERIOD OF ORIGIN |PLACE/S OF ORIGIN |NUMBER OF BELIEVERS AND WHERE FOUND IN | |
| | | |THE WORLD TODAY | |
|15) Rastafarianism | | | | |
|______________________________________________ |Marcus Garvey used the term ‘Ethiopia’ as a metaphor for the whole |established a rural community. Outside Kingston | | |
| |of Africa. It was the ‘Promised Land’ from which the black |called The Pinnacle. Up to 1,500 people lived |In 1966 Haile Selassie, visited Jamaica, | |
|The Pan-Africanist movement of the late 19th Century was |community in America and the Caribbean had been exiled. |there following a lifestyle modelled on African |a visit of great religious significance. | |
|particularly strong in Jamaica. |In 1930 Ras Tafari Makonen was crowned Emperor of Ethiopia. He took|village life. |Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and other leading| |
|One of the leaders at this time was Robert Love. Many street |the name Haile Selassie and the traditional titles given to the |In the early ’50’s prominent Rastafarians got |Rasta reggae musicians carried the | |
|preachers among the Black communities drew the attention of |Emperor - of ‘King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the|together and established many aspects of the |message of the Rastafari all over the | |
|their listeners to references to Ethiopia in the Old |Tribe of Judah.’ A direct descendent of King David and 225th in an |religion which are central to it still. Dreadlocks|world through their music. Centres were | |
|Testament. Alexander Bedward was one of these. He founded a |unbroken line of Ethiopian kings, from the time of Solomon. |– in the image of the Lion of Judah, the need to |established in London, New | |
|mass movement both in Jamaica and Panama (where many Jamaicans|Afraid of his anti-Western ideas, Marcus Garvey had been imprisoned|live simply and naturally in harmony with nature |York, many places in Africa, throughout | |
|went to find work). |and then exiled form the US. He died in England in 1940. But what |and to reject ‘Babylon’ (the power structure of |the Caribbean, even among the Hopi of | |
|The Jamaican Marcus Mosiah Garvey was born in 1887. He started|he had begun was very much alive. A number of preachers in Jamaica,|the ‘Western’ world which had enslaved their |Arizona, the Maori of New Zealand, | |
|the Universal Negro Improvement Association which soon became |seeing the new Ethiopian king and reading behind his ancestral |ancestors and dragged them from their Motherland, |Aboriginal Australians and in Nepal. | |
|a success all over the black world, especially in the USA. |titles, claimed him as a Christ-figure - the living manifestation |and which still runs the Western world – including|Six out of ten Jamaicans are Rastafarian | |
|Alexander Bedward collapsed his organisation into the UNIA and|of Jah, the all-knowing and all-loving God. These preachers |Jamaica in a way which is greedy, dishonest, |or Rastafarian sympathisers. | |
|worked closely with Marcus Garvey, for black dignity, |included Leonard Howell, a friend of Garveys, Archibald Dunkley, |unjust and oppressive to the common people.) |Heile Selassie died in 1975 but the | |
|emancipation and self-determination. Garvey preached ‘Back to |Joseph Hibbert and Robert Hinds. |Howell died in about 1960. The Pinnacle was closed|movement continues to grow in strength. | |
|Africa’ and taught a version of Christianity which championed |Most people agree that the pivotal date for the start of |but the Rasta message spread throughout the black |There are now more than | |
|a strongly black-perspective. He focussed on psalm 68 , |Rastafarianism was in 1933 when Howell began to distribute pictures|community especially in Kingston Jamaica. Their |1,000,000 Rastafarians worldwide, | |
|‘Princes shall come out of Egypt, and Ethiopia shall stretch |of Haile Selassie and teach his divinity. All the movements for |joyful energy, the rhythms of Africa, which they |Rastafarianism signifies righteousness, | |
|forth his hands to God.’ |Black Pride, self-determination, Return to Africa, Pan-Africanism |use in worship, and their powerful philosophy gave|peace and pride based on prayer and | |
|(continued in next column) |etc. Merged into one powerful religious movement. Howell |rise to a new genre of music – reggae. |contemplation of the scriptures. | |
| | | | | |
|NAME OF WORLD-VIEW |DATE/PERIOD OF ORIGIN |PLACE/S OF ORIGIN |NUMBER OF BELIEVERS IN THE WORLD |WHERE FOUND IN THE WORLD TODAY |
| | | |TODAY | |
|17) Shintuism | | | | |
| |Like Hinduism, the origins of Shintuism |Shintuism is the ancient indigenous religion of | | |
| |are lost in the mists of pre-history. |Japan. | | |
| |Shintuism is grounded in nature worship |It is related to the religions of Manchuria, Korea| |Mostly in Japan and the Japanese |
| |and the worship of ‘Kami’ which are |and Siberia. |3,000,000 |Diaspora |
| |divine spirits manifested in natural | | | |
| |forces , objects and powerful |Contemporary Shintuism reflects historical | | |
| |individuals. The Kami are entities which |interactions with Confucianism and Buddhism. | | |
| |posses a power which an individual does | | | |
| |not have and needs. |Beginning in the 1700’s Shintuists set out to | | |
| |Shintuism was not recognised as a |identify and distinguish their faith and to | | |
| |distinct religion until the rise of other|separate it clearly from Buddhism. This | | |
| |perspectives in China made it necessary |restoration was formalised in 1868 when Shintuism | | |
| |to distinguish it from them. The name in |was linked to Japanese nationalism and the Emperor| | |
| |Japanese is Kami-no-michi ‘The way of the|was given the status of Kami. After World War 2 | | |
| |Gods’ which translated into Chinese as |the Emperor renounced his claim to divinity but | | |
| |‘Shintu.’ |Shintuism continues to be a thriving religion in | | |
| | |Japan and the Japanese Diaspora. | | |
| | | | | |
|NAME OF WORLD-VIEW |DATE/PERIOD OF ORIGIN |PLACE/S OF ORIGIN |NUMBER OF BELIEVERS IN THE WORLD TODAY |WHERE FOUND IN THE WORLD TODAY |
|18) Sikhism | | | | |
| |‘There is no Muslim, there is no Hindu. There|Talwandi is now in Pakistan and has|20,000,000 worldwide |250,000 in USA |
|Sikhism was revealed through ten religious |is only God and the glory of his name.’ |been renamed Nankana Sahib in Guru |18,000,000 India (of which 11,000,000 are|200,000 in Canada |
|teachers called Gurus. |Nanak said that he had been taken into Heaven|Nanak’s honour. |in the Punjab) |50,000 in Malasia |
|The word ‘Sikh’ comes from the Punjabi word |and brought to God’s Throne. God gave him a | |490,000 in Europe (of which 400,000 are |36,000 in East Africa |
