ASSISI, Italy — Two top leaders of the Baptist World Alliance brought “the fullness of what it means to be Baptist” to an interfaith summit of peace and justice, hosted Oct. 27 by Pope Benedict XVI and attended by about 300 world religious leaders.
“Pope Benedict said he wasn’t inviting us to this event to find a common denominator among us,” said John Upton, president of the BWA. “We were invited in the full distinctiveness of who we are. I was bringing the fullness of what it means to be Baptist to the conversation.”
BWA president John Upton offers readings during the gathering in the square outside the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi.
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Upton and BWA general secretary Neville Callam joined other Christians, as well as Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and a wide range of other religious adherents in Assisi, a central Italian city about 125 miles north of Rome. The city is the site of the tomb of St. Francis, the 13th century priest who is closely associated with peace.
Upton, executive director of the Baptist General Association of Virginia, was elected to a five-year term as BWA president in 2010. Callam has been general secretary since 2007.
The Day of Reflection, Dialogue and Prayer for Peace and Justice in the World commemorated the 25th anniversary of a similar event organized in the same city by Pope John Paul II.
“We had an invitation to be part of the world gathering and felt that Baptists should be in the midst of the celebration,” said Upton. “As the Pope said, the religions of the world are perceived as destructive and so much violence occurs in the name of religion. Could we come together and instead of being symbols of destruction, be symbols of peace and unity? That was worthwhile.”
Callam said meeting in Assisi was appropriate.
"St. Francis of Assisi is one of the revered figures in global Christianity," said Callam. "His commitment to peace and reconciliation was unparalleled, as exemplified in the famous prayer that has been attributed to him: 'Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.'
The day began with a ceremony in Assisi’s Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, where 11 of the visiting leaders joined the pope in giving short speeches calling for peace among nations and religions, as well as an end to poverty and environmental pollution.
Benedict denounced terrorism in the name of God, which he called the “antithesis of religion,” as well as a more “complex type of violence” rooted in the “denial of God,” exemplified by hedonism that leads to drug abuse, reported Religion News Service.
Later, in the square outside the Basilica of St. Francis, representatives received burning oil lamps symbolic of their pledge to peace. They then stepped inside for a brief visit to St. Francis’s tomb. Upton was among several leaders who participated in readings during the gathering in the square.
“There was a large youth movement which was part of this event,” said Upton. “They carried the oil lamps and lined up before each delegate and passed the light of peace to us. Then we held the lamps while they danced. Afterwards, they came back to us and we returned the lamps as a symbol that those youths – the next generation — would have a peaceful future.”
Unlike the 1986 event, this year’s format did not provide for public prayer. Following a “frugal lunch,” participants repaired to private rooms for about two hours of “reflection and/or personal prayer.” The change was an attempt to avoid the charges of syncretism, or the fusion of religions, which followed the earlier summit.
“The pope said he wanted us to pray out of our own traditions, and not compromise our faith,” said Upton.
Also different at this year’s gathering was the presence of a handful of non-believers, invited at Benedict’s request.
The pope, who distinguished agnostics from “militant atheists [with their] false certainty … that there is no God,” expressed sympathy to agnostics, whom he called “seekers” whose “inability to find God is partly the responsibility of believers with a limited or even falsified image of God,” according to RNS.
"It was fitting that religious leaders from around the globe should focus on peace … as peace is one of the most urgent needs of our time," said Callam. "As nations are in turmoil, and as people worldwide are uncertain as to their future and have lost confidence in many authority figures, it is the peace that is engendered through a reconciling relationship with God in Christ that can restore hope.
Upton praised Benedict’s initiative in hosting the day of prayer. “There’s not another religious or government leader in the world who could make this appeal and gather this kind of meeting, focused on global peace and justice,” he said.
“It was good for Baptists to be there,” he said. “They needed us there and we needed to be there. We’re going to be good neighbors without compromising our core convictions. We can do this while holding to our evangelical convictions.”
Callam added: "It is our confident belief renewed commitment to peace that was expressed in Assisi will foster improved relationship between people of various religions. It is our hope that persons will come to know the peace from Christ that passes all understanding."
Robert Dilday ([email protected]) is managing editor of the Religious Herald.