Bishop Philip Huggins writes about matters that are important to the heart. Our spiritual practice is offered as part of seeking good relationships with each other. Part of our spiritual practice which we can offer to the other is the 100 days of meditation upto International Day of Peace, September 21. Given the current tensions and theatres of conflict on Earth, we need programs that help us better appreciate each other’s story of faith and life. We need to recognise and acknowledge true humanness.
“I want my tenderness back…Give me back that soft, sacred part of myself that weeps at the corpses of children, so I can Behold the world gently again…” – Caitlin Johnstone
Even in difficult times, Compassion is the sustaining ethic for all major faith traditions and underpins civilised living in our democracy.
Our various forms of the ’Golden Rule’ mean that we always feel sad when others are suffering and we will want this to end. Our yearning is for everyone to feel safe. We want all children to have childhoods that are fully enchanting.
If, however, our first response to news of another’s misfortune is some form of delight or even indifference, wisdom is that we should immediately go on retreat and stay silent until we have purified our heart.
Caitlin Johnstone writes poignantly of how we can be desensitised by all the sorrow we see…”I want my tenderness back…Give me back that soft, sacred part of myself that weeps at the corpses of children, so I can behold the world gently again…”
Australia can be a continent of compassion.
Imagine if that was the focus of our personal and public conversations!
Our faith traditions tell us that this vision is entirely possible. Our continuing task, thus, is to encourage everyone to make the choice to heal and never to harm.
We probably all need to go on retreat for this vision to become our reality.
Initiatives in Meditation and Peacebuilding help a little. Hence, our current 100 Days of Meditation each night at 9pm until UN Peace Day on September 21.
Remembering that our fundamental commitment to Compassion is binding on us all, has meant and still means:
We are prompted to speak and act together, including in relation to all forms of discrimination, including religious and racial discrimination.
We keep promoting careful dialogue which builds trust; renews and strengthens our bonds of affection and leads to agreed tasks for the common good.
We pray and meditate for Peace, Unity and Cohesion. Our spiritual practice is offered as part of seeking good relationships with each other.
We work together and with Governments-Local State and Federal-to help sustain and strengthen our democracy in a harmonious and vibrant multifaith Australia.
We keep offering each other hospitality in ways that are safe and delightful!
It is the wisdom of faith traditions that we keep remembering the inspirations of our story and strive to live from them. Remembering helps prevent dismembering – falling apart!
In Australia, we have a story worth remembering. It is a story of how we have carefully nurtured multi faith and multicultural harmony. Many have contributed from diverse backgrounds.
As we seek to keep making our best contribution, I have two recommendations.
- A fresh initiative is needed in all schools. We need to help our young people better know how to build and sustain healthy relationships.
The work of Dr. John Hendry in partnership with Parents Victoria is recommended.
Imagine the difference if all our young people knew how to make and repair, when necessary, their relationships. Imagine if all relationships were marked by trust, forgiveness, integrity, hope and compassion.
Imagine how much happier our young people would be and how much better they would learn!
Imagine how much happier we would all be!
It is all possible.
2. Pertaining to current tensions, we need specific support for Programs that help us better appreciate each other’s story of faith and life.
Working out how to deal with “Religious Education” is a complex matter for Governments in a democracy. We are not a ‘theocracy’. There is a clear distinction between, in the old language, ‘Church and State’.
However it does not work to try and deal with the issue by ignoring the need for ‘Religious Education’, hoping religion might go away!
The truth is that, if we understand more about each other’s story, including as regards faith, there is the possibility of deeper trust and affection.
Thankfully, notwithstanding recent alarmist headlines, Social Cohesion in Australia is relatively strong.
This is the finding of the crucial work by the Scanlon Foundation.
But fresh initiatives are needed to build on our strengths and prevent extremist forces acting as predators, feeding off fear and ignorance, to threaten our social democracy.
There are models and folk with this experience. We need to bring them together and see what would work best now.
There can be better times ahead. To this end, there are good things to remember and renew in practice.
There are fresh initiatives needed. A couple are recommended here.
We must all persist for the sake of those most vulnerable and for the sake of those whom we carry in our hearts today and every day.
Bishop Philip Huggins is a bishop in the Anglican Diocese of Melboure, Patron of Australian Religious Response to Climate Change, and member of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Interfaith Liaison Committee.
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