|meaning ‘to learn. |chalice and said, ‘This is the Cup of my |where everyone could eat together |in the UK) |12,000 in Australia |
|The word Guru is Sanskrit for ‘from darkness |Name. Drink it.’ From that day Nanak was |as | |_____________________________________ |
|to light’ so a Guru is someone who brings his|given the title ‘Guru.’ |part of the worship. |but when he died and was succeeded by |Guru Har Krishan |
|followers from the darkness of ignorance and |Guru Nanak set out to preach the truth that |Guru Ram Das |Jahangir the situation deteriorated. When|(1656 – 64) Only five years old when he |
|confusion to the light of Truth. |he had been given. |(1534 – 81) (4th Guru) founded the|Jahangir ordered him to remove some hymns|became the Guru, he died aged eight, from |
|The first was Guru Nanak (1469 – 1539) |In about 1520 he settled in Kartpur where he |Holy city of Amritsar and composed |from the Adi Granth he refused and he was|smallpox. |
|Nanak was born into a Hindu family in |established the first Sikh community. Shortly|many beautiful hymns. In 1581 he |put to death.. |Guru Tegh Bahadur |
|Talwandi, Northwest India. As a child he was |before his death he appointed one of his |appointed his son to succeed him. |The 6th – 10th Gurus were – |(1621 – 75) He lived during a period of |
|exceptionally wise and interested in |followers - Lehna – to succeed him, and gave |Guru Arjan (1563 – 1606), (the 5th |Guru Hargobind (1595-1644 Often called |religious persecution. He led the Sikhs to |
|spiritual rather than material riches. |him the name Angad which means ‘part of me.’ |Guru,) completed building Amritsar,|‘The Warrior Guru’ Hargobind chose to |fight for the right to worship, was captured |
|At the age of 30 had a profound experience |He was the second Guru. |including the famous Golden Temple.|wear two swords, after his father’s |and killed. |
|which changed his life completely. While |Guru Angad (1504 – 52) |He collected more of the earlier |martyrdom, one representing the struggle |Guru Gobind Singh (1666- 1775.) - Much of |
|bathing he disappeared, returning after 3 |Collected and wrote down many of Guru Nanak’s|Guru’s hymns and writings into a |for spiritual truth and the other for |his life was spent in leading Sikhs to fight |
|days. At first he couldn’t speak, and when he|hymns and teachings. He was succeeded by Guru|book called the Adi Granth. |justice in the outer world. He encouraged|for their religion. In Anandpur at Baisakhi |
|did he said simply, |Amar Das (3rd Guru) |Until this time the Sikhs had |Sikhs to be ready to fight for their |in 1699, Guru Gobind Singh called for any |
| |(1479 – 1574) made his headquarters at |enjoyed the support of the Muslim |rights and for the rights of all |Sikhs who were prepared to live and die for |
|(continued in next column |Goindwal and established the kitchen or |Emperor Akbar |oppressed people. |their faith. Five men went forward. They were|
| |langar. | |Guru Har Rai (1630 – 61) |the first of the Khalsa or community of |
| | | |He continued the military training of |dedicated Sikhs (with the surname Singh and |
| |(continued in next column.) | |Sikhs and set up free medical care for |Kaur) Guru Gobind revised the Adi Granth and |
| | | |the sick. |gave this book the status of a living Guru. |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
|NAME OF WORLD-VIEW |DATE/PERIOD OF ORIGIN |PLACE/S OF ORIGIN |NUMBER OF BELIEVERS IN THE WORLD TODAY |WHERE FOUND IN THE WORLD TODAY |
|19) Taoism |The original source of Taoism is said to be | | | |
| |the ancient I Ching ‘Book of Changes’ The | | |Mostly in Taiwan |
| |primary figures in Taoism are Lao-Tze (604 – | | |(Several million still in China where |
| |531 BCE.) and Chuang Tzu. Lao-Tze was a | | |there is more religious tolerance at the|
| |contemporary of Confucius and sought a way of| | |present time, with small communities |
| |life which would bring peace and harmony to |China |About 20,000,000 |within the Chinese Diaspora including |
| |society. His book Tao-te-ching is a | | |about |
| |philosophy and psychology and also may record| | |50,000 in USA, |
| |earlier wisdom from Chinese Oral Tradition. | | |7,000 in Latin America and |
| |Taoism evolved into a religious faith in 440| | |1,720 in Canada.) |
| |CE when it was adopted as State religion and | | |Taoism is widely influential in the West|
| |Taoism became one of the three great | | |through its development of acupuncture, |
| |religions of China. With the end of the | | |herbalism, holistic medicine and martial|
| |Ch’ing dynasty in 1911 state support ended. | | |arts.) |
| |After the Communist victory in 1949 and | | | |
| |during the ‘Cultural Revolution’ of 1966-1976| | | |
| |much of the Taoist heritage was destroyed. | | | |
| |Temples were confiscated and several million | | | |
| |monks reduced to fewer than 50,000. | | | |
| | | | | |
|NAME OF WORLD-VIEW |DATE/PERIOD OF ORIGIN |PLACE/S OF ORIGIN |NUMBER OF BELIEVERS IN THE WORLD TODAY |WHERE FOUND IN THE |
| | | | |WORLD TODAY |
|16) Traditional or Indigenous | | | | |
| |I am using the term `Traditional or Indigenous´as an umbrella title for |Research suggests that some form of Shamanism is the|What I term `Traditional or Indigenous´is|On the fringes of the |
| |all those communities around the world which still practise their ancient |natural religion of pre-historic tribal peoples who |sometimes called ‘Shamanism,’ ‘Tribal |industrialised world, |
| |religion, dating back thousands of years. The only exception to this is in |lived close to nature by hunting, fishing and |Religions’ ‘Ethnic Religions’ and |particularly in |
| |the case of the Australian Aboriginal people who have a well-documented |gathering food. |‘Primal-indigenous’ |Siberia and Mongolia, |
| |culture and religion which is quite distinct. |For example, The cave-paintings in Europe, created |(It is listed under the title |in the rain-forests of|
| |The Native American peoples are an excellent example of this category, as |by stone-age peoples some 30,000 years ago include |‘Primal-indigenous’ in the statistics |South America and |
| |well as the Mayan communities in South America, and the Siberian and |‘deer-men’ (half human and half deer) which may be |given by ‘’) which quotes |among some tribes of |
| |Mongolian Shamanists. (A Shaman is the ‘priest’ or spiritual leader of the |an illustration of a Shaman communing with the Deer | |Native American |
| |tribe. He or she is able to interpret the cause of sickness, lack of |Spirit. |figures |peoples. Isolated |
