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Social Forum 2009 |
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Reflections on the World Social Forum
“Another World is Possible”
Belém,
Brazil,
January 27th to
February 1st 2009
by Janice Jolin,smic
The World
Social Forum was a time of sacred encounter with a movement of a world
crying out for life. The
theme “Another world is possible”
became meaningful upon understanding the importance of its urgency at
this unique and fragile moment in time.
Throughout the
days of the Forum, we were engaged in presentations about
Amazon ecology, world sustainability, the emergence of new
governments elected through popular movements, and human rights for all
and in particular, giving value to the history and the contribution of
the many indigenous peoples of the Amazon area.
It was a time of unprecedented concentration in a world so
different from my daily experience.
Though there were many speakers from many
countries presenting their points of view on what and how our world can
be different, I choose to share with you that which most touched me
coming from old and tried teachers and practitioners of Liberation
Theology.
Leonardo Boff
began his talk: “If Francis were here today, he would be crying twice.
Once, for humanity with its
millions of poor who daily experience the crisis of life
sustainability due to an economic system that consistently disfavors an
ever growing number of people (920 million in destitute poverty) and a
second time, for planet earth
whose generous care to the human person is no longer possible; more is
demanded from her than she can possible produce.
Boff spoke
with a clear reading of the signs of the times also interpreted by
others who believe that the shoring-up of a capitalistic system as the
key to sustainability is no longer a viable option. Yet because of faith
we can dare to agree with Jacques D’Ornellas:
“We have nothing to fear. We are
all witnesses of the end of a system and the birth of a new way of
production in the history of humanity.”
Easter 2008
Breaking from
the illusion that the capitalistic system can continue to supply the
demands of humanity, Boff cited that at this moment in time we are using
30% more than what the earth is able to produce.
The signs of the time are seen in our Sister, Mother Earth’s
illness as she goes through the pains of climate change with its
consequent turbulences of cyclones, floods, droughts, etc., polluted
rivers from agrotoxic and mineral wastes creating a catastrophe of 1.5
billion people with no access to portable water.
Boff assures us that “though our planet’s
death seems inescapable, it is not the Earth which will die, but human
life. The Earth did not
need our existence for her birth, we were not responsible for her
diversity; we are however, ethically responsible to care for her as was
commanded by the Creator when on the Seventh Day, man and woman were
created and her care entrusted to them.”
Though oftentimes, we are likely to enter into some solidarity with a
defined threatened species, we are failing to understand that
the threatened species are human
beings. So long as we
continue to consume and waste in ways that continue to have 20% of
people use up 80% of world resources, we are fostering the extinction of
our brothers and sisters. Our Franciscan spirit cannot leave us without
a response.
At this World
Social Forum seminar, I learned that we are at a crossroads of life and
death. The direction decided by our Country with its world influence
based in a capitalistic system will shape the future.
Accustomed to living with an
ethic of more, we will now feel more fully the crises that impact us
all: economic, food, energy, environment.
Trusting and hoping in Obama’s capacity to rally the US and world
forces to collaborate in the support of
banks and industry may be enough to bring about an escape from
unemployment and a return to a life of complacent comfort but it will be
only as a temporary measure. Rather we need the courage to face our
fragile situation and seek, with world leaders, to risk to listen to and
be open to supporting other ways of responding to the crisis by
endorsing the perspectives now being realized by some governments driven
by popular movements in the southern countries of the Americas and
rooted in a conversion to a gospel ethic of interest in all of
life--human and planet..
On one of the
last days of the Forum Seminars, I attended a session on the theme:
“where do we go now with the theological patrimony of the Theology of
Liberation of Latin America?” In a panel composed of its great prophets,
Franciscan Leonardo Boff, Frei Beto, (OP) and the new president
Fernando Lugo
of Paraguay, (Archbishop) Fernando Lugo (SVD)
we were oriented to the core of this living theology coming from the
base (opposite of hierarchy) and directed to the formation of oppressed
and marginalized peoples to a develop a critical consciousness and a
lived commitment to the sacredness of life- even to death, as lived by
Jesus. Liberation Theology
has truly made its mark in the history of some countries where for
centuries, only a few egotistic and corrupt individuals controlled the
lives of millions of poor people. Today, its testimony is in the action
of popular movements fed by a faith in change as possible.
As I sat near
the stage where these humble and simple men spoke with clarity and
conviction about gospel life while using only few references to the
Scriptures (very Franciscan “preach the gospel, use words only when
necessary”) I knew that God is still blessing us with prophets.
The message now don’t stay
behind, come to the center” is one inviting all to co-
responsibililty...this reminded me of our own call to be subject of the
Congregational vision we believe in.
Boff urged us
to live in hope for without it suicide is its alternative.
We need to have a belief that
another world as possible.
Therefore, we need to believe in inventions, of the
unconceivable, of the improvable as possible shown in recent events such
as the elections of President Lugo and Barack Obama.
Boff also reminded us of the call of spirituality (not religion)
as profoundly present in each one but which needs to be supported
through the values of solidarity, friendship, relations that nourish its
flame to be freed from individualism and egoism so as to open self to
the dimension of “the God who only can satisfy our hungers”.
Who would have thought that politics could be so much at the
heart of theology- or theology at the heart of politics?
I am refreshed and challenged with looking at
our valued American system. In a democratic government we can openly
urge our government to reflect on this time of crisis and the
implications of maintaining established patterns of living and, we can
challenge our capitalistic system to an ethic of a just distribution of
resources bringing us toward the direction for life.
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