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Werwath[1] interview of gibbs
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VOL. 34 | NO. 1 | 2002 50 I mmediately prior to the signing of the URI charter in San Francisco, I had the opportunity to interview Rev Charles Gibbs, Executive Director of the United Religions Initiative. The interview was conducted at a time when tensions among different religious organizations were far different than they have been since September eleven. It has been known for years that most of the conflicts in the world are actually caused by, and not mitigated by deeply held religious beliefs. Most of the distinctions between the world’s faith traditions are not as important, in the grand scheme of things, as their similarities and commonalities. What they share is more important than what divides them. This is a fundamental tenet of the URI initiative and what Rev. Gibbs continually emphasizes. The Rev- erend came across as a deeply spiritual and committed man, and I am convinced that he had no idea what kind of reli- gious powder-keg awaited the world only a mere fifteen months after this interview took place. For too long religions have accented their differences instead of their com- monality. These distinctions have led to tremendous conflicts by taking the ‘them versus us” mentality to extremes. If you review the twenty one principles of the URI, they revolve around respect, hospi- tality, cooperation, bridge-building and healing. These are important principles that are common to many of the faith tra- ditions alive in the world today. As a foundation for the work inside of the URI, it is refreshing to see the positive aspects of religion being emphasized rather than the conflicting side of organ- ized religion. It is the conflict which usu- ally emanates from the extremists in cer- tain faith traditions, and is often what is highlighted among the mass media. The URI is not a religion, nor is it advocating any particular faith tradition, but rather it appreciates all the world’s great faith traditions and, more than an ecumenical movement, it takes this appreciation and turns it into action. Specifically, the action is in linking people and supporting political causes that can help reduce religiously inspired wars. It is against this backdrop and con- text that this interview was conducted. My aim was to understand both Rev. Gibbs as a person involved in this move- ment and his personal motivations and background for this type of work, and at Hopefully, this Issue has embraced you in thoughts, and perhaps even visions of Global OD and the place you may pursue in it. There are rainbows to follow and missions to be found when one con- siders this vast planet and the soul and spirit organization work that is waiting to be accomplished. We wanted to close with a dramatic symbol of the potential that lives in the center of our field of OD. Surely, the United Religions Initiative is a sterling example of the power of a consultation that supports people working participatively and in process. —The Editors VOICES By Mark Werwath An Interview with Rev. Charles Gibbs of United Religious Initiative MARK WERWATH is a Ph.D. student in Organizational Development at Benedictine University. He is currently a consultant in program manage- ment and the application of OD principles in program management in the high technology fields. His background includes software development engineering with more than fifteen years in new product development at Motorola. Mark is a part-time instructor of program management at North- western University, DePaul University and the University of Chicago. Mark can be reached at [email protected] AUTHOR
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Published interview of Rev Gibbs
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VOL. 34 | NO. 1 | 2002 50
Immediately prior to the signing of theURI charter in San Francisco, I had theopportunity to interview Rev Charles
Gibbs, Executive Director of the UnitedReligions Initiative. The interview wasconducted at a time when tensionsamong different religious organizationswere far different than they have beensince September eleven. It has beenknown for years that most of the conflictsin the world are actually caused by, andnot mitigated by deeply held religiousbeliefs. Most of the distinctions betweenthe world’s faith traditions are not asimportant, in the grand scheme of things,as their similarities and commonalities.What they share is more important thanwhat divides them. This is a fundamentaltenet of the URI initiative and what Rev.Gibbs continually emphasizes. The Rev-erend came across as a deeply spiritualand committed man, and I am convincedthat he had no idea what kind of reli-gious powder-keg awaited the world onlya mere fifteen months after this interviewtook place.
For too long religions have accentedtheir differences instead of their com-
monality. These distinctions have led totremendous conflicts by taking the ‘themversus us” mentality to extremes. If youreview the twenty one principles of theURI, they revolve around respect, hospi-tality, cooperation, bridge-building andhealing. These are important principlesthat are common to many of the faith tra-ditions alive in the world today. As afoundation for the work inside of theURI, it is refreshing to see the positiveaspects of religion being emphasizedrather than the conflicting side of organ-ized religion. It is the conflict which usu-ally emanates from the extremists in cer-tain faith traditions, and is often what is
highlighted among the mass media. The URI is not a religion, nor is it
advocating any particular faith tradition,but rather it appreciates all the world’sgreat faith traditions and, more than anecumenical movement, it takes thisappreciation and turns it into action.Specifically, the action is in linking peopleand supporting political causes that canhelp reduce religiously inspired wars.
It is against this backdrop and con-text that this interview was conducted.My aim was to understand both Rev.Gibbs as a person involved in this move-ment and his personal motivations andbackground for this type of work, and at
Hopefully, this Issue has embraced you in thoughts, and perhaps even visions of Global OD and theplace you may pursue in it. There are rainbows to follow and missions to be found when one con-siders this vast planet and the soul and spirit organization work that is waiting to be accomplished.