| |hunting success etc. A Shaman can enter into a trance so that his soul can |The parts of the world where genuine Shamanism is |ranging from |tribes in Africa, |
| |travel and see the cause of problems in the tribe and how to cure them. A |still practised are on the fringes of the |100 million to |India and SouthEast |
| |Shaman may allow a spirit to occupy his (or her) body during ceremonies, to|industrialised world, particularly in Siberia and |244 million. |Asia may also still |
| |bring new wisdom or healing to the tribe.) |Mongolia, in the rain-forests of South America and | |follow their own kinds|
| |There is a recent interest in Shamanism, similar to the Neo-Pagan movement |among some tribes of Native American peoples. Many |Clearly these people belong to |of Shamanistic |
| |but this development I would categorise under ‘New Age. In my definition |of the isolated tribes in Africa (the Bushmen and |many very different tribes and |religion today. |
| |genuine Traditional or Indigenous peoples are restricted to the cultures |Forest peoples for example,) and tribes in isolated |communities and include many very | |
| |where the community has practised in this way for many thousands of years. |parts of India and SouthEast Asia may also still |different ‘world views.’ | |
| | |follow their own unique form of Shamanism. | | |
| | | | | |
|NAME OF WORLD-VIEW |DATE/PERIOD OF ORIGIN |PLACE OF |NUMBER IN THE |WHERE FOUND IN THE WORLD TODAY |
| | |ORIGIN |WORLD TODAY | |
|20) Zoroastrianism | | | |Mostly in India, (about 97,000) and |
| |Founded by Zarathushtra who was born somewhere along the Oxus river, in (modern-day | | |Iran, (about 18,00) mainly in Yazd, |
| |Iran) Persia: (His name is Zoroaster in Greek and Zarthosht in India and Persia). | | |Keman and Tehran, |
|Zoroastrians are also known as Parsis |Like Abraham, the great Jewish prophet, he lived on the edge of historical time. |Persia |About 140,000 | |
| |Zoroastrians and scholars can’t be sure of his exact dates but it is likely that he | |World- |There are smaller populations in the |
| |slightly pre-dates Abraham, having lived close to 2000 BCE. (Some sources give 6000BCE |now |wide |wider Asian Diaspora including about |
| |others say that he writes more in the style of 1500 BCE. | | |10,000 in Europe, 7,000 in the USA, |
| |While drawing water at age 30, Zarathushtra had a shining vision. A being calling itself|Iran. | |3,500 in Canada, |
| |Vohu Manah ("Good Purpose") appeared to him and took him into the presence of Ahura | | |1,500 in Australia |
| |Mazda. Zarathushtra then received a revelation that Ahura Mazda was the single, eternal,| | |and 1,000 in Africa. |
| |and moral creator God. | | |Another Website gives the following |
| |Zarathushtra joined a different tribe. | | |statistics - |
| |He taught monotheism in a time when most people followed ancient indigenous polytheism. | | |At most, there are 200,000 Zoroastrians |
| |His own people rejected his teaching, but he and his message won the favour of the | | |worldwide; |
| |prince, Vishtaspa, who was able to defend the growing new religion. As king of Persia | | |15,000 of whom live in North America |
| |Vishtaspa made Zoroastrianism the state religion until Arabs invaded Persia in 650CE and| | |(Melton, 837). Rashna Writer lists their|
| |the land became part of the great Muslim empire which stretched from Spain to India. A | | |numbers at under 150,000 (Writer, 245). |
| |small number of Zoroastrians fled to India and in Iran only some 18,000 have survived | | | |
| |the centuries of persecution. | | | |
| | | | | |
21 Other Perspectives
In selecting the twenty World-Views outlined above I have tried to cover as many perspectives as possible, hoping that everyone will be able to find their ‘spiritual background’ or religious identity, their ‘place’ in the world of religion among the pages. However I know that there are some perspectives that I have not covered. For example,
The Mormons or Church of Jesus Christ and the Latter Day Saints, the Church of Scientology, Seventh Day Adventists and Jehovah’s Witnesses are linked to Christianity but have beliefs and practises which are unlike other Christian denominations.
The Gypsy or Roma peoples in Europe practise their own distinct faith, at times embraced by Christianity or Islam but often relating more closely to its ancient roots within Hinduism.
Some people are sincerely seeking for spiritual truth but they do not follow a particular Path or religion. They are sometimes called Religious Seekers, but I prefer the term ‘Spiritual Aspirants.’
Sri Chinmoy
The Parliament of Worlds Religions has been opened in recent years by a silent meditation, led by Sri Chinmoy. There are some people who through their own spiritual height and realisation embrace in their World-View every religion and none. Their entire lives embody the ideal of Inter Faith understanding. Sri Chinmoy belongs to this category. He calls his ‘religion’ ‘Love of God’ and it includes everyone alive, everyone who has ever lived and everyone who will ever live in this world. I will not try to explain his position but rather select some passages from his books which illustrate his perspective. I am sure that the following extracts from Sri Chinmoy’s writings will strike a chord with members of other religions and traditions. The truths which the different World-Views share in common arise from our common Source and shared humanity.
During an interview at Heiligenkreuz Monastery in Switzerland in 1989, when asked about his religion, Sri Chinmoy answered,
‘Up until the age of eleven, I was raised as a Hindu. Then I went to a spiritual community (The Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicheri, south India) where I prayed and meditated most sincerely and soulfully. After a few years I went beyond the boundaries of any one particular religion and said, “Now I have only my sincere love of God.” Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism, Islam and all the other religions are like houses. Everybody is born in a particular house. But after a time we leave our house and go out into the world and mix with our brothers and sisters. If anybody now asks me what my religion is I will not say Hinduism. I will say that my religion is my constant, conscious and sleepless love of God. Our love of God is the living breath in us, and that is the one universal religion.’
The following extracts from his book ‘Wings of Joy’ may help to illustrate Sri Chinmoy’s philosophy of love, devotion and surrender to God.
‘.....We are all seekers and our goal is the same; to achieve inner peace, light and joy, to become inseparably one with our Source and to lead lives full of satisfaction.’
