The Parliament: Four
Hope at the Parliament of the World Religions
Seeing hundreds of people - including an Eastern Orthodox Patriarch, Pagans, Jews, Muslims, Buddhist nuns, Christian clergy - leap to their feet to give feminist theologian Sr. Joan Chittister a standing ovation, gives me hope for our world. (and Sr. Joan, by the way, rocks hard and long).
Hearing Anwar Ibrahim and Pal Aluwalia - prominent Muslim and Sikh thinkers - state unequivocally and clearly that any inferior or unequal position of women was strictly cultural and not part of their religions, gives me hope for our world. (I have heard this stated by feminist Muslim thinkers, but hearing it from these two respected men was heartening confirmation).
Seeing Native American Rights lawyer Steven T. Newcomb harshly challenging Catholic Bishop Peter Elliott in the question period of a panel and then seeing the two engaged in conversation when all was said and done, gives me hope for our world.
Seeing hundreds of people - including an Eastern Orthodox Patriarch, Pagans, Jews, Muslims, Buddhist nuns, Christian clergy - leap to their feet to give feminist theologian Sr. Joan Chittister a standing ovation, gives me hope for our world. (and Sr. Joan, by the way, rocks hard and long).
Hearing Anwar Ibrahim and Pal Aluwalia - prominent Muslim and Sikh thinkers - state unequivocally and clearly that any inferior or unequal position of women was strictly cultural and not part of their religions, gives me hope for our world. (I have heard this stated by feminist Muslim thinkers, but hearing it from these two respected men was heartening confirmation).
Seeing Native American Rights lawyer Steven T. Newcomb harshly challenging Catholic Bishop Peter Elliott in the question period of a panel and then seeing the two engaged in conversation when all was said and done, gives me hope for our world.