Monday, July 02, 2007

On the Challenge Facing Religious Leaders: Submerging their theological differences in a great spirit of mutual forebearance

It's been 27 years since the publication of The Promise of World Peace, a Baha'i Statement on Peace, by the Universal House of Justice. How are the religious leaders of the world doing to meet the challenge facing them, as outlined by the world governing body of the Baha'i Faith? -gw

Religious strife, throughout history, has been the cause of innumerable wars and conflicts, a major blight to progress, and is increasingly abhorrent to the people of all faiths and no faith. Followers of all religions must be willing to face the basic questions which this strife raises, and to arrive at clear answers. How are the differences between them to be resolved, both in theory and in practice? The challenge facing the religious leaders of mankind is to contemplate, with hearts filled with the spirit of compassion and a desire for truth, the plight of humanity, and to ask themselves whether they cannot, in humility before their Almighty Creator, submerge their theological differences in a great spirit of mutual forbearance that will enable them to work together for the advancement of human understanding and peace.

The Promise of World Peace
Author: Universal House of Justice
Source: Bahá’í World Centre, October 1985

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"Photo: Peace Pagoda Battersea: Built in the mid 1980s to commemorate the people of Hiroshima, the Peace Pagoda in Battersea park South London is one of few pagodas in Europe." Uploaded on December 22, 2006 by Aubrey Stoll on flickr

2 comments:

david santos said...

Thanks for you work and have a good day

Anonymous said...

Some religious leaders are working at this. Others, sadly - and dangerously for the world - are not.

How much effort should we make to try to persuade the resisters, the refusers, to submerge their theological differences? They may feel that they cannot forsake their princples (just as Baha'is don't forsake their principles). We may think they are misguided. No doubt they say the same thing about us. So what principles can we bring to bear that will transcend our differences and help the reluctant ones to join us and others on the path to peace?

It's a big challenge!