‘.......We have to make God a living reality in our day-to-day lives. We have to accept the world as it is. If we do not accept something, how are we going to transform it?...’
‘....One can practise spirituality irrespective of which religion one belongs to. Religion may be compared to a house. You may live in one house and I may live in another house. Although we live in different houses, we both want to learn the same subject, which is God-realisation. So we both go to the same school....’
‘.....A true spiritual seeker will have the deepest respect and utmost reverence for all religions. We can treasure all religions and claim them as our very own. Each religion is like a branch of the God-Tree. How can we deny the value of the branches when we accept the tree as our very own. Each religion is right, absolutely right, in its own way. But when we cry for the highest Truth, love of God becomes our only religion.
True spirituality will not demand the renunciation of any religion. If you remain in your religion and practise the spiritual life, you will be able to run very fast toward the goal. Your own religion will give you the constant confidence in what you are doing. Again, you may feel the need to transcend religion. In either case, your goal is to realise God who embodies all religions and, at the same time, is far above them....
‘....I feel it is through prayer, meditation and dedicated service that world peace can take place. Each individual has to try to make others happy, for it is only through happiness that we can have peace. If we can offer happiness to someone lovingly and sincerely, then that person will have only goodwill toward us. So from happiness we get peace and from peace we get happiness. The two are inseparable....
‘....Life is nothing but the expansion of love. We can cultivate divine love by entering into the Source. The Source is God, who is all Love. We must try to love all of humanity with the inner awareness, consciousness and conviction that inside each individual is the living presence of God....
In a lecture at the United Nations, where he offered bi-weekly peace meditations for over 30 years, Sri Chinmoy affirmed,
‘Right now fear, doubt, anxiety, tension and disharmony are reigning supreme. But there shall come a time when this world of ours will be flooded with peace. Who is going to bring about this radical change? It will be you: you and your brothers and sisters... you and your oneness-heart, which is spread throughout the length and breadth of the world.’
‘Try not to change the world. You will fail.
Try to love the world. Lo, the world is changed, Changed forever.
Sri Chinmoy has written thousands of spiritual poems to express his vision and philosophy. I include here just one poem The Absolute´´ which he wrote while still in his teens as it offers a rare insight into what is meant by God-realisation, perhaps the best basis for real spiritual authority. I feel that the poem speaks for itself as justification for my decision to give some space to Sri Chinmoy´s work here – rather than that of so many other great spiritual figures of today.
I would love to include more but time is limited and the scope of a collection like this does not allow for a wider survey. All I can say is that there is a great richness of wisdom and spiritual insight to be found – both within and beyond the traditional religions. The quest for spiritual truth is a life-long adventure. I wish you well in it.
The Absolute
No mind, no form, I only exist:
Now ceased all will and thought.
The final end of Nature´s dance;
I am It whom I have sought.
A realm of Bliss bare, ultimate,
Beyond both knower and known.
A rest immense I enjoy at last;
I face the One alone.
I have crossed the secret ways of life;
I have become the Goal.
The Truth immutable is revealed;
I am the way, the God-Soul.
My spirit aware of all the heights,
I am mute in the core of the Sun.
I barter nothing with time and deeds;
My cosmic play is done.
----------------- Sri Chinmoy
Appendix
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Sri Chinmoy Opens the Parliament of World’s Religions
Barcelona – International world harmony leader Sri Chinmoy opened the week-long Parliament of World’s Religions in Barcelona with silent meditation and a performance of his peace-filled music on the esraj, an ancient Indian stringed instrument. The Parliament is the world’s greatest gathering of religious and spiritual leaders………
The planners of the Council for the Parliament officially asked Sri Chinmoy to lead the opening of this momentous event in silence as a “perfect entry for participants into the Parliament experience,” adding, “We can think of no one better to do it than you.” This was the fourth such Parliament ever held, and Sri Chinmoy’s second time to offer the silent opening. Sri Chinmoy also offered the opening meditation at the 100th anniversary of the original Parliament, held in Chicago in 1993.
The first Parliament took place in the magnetic presence of the immortal Swami Vivekananda in Chicago in 1893. The Parliament of World Religions in Barcelona is one of the largest events that took place during the five-month Universal Forum for Cultures in the beautiful Spanish city.
Attitudes to Other Faiths
We have seen that someone who belongs to a particular World-View may have an Exclusivist or pluralist view of other perspectives on life.
An Exclusivist view is one which regards all other religions, World-Views and often even other denominations of the same faith, with suspicion. An exclusivist believes that their particular belief system is the only true way of approaching Truth.
a Pluralist outlook in contrast is found when someone believes that no one religion or faith perspective holds the monopoly on Truth and God is revealing ‘Himself’ through all the different religions and World-Faiths, in `His´own inimitable Way.
Hinduism is doctrinally a Pluralistic religion, but there are some small-minded Hindus who can be quite intolerant of different sections of Hindu society, never mind different religions. The names India and Hinduism were given by people who lived outside India. It is derived form the name of the river Indus which flows through Pakistan and delineates the Western boundary of the region of India. Hinduism’s own name for itself is Sanatana Dharma, the Eternal Code of Life, and is absolutely all-inclusive.
Buddhism is similarly generous in its view of other religions. An Exclusivist Buddhist might think Buddhism is the best religion and regard themselves as blessed and fortunate to have been born Buddhist, but the philosophy of ‘loving kindness’ extends to all forms of life so most Buddhists are happy to work together with those from other faiths and are strongly Pluralist in perspective.
Sikhism is the only religion I know of in which one of the Founding Fathers (Guru Arjan (1563 - 1606), the 5th Guru,) actually accepted martyrdom as much in defence of the rights of Hindus as of his own religion. Sikhism is full of stories and anecdotes which teach the importance of real respect and appreciation of other religions and the Guru Granth Sahib is the only Holy Book I know of which incorporates the writings and hymns from other religions as well as its own. (In Christianity the Jewish Scriptures are included as the Old Testament of the Bible, but these are seen only in relation to their fulfilment in the Messiah’s birth as Jesus.)
Islam was revealed at a time when the Arab tribes were worshipping many different deities. By teaching the unity of God and the intrinsic ´brotherhood´ (and sisterhood) of all Muslims, irrespective of race or social status, Islam was a real force for unity and peace. There are many passages in the Qurán which are deeply appreciative of the ‘People of the Book.’ (at first Judaism welcomed Islam warmly. It was only when the new teachings contradicted some very basic Jewish beliefs and traditions that any kind of conflict arose. The Jewish opposition to Islam was the natural response of an ancient and well-structured religious tradition defending its identity and principles.)
