A PAVILION OF FAITH WE CAN ALL GO TO
Prof. Robert Heilbroner
It was 1972 when I first heard about the climate crisis. I was in graduate school and taking a wonderful history of economic thought class given by Professor Robert Heilbroner.
I view it as one of the greatest gifts in my life that I was able to study under this great scholar. In fact, if you have not read Heilbroner’s book The Worldly Philosophers, I would suggest that you do so. This book, which was a New York Times bestseller, is a beautiful travelogue of the key economic thinkers (from Adam Smith to John Maynard, Keynes). It is written in clear and easy to understand language. Heilbroner was such a great teacher.
I will always remember that class back in 1972. One day, Heilbroner came into classroom looking like one of his close relatives had just died. He told us that he was serving on a panel sponsored by the Ford Foundation that was looking at the economic, social, and political impacts that would be caused by climate change— and these changes would be massive, hence the “death warmed over look” on the great teacher’s face.
He told us about melting icecaps and the rise of the sea level. “We estimate that 25 percent of more of New York City could be under water. The capital of Indonesia— which has the largest population in the Muslim world— will be totally underwater,” he said.
“The negative economic impacts caused by climate change will be massive. But I think the social and political impacts are even more important,” he noted. Climate change will cause massive population migration. It predominantly will be people from below the equator trying to get into and live in countries above the equator, he explained.
“The issue of massive immigration coupled with economic disruptions could lead to many ultra-right-wing authoritarian leaders coming to power in the future. I fear that it could be a world which is not supportive of democratic values,” he asserted.
Heilbroner, who died in 2005, did not live long enough to see many of his predictions come true. However, he was hopeful for the long run. He believed that often when times get tough and horrible people “go sane.” He pointed to the United Kingdom during World War ll. During the pounding the British people took in the Battle of Britain “it was their finest hour, and people rose to do the right thing,” he noted.
It still is not clear whether humanity will rise to the occasion to “do the right thing” in terms of climate change. Hopefully, the international conferences on climate change will get us moving fast enough to stave off “worst case scenarios” from happening.
The most recent of these international conferences was held by the United Nations in Dubai, and for the first time it really added a spiritual dimension to the issue. There were several pavilions at the conference. For example, there was one pavilion dedicated to oceanic pollution, and its impact on climate change. But for the first time there was also a pavilion dedicated to spirituality and prayer related to dealing with climate change.
This Faith Pavilion was inaugurated by Pope Francis and the Grand Muslim Imam of Al-Azhar. It was a place for prayer and meditation. There were daily chanting sessions led by the Indian mystic and Yogi Jaggi Vasudev. It was a place where ministers, priests, imams, rabbis, and other spiritual leaders could meet and talk about the spiritual dimensions of climate change – – and increase the ability of spiritual leaders in helping people go through this crisis.
The New York Times reported that there were over 300 religious leaders at this pavilion. But what was so interesting was that many others who were at the conference – – lobbyists, government officials, etc. — were drawn to this pavilion,
Many of the leaders from different faith traditions commented that they felt that being good stewards of the Earth was a central pillar at the heart of their religion. They said all too often this truth had been lost sight of in the hustle and bustle of life.
Now don’t get me wrong, I am a big believer in the separation of church and state. Jesus said, “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, but render unto God what is God’s” (Mark 12:17). But I think there is an important lesson, or insight, from this Faith Pavilion at the United Nation’s Climate Conference in Dubai.
On a personal level, I never have— and I never will— use the pulpit to promote a partisan political position. For example, I have never used the pulpit to tell people how to vote (and Unity people tend to be so independent and thoughtful that I think such efforts would not have much impact if I tried).
Before my call to ministry, I was an economist. Dr. Heilbroner called economists “worldly philosophers.” However Oscar Wilde said that “economists are the people who know the price of everything and the value of nothing.”
I would say that most economic, social, and political issues are way too important to be left to economists, sociologists, and politicians. There is a deep spiritual dimension to something like climate change.
For this reason, I would suggest that when we are dealing with key worldly challenges, we create a Faith Pavilion. It may only be on the individual level and not as grand as the one in Dubai. I would suggest that we regularly go into our Faith Pavilion to seek guidance from that “still, small voice” (1 Kings 19: 11-13). We often may be amazed by the wisdom and guidance we will find in our Faith Pavilion.
This doesn’t mean that all of us will hear the same thing — or come out voting the same way— by going into our Faith Pavilions. But our abilities at dealing with the often perplexing worldly challenges will improve. Also, we will be in better shape to deal with people who disagree with us.
May you have fruitful, serene, and inspiring Faith Pavilions as you deal with the potholes of life.
