“The most ambitious organization in today’s interfaith movement is the United Religions Initiative (URI), founded by William Swing, the Episcopal Bishop of California.”
United Religions Initiative (from URI website)
History: Creating the Initiative
The seed for the URI was planted in 1993 when the United Nations invited William Swing, Episcopal Bishop of California, to host an interfaith service in San Francisco. That night the Bishop found it hard to sleep … he told himself, “If the nations of the world are working together for peace through the UN, then where are the religions of the world?” From this inspiration, a vision took shape to create an organization whereby people of diverse faiths and from all sectors of society would cooperate for peace and justice for all.
From the first global summit in 1996 to the Charter signing in 2000, URI engaged thousands of people from diverse religions, spiritual expressions and indigenous traditions to create the URI Charter. Five global summits and numerous gatherings and consultations took place in different regions of the world. URI used a highly effective methodology for positive change, Appreciative Inquiry, pioneered by Dr. David Cooperrider of Case Western Reserve University and the revolutionary insights for organizing offered by Dee Hock, founder of VISA international.
Global Council Trustees
There are currently 28 Global Council Trustees. The Trustees of theURI are exemplars who manifest the vision and values of the Preamble,Purpose and Principles, and who model leadership and service by theiractions. They have a deep commitment to serve the whole of the URI community.
Founding Trustee
The Rt. Rev. William E. Swing, USA - President
Executive Trustee
The Rev. Canon Charles P. Gibbs, USA - Executive Director
Chair
Ms. Yoland Trevino, USA
Vice Chair
Ms. Marites Africa, SEAPac
Mr. Shlomo Alon, MENA
Finance and Operations Committee Chair
Rabbi Doug Kahn, USA
Secretary
Ms. Perri Kathryn McCary, USA
Assistant Secretary
Mr. Pelecinnah Josiah-Pele, Nigeria
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Another Perspective of United Religions Initiative
While Christians around the world lament the election of a homosexual Bishop at the recent Episcopal General Convention, few realize that this denomination has condoned outright paganism for years.
Majestic Episcopal cathedrals built long ago to honor God have welcomed the world’s pantheon of deities. Occult rituals at New York’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine and San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral have spread the twisted message that the Biblical God is only one among a multitude of equal deities, spirits, forces and ascended masters.
While their respective bishops have turned a blind eye to the pagan intrusion, California’s Bishop William Swing went a step further. In 1996, he founded the United Religions Initiative (URI), a global organization designed to bring all religions together to dialogue and seek common ground. “You can work in terms of the model of the UN,” he explained, “where you have the General Assembly and the Security Council.”
Bishop Swing’s ambitious quest has found favor among others who share his vision for spiritual unity — a oneness designed to replace the old “divisive” Biblical absolutes blamed for war and conflict.
The fact is, those who base their faith on the Bible can’t join Bishop Swing’s converging streams toward planetary oneness. They know only one God, only one sacred Book, and only one Door to eternal life. Since they can accept nothing less, they must reject an all-inclusive global spirituality.
No wonder interfaith leaders like Bishop Swing see such Christians as narrow and intolerant “extremists” who block their vision of unity. Not only do we clash with the URI, we violate UNESCO’s 1994 “Declaration on the role of religion in the promotion of a culture of peace,” a “soft” international law.
By 1999, Bishop Swing had moved his headquarters to the Presidio, a former U.S. military base overlooking the entrance to the San Francisco Bay.
The Presidio’s other tenants included the Gorbachev Foundation, FEMA and the Thoreau Center for Sustainability — an office complex that would unite a multitude of globalist environmental, spiritual and educational organizations in a common pursuit: to establish a new world order based on universal beliefs and values.
Visiting San Francisco in 1999, I stopped by the Presidio. As I searched for the new URI headquarters, I took note of some of its neighbors. They included:
* Resource Center for the United Nations
* The Institute for Sustainable Development
* Partnerships for Change
* Rudolf Steiner Foundation
* International Forum on Globalization
* Tides Center (had what seemed to be a Buddhist altar in its large reception room)
(footnotes provided at the link)
http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/2003/heresy.htm
“No wonder interfaith leaders like Bishop Swing see such Christians as narrow and intolerant “extremists” who block their vision of unity. Not only do we clash with the URI, we violate UNESCO’s 1994 “Declaration on the role of religion in the promotion of a culture of peace,” a “soft” international law.”
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Excerpts from UNESCO’s Declaration on the Role of Religion in the Promotion of a Culture of Peace
[The complete document is no longer available to the public]
An update on this declaration: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0011/001107/110793e.pdf
RELIGIOUS RESPONSIBILITY
Our communities of faith have a responsibility to encourage conduct imbued with wisdom, compassion, sharing, charity, solidarity, and love; inspiring one and all to choose the path of freedom and responsibility. Religions must be a source of helpful energy.
… our religions must not identify themselves with political, economic, or social powers, so as to remain free to work for justice and peace. We should distinguish fanaticism from religious zeal.
We will favor peace by countering the tendencies of individuals and communities to assume or even to teach that they are inherently superior to others …
We will promote dialogue and harmony between and within religions … respecting the search for truth and wisdom that is outside our religion. We will establish dialogue with all, striving for a sincere fellowship…
We commit ourselves to –
* work towards a reduction in the scandalous economic differences between human groups and other forms of violence and threats to peace…
* overcome all forms of discrimination, colonialism, exploitation, and domination and to promote institutions based on shared responsibility and participation…. Human rights, including religious freedom and the rights of minorities, must be respected.
* assure a truly humane education for all. We emphasize education for peace, freedom, and human rights, and religious education to promote openness and tolerance.
* Commit ourselves to a civil society which respects environmental and social justice.
* work towards a world without weapons and to dismantle the industry of war.
http://www.crossroad.to/Quotes/globalism/declaration-on-religion.htm
Note: Sesh Velamoor is a “facilitator” for Foundation For the Future’s many UNESCO conferences.
Barbara Marx Hubbard is on the Advisory Board of FFF. Her other associations:
* Director, Council For The Future
* Advisory Board, Foundation for the Future
* Leadership Council, Association for Global New Thought
* Creative Member, Club of Budapest: Members
* Member, World Commission on Global Consciousness and Spirituality
* Visionary, The Vision Project
* Founding Director, Women of Vision and Action
* Faculty Chair, Wisdom University
* Advisory Board, Peace X Peace
* International Advisory Board, Gaia University
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Barbara_Marx_Hubbard