There are numerous stories about Muhammad which illustrate the depth of his compassion and respect for other religions and it is completely against the teachings of Islam to try to force someone to convert to Islam. Sufi Islam, Ismaili Islam amd many other branches of Islam are absolutely pluralistic, while many Muslims, including leading scholars and Sunni and Shiite Muslims are fully committed to Interfaith work. The small minority of vocal and extreme Exclusivist Muslims are absolutely unrepresentative of true Islam.
Christianity in its early days suffered from persecution, especially by the Romans. But this experience did not prevent it developing its own narrow and intolerant attitude. There is a sad history of persecution by the Christian churches which dates back to the days of the Inquisition and the Religious Crusades. However that picture has been changing fast. Some denominations such as the Quakers have had a strongly Pluralistic attitude from their inception and most major denominations including Roman Catholic, Anglican and Methodist are now committed to Interfaith work. Exclusivist attitudes in some denominations and aggressive missionary work can still cause tension between Christianity and other faiths, so there is still a long way to go.
The Chinese World-views, including Taoism and Confucianism tend to be Pluralistic
It is interesting to see that the more recent revelations, such as Baha’i and New Age movements have an intrinsically Pluralist approach and see any kind of prejudice such as religious intolerance and racism as quite unacceptable. These too are at the forefront of Interfaith co-operation.
Interfaith Philosophy
The Interfaith Movement in the 20th Century by Marcus Braybrooke - (Author, Trustee of he International Interfaith Centre, World Congress of Faiths, Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions, and the Peace Council.)
- some extracts:
Shaping the Present Reality
One hundred years ago, Charles Bonney, who presided at the World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago, ended his closing address like this: "Henceforth the religions of the world will make war, not on each other, but on the giant evils that afflict mankind." Sadly, religions have failed to fulfil that hope. Yet this century, for all its catastrophic wars and acts of genocide, has also seen the growth of a worldwide interfaith movement. Before trying to discern the path ahead, it is worth pausing to see what has been achieved.
The Study of World Religions
The World's Parliament of Religions gave an impetus to the emerging study of world religions. While such study is an academic discipline in its own right, it has greatly increased awareness of the teachings and practices of world religions at every level. This century has seen an enormous increase in knowledge about world religions. Books, films, and videos are widely available. This study has helped to provide accurate information about the religions of the world. Even so, much ignorance and prejudice still exists.
Knowledge may not of itself create sympathy. Opportunities for personal meeting and friendship are important to dispel prejudice and to encourage real understanding. Many interfaith groups attach much importance to providing opportunities for young people to meet. Often they discover that they face similar problems and that in every society many young people are questioning all religions. They may also discover how much people of all faiths can do together to work for a better world.
Organizations for Interfaith Understanding
No continuing organisation emerged from the 1893 World's Parliament of Religions. At first slowly and recently more rapidly, interfaith groups have been established in many places. Some are quite small, meeting in a home. Members get to know each other and learn about each other's beliefs and practices. Sometimes members pray together or share in social or peace work. Other interfaith organisations are national bodies and some are international, seeking to co-ordinate global interfaith concern.
By 1993, the established international interfaith organisations were the International Association for Religious Freedom, the World Congress of Faiths, the Temple of Understanding, and the World Conference on Religion and Peace.
Those who take part in interfaith bodies seek for a bond between religious believers, despite the differences of belief and practice between and within the great religions. The interfaith organisations all reject syncretism, which implies an artificial mixing of religions, and indifferentism, which suggests that it does not matter what you believe.
None of these organisations are trying to create one new world religion.
The interfaith organisations accept that most of their members will be loyal and committed members of a particular faith community. Respect for the integrity of other peoples' faith commitment and religious practices is essential.
A few members of interfaith organisations may have no specific allegiance and describe themselves as seekers.
While aware of the distinctiveness of the world religions, members of interfaith organisations hope that some basis of unity exists or may be discovered, although the nature of the relationship of religions to each other is still much debated.
For some people the unity rests upon our common humanity; for others there is an essential agreement between religions on moral values. For others there is a mystical unity, by which they mean that religious experience is ultimately the same and that differences are a matter of culture and language; others hope that through dialogue religions will come closer together and grow in their understanding of the Truth. Others stress the need of religious people to work together for peace and justice and the relief of human suffering; for some, it is enough that there should be tolerance and respect, without bothering about questions of truth.
All these shades of opinion and many more are reflected within interfaith organisations, which have generally avoided trying to define the relationship of religions. For them, the search for understanding and co-operation is urgent in itself.
In their early years the international interfaith organisations tended to stress what united religious believers. Now, with greater trust and knowledge, equal emphasis is given to appreciating the distinctive contribution each faith-and the various traditions within each faith-make to human awareness of the Divine. Increasingly, those who occupy leadership roles in the various religious communities have begun to take an active part in interfaith organisations, whereas at first the initiative lay with inspired individuals. It has taken a long time to erode the traditional suspicion and competition between religions-and it still persists, especially in the problems created by aggressive missionary work. The main brake on the growth of interfaith understanding has been the conservatism of religious communities. Happily, now, those at the leadership level in many religious traditions recognise the vital importance of inter-religious co-operation.
Peace through Religion
Attempts to bring together people of different religions to promote peace date back to the early part of this century. Even so, the first Assembly of the World Conference on Religion and Peace did not meet until 1970....
It is difficult to evaluate the power of prayer, but certainly remarkable changes have recently taken place in the world scene, especially since the first World Day of Prayer for Peace at Assisi in 1986. Each year some people of all religions join in The Week of Prayer for World Peace. Special days of prayer are held to mark human rights anniversaries and for particular areas of conflict. Many people regularly repeat the Universal Prayer for Peace:
"Lead me from death to life, from falsehood to truth.
Lead me from despair to hope, from fear to trust;
Lead me from hate to love, from war to peace.
Let peace fill our heart, our world, our universe."
Religious Institutions Engage in Dialogue
Often those who have pioneered the search for good relations between religions have faced misunderstanding and even hostility in their own faith community. They have been accused of compromising or watering-down the distinctive beliefs of their own religion. In fact, however, most pioneers witness that learning about other religions has helped them appreciate their own more deeply.
Slowly the value of interfaith dialogue has become more widely recognised.
