God has got me off to a running start! – this is the only way I can describe the day.

The first day of the Parliament of World Religions (PWR) in Melbourne began after arrival from Tasmania to Melbourne airport with

• a Sikh taxi driver explaining the practices of Sikhism,
• generous hospitaility at St Paul’s Cathedral by the Archbishop’s warm hearted team and Joy accompanying me to buy a Metcard and map, followed by
• a tram ride to the conference and chatting with the Met bloke who it turned out was Greek Orthodox- warm-hearted but lapsed, although, “now I’m talking to you I should do something about it (church). Faith means a lot to me when things get tough.”, followed by
• a distressed young woman (on the same tram) “I do not want to intrude, but can you help me?” (the advantage of wearing a clerical collar 🙂 ) about what to do at work because a colleague was harrassing her (a Roman Catholic) and forcing ‘new age stuff’ on her and belittling her,
• meeting Colin an SSM brother who is also staying at Bishopscourt and we have fallen into easy stride together, and
• travelling on the tram at night a PWR volunteer who I fell into conversation with after he rescued us from the mysteries of the tramway Metcard system asked, “What can faith and hope be based on?” “Why did God need Paul when he had 12 perfect followers?” “Is Jesus ‘the carrot'(if you know what I mean) that Paul uses to attach his views to?” “Why is Christianity so violent with hell and heaven and like an ‘Arnold Shwarzenegger movie’?” – a man without guile who described himself as ‘post-christian’, I have prayed for him this evening.

Oh! The Parliament itself? – Well, religious people of all shapes and sizes. Many in traditional dress – like me! Registration was easy. The challenge is the 395 page PWR program book with myriad seminar options and the plenary sessions – the program starts at 8am and we finished at 10.15pm this evening! Clearly, I will have to have time off so as not to be writing a blog post at 1am!

The Opening Plenary session this evening consisted of greetings, song, dance, music, prayer and ceremony from the religious communities. Also some excellent addresses encouraging us to see the ills of the world: technology used for destruction, poverty, suffering in war torn Afghanistan, depression, MDGs and climate change; with the aim of discussing ways in which the religious communities of the world can “Make a world of difference: Hearing each other. Healing the earth” – the theme of the Parliament.

See the Opening Plenary Session video  and photos here.

The theme rang through the presentations and as a follower of Christ it was easy enough to run with the themes. Peace and harmony, social cohesion in a multi-faith world of diverse beliefs, compassion and justice, faith and hope – these were the dominant themes that came to me. This latter, faith and hope, was the one picked up by the curious and genuine ‘post-christian’ volunteer who took the opportunity to discuss it with me, a stranger, as we journeyed on the tram to our lodgings.

I will go to an early morning session on prayer in the Muslim tradition, a long term interest. I was delighted with Roman Catholic Archbishop Denis Hart who prayed the Aaronic blessing with the trinitarian, ‘In the name of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.’

My ‘annoying factor’ was all the flashes from the cameras which continually interfered with the presentations even after the participants were asked not to use their flash cameras. It occurred to me that if this group of religious leaders are unable to discipline themselves and be prepared to sacrifice some photographs for the overall good of seeing and concentrating on the presentations, then what hope is there for us all to “Make a world of difference”? At the Opening Plenary ‘sins’ were mentioned, but not ‘our state of sin’. It was a Christ-follower’s dream opportunity to preach on our human condition – because collectively we are the fallen.

The orchestra and choir sang us out with a stirring ‘Ringing the bells of peace’.

My meditation at the close of Day 1:

1. How wonderfully good is God.
2. How can the religious people add to peace-making?
3. How do I live as a follower of Christ in a messy, muddled world?
4. How wonderfully good is God! – and so to sleep.

Further posts are at: Parliament of Religions – It’s coming! and at ‘Multi-faith society’-an oxymoron? and also at Parliament World Religions Day-1

Further videos, photos and news available at 2009 Parliament Coverage.

Sharing God’s compassion and hope with seafarers continues through the hospitality, ship visits, prayer chapel, Bibles in many languages, transport, outings and the simple provision of a ‘safe place’ in a foreign port. At the Hobart Station AGM our chairman, Mike, reported,

It is my pleasure to report that the Hobart mission has concluded a rewarding year both in volunteer participation and the growing number of seafarers, totaling 4362, who came through our doors. There were 39 visits by cruise ships and 100 others for the year.

In reminding ourselves why we are here, I wish to quote our new Secretary-General, the Revd Tom Heffer: ‘The world’s economy relies heavily on the movement of trade by sea. Yet the men and women who tirelessly work on ships often go unnoticed. Since the middle of the 19^th century the “flying Angel” logo of the Mission to Seafarers has symbolized a safe haven of hope and support to seafarers and their families worldwide.

 During the AGM we joined in intercessions for the seafarers, here is a sample:

Let us thank God, the Creator and Redeemer of all people, all things, for his loving kindness in giving us this world and everything in it. May we care for creation in all its forms that all may live and grow together in love, peace and justice. Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us.

Let us thank God, the giver of all good gifts, for seafarers who leave their families, friends and homes to bring us the food for our table, the cargoes for industry and commerce, the goods and fuels for our country. May we in our turn care for them and their families, and hold them in our prayers so all may sail in safety, and return home to their loved ones. Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us.

