The crush of religious people I have just witnessed is staggering. Under one roof, a tapestry of faiths flock together -- Buddhists, Christians, Sikhs, Muslims, Humanists, Jews -- congregated in a singular location to discuss some of the most pressing matters facing humanity today. But for every external difference of faith I see, this conference is harmonious. People are in good spirits. Here in Salt Lake City I attended my first Parliament of the World Religions -- the largest inter-religious conference in the world -- and I have been moved from what I have witnessed.
For those thinking that the Parliament is meant to decipher ancient papyrus scrolls or the hermeneutical approaches to arcane medieval spiritual literature, little could be further from the truth. Indeed, this wildly diverse spiritual jamboree focuses less on the minutia of theology and concentrates more on issues related to social progress. Themes like climate change, war, and income inequality were more the topics of discussion than dogma, exegesis, and apologetics.
Begun in Chicago in 1893, the Parliament was created as a means to foster global dialogue amongst faith traditions. The particular conference I attended was only the fifth gathering since its inception and the first in the United States in two decades. Impressively, the Parliament gathers some 10,000 participants from 80 countries representing 50 spiritual or faith traditions. But more impactful than the actual content of the learning sessions was the melodious and sensuous vibe of the gathering. Along the hallways I found people dancing. I found people in deep meditation. I heard heavenly music and smelled mystical scents.
The gathering halls and conference rooms all give emanation to the similar sense: ring of song, the solemnity of chant, and the echo of laughter. Unity of the spirit is in celebration in this holy space.
I was at the epicenter of a spiritual clarion call!
I was not sure what would happen going into the Parliament. But I have come out inspired! Experiencing the cross-section of human potential in one place opened my eyes to start seeing religious folk as more than points on a graph. Every different faith is like a sibling. And each type of sibling has their own characteristic that makes them distinct, from the goody-two-shoes to the one who wants to rebel against the world, the one whom everyone loves and the one who lashes out. But as the eminent biologist Jane Goodall remarked during the closing ceremony of the Parliament: "When we all get together and consolidate and cooperate, instead of fighting, we're gonna save the world."
Each faith has a different role to play. We may not always agree, indeed we may not even like each other, but as distant family we have to stick close together. From time to time, it's good to re-connect -- a family reunion, let's say -- even though we spend the majority of our time separate and with our immediate relatives.
As I left the conference and headed back to my hotel room, I walked away with feelings that I didn't know I would have when I walked in. The whole experience shifted my perception of inter-religious relationships. We shouldn't shun our difference, but use our contrasting philosophies to tackle the most pressing challenges facing the world today. When we look deeper into the souls of compatriots, we come away with the knowledge that we have so much in common. We should celebrate it. It's nice to remember that though our faiths take us on different paths, they can all ultimately take us to the same destination. Religion, when an engine for collaboration and addressing social problems, is a source for tremendous optimism about our collective destiny.
2015-10-19-1445252541-6725089-blacklivesmatterpanel-thumb.JPG
Black Lives Matter panel with Rev. Jim Wallis, Rev. Francis Davis, Rev. Michael McBride
Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz is the President & Dean of the Valley Beit Midrash, the Founder & President of Uri L'Tzedek, the Founder and CEO of The Shamayim V'Aretz Institute and the author of nine books on Jewish ethics.