In the Christian world, in 1966, The Second Vatican Council's decree
Nostra Aetate transformed the Catholic Church's attitude to people of other religions. A Secretariat for non-Christians was established, which is now called The Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue. At much the same time, The World Council of Churches established a Unit for Dialogue with People of Living Faiths (now the Office on Inter-Religious Relations.)
....Some other religions now have agencies to encourage dialogue; these include the International Jewish Committee on Inter-Religious Consultations and the World Muslim League's office for inter-religious affairs.
Clearly, official dialogue has a character of its own. Participants have some representative role. Much of the work is to remove misunderstanding and build up good relations, as well as encouraging practical co-operation on moral issues and social concerns. More speculative discussion about questions of "truth" may be inappropriate...
Some Leading Interfaith Organisations
Network of International Interfaith Organisations
In March 2001, IIC convened a meeting in Oxford for representatives from 14 international interfaith organisations to discuss enhanced communication and co-operation.
Delegates came from
¨
1. The Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions,
2. International Association for Religious Freedom,
3. International Interfaith Centre,
4. Interfaith Youth Core,
5. Millennium World Peace Summit for religious and Spiritual Leaders,
6. Minorities of Europe,
7. Peace Council,
8. Temple of Understanding,
9. United Nations Spiritual Forum for World Peace Initiative,
10. United Religions Initiative,
11. World Conference on Religion and Peace,
12. World Congress of Faiths,
13. World Faiths Development Dialogue, and
14. World Fellowship of Inter-religious Councils.
Invited facilitators and resource persons came from the
15. World Interfaith Congress,
16. Soul for Europe,
17. Interfaith Network of the UK, and the
18. Alliance for a Responsible, Plural and United World.
There was also agreement to produce a combined information leaflet , to keep each other informed about planned programmes etc through a common calendar, and to keep in touch through an ongoing e-group.
In August 2002, representatives met in Budapest and in September 2003, we met again in Oxford.
The network organisations will meet next informally in Barcelona at the Parliament of World Religions and again for a full network meeting in Oxford in early 2005
International Interfaith Centre,
2 Market Street, Oxford, OX1 3EF, UK Tel: 44(0)1865 202745; Fax 44(0)1865 202746
International Interfaith Centre - History
The International Interfaith Centre was inaugurated in Oxford, UK on 6 December1993, inspired by the 1993 Year of Interreligious Understanding and Cooperation. As a result of the increasing amount and variety of interfaith activity around the world, it was perceived that a need could be met by an international, interfaith centre which was informed about all these different efforts and able to encourage continuing interfaith understanding and cooperation.
A Trust was established by the two oldest international interfaith organizations, the International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF) and the World Congress of Faiths , together with Westminster College, Oxford, which had a highly regarded Department of Theology and the Study of Religions.
IIC's Vision
IIC facilitates networking, encounter, education and research between religious and spiritual individuals, organisations, and communities throughout the world.
IIC promotes international interfaith activity to:
19. -Create understanding and harmony between people of diverse faith traditions
20. -Identify positive models to support cooperation, peacebuilding and human rights
21. -Address global critical issues
22. -Contribute to conflict transformation
IIC initiates projects, conferences, seminars, publications and consultancies to further these aims and encourage the peaceful and harmonious engagement of religious and secular people in our world.
INTERFAITH VOICES FOR PEACE & JUSTICE is a communications network for faith-based activist groups.
Our network provides a variety of ways that representatives from these groups can interact with one another in the search for a common peace and justice agenda. We believe that the fundamental principles of most religions have much in common, and that these principles can provide a foundation for enlightened social action.
The Interfaith Alliance Foundation.
We are The Interfaith Alliance and The Interfaith Alliance Foundation. Founded in 1994 by an interfaith group of religious leaders, we work to promote interfaith cooperation around shared religious values to strengthen the public’s commitment to the American values of civic participation, freedom of religion, diversity, and civility in public discourse and to encourage the active involvement of people of faith in the nation’s political life. We are local religious leaders and activists, some with years of political experience, some just starting out. We work in our communities, in state capitals, in Washington, DC and wherever else our voice is needed.
Our 150,000 members across the nation represent diverse religious and spiritual traditions - Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs - 70 faith traditions in all, as well as many Agnostics and Atheists. In Washington, DC, our national office works on Capitol Hill and with the White House, in coalition with denominational bodies and other activist organisations to make sure our unique message is communicated when and where it matters most. Our 47 local Alliances are active in their communities on local issues, carrying The Interfaith Alliance message to decision-makers, the media, and the public at large.
Minorities of Europe
Background
In 1995 the Council of Europe convened a conference in Slovakia entitled ‘All Different, All Equal’. They brought together at this conference youth leaders from across Europe who were working with young people from the ethnic minority communities. Delegates recognised the need for an organisation which would promote minority youth issues, promoting mutual understanding, speaking for and serving the needs of the young people from minority groups across Europe.
At first those interested in this worked from home. They discussed what kind of organisation they would like to establish and what kind of role it would have but they got together again in 1997, this time in Izmat in Turkey. Here they chose the name for their organisation - ‘Minorities of Europe’ - and worked out the constitution. Since that time they have been exploring a variety of ways in which they can contribute to the education and empowerment of young people from minority groups.
As the new millennium approached, ‘Minorities of Europe’ considered how they could best celebrate the event. They decided to hold a conference for some 350 young people from across Europe. This was entitled “Values have no boundaries - action for the Millennium.” This conference was held in Coventry and it brought together delegates aged between 16 and 25, not just from different ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds but also from other minority backgrounds such as gay, lesbian and disabled young people. There were workshops on many different issues and it was a great success.
In August 2001 the United Nations convened the Third World Conference on Racism. This was held in South Africa and ‘Minorities of Europe’ recognised its importance and relevance to the lives and experiences of the young people that they represent. They took 15 young people from Birmingham, Leicester and Coventry to South Africa for this conference and on their return these young delegates created an exhibition - “Respect, Not Tolerance” which has toured the UK, Europe and the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
In Britain other events were occurring at this time which were focussing attention on the need for improved community relations and mutual understanding. The riots in Oldham, Bradford and Burnley showed only too starkly what can happen when minority groups become polarised. ‘Minorities in Europe’ recognised the problem and took action. After the report on the riots came out in 2001 they organised a conference for 150 young people, aged between 16 and 25, who came from the cities which had been affected by the disturbances. This was entitled “Beyond Labels” and held in Leicester. It was attended by some of the politicians and ministers responsible for taking action to try to solve the problems which had led to the violence. Ted Cantle, author of the report on the riots was also there. The young people were able to talk frankly about their experiences and explore ways of getting away from stereotypical views which cause the barriers and ferment that kind of inter-community conflict.
