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Chicago - Parliament of World Religions
The 1993 Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago marked the centennial of the first 1893 gathering, offering over 700 events—music, dance, seminars, and workshops—where Hindu swamis, Buddhist monks, Muslim imams, Jains, turbaned Sikhs, Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish leaders, and Native Americans came together. Despite withdrawals by some evangelical Christians, Eastern Orthodox over neo-pagans, and four Jewish groups protesting Louis Farrakhan, most participants embraced dialogue to defeat fanaticism, bridge religious, economic, and social divides, and practice compassion.
Speakers introduced Engaged Buddhism, emphasizing that “contemplation and action cannot be separated,” and called for peace through love, unity, and respect. Religious leaders signed a nearly 100-signatory Global Ethic, researched by Hans Küng, denouncing war and injustice. A youth plenary—nine faiths strong—modeled overcoming stereotypes, focusing on the 80 percent of common ground rather than the 10–15 percent of differences. Drawing on the Buddha’s words—“All beings tremble before violence. All fear death, all love life”—and the Jewish term shalom, the Parliament affirmed that by seeing the same God everywhere without losing personal faith, we can rediscover our shared oneness and work together for healing.