Episcopal bishop, world religious leader to speak at WFU March 24

Swing, who founded URI in 1993 as an interfaith organization dedicated to promoting daily and enduring interactions among all of the world’s religions, spiritual expressions and indigenous traditions, will discuss his thoughts and views on how people of different global faith traditions can talk and embrace one another. The discussion is one that Doug Bailey, associate professor of urban ministry at Wake Forest Divinity School, says is crucial as nations of the world of varied faiths find themselves in growing conflict. Bailey, the executive director of the Center for Urban Ministry Inc. at the Divinity School, has participated in a variety of programs with Swing.

“Here we are dealing with Gaza City being invaded, and all of the things that are happening in the Middle East in terms of Israel and Palestine, and here the U.S. is on the edge of going to war with Iraq. It seems to me that we are killing each other in the name of God,” Bailey said. “The whole thrust of the United Religions Initiative was to be kind of a partner to the United Nations. If nations can talk together and work together most of the time then why can’t we have religions talking and embracing each other?”

The effort and desire to embrace other religions has taken Swing around the world to places like China, Japan, Korea, India, the Middle East and Europe, among others, on a quest for guidance and commitment from world religious leaders such as the Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa, Pope John Paul II, the shankaracharya of Kancheepuram, Islam’s grand mufti in Cairo, and the archbishop of Canterbury. The visits were made in an attempt to secure support for the concept of a permanent forum where all the world’s religions will be represented.

To date, Swing and his organization have been successful at securing the membership of more than 15,000 individuals in 47 countries, representing more than 88 religions, spiritual expressions and indigenous traditions. Members participate in self-organizing “Cooperation Circles” around the world that are primarily comprised of seven people or more from at least three religions. There are more than 200 circles, including active groups in Asheville and Black Mountain.

Swing, who has served as Episcopal bishop of California since 1980, has served in various capacities with the Episcopal Church since 1961. He holds a master of divinity degree and a doctor of divinity degree from Virginia Theological Seminary, as well as a bachelor’s degree and a doctor of divinity degree from Kenyon College. He is the author of “The Coming United Religions,” and he contributed to the book “Building Wisdom’s House.”

In addition to his work around the world, Swing has been active at home in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he was a pioneer in ministry to the homeless at Grace Cathedral. He is a board member of the American Foundation for AIDS Research, and he works daily with alcohol and drug rehabilitation and Latino immigrant ministries.