Socially Engaged Religions

 Let us be engaged in creating another world a world of peace and harmony rather than strife and violence. Asghar Ali Engineer

Since formal religions have been politicised or used to create and consolidate exploitative relationships they often become cause of tension and confrontation. Hence the urgent need for forms of inter-religious dialogue that can prevent conflict and promote social justice and ecological action.

The papers in Socially Engaged Religions have been written by noted scholars and activists and presented in the inter-faith dialogues organised by Pipal Tree and the Fireflies Ashram in Bangalore. Those contributing are not mere armchair theologians but those seriously concerned with complex problems created by the current global neo-liberal economy and its ruthless propagation of competitive values.

Social activists will particularly find these essays illuminating to understand the potential of religion to play a positive and liberative role in the transformation of society and foster an era of peace and harmony.

the earth is our mother. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. If men spit upon the ground, they spit upon themselves. This we know: The Earth does not belong to man man belongs to the earth. This we know. All things are connected like the blood which unites one family. Chief Seattle Chief of the Suquamish Indians allegedly wrote to the American Govt in the 1800s.