Episcopal Press and News

Swing to Introduce Vision of Unity to World Religious Leaders

Episcopal News Service. February 8, 1996 [96-1385C]

(ENS) Bishop William Swing of California recently began a three-month mission to introduce his vision of a "United Religions" to the great religious leaders of the world. He intends to invite the leaders to send delegations to San Francisco in June of 1977 for a charter-writing session for the creation of the United Religions. In a recent message to his diocese, Swing said, "What is missing is a global soul. Established religions are good up to the level of self-interest (ethnic religion, national religion, religion of one's own culture). But when challenged to find a common voice among the religions, there was -- silence. So two and one-half years ago, I started on a journey to see whether an institution, parallel to the United Nations -- for want of a better term, a 'United Religions' -- might be established." His journey began with the world's largest Christian Convention called "Maramon" in Kerala, India, followed by a visit with Mother Theresa in Calcutta and the Dalai Lama in Darmsala. In March he will travel to the Middle East to visit the Grand Mufti, head Rabbis in Jerusalem, and King Hussein in Jordan. He will present a paper on the United Religions at Oxford, England, at the International Interfaith Center, then will meet with the Archbishop of Canterbury. In April, he will visit the Vatican, meet with Patriarch Bartholomew in Constantinople and conclude his mission in Geneva with a visit to the World Council of Churches.