The nurturing and respect for Life is a central doctrine of all faiths on Earth. Yet today we are endangering life on Earth with unacceptably high and rising levels of greenhouse gas emissions. These gases are destabilizing the global climate system, heating the Earth, acidifying the oceans, and putting both humanity and all living creatures at unacceptable risk.
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Prayer for Safety During a Hurricane
This is a prayer for safety to be said as a hurricane approaches, as well as during the storm. It includes additional options for customizing the prayer, which are shown in [brackets], and does not include references to any particular storm.
Tibetan Buddhist Rinpoche confirmed to have engaged in “physical, sexual, emotional abuse”
The author of the Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, Soygal Rinpoche, has been subject of abuse claims by his followers. An independent investigation confirms “physical, sexual, emotional abuse” by Sogyal Rinpoche.
The report by law firm Lewis Silkin details multiple allegations of physical, sexual, emotional and psychological abuse, as well as accounts of “living a lavish, gluttonous and sybaritic lifestyle,” and “tainting the appreciation of the Dharma.
Europe: Ecumenical pilgrims start journey to advocate for climate justice at UN climate talks
A group of ecumenical pilgrims started a journey towards the 2018 World Climate Conference hosting city Katowice, in Poland, where high level talks about the preservation of creation will take place. “Go then!” (Geht doch!, in German) is the motto of the Ecumenical Pilgrimage for Climate Justice that took off in Bonn, Germany, on 9 September.
The Guardian: Why Faith is becoming more and more popular
If you think religion belongs to the past and we live in a new age of reason, you need to check out the facts: 84% of the world’s population identifies with a religious group. Members of this demographic are generally younger and produce more children than those who have no religious affiliation, so the world is getting more religious, not less – although there are significant geographical variations.
Royal Commission: Catholic Church must reform canon law in wake of child sex abuse royal commission
Amid international media hype and confusing reporting, Australia’s Catholic leaders delivered their official response to the Royal Commission on Institutional Responses to Sexual Abuse last week.
So, has the Australian Catholic Church “rejected mandatory reporting“, as Al Jazeera published? Or did The Hindu get it right with their headline: “Australian Catholic leaders vow to end abuse cover-up“?
The devil is, as always, in the detail. And there is a lot of detail.
The joint response from the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) and Catholic Religious Australia (CRA), which represents nuns, sisters and brothers, monks and friars, says bishops and religious leaders accept most of the recommendations of the royal commission.
Simultaneously, the long-awaited Truth, Justice and Healing Council (TJHC) report, a self-analysis commissioned by the ACC and the CRA, was made public — it’s a bitter medicinal pill Catholic leadership themselves had paid for and asked to be administered.
The bottom line is that the diverse and independent parts of a complex Catholic Church in crisis have managed — for better or for worse — to pull themselves together and form a coordinated response.
Royal Commission: exploring the task of rebuilding and renewal for Australia’s Christian churches
The conference Health and Integrity in Churches and Ministry calls for a ‘reformation’ of Australia’s churches following Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Participating churches were the Catholic Church (and Catholic Religious Orders), the Anglican Church, the Uniting Church, Churches of Christ and members of the Salvation Army along with representatives of other Christian denominations.
UN calls on China to free 1 million Uighurs from alleged re-education camps
United Nations’ human rights experts have voiced alarm over alleged Chinese political re-education camps for Muslim Uighurs and called for the immediate release of those detained on the grounds of what China describes as “countering terrorism”.
Victoria: Living the Change
Living the Change is a national faith-based event curated by Australian Religious Response to Climate Change, Religions for Peace Australia and United Religions Initiative. It will be launched in many locations in Australia including Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. There is also an online tool for reducing your carbon footprint as per your faith.
Pope Francis condemns church sex abuse in response to new revelations in US
Pope Francis has issued a letter to Catholics around the world condemning the “crime” of sexual abuse committed by priests — and its cover-up — and demanding accountability.
The Vatican issued the three-page letter on Monday in response to new revelations in the US of decades of misconduct by the Catholic Church.
The Pope begged forgiveness for the pain suffered by victims and said lay Catholics must be involved in any effort to root out abuse and cover-up.
Religions for Peace Mourns the loss of H.E. Kofi Annan
Religions for Peace (RfP) International joins people around the world in grieving the passing of His Excellency Kofi Annan, the former Secretary General of the United Nations. He was a remarkable servant of peace. In addition, he was a long-term partner of Religions for Peace.
A Rabbi writes: An open letter to my Roman Catholic friends
“You, my Catholic friends, deserve the good church. So does the world.” Rabbi Jeff Salkin on the new report of three hundred Roman Catholic priests sexually abusing a thousand children – and how Roman Catholics can hold onto their faith.
