Tony Blair and Barack Obama have been together at the US National Prayer Breakfast. A little unfortunate that Blair appears to have upstaged Gordon Brown in meeting the new president, but representation was not of course the point of the occasion, despite The Times headline:
Blair beats Brown to Obama meeting and reveals true depth of his faith
Notwithstanding the possible upset to political protocol, Blair's words were key as he called for religious faith to be restored "to its rightful place as a guide to our world". His words were inspiring:
Text of Tony Blair's Speech to National Prayer Breakfast
After talking about some of his experiences in the Holy Land he continues:
.... Today, religion is under attack from without and from within. From within, it is corroded by extremists who use their faith as a means of excluding the other. I am what I am in opposition to you. If you do not believe as I believe, you are a lesser human being.
From without, religious faith is assailed by an increasingly aggressive secularism, which derides faith as contrary to reason and defines faith by conflict. Thus do the extreme believers and the aggressive non-believers come together in unholy alliance.
And yet, faith will not be so easily cast. For billions of people,
faith motivates, galvanises, compels and inspires, not to exclude but
to embrace; not to provoke conflict but to try to do good.
This is faith in action. You can see it in countless local communities where those from churches, mosques, synagogues and temples, tend the sick, care for the afflicted, work long hours in bad conditions to bring hope to the despairing and salvation to the lost. You can see it in the arousing of the world's conscience to the plight of Africa.
He asks what it is that inspires such people?
... Ritual or doctrine or the finer points of theology? No. ...
... That is what inspires: the unconditional nature of God's love. A promise perpetually kept. A covenant never broken.
And in surrendering to God, we become instruments of that love. ...
Looking at the place of faith in a global community:
I love the way he draws in and honours the contribution of humanists yet points to limitations in their perspective:
Neither do I decry the work of humanists, who give gladly of themselves for others and who can often shame the avowedly religious. Those who do God's work are God's people.
I only say that there are limits to humanism and beyond those limits God and only God can work. The phrase "fear of God" conjures up the vengeful God of parts of the Old Testament. But "fear of God" means really obedience to God; humility before God; acceptance through God that there is something bigger, better and more important than you. It is that humbling of man's vanity, that stirring of conscience through God's prompting, that recognition of our limitations, that faith alone can bestow.
We can perform acts of mercy, but only God can lend them dignity. We can forgive, but only God forgives completely in the full knowledge of our sin.
And only through God comes grace; and it is God's grace that is unique.
With great depth of feeling he offered President Obama his support and prayer.
Barack Obama's reply is inspiring too. His speech: "This is my hope. This is my prayer."
I raise this history because far too often, we have seen faith wielded as a tool to divide us from one another – as an excuse for prejudice and intolerance. Wars have been waged. Innocents have been slaughtered. For centuries, entire religions have been persecuted, all in the name of perceived righteousness.
There is no doubt that the very nature of faith means that some of our beliefs will never be the same. We read from different texts. We follow different edicts. We subscribe to different accounts of how we came to be here and where we’re going next – and some subscribe to no faith at all.
But no matter what we choose to believe, let us remember that there is no religion whose central tenet is hate. There is no God who condones taking the life of an innocent human being. This much we know.
We know too that whatever our differences, there is one law that binds all great religions together. ... It is, of course, the Golden Rule – the call to love one another; to understand one another; to treat with dignity and respect those with whom we share a brief moment on this Earth.
Its cost:
And in a further commitment to make that reconciliation with enemies a reality in international relations he went on to say:
... We will also reach out to leaders and scholars around the world to foster a more productive and peaceful dialogue on faith. I don’t expect divisions to disappear overnight, nor do I believe that long-held views and conflicts will suddenly vanish. But I do believe that if we can talk to one another openly and honestly, then perhaps old rifts will start to mend and new partnerships will begin to emerge. In a world that grows smaller by the day, perhaps we can begin to crowd out the destructive forces of zealotry and make room for the healing power of understanding.
This is my hope. This is my prayer. ...
More on the occasion, and the Faith based inititaive office here on CNN: Obama revamps faith-based office
Words again. But words of hope.
I have to confess that while I like what he says very much, I find it hard to be positive about Tony Blair's words, for he disappointed me deeply during his leadership years. Obama hasn't disappointed me yet - but I know many find it hard to take seriously his words, even though they might agree with much.
I said in a post on Obama's early speeches and actions last week ( Audacious enough to hope? ) they are underlain by his own faith and hope, and also a good measure of humility. For both men, their faith and hope inspires what they have said. Lets join with them, and those who heard them at the National Prayer Breakfast and pray for them to be words that inspire and challenge many.
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