President of Kazakhstan calls for ‘spiritual harmony’
Anyone connected to the internet has probably come across a conspiracy theory or two in their time. A popular one is the belief that New Age and Freemason enthusiasts have an insidious plan to create one world religion. It’s a little reminiscent of Lord of the Rings. In that tale, it was the Dark Lord Sauron who designed the Ring in his plot to rule over Middle-earth. Replace “ring” with “religion,” and we have: “one religion to rule them all.” Eerie to say the least.
However, subscribers to Christian dispensationalism—whose beliefs are represented in the popular apocalyptic Left Behind novels and movies—might not think this plot is far off from reality. In their view, the End Times will also involve the emergence of one world religion (the “great harlot” in Revelation 17) led by none other than the Antichrist himself. This Antichrist will promise peace to the world under his absolute authority. Speculative theology or possible reality? You be the judge.
What is reality—what we don’t need to speculate about—is the fact that our world needs peace. From war in Syria, or the conflict in Ukraine, to the threat of ISIS, peace seems like a rare commodity for many.
Recently ChristianWeek attended the fifth Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions as a media observer. Held in Astana, Kazakhstan, the June 10-11 event was an eye-opening experience.
The president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbeyev, emphasized ‘spiritual harmony’ as one of the essential building blocks for creating a more peaceful and tolerant world. Attended by approximately 110 delegations from more than 40 countries—including high profile United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon—the congress called for “religion to be a unifying force” for peace and tolerance in the world.
Finally, someone in power is taking initiative in creating a more peaceful planet. It’s rather commendable and courageous. Perhaps even cause for applause. After all, Jesus did say: “blessed are the peacemakers.”
Perhaps not quite the End Times scenario described above.
The president of Kazakhstan is a champion of world peace, having initiated the first Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in 2003. In 1999 UNESCO awared Kazakhstan’s capital city, Astana, which is under Nazarbeyev’s leadership, the medal and title of “City of Peace.” Astana is a city of soaring high-rises and architectural beauty, a symbol of human freedom in a country forged through the collapse of Soviet Russia. Among the buildings of human triumph stands the $58 million design-built Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, donated by the president and used as the headquarters of the congress. The pyramid structure, revealing a striking resemblance to the masonic symbol on the American dollar bill, is cast as the epicenter for spiritual harmony in the world plagued by religious extremism.
Among the many voices calling for religious unity and peace at the congress were mainline Protestants and Catholics.
Munib Younan, president of the Lutheran World Federation, spoke passionately about the role of the Christian Church in secular society. Appealing to the perspective of famed Lutheran Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Younan called on the Church to act as the “conscience of the State, making it aware when it has overstepped its boundaries.”
Similarly, the Roman Catholic delegate, Alberto lo Presti, urged the Church to make it clear to governments when laws are unjust and lead to human harm.
Both leaders acknowledged that it is not the role of the Church to “Christianize” governments, neither should the Church replace the State outright in any circumstance.
However, missing from the tapestry of religious voices was the conservative evangelical perspective.
While mainline Protestants and Catholic traditions have been promoting inter-faith dialogue and secular integration for quite some time, many evangelicals in the West believe this approach to Christian witness could amount to creating Christ in the image of human culture and religion, rather than confessing the Christ who transforms and rules over culture.
In an age of secularism, where every religion is considered equal before the law, the pursuit to “unify religion” is on the rise. While peace and tolerance between religious groups is certainly preferable over hatred and extremism, it might be a dangerous path for Christians to go down when Jesus—the sole mediator between God and human beings—loses His uniqueness as the incarnate God. A God who not only saves culture through His death and resurrection, but also transforms culture by His Spirit and through His missional agency, the Church.
When government pursues “inter-religious harmony” as a strategy for world peace, at best we can conclude that the gospel of secularism is on the march, at worst, we are left wondering if the Illuminati might actually be taking over the world.
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