A UMNS Report
By Linda Bloom*
June 11, 2007     

That is one of the reasons why the Rev. Larry Pickens, chief executive of the United Methodist Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns, and the Rev. W. Douglas Mills, a commission executive, accepted an invitation for dialogue from Tony Robbins, a well-known motivational speaker, author and leadership coach.

Pickens said churches and faith groups that historically have not been part of the ecumenical movement are becoming more involved in non-traditional forms of dialogue. He expects to see more forums hosted by individuals such as Robbins who believe conversation across faith lines can impact the world positively.

"I think this opens some doors for us to engage in significant interfaith dialogue," Pickens said.

The May 29-June 5 conference, "Oneness: An Interfaith Dialogue on the Unity of Humankind," took place at the Robbins-owned Namale Resort & Spa in the Fiji Islands, and travel expenses were paid by Robbins and his foundation. The invitation billed the event as an opportunity to "work together in the spirit of oneness to dissolve tensions and promote the universal human values of compassion, love and happiness - the precursors to peace."

“We talk a lot about the reconfiguration of the ecumenical movement and this is just an example.”
–The Rev. W. Douglas Mills

Mills said the commission needs to take advantage of such experiences outside of traditional and mainstream avenues. "We talk a lot about the reconfiguration of the ecumenical movement and this is just an example," he said.

Mills noted that Robbins also wanted to offer faith representatives "a time of renewal, a time of prayer and a time of contemplation. In a sense, this is his gift to us."

Among the dozen or so participants to the Fiji interfaith conference was Iman Mehdi Korasani, Islamic Society of California, who arranged a meeting last year in San Francisco between the Dalai Lama and prominent Muslim dignitaries; Rabbi Solomon Schiff of Miami, who has been a leader in the National Conference of Christians and Jews; and Tawfik Hamid, a former member of an Islamic extremist group who now promotes a message of peace and is the author of The Roots of Jihad .

Hinduism and Buddhism also were represented at the conference, where the goal was "to create a safe space where these religious leaders could have dialogue … and raise the issues that are important to us from the perspective of our traditions," according to Mills.

Robbins brought a group of young people from Israel/Palestine to the conference to interact with the religious leaders and among themselves. The setting "allowed them to begin to humanize each other and begin to share in a way that made a difference," Pickens said.

Participants also were introduced to Oneness University, a movement out of India dedicated to spiritual renewal and prayer. "They are really trying to embrace this concept of change taking place from the inside out," Pickens said. "People have to change internally before they can change their surroundings."

One of the added benefits to the conference was the opportunity for Pickens and Mills to meet with Methodists in Fiji. Both preached in local churches and a few Fijian pastors participated in the conference itself. The Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma, an outgrowth of British Methodism, is the largest Christian denomination in Fiji.

*Bloom is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in New York.

News media contact: Linda Bloom, New York, (646) 369-3759 or newsdesk@umcom.org .

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