'Sabbath' held for religious reconciliation
By Victoria Goodman

THE FIRST Canadian World Sabbath for Religious Reconciliation was held at Christ Church Cathedral in Vancouver February 3.

An invitation had been sent out "to set aside a holy day to obey God's call to peace, by ending wars of ethnic cleansing, and the persecution of religious, racial and other minorities." In response, people of various faiths shared liturgy, confession, repentance and prayer for reconciliation.

Through a meeting over the internet, Jean de Dieu Hakizimana, founder of the B.C.-based Rwanda Hope Society, met the Rev. Rodney Reinhart, an Episcopalian priest from Detroit, Michigan. Both men had been affected by religious war and people's suffering, and wanted to help bring about change through reconciliation between different religious groups.

Hakizimana's journey began in Africa, as a child born to parents from both of the main tribes of Rwanda; his father was a Hutu, and his mother a Tutsi. When war broke out in April 1994, the majority Hutu population overpowered the minority Tutsis, and a killing rampage began. More than one million people were murdered in the genocide, and 2.5 million became refugees. Hakizimana's parents, his three brothers and three sisters were killed. He was spared their fate, as he had been studying at the Precious Blood Monastery, a Catholic seminary in neighbouring Tanzania.

In July 1996, he moved to Canada as a political refugee. In April 1997, he founded the Rwanda Hope Society, with determination to change the hateful conditions that existed between tribes in his country. The society provides economic, educational and social support to help the refugees, widows and many AIDS orphans who were left homeless after the war.

"My hope is to help Rwandan refugees, both Hutus and Tutsis overcome their wounds from the war, and overcome the tribal hatred which tore our nation apart and killed so many of us -- including my whole family, " he said.

Reinhart currently pastors his diverse ethnic church community of Trinity Episcopal Church, in the Farmington Hills neighbourhood of Detroit, Michigan. For many years, he had experienced the ministry challenge of dealing with the problems of everyday life on the streets of Detroit's inner city. He became involved in the peace movement, through anti-nuclear and anti-Vietnam war demonstrations, and with ministry to veterans, as well as those involved in racial equality and civil rights protests -- all explosive issues, that were tearing the heart of American society apart.

Reinhart's hero was Martin Luther King. He saw the need to carry on King's dream to see equality, peace, justice and righteousness reign, as Jesus too had commanded people to 'love one another', and put an end to hate and division.

Reinhart said he had become very concerned about the problem of religious war when he learned that two million Armenian Christians had been killed during the Ottoman Empire. His quest for peace and justice issues continued, especially focussing on issues of religious conflict, persecution and war.

"During the time of the fighting in Bosnia and Kosovo," he said, "I spent a long time praying for peace, equality and reconciliation; and I asked God a number of times -- what can we, as Christians, do to stop other Christians [Orthodox] from killing Muslims in that country, and vice versa."

The answer to his quest came in the form of a vision. "The best way to confront injustice by one religion against another," he said, "would be to gather people of many religious faiths together to repent, and forgive one another for the evils each had done to the other."

Reinhart believes the door can then be opened for reconciliation, peacemaking and friendship, based on grasping a deeper relationship to God.

"Basically," he said, "we've blamed God for having called us to murder other people. We've got to repent to one another and repent to God, to change our lives around. God wants us to come back like the Prodigal Son returning to his father -- and that became the model for the World Sabbath."

Reinhart's partner in birthing the vision was the Rev. Ed Mullins, another Episcopalian priest from Detroit. The two priests then journeyed to the United Nations and to the 1999 Parliament of the World's Religions in South Africa to promote their idea. Together, they held the first World Sabbath on January 15, 2000, at Mullins' church, Christ Church Cranbrook. They drew 600 people of various faiths in attendance. The second World Sabbath was held January 27, 2001, in Detroit, with 1,000 participating in the interfaith gathering.

Jean Hakizimana was invited to be one of the guest speakers at the Detroit event. Reinhart then accompanied Hakizimana to Vancouver for the Canadian World Sabbath, as the guest speaker.

The Committee for Racial Justice sponsored a welcome dinner for more than 25 leaders, including those from the Sikh, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, Catholic communities and other groups; members of the Jewish community were also present. Muslim and Aboriginal leaders were among those who shared testimonies of religious persecution during the World Sabbath service. Prayers were offered by participants for repentance and reconciliation. The Elders Drum Group, with members from across Canada, performed their traditional songs and dances.

Hakizimana was encouraged by comments from the ethnically and religious diverse groups in attendance, and plans to stage a similar event next year. "It's important for Muslims or other faith groups to feel they are free to speak in a Christian church, with no one threatening their beliefs" he said. "There is a need in the church community to respect the faith and background of other people -- it's what they're looking for."

For further information about Hakizimana's ministry, contact: http://rwandahope.com