TURNING FAITH INTO AN

INSTRUMENT FOR SUCCESS- EXPERIENCES FROM INDIA

Fr. PHILIP KURUVILLA,

General Coordinator, ESHA Project,[partnering with ICCO Cooperation]

A project of the National Council of Churches in

India,Nagpur, India

1 Billion people, 1 Billion Deities !

Rama GaneshaSaraswati

Lakshmi

Nanak

Buddha Christ DeviKrsna

Murugan

WITH INDIA’SRELIGIOUS BACKGROUND- IT WAS NATURAL TO USE

FAITH, FAITH LEADERS,

AND FAITH COMMUNITIES

Dr Suniti Solomon and her colleagues documented the first evidence of the HIV infection in India in 1986, when she served at the Madras Medical College [Chennai, India]

Bishops of the Church led the anti-stigma campaigns

AIDS WAS NO LONGER A DIRTY SECRET- IT WAS TAKEN OUT ON THE STREETS

GENDER & SEXUALITY ISSUES WERE ALSO TAKEN UP BY THE CHURCH

FAITH LEADERS BEGAN TO DIALOGUE WITH PLWA’S AND

LGBTQ

THEOLOGICAL COLLEGES AND PRIESTS STARTED HIV-TRAINING

IT IS TRUE THAT TILL RECENTLY, FAITH LEADERS HAVE NOT PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE

IN RESPONDING TO THE PANDEMIC

BECAUSE MANY OF THEM ARE STILL GUILTY OF:

1st : DENIAL 2nd: TRIVIALISATION

3rd: JUDGEMENTALISM

THE REASONS FOR THEIR RETICENCE:

1. They do not have adequate knowledge about the AIDS Virus –

and they still harbour many myths and misconceptions about

the issues around HIV and AIDS

2. Many feel the Virus is God’s Punishment for ‘sinful’ or deviant behaviour

3. Almost 80% of HIV is spread by sexual transmission…

.…and Faith Leaders are not willing to talk about human sexuality

from the Pulpits or from ‘spaces’

considered ‘sacred’. 4. The LGBTI community have been traditionally not welcomed by most religious leaders and their faith communities

THE RESULT: TILL ABOUT 2000 –

THE UN AGENCIES AND THE GOVERNMENT NEGLECTED OR

UNDERESTIMATED THE POTENTIAL OF FAITH LEADERS – BECAUSE OF THEIR TRADITIONALLY NEGATIVE RESPONSE.THINGS CHANGED WHEN THEY FOUND

THAT IF FAITH LEADERS COULD BE EMPOWERED, OR “WON OVER” - THEY HAD SEVERAL ADVANTAGES

An HIV-friendly Faith Leader offers the following resources which is superior to what the UN, an NGO or the

Govt. can give:• Greater ‘Reach’ into the Faith Community

• Greater Experience

• A Spiritual mandate for their work- even if it is on

taboo subject like AIDS

• Increased (long-range) Sustainability

• There is in-built Motivation to Serve

THE SAIRC could not continue for lack of funds.

But two things happened: 1. The ‘Asian Interfaith Network on

AIDS’ -AINA – came into existence in Thailand in 2005

2. In India –IICA- the Interfaith Coalition on HIV and AIDS was

created after 2005

SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR THE FOUNDER OF THE

ART OF LIVING,AND WORLD FAMOUS RELIGIOUS LEADER ,

TOOK UP THE ISSUE OF HIV AND AIDS, AND OF STIGMA

IN 2008 HE CONVENED THE HINDU LEADERS CAUCUS ON HIV AND AIDS :

AS PART OF ‘FAITH IN ACTION’-

OVER 90 SAINTS/SADHUS ATTENDED

Hindu Leaders Caucus- 2008

THE SECOND FAITH IN ACTION PROGRAM HELD IN ART OF LIVING –

BANGALORE ASHRAM IN 2010.

OVER 400 FAITH LEADERS FROM ALL FAITHS AND DENOMINATIONS

ATTENDED THE 3 DAY SEMINAR ON HIV AND AIDS

OTHER FAITH LEADERS AND FAITH COMMUNITIES TOOK UP THE ISSUE

• THE BAHAI COMMUNITY BROUGHT OUT LITERATURE ON HIV AWARENESS.

• THE JAMIA MILIA MUSLIM UNIVERSITY INVITED RELIGIOUS LEADERS

• HH SWAMI CHIDANANDA SARASWATI HELD AN HIV -TRAINING PROGRAM IN HIS PARMARTH ASHRAM

WITHIN THEIR FAITH COMMUNITY –CHURCH, MOSQUE, TEMPLE –

EACH FAITH LEADER WITH RIGHT INFORMATION :

SHAPES ATTITUDES

PROMOTES RESPONSIBLE BEHAVOUR

INCREASES THEIR FAITH COMMUNITY’S KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS ON CRUCIAL ISSUES

PRIORITISES HIV and AIDS AND THE STIGMA ISSUES

CHANNELISES MUCH NEEDED FUNDSSO IT IS IMPORTANT TO EMPOWER FAITH

LEADERS!

TAKE HOME MESSAGE:EMPOWERED FAITH LEADERS AND INFORMED FAITH COMMUNITIES CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE,THEY ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE SOLUTION…….EMPOWER FAITH LEADERS - THEY CAN BE INSTRUMENTS FOR SUCCESS

GIVE THEM A CHANCE!!

Turning Faith into an instrument for success

- experiences from IndiaTHANK YOU!

Fr. PHILIP KURUVILLA,

General Coordinator, ESHA Project,National Council of Churches in India,

Nagpur, Indiafrpkuruvilla@hotmail.com

+91-9823152313