Hindus applaud Anglicans for stand on environment & poverty

Hindus have congratulated Anglicans for taking a strong stand on environment, poverty and interfaith dialogue at the historic 10-yearly 20-day Lambeth Conference, which concluded at Canterbury in United Kingdom on Sunday (August 03).

Acclaimed Hindu leader Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA), lauded some of the interfaith gestures mentioned in the "Lambeth Indaba Reflections" issued on the occasion, which said, "…we must stand and work together with other faith communities… making space in our hearts for one another… Effective and meaningful dialogue will only take place where there is gentleness, honesty and integrity..."

Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, also commended Anglicans' resolutions for making environment a high priority; creating interfaith connections for environment advocacy; developing worship resources on environmental themes and using liturgical seasons for environmental awareness; brokering conversations between business, government and environmentalists; urging bishops for a simpler lifestyle; and working with other faith groups to lobby governments for environmental laws.

Conference laying stress on Anglicans' "commitment to the poor, the marginalised, the exploited, refugees, indigenous peoples, the internally displaced and victims of war, terror and natural disaster" and its offer of "support to minorities who suffer human rights abuses" was a remarkable signal, Zed added.

Rajan Zed also praised Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams for urging to capture a middle way in the presidential address during concluding plenary today and for saying "the image of God is the same everywhere".

But, Zed said, that all world religions and denominations should ponder and come up with clear and open stands on issues surrounding gender and sexuality, sooner the better.

"Lambeth Indaba Reflections" document was prepared by a group lead by Western Australia Archbishop Roger Herft during this summit of worldwide Anglicans, a Christian denomination, who number around 77 million. Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion followers. Moksha (liberation) is the ultimate goal of Hinduism.

The Lambeth Conference is a gathering of bishops, meeting every ten years under the presidency of the Archbishop of Canterbury. There have been thirteen conferences to date, with the first being held in 1867 and the most recent from 18 July to 9 August 1998. Until 1978 the conferences were for bishops only, but in 1988 the full Anglican Consultative Council membership and representative bishops of the Churches in Communion (the Churches of Bangladesh, North and South India, and Pakistan) joined with the bishops in the discussions, as did bishops of the Old Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht.

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