Clarke: Faiths must be flexible but not pander

FAITHS in the Inter Religious Organisation (IRO) should be in constant revision, yet not engage in populism, said Dean Emeritus Knolly Clarke in his address to the IRO’s Evening of Brotherhood at the Radisson Hotel on Thursday.

“We must never be tempted to engage in populism, to be popular, ‘How it go look?’

“It must be a matter of what God our Sovereign Lord expects of us, not just to enhance the IRO but to equip and prepare us to work in His world.”

The IRO president said faiths must always be prepared intellectually and spiritually to meet the public.

“We must be ready and be prepared to tell the reason for the IRO, what our different communities mean to the development of our IRO and how we can contribute to our societal well-being.”

IRO members must be able to teach lessons from the Baha’i, Orisha and Spiritual Baptist faiths. “An organisation must be flexible and be prepared to engage in constant reformation.

Reformation does not mean giving up our traditions.”

He said reformation is not only for the organisation’s sake but also to serve God’s people better. “Reformation is really for service to and formation of God’s world,” he said citing guidelines from the IRO’s $100,000 strategic plan provided by the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School and funded by the Government.