wfn.org | Bishop Swing given international diplomacy council award

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2001-336

Bishop Swing given international diplomacy council award

by Dennis Delman

     For his work in forming the United Religions Initiative, Bishop of 
California William Swing received the International Diplomacy Council's Citizen 
Diplomacy Award at a black tie dinner held November 14 in the Grand Ballroom of 
San Francisco's Westin St. Francis Hotel.

     Given to individuals for significant contributions to "international 
understanding and respect between people of other nations and the United States," 
the award recognized Swing's "innovative leadership in establishing" URI, and his 
travels throughout the world that "have built support for the concept of a 
permanent forum" in which all of the world's religions can discuss and mediate 
conflicts and disagreements.

     Longtime friend and dean of Grace Cathedral Alan Jones, who presented the 
award, said that Swing enjoyed a challenge, and identified three of which the 
bishop was most proud: 

     in 1984, starting a shelter at Grace Cathedral, which became Episcopal 
Community Services, San Francisco's largest provider of services to homeless 
people; 

     in 1986, organizing the Episcopal Church's first AIDS conference;  and 

     in 1993, when asked to organize a worship service as part of the United 
Nations 50th anniversary celebration, wondering why religions hadn't talked to 
one another in that same period, and planting the seeds for the United Religions 
Initiative.

     "What makes Swing tick, said Jones, "is grounded optimism, based on the 
limitless possibilities of God. Critics," he added, "don't knock him off 
courseBill is a builder: a builder of the world and a better tomorrow."

     Accepting the award, Swing first offered special thanks to his wife Mary, 
who has been equally immersed in URI's development; the Rev. Charles Gibbs, URI's 
executive director ("the whole of URI is as good as the people at the core-
Charles is at the core") and the Rev. Michael Hansen, canon to the ordinary, "who 
runs the diocese seamlessly." 

Nothing except a vision  

     "In praise of ignorance," Swing acknowledged he had never taken a course in 
comparative religion, and lacked knowledge of interfaith work. "I had nothing 
except a vision," he said, because there needed "to be a way to stop killing each 
other in the name of God."

     "In praise of early believers," the bishop recounted how, in URI's formative 
years,  a local reporter's wire story about URI was picked up by  no one except 
the Cleveland Plain Dealer.  Professor David Cooperrider, who co-chairs Case 
Western Reserve's Center for Social Innovation in Global Management, read that 
article and offered his services without charge to the development of URI.

     "In praise of the sacred; in praise of God," Swing said he felt he "was 
being pushed by the Divine, to do what needs to be done," adding, "We will change 
world history, because the world is going to get impatient with religion." They 
want religion "to get your act together and make peace in the world."

50th anniversary  

     Congratulatory messages were received from California's Governor Gray Davis 
and President George W. Bush. In his message, the president not only praised 
Swing for winning the award, but also saluted IDC and URI for facilitating 
international understanding.

     Celebrating its 50th anniversary, IDC advances citizen diplomacy by 
providing professional, cultural and educational meetings between foreign leaders 
and the San Francisco Bay Area community. 

     IDC began presenting its Citizen Diplomacy Award in 1986. Past recipients 
include former ambassador Shirley Temple Black, Peanuts cartoonist Charles 
Schulz, retired Bank of America chairman A.W. Clausen, and former Secretary of 
State George Shultz. 

     Among the nearly 500 people attending the dinner were 20 members of  San 
Francisco's consular corps, representing Egypt, India, Korea, China, as well as 
countries in Europe and Latin American. Several members of URI's Interim Global 
Council, who had just concluded a three day meeting, also joined the celebration.

--Dennis Delman is editor of the Pacific Church News, the official newspaper of 
the Diocese of California.