We wanted to close with a dramatic symbol of the potential that lives in the center of our field ofOD. Surely, the United Religions Initiative is a sterling example of the power of a consultation thatsupports people working participatively and in process.
—The Editors
VOICES
By Mark Werwath
An Interview with
Rev. Charles Gibbs of
United Religious Initiative
MARK WERWATH is a Ph.D. student in Organizational Development atBenedictine University. He is currently a consultant in program manage-ment and the application of OD principles in program management in thehigh technology fields. His background includes software developmentengineering with more than fifteen years in new product development atMotorola. Mark is a part-time instructor of program management at North-western University, DePaul University and the University of Chicago. Markcan be reached at [email protected]
AUTHOR
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51 O D PRACT IT ION E R
VOICES: An Interview with Rev. Charles Gibbs of United Religious Initiative
the same time gain an appreciativeunderstanding of the direction of themovement. I believe that this interviewcan also bring some degree of hope thata true inter-faith dialogue is occurring,that the initiative pre-dates the Septem-ber eleventh disaster, and that this workis occurring at multiple levels but mostimportantly at the grass roots level.
INTERVIEW WITH REVEREND CHARLESGIBBS
Q: Why is the issue of uniting theworld’s religions so important toyou?
I believe the World’s religions have thegreatest accumulated wisdom and the bestvalues on the planet. In the past, this wisdomhas been misused and has been the cause ofmuch world violence and war. The world’sreligions represent a treasure trove of moralteachings and wisdom that can be construc-tively applied to the worlds problems. Histori-cally, the world’s religions have collectivelyabdicated their responsibility to accomplishthe goals of peace and unity in the world.
For the first time in human history, wehave the opportunity to address these issues ofpeace and unity. The human race, thanks tothe technology that can bring us together andthanks to the receptivity of the world faith tra-ditions, the time has come to bring it into rightrelationship, to bring it into balance
Q. Of the hopes and dreams youbrought to this position, what haveyou seen become reality so far?
Our goal of enduring interfaith coopera-tion has already seen its seed planted in manyplaces. We have managed to cooperate withpeople who share a common vision. Someexamples:
The turn of the millenium, what wecalled the 72 Hours Project. It grew as alocally rooted peace building effort thatbecame globally connected. It started as aglimmer and became two hundred projectsworldwide. A group in Pakistan held a twelveday Peace march. Tens of thousands came outto support this march. We got good coveragein Brazil with our Viva Rio P roject whichfocused on the disarmament of thousands of
guns in Rio De Janeiro. All of these startedsmall and are connected to URI. Some beganas simple as interfaith prayer service:. Prayervigils, peace marches, feed the hungry, etc.
Q. What would you say the strategicplan is for URI over the next two tofive years?
To build the organization. URI is a self-organizing entit; as of June 26 when ourglobal charter is signed in San Francisco, wewill have seventy five cooperation circlesalready in existence ranging in size fromseven members to five hundred, and they arespread all over the world. This is just a smallbeginning
We need to develop the centralized sup-port mechanisms to aid in the development ofthese circles: Global support network, Staffingcenters, Global coordination hub, Knowledgeempowerment hub (to include best practices,partners in leadership, peace building, pro-grams in education, share the experiences,especially experiences of the sacred. Plannedinterventions, conflict management, etc).Fundraising, of course, and accountability.
These clusters need to grow. DavidCooperrider has been far more than just aconsultant in this process. He has committedhimself completely for a while now. This goesto what and who David is. He is a very spe-cial person
We are actually wrestling right now withcertain organizational issues that David ishelping us with. The main theme of theseissues revolves around the amount of centralsupport services that might be needed to keepthe clusters thriving. Should we have training,IT, facilitation, Knowledge management andsupport groups of that type centralized tofacilitate the growth of the clusters?
The use of the world wide web willbecome a more important influence in thefuture. Already we have several e-groupsestablished and we see global developmentthrough people and through the use oftechnology
I think the basic unasked but some-how answered question becomes, WhyURI and Why now? It boils down to thefact that it can be done now in a way thatit couldn’t be done before. Thanks to thevery clear vision and mission of people
like Rev Gibbs, it is being accomplishednow. Perhaps, in our lifetimes, we will seedramatic reductions in religiously inspiredwars on our planet. The epitome ofwhich may very well be peace in theMiddle East and the peaceful resolutionof such perplexing problems as theJerusalem question. Especially since theSeptember eleventh disaster, the need forthis and similar dialogues has becomeabundantly clear. The role of the ODprofession in creating the organizationalmechanisms that enable the dialogueshould bring hope to those of us whopray for a sustained, self regulating andlasting peace. I am sure this is Rev. Gibbs’hope as well
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