JAKARTA (UCAN) — Poverty, climate change and a lack of education and good governance are the key factors robbing people of their right to a decent life, 70 religious leaders from Indonesia and the U.S. who met here say.
“We believe these concerns present common challenges and responsibilities to each of us and our communities.
“We are committed to taking common action on urgent challenges that confront us all,” the leaders said in a joint recommendation issued at the end of an interfaith forum last week.
The recommendations were presented jointly by Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington D.C. and Bachtiar Effendi of Muhammadiyah Indonesia’s second-largest Islamic organization.
Vast numbers of people are trapped in “unprecedented structural poverty” and denied any means of escape.
“Our religious communities are urgently called to respond to this structural poverty in new ways so as to enhance our communities’ already established and valuable practices of charity and philanthropy,” they said.
It was essential and urgent to educate religious communities on the causes of structural poverty and to work with governments.
Local religious communities, women’s and youth groups and schools will contribute to grassroots-led development and public health programs, the leaders said.
They will plan to develop multi-religious partnerships while engaging the public sector in order to equip local religious communities for such programs.
Rapid global warming, pollution and the depletion of natural resources have threatened the foundation of human life.
“Our religious communities are called to protect the integrity of the environment, even while they are also called to advance a just and sustainable development for all,” they said.
In education it was important to promote the freedom of belief for all and to honor the value of diverse religious contributions to the good of society.
“Religious communities must equip themselves to work with each other to advance the common good while retaining their distinct religious identities,” they said.
They also called upon the existing Indonesian, American, and international religious and multi-religious bodies to both support them and join them in their commitment to shared action.
Tod Brown, president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) also attended the meeting.
On the Indonesian side, participants included leaders of the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference, Indonesian Council of Churches, Confucian Supreme Council in Indonesia (Matakin), Indonesian Buddhist Council (Walubi), Muhammadyah, Nadhlatul Ulama (NU), the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) and the Indonesian Committee for Religions and Peace.
(Published in UCAN News, February 1)
“We believe these concerns present common challenges and responsibilities to each of us and our communities.
“We are committed to taking common action on urgent challenges that confront us all,” the leaders said in a joint recommendation issued at the end of an interfaith forum last week.
The recommendations were presented jointly by Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington D.C. and Bachtiar Effendi of Muhammadiyah Indonesia’s second-largest Islamic organization.
Vast numbers of people are trapped in “unprecedented structural poverty” and denied any means of escape.
“Our religious communities are urgently called to respond to this structural poverty in new ways so as to enhance our communities’ already established and valuable practices of charity and philanthropy,” they said.
It was essential and urgent to educate religious communities on the causes of structural poverty and to work with governments.
Local religious communities, women’s and youth groups and schools will contribute to grassroots-led development and public health programs, the leaders said.
They will plan to develop multi-religious partnerships while engaging the public sector in order to equip local religious communities for such programs.
Rapid global warming, pollution and the depletion of natural resources have threatened the foundation of human life.
“Our religious communities are called to protect the integrity of the environment, even while they are also called to advance a just and sustainable development for all,” they said.
In education it was important to promote the freedom of belief for all and to honor the value of diverse religious contributions to the good of society.
“Religious communities must equip themselves to work with each other to advance the common good while retaining their distinct religious identities,” they said.
They also called upon the existing Indonesian, American, and international religious and multi-religious bodies to both support them and join them in their commitment to shared action.
Tod Brown, president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) also attended the meeting.
On the Indonesian side, participants included leaders of the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference, Indonesian Council of Churches, Confucian Supreme Council in Indonesia (Matakin), Indonesian Buddhist Council (Walubi), Muhammadyah, Nadhlatul Ulama (NU), the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) and the Indonesian Committee for Religions and Peace.
(Published in UCAN News, February 1)
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