Interfaith Journeys An exploration of history, ideas, and future directions WORLD FAITHS DEVELOPMENT DIALOGUE DEVELOPMENT FAITHS WORLD February 2017 About the World Faiths Development Dialogue The World Faiths Development Dialogue (WFDD) is a not-for-profit organization working at the intersection of religion and global development. Housed within the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., WFDD documents the work of faith inspired organizations and explores the importance of religious ideas and actors in development contexts. WFDD supports dialogue between religious and development communities and promotes innovative partnerships, at national and international levels, with the goal of contributing to positive and inclusive development outcomes. Acknowledgments We gratefully acknowledge the GHR Foundation for faith and financial support in this venture. Their leadership among the small group of philanthropies supporting interfaith work makes vital work in this complex field possible. Andreas Hipple (GHR) has been a mentor and advisor from the start. Other important advisors and partners include Patrice Brodeur (KAIICID) Rev. Bud Heckman, Drew Christiansen S.J., John Borelli, and Melody Fox Ahmed (George- town University), Paul Chaffee (The Interfaith Observer), and Hans Ucko. The staff of the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University and WFDD supported the research. Wilma Mui provided considerable support, preparing the report for publication. Special appreciation goes to Cassandra Lawrence, who provided research support as well as drafts of many sections of the report. Design by Sensical Design & Communication Cover photo: Green Shinto/John Dougill. Table of Contents Foreword 3 List of Acronyms 4 Introduction: The Landscape 5 The project and the report 5 Religious tensions, religious strengths 5 Multiple challenges 6 Report structure 8 1. An Evolving Interfaith Movement 9 Religious and political authority, early interfaith encounters 9 Interfaith or intrafaith? 10 Growing awareness of religious diversity: The 1893 Parliament of the World’s Religions 11 A turbulent early 20th century for international affairs and religious institutions 11 Ferment in the Post World War II years 13 Secular paradigms and challenges 14 Growth of civil society and community organizations, end of the Cold War 15 The Catholic Church takes on interreligious engagement: Vatican II, Nostra Aetate, and Assisi 15 Towards the turn of the century, more visible interfaith action: 1993 Parliament of World Religions, the Jubilee 2000 movement 16 Religious peacebuilding 18 Religion and the United Nations; the Millennium Summit, MDGs, SDGs, and changing religious engagement 18 September 11, 2001: A watershed 19 A wide range of interfaith initiatives: towards a “F20”? 21 WORLD FAITHS DEVELOPMENT DIALOGUE 1 2. Intellectual Foundations for Interfaith Engagement, Theories of Change 24 A gamut of approaches 24 Some foundational intellectual approaches 26 Development of religious studies 27 Religious revivals shake accepted wisdom 28 The academy deepens and widens its reflections 29 Issues of inclusion 29 Political dimensions and interfaith understandings 30 Catholic social teaching and outreach 31 Social activism’s religious face 31 Modern pluralism in practice 32 Media and public outreach: traditional and social media 34 Looking to the money: financial challenges 35 Context: sources and centers 35 Religious literacy challenges 35 3. Lay of the Land: Mapping Contemporary Interfaith Institutions and Initiatives 38 Defining categories of interfaith action 39 Roles of history and ideas 40 Towards a map of organizations 41 Some challenges that confront interfaith work 44 Financing interfaith work 47 4. Reflections, Towards Conclusions 49 Leading issues and debates around interfaith initiatives and organizations 49 Future directions 53 Appendix A. Using terminology 58 Appendix B. Profiles of Selected Organizations, Events, Approaches 60 Appendix C. Foundational Documents 86 Selected References 91 2 INTERFAITH JOURNEYS Foreword nterfaith initiatives respond to the violence and uneasy by the remarkable diversity of initiatives and the fact that they tensions of our times. Especially where conflicts touch are multiplying, rapidly. Worries about poor understanding I on religious identities or where leaders fuel fires with as- of the interfaith phenomenon are not new. The World Faiths persions of “others,” interfaith efforts aim to confront root Development Dialogue (WFDD) from its birth in 1998 en- causes of tensions, notably those that touch on religious countered a bewildering array of organizations, projects, and beliefs and practices. Interfaith work looks to solutions in ideas centered