Conversation Point

In This Moment

A Gathering of Souls

The World Social Forum has recently been in the news, as has the World Economic Summit. Two international meetings possessed of developmental agendas, these organizations start from very different points as the central basis from which the global community should move forward. Those attending the World Economic Summit see capital as a means of strengthening countries' interactions with one another, while the World Social Forum advocates focusing on human beings as connection points. The Forum's 2002 leadership, meeting in Florence, Italy, stated their intent to be, "an open meeting space designed for in-depth refection, democratic debate of ideas, formulation of proposals, free exchange of experiences, and planning of effective action among entities and movements of civil society that are engaged in building a planetary society to this end."

Having only recently heard of the World Social Forum meetings, held annually since 2001, I am intrigued by the concept that a fair number of people believe that money does not make the world go around. Even more fascinating is that they get together to talk about their commitment to people being some of the world's finest resources, and therefore, worth consideration.

My mind then wandered on to the vision of what a world faith forum might look like, how it could feel simply to come together to talk about how we believe,and why we believe.

What popped into my mind first is what would not, could not be present at these meetings: commerce. No tables selling music, literature, Christmas ornaments or angel lapel pins. While these products can be valuable tools of the faith experience, and while shopping has become an acceptable hobby within our privileged United States culture, buying things, being about things, is also an easy distraction from being, and from interacting with one another. I remember attending retreats and conferences that were so far out in the woods that we couldn't find our way out, let alone walk the distance in the middle of winter to wherever the nearest mall may be located. Wildly inconceivable a concept though it may be, we don't have to spend money every single day of our lives. Really, we don't.

We also can live a few days without televisions, movies, video games, ipods and cell phones. Each of these electronic miracles have served humanity well, and deserve their own break now and again for their faithful service. I know that letting go of cell phones in particular creates great anguish ("What if my children need to reach me?"), but cell phones haven't been around all that long, and somehow a lot of us have still reached adulthood with minimal scarring. If participants in a faith forum can't turn off their phones for a few days, believing that nothing separates us from God's love, they may be advised to stay home where God is waiting to encourage their faith development in more concrete ways.

My vision of a faith forum would be rather straight forward and to the point: we would talk to each other about what we believe. Conversations would be shared among Christians, those of the Islamic and Jewish faiths, as well as Buddhists, Hindus, and anyone else interested in listening to the beliefs others hold, more than judging the inadequacies of religious systems unlike their own. Having spent the day investing in understanding one another, the Christians among the group might be able to offer the wisdom of our common vision of God With Us as expressed by the Apostle Paul: "Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through things he has made (Romans 1:20)." Having spent the day welcoming the mysterious ways of God's presence among all of us, we may each come to a broader, perhaps even deeper way of seeking to embody and manifest God as seen through we whom God has made.

Until next time, God's blessings.

posted by Cory L. Kemp @ 6:57 PM