Affirm Diversity – Defend the Rights of Sexual Minorities: A Call for Indian Faith Communities

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Bangalore, 31 May, 2014. Sri Sri Ravishankar, the founder of Art of Living, said that, ‘affirm diversity – defend the Rights of the Sexual minorities’,  in a public meeting on ‘Faiths Against Homophobia’ jointly organised by the  ‘aneka-Trust’, Board of Theological Education of the Senate of Serampore University, and  Centre for Peace and Justice Concerns of the National Christian Council of India, at  Institute for Agriculture Hall, in Bangalore on the 31st May 2014.
Ravishankar calls upon all religious leaders and the faith communities to affirm the rights of the sexual minority communities who are socially and religiously stigmatised, excluded and discriminated for centuries. He further emphasised that, they too belong to the ‘Cod created Cosmic Community’ where we too are part and got a space to live. It is the duty of the faith communities to affirm the diversity and to defend the Rights of the neglected and rejected ones especially the sexual minorities.
here were over 200 participants including women and men apart from the sexual minorities. Ms. Chitra a male to female transgender invoked God by a special number as to inaugurate the public meeting.

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Addressing ecology, theology and justice in practice

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30 June 2014
While churches around the world live in very different contexts and maybe separated by different doctrinal teachings, they do have one concern in common: will planet earth still be a fit place for their children to live?
How should churches reflect theologically about creation? What can churches do in their specific context?

Thirty-one participants from 20 countries at a seminar on “Green Churches – Ecology, Theology and Justice in Practbosseyice” discussed these questions from 23 to 27 June at the Ecumenical Institute in Bossey, Switzerland.
The seminar was organized by the WCC’s programme on Care for Creation and Climate Justice, represented by its coordinator Dr Guillermo Kerber, in collaboration with the Ecumenical Institute in Bossey, represented by its faculty members Rev. Dr Dagmar Heller and Rev. Dr Odair Pedroso Mateus. The event was co-sponsored by the YMCA in Cameroon, the Pacific Conference of Churches, the National Council of Churches in India and the European Christian Environmental Network. These organizations were represented by Dr Alain-Douglas Wandji Kamga, Peter Emberson, Prof. Christopher Rajkumar, Rev. Dr Peter Pavlovic and Rev. Henrik Grape.

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AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA

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To,
Sri. Narendra Modi
Honorable Prime Minister of India
New Delhi
Respected Prime Minister Sir,
Sub: Aspirations of the Youth of the Protestant and Orthodox Churches in India and the New Government
Greetings from the Commission on Youth (COY) of the National Council of Churches in India!
 At the outset, I on behalf of the 4 million youth of the Protestant and Orthodox Churches in India would like to convey our congratulations to you on your taking over the office of the Prime Minister and we look forward to your programmes for especially the weakest in our society.
 The National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) is the apex body of the Protestant and Orthodox Churches in India representing more than 14 million people around the country.  The NCCI along with its constituent members viz, 30 member churches, 17 Regional Christian Councils, 17 All India Christian Organizations, 7 Related Agencies and 3 autonomous bodies is celebrating its Centenary this year and has for the past 100 years through its work, contributed to nation building in various ways especially through Education, Health care, relief and rehabilitation, Youth and Women Empowerment, Empowering Dalits, Tribals and Adivasis, Peace initiatives and the like. The values such as Justice, Peace, Integrity, Love, Unity, promoted and strengthened by the NCCI have contributed to significant have significantly benefited the nation.

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NCCI CONDEMNS THE INCREASING RAPES IN INDIA

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The National Council of Churches in India (NCCI), the apex body of the Protestant and Orthodox Churches which represent 13 million people around the country vehemently condemns the physical torture, and incidents of the increasing rapes and murders of Dalit women both young and old that have been brought to light since the past two weeks in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi, Bangalore and Tamilnadu.
India has a strong constitution which safeguards the rights of the vulnerable and marginalized and ensures the human rights of all communities and that all people are defended. But there is wave of growing and imposed insecurity for all the women, especially young Dalit women. Their bodies are being abused, tortured and killed. The recent increase in the violence against women and the controversial and sarcastic statements and comments of the Political leaders in different parts of the country such as Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra on rape and women’s dignity are visible symbols of perpetuation of the rape culture that has emerged in India.

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