Out of this experience ‘Minorities Of Europe’ has devised a programme called ‘Swapping Cultures’ which is flexible enough to be organised for any kind of group and setting. It takes young people through four stages of action, beginning with simple ice-breaking paired activities, teaching listening, communicating and reflective skills and finally requiring the participants to work together as a group to celebrate their diversity. It is a powerful and effective tool for developing self-confidence and mutual respect.
Since that time ‘Minorities of Europe’ has continued with this Programme and others which similarly confront prejudices and encourage an appreciation and celebration of diversity.
In 2004 ‘The Council for the Parliament of the World’s Religions’ (CPWR) will be holding a conference in Barcelona. These conferences of world religions are held once every four to five years and are widely recognised as the ‘Olympics’ of the global Interfaith movement. The coming conference has attracted a lot of interest and is being enthusiastically supported by ‘The Universal Forum of Cultures’ and ‘The UNESCO Centre of Catalonia.’ The Minorities of Europe’ has also recognised its importance and significance for the young people that they represent.
Introduction to this Project:
The ‘Minorities in Europe’ has set up a project entitled ‘Sharing the Sacred - Serving the World’. This aspires to build on the existing level and quality of interfaith dialogue and action in the United Kingdom, using the CPWR Conference as a resource. With its own unique focus on young people from diverse backgrounds ‘Minorities of Europe’ aims to enhance awareness of the positive roles that different faiths play, when they work together to address real world issues such as war, poverty, health and education. They aim to achieve this goal by offering young people from diverse cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds the chance to creatively participate in the CPWR Conference ‘Pathways to Peace: The Wisdom of Listening, The Power of Commitment’,
The UK is host to the most religiously diverse population in the European Union. There are teachings within all the world faiths that promote equality and respect for others. Theoretically this should translate into excellent community relations, but through fear of difference, ignorance and lack of understanding, religion is too often instead, associated with hostility, giving rise to stereotypes based on racist attitudes and xenophobia. This causes discrimination and unfair treatment on the basis of race, culture and religion. In consequence a significant number of people in Britain are excluded from important areas of society and live restricted and fearful lives.’
The importance of making young people aware of - and including them in - interfaith activities should not be underestimated. In light of recent events, at both global and local levels, it is becoming of ever increasing importance that young people recognise that relations between different faiths can be positive - and not merely a factor contributing to intercultural conflict. A co-operative relationship between faiths can in fact facilitate peace, a fundamental theme of the 2004 Parliament.
The Parliament of World’s Religions
The World's Parliament of Religions, Chicago, 1893
The World's Parliament of Religions was held as part of the World Fair or Columbian Exposition which marked the four hundredth anniversary of Columbus' "discovery" of America. The word "Parliament" was chosen to emphasize that participants of all religions were equal, but, in fact, the body had no executive or legislative authority. It reflected the optimism and self-confidence characteristic of the USA towards the end of the nineteenth century.
Most of the participants were Christian from a wide spectrum of denominations. Their presuppositions permeated the gathering. Yet the contribution made by those of other faiths, although their number was small, was very significant.
The World's Parliament of Religions gave much attention to the contribution of religion to peace and social issues. Women were encouraged to play quite a part at the Parliament-more so than at most subsequent interfaith gatherings.
The mission of the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions is to cultivate harmony between the world's’ religious and spiritual communities and foster their engagement with their world and its other guiding institutions in order to achieve a peaceful just, and sustainable world.
23. The World Parliament of Religions is an interfaith conference that was first held in Chicago in 1893 . This was the first major interfaith conference in recorded history, bringing together eastern and western spiritual leaders to learn about and with each other.
24. The World’s Parliament of Religions of 1893 was organised by the Unitarians and Universalists of the Free Religious Association.
25. The second Parliament of the World's Religions was held in Chicago August 28 - Sept. 5, 1993.
26. At the latter meeting it was decided to hold a Parliament every five years, and in 1998 one was convened in Cape Town , South Africa . In 1999 the Parliament of the World's Religions was held in South Africa December 1st - December 8th.
27. The 2004 Parliament of World’s Religions in Barcelona is entitled Pathways to Peace: The Wisdom of Listening, The Power of Commitment.
28. Bishop McLeod Baker Ochola 11 and the Acholi Teligious Leaders Peace Initiative (ARLPI) a multi-faith peace group in Northern Ugsnda, win the |Paul Carus Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Interreligious Movement
29. John Henry Barrows Preface to Chicago POWR in 1893 (full text is excellent)
30. International interreligious gatherings are rare opportunities for people of faith and spirit to find inspiration and renewal and to forge new pathways to peace.
31. EarthSpirit, one of the 125 co-sponsoring groups, participated in 1999, adding nature spirituality to the paths taking part in the conversation:
32. This year, in July of 2004 another Parliament is being held in Barcelona, Spain. Again, EarthSpirit is a sponsor and will participate through networking and offering presentations both by individuals and by MotherTongue.
Sri Ramakrishna’s Models
Sri Ramakrishna lived in Bengal, India, in the mid 1800’s. He was a saint, (Hindus claim him as an Avatar or direct incarnation of God, like Sri Krishna, the Buddha and Christ.) His experiences and Message are particularly relevant to the Interfaith movement since he approached God first as a Hindu devotee of Ma Kali, then as a Sufi Muslim and finally as a Christian. In this way he experienced first hand and experientially that all the religions offer true paths to the Absolute. He was perhaps the first and best true Interfaith luminary.
Sri Ramakrishna used images to help explain the oneness of religion. Two of these models or images follow here:
The Beautiful Lake
Sri Ramakrishna compared God to the water in a lake. Travellers could approach the lake from various directions. One might traverse first a desert and then a range of mountains to reach the lake. On returning home after many months, he would describe the nature and beauty of the lakeside scenery he had discovered. He would share with his tribe the precious life-giving water he had brought home. He would give his people directions to follow so that they in turn could go to the lake to feast on the beauty, swim in the pure water and drink its water to their hearts content, for themselves.
In a similar way travellers would approach the lake from other directions and cross very different terrain to reach it. On their return they would describe the lakeside scenery that they discovered and give directions for their people to follow which bore no resemblance to those given by other tribes. But the water that they brought back for their people would be the same substance as that brought home by other travellers. Anyone who followed the directions given for their tribe would be able to find their way safely and successfully to the lakeside, where they would be able to see, experience and enjoy the beauty and life-transforming refreshment of the water for themselves.
