Speech of Sharon Rosen

It is a pleasure to be at an annual meeting again with the Sant’Egidio family. The last time I was with you was before the COVID epidemic – I have missed you! 

When I was asked to speak about ‘embracing fragility’, it made me stop and think – what does that mean to embrace fragility? Don’t we try to protect ourselves from fragility? To be resilient to it? Why on earth would we want to embrace it? Thinking further, I became deeply aware of just how much we live in a fragile world – a world that is being torn asunder by so many conflicts, divisions, uncertainties, fears, …and selfish human interests.  Moreover, because we are so interdependent - climate change has ensured that we cannot ignore that any more – the fragility of our lives, and of planet earth as whole, is adversely affecting us ALL, although admittedly for many people this is a more perilous and present danger than for others.

I recently read again the interfaith declaration, Towards a Global Ethic, authored by Rev. Hans Kung, that was presented to the Parliament of World Religions in 1993. Its dramatic and horrifying first words still resonate out loud today, thirty years later.

‘The world is in agony. The agony is so pervasive and urgent that we are compelled to name its manifestations so that the depth of this pain may be made clear.

Peace eludes us . . . the planet is being destroyed . . .

neighbors live in fear . . . women and men are estranged from each other ... children die! 

 

How can we – and how can our religions - help allay this fragility which is leading to the destruction of ourselves and the planet? Can embracing fragility, temper its consequences?

 

 

 

The first step for us is to be more aware. We need to acknowledge and accept the inherent vulnerability of human existence. Human beings are not all powerful (even if some of us think we are)! We are not infallible and there are limits to our understanding and control over the complexities of life. Embracing fragility reminds us to be humble, compassionate, to care for others, because if we embrace it  we have internalized the fact that interdependence means we are in this together.

Embracing fragility also encourages empathy and the willingness to listen to different viewpoints, even if they challenge our own convictions; and to find non-violent solutions, because we realize that more conflict only leads to …more conflict – and even greater dangers for ourselves and our planet.

Looking at the roles religion can play in embracing fragility, I’d like to suggest 4 principal ones that can act as an antidote to the world’s fragility, provided they are practiced in a constructive and inclusive manner:

1. Religion offers a Spiritual Compass – a moral and ethical guide that promotes values like love, compassion, and peace, that can foster a sense of responsibility towards one another and to the whole eco-sphere on which human welfare depends.

2. It provides a sense of Community and Belonging that builds relationships among people enjoying shared experiences, and it promotes social cohesion and resilience, especially in the face of tragedy and vulnerability.

3. It emphasizes the importance of Peace and Reconciliation by focusing on shared values and religious teachings that bridge divides and that places peace -  salaam – shalom - shanti, at the heart of its spiritual messaging.

 

4.  And finally, it provides Meaning and Purpose to our physical and spiritual lives, directing us morally and offering comfort and solace when facing personal or societal challenges.

I find these four principles very much in my own religion.

Judaism emphasizes the fundamental principle of Pikuach Nefesh (saving a life) and places the highest value on preserving life and acknowledging the sanctity and dignity of every human being. It requires us to take all possible measures to prevent harm and strive for peace. We are called upon to seek shalom – peace – and pursue it.  Only when we have exhausted all possibilities, are we commanded to save ourselves through self-defense. The Torah reminds us 36 times to care for the stranger because we were strangers -  slaves -  in Egypt. We are continually being called on to care for the less fortunate, the widow and the orphan. And the second paragraph of our credo, the Shema prayer, highlights our obligation to behave morally otherwise God will ‘stop the rains, the land won’t yield its produce and we will swiftly perish’. Our moral behavior is inextricably linked to the wider eco-sphere -  as we are seeing to our cost.

The pilgrim festival of Succoth, Tabernacles, is a prime example of how embracing fragility can build awareness. On this festival, we leave our homes and live in temporary booths, open to the elements (and all too often this autumn festival coincides with the first rains in Israel!) in order to remind us of how the Jewish people were dependent on God during their journeys in the Wilderness from Egypt to Israel, 3 thousand years ago! And we do this today as an experiential activity to remind us that we are still vulnerable, still dependent on the Divine for our shelter and safety. It really is a great way to reduce hubris!

 

 

Yet unfortunately ALL our religions, especially when they are fueled by power, are open to narrow, exclusive, violent, interpretations that sow division and intolerance, and make the world even more fragile for us all. Burgeoning religious nationalism is a good example of what I’m referring to – no religion is immune, least of all my own.

For religion to serve as an effective antidote in a fractured world, it needs to embody the principles of inclusivity, respect for diversity, and a commitment to social harmony and peace. In this respect, I see that the work my organization, Search for Common Ground, is implementing in over 40 countries is in fact embracing fragility although I would not have thought to define it this way before being given the title of this presentation.

Let me share just one example of how we do this.  We are part of a consortium called the Joint Initiative Strategic Religious Action (JISRA) that includes partnerships with 50 civil society organizations spanning 7 countries, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iraq, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria and Uganda - some very fragile countries indeed. We are right in the middle of this 5-year program that is helping to advance Freedom of Religion and Belief in those countries while paying special attention to increasing the role of women and young people in setting the vision and deciding on solutions to advance FoRB in their societies. The way we do it is to work locally within and between religious communities, addressing the harmful norms and narratives that divide the societies and by embracing the fragility we see to stimulate awareness, learning and cooperation for joint action.  This project has demonstrated repeatedly how religious traditions can come together in a common vision for a better and fairer society when mutual respect and trust is built. Some examples of JISRA best practices include:  

1. Local partners from different religions in Nigeria collaborated in training government officials and community leaders to help ensure peaceful 

 

 

elections earlier this year. And likewise in Kenya, religious actors trained by JISRA partners helped to ensure peaceful elections there in 2022. 

2. In Mali our JISRA local partners and religious actors from different religions took part in the consultations for the revision of the constitution. 

3. And on a truly grassroots level, Christian and Muslim young men and women in Nigeria together lobbied to the state authorities for electricity supplies for both their religious communities – Muslim and Christian - and received them. As a result of this electricity, they had greater job opportunities which also improved their economic circumstances. And so it goes on. 

By embracing fragility, individuals and communities CAN heal the world, (Tikkun Olam as we call it in Judaism).  The beauty of this approach is that the more we embrace, the more fragility disappears. As with love. The more we love, the less hate there is in our lives.