We pray for all who are in darkness or despair, at home or at sea, in hospital or in prison. May we do everything we can to bring the love of God, the light of Christ and the comfort of the Holy Spirit to them. May they find light in the darkness and hope in their despair. Lord, graciously hear us.

Creator and Father of all, we pray for those who go down to the sea in ships and on whom we depend. Bless them and those who long for their safe return and bring us all to your Kingdom where there is no sorrow, no tears, but joy and life everlasting, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 More information on Mission to Seafarers in Australia and Internationally here.

I am shocked at the vote in Switzerland to ban the construction of minarets. This is a grave restriction on people’s freedom of religious expression. Surely legislation to limit the height of the minarets to conform with aesthetic and relational issues of ‘who has the biggest’ tower could have been readily handled.

Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf said the result of the referendum reflected fears among the Swiss of Islamic fundamentalist tendencies. ”But the Federal Council [government] takes the view that a ban on the construction of new minarets is not a feasible means of countering extremist tendencies.”

I could not agree more!  This referendum result is very inflammatory. It does not make for peace. Pray for people of peace to bring peace to this situation. Fear is a destructive colleague.

Further comment at http://www.theage.com.au/world/swiss-ban-on-minarets-causes-shockwaves-20091130-k148.html.  

I am pleased to note that the Vatican has condemned the vote.

I have expressed my concern about the curtailment of religious expression in multi-faith settings previously in Burqas and religious freedom.

Also an optimistic view of recent developments on our living together in a world of diverse views at Islam: current trends.

Look out for upcoming ABC Compass program re Multi-faith society: an oxymoron?

At St David’s Cathedral on Sunday, 29 November 2009 at 4.30 pm, I had the privilege of commissioning Andrew and Pam Lake as CMS-Tas Missionaries to All Saints Church, Damascus (Syria). A special part of the service was the presentation of “Symbols of Ministry” to Andrew and Pam: John van Emmerik the Bible, Margaret Cannell the Candle and Russell Morton the Cross.

The Bible

Andrew and Pam, it is God’s Word which brings us knowledge of God, and new life in him.  It is God’s Word which must shape your missionary service in Damascus, and which you must seek to live and proclaim during your time in Syria.  May your life be so grounded in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as proclaimed in the Scriptures, that this same Word may be known, honoured and obeyed among all those to whom you will minister.

The Light

Andrew and Pam, Jesus Christ is identified in God’s Word as the light of all people, who has come into the world, so that people may not live in darkness.  Jesus himself then also called each of us, his followers, “the Light of the World”.  We are only able to be that light as we ourselves are illuminated by the Spirit of Jesus.  As you carry the light of the Gospel with you wherever you go, may the Light of Christ shine forth from you, and light up the lives of all those to whom and with whom you will minister in Syria. 

The Cross

Andrew and Pam, the Cross has been the symbol of a Christian’s allegiance to Christ since the earliest days of the Church.  This silver Baptism Cross was taken by the Venerable Lance Dudley, Archdeacon of Hobart, when he first went as a Missionary to India in the first half of last century.  When he died, his wife gave it to John van Emmerik, who studied under him at Christ College, who took it with him when he and Helen went as Missionaries to Africa.  John presented it to Russell and Sue Morton when they were first commissioned for missionary service in Pakistan in 2001. Today this cross is being passed to you from Russell and Sue so that this chain of Tasmanian missionary service continues. As this cross has symbolised for all these people both the content and the empowerment for the Gospel they bear, so may it represent your loyalty and dependence on Christ our crucified Saviour during your ministry in Syria.

‘How is social cohesion gained and nurtured in a multifaith society?’ has been a major interest of mine since returning to Australia in the late 1980s. See my Religious Policy, Multi-faith Dialogue and Australian Values and it is one of the reasons I am attending the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Melbourne 3-9 December 2009.

 The issue is being addressed by Compass presenter Geraldine Doogue with panellists who are attending the Parliament of the World’s Religions.  The topic will be “Creating Social Cohesion in Village and City” and includes,

• How can we live together in a pluralistic society?
• How should we deal with refugees?
• And, how do we maintain social cohesion amid large movements of people with different belief systems?

 The panellists are:

• Michael Melchior, Chief Rabbi of Norway, founder: Citizen’s Accord Forum between Jews and Arabs in Israel
• Dr Suhair Hassan Al-Qurashi, Dean of Dar Al-Hekma College for women in Jeddah
• Rev Tim Costello, CEO World Vision Australia
• Katherine Marshall, Executive Director World Faiths Development Dialogue and Advisor to the World Bank
• Anthony Padovano, Catholic Theologian and Professor of Literature and Philosophy, USA
• Melissa Brickell, Australian Aboriginal Partnerships, MacKillop Family Services

 Questions can be submitted via the ABC Compass contact page – more info at Compass: Parliament of the World’s Religions. The program will screen on Compass on Sunday, 13 December, 2009.

Information regarding the Parliament of the World’s Religions here.

A view from the UK, “Britain is suffering because we have been too willing to forget what made us who we are”  here.