| Over the last few months hundreds of thousands of | | | | tsunami has reminded us of the reality of 'Oikumene', |
| people have reached out with genuine concern and | | | | the Greek word for 'one world'. An authentic |
| hard cash towards the people of SE Asia. The | | | | ecumenism is no longer just about different types of |
| tsunami was no respecter of a person's religion in an | | | | Christians coming together but about members of all |
| area where Muslims and Christians, Hindus and | | | | religions making a fresh start on working together and |
| Buddhists, have been killed or traumatised. Our | | | | celebrating their unity-in-diversity.On 1 February 2005, |
| respective religions are an integral part of our self | | | | "Hagia Soffia", our Ashram of the Divine Wisdom, was |
| identity but so is the common spirituality that we share | | | | dedicated to the memory of Fr Bede Griffiths of |
| as human beings. Surely now is the time to reach out | | | | Shantivanam in India. An Anglican who became a |
| in a new way, with the same love and respect, in | | | | Benedictine monk, Fr Bede spent most of his life |
| order to get to know one another better. Integral to this | | | | bridging the great traditions of Hinduism and Christianity. |
| process is getting to know more about our different | | | | His vision of an inclusive, open church is served by a |
| religions and learning how to honour each one. We | | | | sangha (community) of men and women committed to |
| need shared sacred space to help do this. | | | | the search for truth at the heart of all religions. It is a |
| Anglican Christians throughout Britain in particular are | | | | vision with a long and noble pedigree. One of the early |
| ideally placed to help facilitate such a process, primarily | | | | Christian sages, Clement of Alexandria, wrote in the |
| because we already have buildings in every | | | | 2nd Century AD that 'One indeed is the Way of Truth, |
| community, sacred spaces set apart for communal | | | | but into it, as into an ever-flowing river, streams from |
| use, our 'parish churches'. I see this as part of the | | | | everywhere flow.' Raimon Panikkar, the octogenarian |
| unique ethos of Anglicanism. One of my own churches | | | | Spanish priest-theologian, puts its even more succinctly |
| has the prophetic words from Isaiah above its main | | | | 'Truth is many faceted.' |
| entrance: 'My house shall be called a house of prayer | | | | An ashram is about ordinary religious people coming |
| for all peoples'. This is our way of saying 'Welcome' in | | | | together and although it is not as structured as a |
| addition to the religious objects from other faiths that | | | | monastery, being open and flexible in its orientation, the |
| adorn the church and the copies of their holy books | | | | daily pattern of an ashram is the same the world over. |
| available in the sanctuary. In addition, prayers from all | | | | It is as simple as it is profound. People share a sacred |
| faiths are used regularly in our Christian worship. After | | | | space that is dedicated to every religion: they take |
| all, Paul made it quite clear in one of his letters that | | | | part in common prayer and share meditation; they |
| Christians are meant to be committed to 'the fellowship | | | | listen to each other's scriptures and study them; they |
| of reconciliation' (2 Corinthians 5). | | | | share that silence that our world craves, listening to the |
| Space can and should be made available for regular | | | | Divine Wisdom deep within as well as to the needs of |
| interfaith gatherings in all our churches and with an | | | | our world. They enjoy being together, sharing table |
| increasing number of churches becoming redundant | | | | fellowship, as well as service in the community at large. |
| and converted for community use, religious leaders | | | | Candlemass Eve this year (01.02.2005), was an extra |
| need to meet as a matter of urgency to make sure | | | | special one in Pennal, as we re-dedicated Hagia Soffia |
| that one room at least is set apart for use by | | | | (burnt to the ground eighteen months ago), the small |
| faith-communities. Many hospitals of our land already | | | | inter-faith chapel that serves the Ashram. Members of |
| have such spaces. Furthermore, the thousands of | | | | faith-communities came together with lanterns and |
| small rural churches in Britain are also ideally placed to | | | | candles, for the dedication. In the words of Jalalu'l-Din |
| offer living quarters for holy men and women, | | | | Rumi: 'The lamps are different but the light is the same |
| contemplatives from a wide range of | | | | .... Fix thy gaze upon the light.' |
| faith-communities, who can pioneer new ways of | | | | The words above the doorway into our chapel are in |
| celebrating our common spirituality in an increasingly | | | | Welsh and come from our ancient native literature |
| secular age. I hope that my Anglican colleagues | | | | 'The Mabinogion': "a fo ben bid bont" (the one who'd be |
| worldwide share the exciting potential of such an | | | | a leader must be a bridge). As 2005 gets underway, |
| inter-faith project. | | | | the challenge to faith communities in Britain is to craft a |
| Complementing this kind of practical spirituality is the | | | | new kind of sacred space and community to combat |
| Indian ashram movement, another catalyst to help us | | | | religious ignorance, bigotry and tyranny worldwide. |
| think and behave globally with our spirituality. The | | | | |