TWH – This final part of a series on the 2021 Parliament of the World’s Religions (PoWR) concerns interfaith work. The PoWR may be the largest interfaith gathering in the world. The first part dealt with the PoWR itself. The Wild Hunt spoke with four Pagan participants. Holli Emore, Dree Amandi, Rev. Selena Fox, and Twila.
The value of interfaith work
Emore, Executive Director of Cherry Hill Seminary, finds that interfaith work helps her grow. It is teaching her how to work with people with whom she has major differences.
She said, “I am an imperfect example, certainly, but I’ve learned how to (most of the time) approach differences and conflict from a win-win perspective, instead of just going for being right.”
In the last few years, that task has become more difficult. Emore felt that “that it is even more important that we engage in interfaith work. The religions are only the container for the more important work of building and maintaining healthy peaceful societies. This all sounds very woo-woo, until it isn’t.”
Amandi, a Cio Amore Witch, said, “PoWR reminds us that there are many folks across the globe that are also working to cultivate more peace, justice, and compassion. We are not alone in this.”
Emore described her interfaith work outside of PoWR. She has worked in disaster chaplaincy. After the murder of George Floyd, she worked on a media campaign to mitigate violence. She has advocated for multi-religious representation in the media and in education.
Emore said, “These efforts are undergirded by the vision and education [that] the Parliament has offered us for more than a century now.”
Holli Emore and other Red Cross volunteers [courtesy]
She said, “It was important for me to be at the PoWR to take part, learn, and network with other spiritual leaders.”
Amandi continued, “The biggest lesson I take away is that every positive impact makes a difference, whether it be a brief moment of true connection or a grand gesture. Everything counts when working towards continual positive change”
Emore appreciated how much the PoWR informed her professional work. She attended one session about measuring the effectiveness of interfaith work, which will impact her teaching about interfaith Leadership at Cherry Hill Seminary. Another session gave her ideas about multi-generational engagement. Still, another session confirmed 10 years of work in the South Carolina state-wide interfaith group.
For Emore, the PoWR has shown that, even with differences, people can “come together peacefully.” It has shown that one can go beyond mere toleration. People can both acknowledge and celebrate those differences.
Emore said, “I’ve experienced this in my statewide role with interfaith Partners of South Carolina, in my Cherry Hill Seminary work, and in my personal life.”
How can interfaith work benefit Pagans?
Interfaith work may not appeal to everyone. Prior exposure to certain religious traditions has scarred some Pagans and they may be wary of interfaith work.
Fox, Senior Minister of Circle Sanctuary, liked the opportunities that the PoWR provided. She felt it was a way for Pagans to connect with each other globally.
Within the “big tent” of Paganism, some Pagans can still feel like a minority. For example, Emore describes herself as a Kemetic, a minority within the Pagan world. At the PoWR, she attended a Kemetic ritual.
Emore described that ritual as “very meaningful to me since I am Kemetic, and we are so few.”
At the same time, the PoWR also gives Pagans a chance to meet people from other traditions. Those opportunities have motivated Fox to attend PoWR in the past and to continue to do so in the future. The PoWR gave her the ability “to speak, to listen, to learn, to network, and to connect and collaborate with others of many spiritual paths from around the world.”
Emore spoke about the Pagan concept of interconnectedness. She pointed out that inter-connectedness “includes those who follow a different path.” She referred to research studies that show engagement with people from different spiritualities enhances one’s spirituality.
For Twila, a Pagan Animist, the PoWR showed that “all faiths have something to offer you in your journey as a Pagan. We all live on this planet, we all breathe the same air, but we all experience the reality around us differently. Interacting with all of these people from a variety of faiths allows me to understand more of this world as I walk my own path. You can listen and learn from a variety of faiths/religions but still be true to yourself and your path.”
In 1993, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Chicago walked out of the PoWR. They had objected to “the distinctive participation of certain quasi-religious groups with which Orthodox Christians share no common ground.” They noted in a letter that it “would be inconceivable for Orthodox Christians to establish a perceived relationship with groups which profess no belief in God or a Supreme Being. The presence of such groups seems to compromise the integrity of the Parliament’s intended purpose.”
This year a Greek Orthodox prelate spoke at the 2021 PoWR.
Emore said, “Few people realize just what an essential role the Pagan PoWR leaders have had over the years, from fundraising to programming to promoting the Parliament story around the world.”
Emore thanked, “Phyllis Curott, board Program Chair for this year’s event, for making Pagans look so good and providing a rich experience for all!”
Fox urged Pagans to attend the next PoWR in Chicago, August 18-23, 2023. Fox continued, “It is my hope that there once again will be Pagans from many traditions and countries taking part.
For more information on the PoWR, please visit their website.
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