Kenyan Affiliates Present at Parliament of World’s Religions

Marita Grudzen – Kenya Chapter

Glimpse of Sikhs in opening interfaith parade of POWR, which was covered on Chicago evening news channel.

Probably the most amazing aspect of the Parliament of World’s Religions (POWR) is the warmth and goodness that passes between ‘strangers’ whom you pass in the hall, stand next to in the dinner line, or ride with in the elevator. They know you belong to the same family.

The week of August 14th, 7,000 participants gathered at McCormick Place Lakeside Center, Chicago, representing 20 different religious groups and civic leaders. Among others, three Maryknoll Kenyan Affiliates spoke on behalf of Global Ministries University (GMU). The formal presentation—Interfaith and Multicultural Perspectives on Religion and Science: Global Climate Crisis—was moderated by Dr. Gerald Grudzen, President of GMU. Presenters included other GMU faculty: Dr. Augustine Pamplany, Director of The Institute for Science and Religion, India; Dr. Reginald Nalugala, Professor of Social Transformation at Tangaza University in Nairobi, Kenya; and Marita Grudzen, founder and first chair of Stewards of Our Common Home, Diocese of San Jose, CA.

Two sessions from the GMU and Harmony Institute Booth in the Exhibit Hall aimed to connect GMU students and Kenyan Affiliates with events at the Parliament. Kenyan Affiliate and GMU student Esther Nditi spoke to livestream attendees. A Muslim Kenyan Affiliate, Mustafa Genc of Harmony Institute, spoke the next day. These, plus Dr. Grudzen’s presentation, are available on the GMU YouTube channel.

Left to right: Dr. Augustine Pamplany, Gerald Grudzen, Esther Nditi, and Reginald Nalugala

Tuesday evening, the Niagara Foundation, the Chicago affiliate of the Hizmet Muslim community, hosted us and other Parliament attendees for a wonderful dinner, presentation, and fellowship. The Keynote speaker that evening, Scott Alexander, PhD, Professor of Islamic Studies and Christian Muslim Relations at Catholic Theological Union, spoke of the model of spiritually patient suffering that the Hizmet Community offers us while President Recep Erdogan continues to persecute most of their community in Turkey.

Indigenous woman presents

One of the main reasons I continue to love attending the POWR is the significant opportunity it provides for contact with indigenous people. Because the POWR was over-scheduled, with as many as 30 sessions occurring at the same time, just a few people heard these indigenous women from different parts of the world. In 1993, Hans Kung led a collaboration with POWR which resulted in the development of a Global Ethic endorsed by the religious members. Recently it was amended to include addressing the Earth as our common home, needing vigilant care.

It became clear that women are leading the frontline movements for our Mother Earth: in the Global South, poor women of color are risking their lives seeking water for their families; in the Amazon, Shaman grandmothers’ lives are threatened as they work to save the rain forests; and in the Global North, interfaith religious groups like ‘We Can’ and ‘Mothers Out Front’ and other groups, predominantly made up of women, have organized over environmental issues.

Women at POWR also integrated ritual, meditation, psychology, and art. The POWR included indigenous women’s ritual of Greeting the Sun each day and offering thanks to the Sun at its setting, daily opportunities to walk the Labyrinth, a Ceremonial Tent, Kids of POWR, Art Gallery, and a Langar—a vegetarian meal offered each day. It was a spiritual experience being blessed on entering; the Sikhs remain silent although participants may speak during the meal.

One highlight occurred Thursday, when Florence and Tom McGuire, Marilyn Kott, and Celine and Don Woznica came to the Parliament and hosted us for dinner at a well-known Chinese Restaurant in Chinatown. It was such a joyful gathering of friends and Affiliates, catching up and hearing about their extraordinary work for the environment and with the migrants now in Chicago. Don and Celine also hosted Esther Nditi at their home that week of the POWR.

We commit ourselves to a common global ethic, to better mutual understanding, as well as to socially beneficial, peace-fostering, and Earth-friendly ways of life. We invite all men and women, whether religious or not, to do the same.—Towards a Global Ethic

Recommended reading: Towards a Global Ethic: An Initial Declaration of the Parliament of the World Religions (https://parliamentofreligions.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Global-Ethic-PDF-2020-Update.pdf).