The important thing that this model teaches is that not only is the God (which all religions seek to know and serve through their devoted worship) one and the same for all of them - but differences in religions are absolutely necessary. Also we can never know God through the study either of our own traditions or other religious traditions. To know God personally we have to choose just one Path and follow it faithfully to the end.
The Ocean and The Iceberg
Another of Sri Ramakrishna’s models uses the image of an ocean. He says that God is beyond our conception, beyond gender and space and time. But through God’s Grace, Omnipotence and Omnipresence God can be known. If you think of an ocean it represents the qualities of vastness which are like God’s Infinite and Impersonal, Formless nature. But just as the water of the ocean can take a physical, finite form when frozen into an iceberg, God-the-Absolute-Unknowable-Infinite can take the form of God-the-visible-knowable-approachable for those who worship. The form God takes is the form we love most. So a Christian will encounter God as the Person of the risen Christ, a Muslim will encounter God through the sacred Word of the Holy Qur’an and a Hindu will encounter God in the form of the deity they most adore.
God is beyond our direct knowledge. We have to use some idea, language or image to approach the Reality we call God. The symbolism and subtle reality of the Hindu deities is no more ‘idolatrous’ than the 99 names for God found in Islam or the Christian descriptions of God as Omnipotent, Infinite, Omnipresent etc. The phrases in the Bible which describe Jesus as Light of the World, The Good Shepherd, Son of Man and Prince of Peace, for example are also similar images which enable us to approach divinity through our small, very limited and partial human perception. Both words and images are not the Goal, but they are essential at our stage of development. With them we are able to go beyond our limited vision and encounter the Reality of God for ourselves.
What is special about this model is the way it recognises the power of devotion and the wondrous love and compassion that God has for all those who worship and cry to know God Personally.
Swami Vivekananda
Sri Ramakrishna’s dearest disciple was a young man named Swami Vivekananda. It was he who first brought India’s religious treasures to the West. Sri Ramakrishna died in 1886. Swami Vivekananda became a wandering Monk and travelled the length and breadth of India spreading his Master’s message and campaigning for a true Vedantic society in which caste and social injustice had no place. He came as a delegate to the first Parliament of World’s Religions, to Chicago in 1893, where he made a powerful contribution in what is recognised as the first major Interfaith event in the world. Because of his significance I am concluding with two of the addresses he gave at that event. Swami Vivekananda gave the following historic addresses at the Parliament of Religions in Chicago, 1893:
Response to Welcome
At The World's Parliament of Religions Chicago, 11th September 1893
Sisters and Brothers of America,
It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. l thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world; I thank you in the name of the mother of religions; and I thank you in the name of the millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects.
My thanks, also, to some of the speakers on this platform who, referring to the delegates from the Orient, have told you that these men from far-off nations may well claim the honour of bearing to different lands the idea of toleration. I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true. I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth. I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to the southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny. I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation. I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human beings:
"As the different streams having their sources in different
places all mingle their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the
different paths which men take through different tendencies,
various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee."
The present convention, which is one of the most august assemblies ever held, is in itself a vindication, a declaration to the world, of the wonderful doctrine preached in the Gita:
"Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him;
all men are struggling through paths which in the end lead to Me."
Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization, and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now. But their time has come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honor of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.
Address At the Final Session
At The World's Parliament of Religions Chicago, 27th September 1893
The World's Parliament of Religions has become an accomplished fact, and the merciful Father has helped those who laboured to bring it into existence, and crowned with success their most unselfish labour.
My thanks to those noble souls whose large hearts and love of truth first dreamed this wonderful dream and then realized it. My thanks to the shower of liberal sentiments that has overflowed this platform. My thanks to this enlightened audience for their uniform kindness to me and for their appreciation of every thought that tends to smooth the friction of religions. A few jarring notes were heard ham time to time in this harmony. My special thanks to them, for they have, by their striking contrast, made the general harmony the sweeter.
Much has been said of the common ground of religious unity. I am not going just now to venture my own theory. But if anyone here hopes that this unity will come by the triumph of any one of the religions and the destruction of the others, to him I say, "Brother, yours is an impossible hope." Do I wish that the Christian would become Hindu? God forbid. Do I wish that the Hindu or Buddhist would become Christian? God forbid.
The seed is put in the ground, and earth and air and water are placed around it. Does the seed become the earth, or the air, or the water? No. It becomes a plant, it develops after the law of its own growth, assimilates the air, the earth, and the water, converts them into plant substance, and grows into a plant.
Similar is the case with religion. The Christian is not to become a Hindu or a Buddhist, nor a Hindu or a Buddhist to become a Christian. But each must assimilate the spirit of the others and yet preserve his individuality and grow according to his own law of growth.
If the Parliament of Religions has shown anything to the world it is this: It has proved to the world that holiness, purity, and charity are not the exclusive possessions of any church in the world, and that every system has produced men and women of the most extended character. In the face of this evidence, if anybody dreams of the exclusive survival of his own religion and the destruction of others, I pity him from the bottom of my heart, and point out to him that upon the banner of every religion will soon be written, in spite of resistance: "Help and not fight", "Assimilation and not Destruction", "Harmony and peace and not Dissension".
************************************************************
Finally a few newspaper reports and other comments which followed that first Parliament of Religions:
The Swami's epoch-making representation of Hinduism at the Parliament of Religions was to raise India not only in the estimation of the West but in her estimation as well, and was eventually to bring about a profound change in her national life.
"The Parliament of Religions at Chicago is, we believe, the beginning of the movement that will come into greater prominence by and by for unification of all nations into a common religious bond. That was the impression, at least, of all those whom attended the Parliament of Religions, and listened intelligently to presentation of the different religious creeds. ..."
"Vivekananda's address before the Parliament was broad as the heavens above us; embracing the best in all religions, as the ultimate universal religion -charity to all mankind, good works for the love of God, not for fear of punishment or hope of reward. ..."
“What Swami Vivekananda spoke came from the inmost depth of his illumined soul, from his conviction and deep spiritual insight. This explains why his common words-'Sisters and Brothers of America'-- created an unprecedented spontaneous spiritual upsurge of emotion in the minds of an audience of seven thousand members and raised them to their feet.”
If my readers feel that my categories still fail to include their faith perspective or World View, I hope they will contact me so that I can make my analysis more inclusive – info@bluelotus.co
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