All of Us OR None of Us

The ripples of the International and Ecumenical Conference on Racial Justice that was hosted in Freiburg last November is still reverberating across the diocese and beyond and there has been a persistent call for a follow up conference to look further into specific recommendations from the event. Of the many meaningful proposals in the Freiburg statement, one was to probe further the dimensions beyond the Christian faith parameters and into the interfaith possibilities of joining hands for a better future. The racial justice working group of the diocese seriously considered this recommendation and has now decided to convene a follow up conference in December in Bad Boll on the theme ‘All of us or None of us’.

When we look at the early phase of the Christian Church we find some definitive markers of the community. Acts 4:32-35 gives us a glimpse on some of those. Due to practical reasons they soon realized that living the life of this ideal community was not easy and at some point in time gave up on many of those. However, it is worth taking a look at some of the aspects of the life therein. The primary task today is to put our own house in order and some of these paradigms might be worth a re-visit to see how much of that would be practically possible.

• those who believed were of one heart and soul
• no one claimed private ownership of any possessions
• everything they owned was held in common
• With great power they gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus
• great grace was upon them all. 
• there was not a needy person among them
• All that they had was shared and distributed to each as any had need.

It would be worth asking ourselves if we are asked to identify seven definitive markers to our churches today, what would they be? With that critical thinking we must acknowledge that for the building of a future and addressing the challenges around us today the best way is to include ALL in the journey.

Redefining the ALL.

The primary task then would be to define who are all included in the “ALL”. As we affirm that each person is created in the image of God, we also acknowledge that human made constructs have created barriers and boundaries between people. Deconstructing these walls and restoring the web of relationships that make life colorful and meaningful is as important now as ever before. While on the one hand marginalization and othering continues to be a reality, we should also be aware that on the other hand intentional initiatives to allow humanity to integrate as one loving whole are happening around us. The task is far beyond that of bridge building, it is more about community building where all are included and none find themselves excluded.

The fact remains that given the context in which we live and ascertaining the damage hate, violence and war can do to human life, this world can no longer afford parochial protectionism. Life is so intertwined that it is either life for everyone or life for none. There cannot be a via media where some people can build a possibility of fullness of life only for themselves excluding everybody else. We need to get out of our ghettos and reach out to our neighbors. We should join hands with everyone creating a circle of love and inclusion. This is not an option but the only choice before us should we want a hope filled future.

What can be done

The primary task is the strengthening of togetherness. People should learn to continuously celebrate diversity and inclusivity. Rights and opportunities should be equally accorded to all. No one should be left behind. The interconnectedness of life should concentrate on the well-being of each and the well-being of all.

If we dare to dream of a hopeful future the responsibility of making that dream come true must be a collective one. Addressing the maladies that the world faces today and ensuring that the next generations will have a safe place to live should be the responsibility of all. In that task there should be solidarity one with another and mutual support. Compassion, empathy and godly values should provide the foundation for the building of a sustainable future. Peace and justice must be at the core of every initiative of reconciliation.

What will the Conference aim at

The focus of the Bad Bol conference would be to Redesign the Ecumenical and Inter-faith landscape for a Racially Just, Radically Inclusive and Healing Community. We will closely look at the inter-faith landscape today with all its complexities and possibilities, listening to stories and experiences from people of different faith traditions. We will do an overview of the ecumenical landscape today and seeks its sunny sides and flip sides. We will particularly look at the global health scenario as a case study of the idea of “either all or none”. Given the context in which we meet we will look at how important the Nicaean Creed has been for our collective history and what lessons can we learnt to broaden our horizons for the future. We will have Bible Scholars deciphering the word for us. Experts delving into various aspects of the theme. Experiences of people being shared and time for workshops, discussions and spaces to listen to young and the experienced. The whole event would be cantered around worship and would be sensitive to multi-faith presence among the participants. The registration links are open in the Diocese of Europe webpage and it could be worth considering attending.

Yes its either all of us or none of us

Vinod Victor

August 1, 2024