on multi-faith approaches, yet found repeated common values and goals that, once recognized, help cross instances of overlap or even clashes. It is telling that the World deep social and political divides and bind people together. Economic Forum’s Group of 100 Leaders established to bridge At their best, with careful, persistent work, interfaith efforts divides between “Islam and the West” found that the frag- address deep differences and wounded memories in sensitive mented nature of interfaith work presented so many obstacles but effective ways. Interfaith initiatives build on a belief in that it launched an effort to document this work in an annual the distinctive importance of religious teachings and lead- report on the state of dialogue. Various global interfaith orga- ership, and on visions, varying along a quite wide spectrum, nizations strive to order and coordinate the efforts. However, of the virtues, challenges, and inevitability of diversity and as initiatives multiply the task of tracking and understanding living together in an increasingly plural world. Cherished them is more difficult than ever. religious traditions of peace and justice and the belief that This report is thus an introduction to a complex field and religious beliefs call forth the gifts of “blessed peacemakers” a stock-taking. It offers a map of the history, intellectual foun- to end conflicts and reconcile feuding parties are at the heart dations, and major features and actors involved in interfaith of interfaith work. work. It aims at objective analysis, though perhaps a bias to- Many cultures and religious traditions tell some version of wards action creeps in, alongside some impatience with efforts the ancient parable of blind or unseeing men trying to describe to monopolize or gild an idea. The purpose is to enhance un- an elephant. Their different interpretations misunderstand the derstanding, highlight vital issues, and provoke debate about beast because they grasp only a part. The story calls to mind paths forward at a time when understanding and engagement varying perceptions of what interfaith work is about: the chal- among communities has rarely been as important. We hope lenge of appreciating the parts but also the whole. it will spark discussion, leading to a richer appreciation for This project set out to understand the many initiatives that the diversity of approaches and efforts, greater respect for the involve interfaith dialogue and action and to appreciate their courage and imagination of leaders in the field, and new forms impact and the challenges they face. The task is complicated of alliance and partnership. Katherine Marshall Executive Director, World Faiths Development Dialogue WORLD FAITHS DEVELOPMENT DIALOGUE 3 List of Acronyms CCs cooperation circles, of the United Religions Initiative, URI COP Conference of Parties, UN meetings on climate change CVE countering violent extremism DfID Department for International Development (UK) IFAPA Interfaith Action for Peace in Africa FIO faith inspired organization GHR Foundation (originally Gerrie and Henrietta Rauenhorst Foundation) IFYC Interfaith Youth Core IRW Islamic Relief Worldwide ISF International Shinto Foundation KAICIID King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue LWF Lutheran World Federation MDGs Millennium Development Goals NAIN North American Interfaith Network NCCJ National Conference for Community and Justice OIC Organisation of Islamic Cooperation RfP/WCRP Religions for Peace/World Conference of Religions for Peace SDGs Sustainable Development Goals UN United Nations UNFPA United Nations Family Planning Organization UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund URI United Religions Initiative USIP United States Institute of Peace WCC World Council of Churches WEA World Evangelical Alliance WFDD World Faiths Development Dialogue WFP World Food Programme 4 INTERFAITH JOURNEYS INTRODUCTION The Landscape The project and the report and ubiquitous presence of religious communities (following his report reflects research supported by the GHR decades when the dominant secular paradigm often obscured Foundation, under a grant to WFDD, undertaken religious factors) inspire reflections about societies’ religious T during 2015 and 2016. A first objective was to fill dimensions. gaps in knowledge. Even leaders, activists, and organizations Responses to both tensions and strengths take many forms, immersed in interfaith dialogue efforts rarely have a compre- keeping with varying diagnoses of those tensions and avenues hensive and robust view of what others are doing and how var- for solutions. Prominent among them are efforts that focus on ious efforts fit together. Outside observers tend to be