The Metta Karuna Reflection Centre in Siem Riep, Cambodia hosted an open discussion on faith and its impact and influence on public policy on May 10. The discussion flowed from a lecture delivered by Fr Frank Brennan SJ on “Faith, Social Justice and Public Policy”. Fr Brennan is Professor of Law with the Public Policy Institute, Australian Catholic University.
Bishop Kike Figaredo SJ began the evening’s programme with a warm welcome to the participants who were mainly from the Battambang Prefecture and included representatives of three religions – Christianity, Buddhism and Islam.
To set the stage for the discussion, three young researchers associated with the centre highlighted issues they felt social policy in Cambodia needed to address – land evictions, the statelessness of some ethnic Vietnamese resident in Cambodia for generations, protection for asylum seekers, and trafficking, migrant domestic workers and other forms of forced migration.
In his lecture, Fr Brennan responded to facilitator Sr Denise Coghlan’s question on how the wisdom of the great faiths and Catholic social teaching contribute to the formation of public policy, and their place in the public square?
Acknowledging that some atheists are amongst the finest, most generous humanitarians he knows, Fr Brennan declared, “I know that my faith enhances my humanitarian instincts and achievements. I would be a lesser person without my religious faith.”
Fr Brennan said, that “With religious faith, we are able to engage in public life committing ourselves to the common good and to the rights of the poor and marginalized, acknowledging that people without religious faith often do so even better than we do. But we know we could not be so committed except for having religious faith.”
However, he pointed out that the importance of distinguishing the citizen or public official with religious faith from the religious official or representative of the faith community.
“As people of faith we come into the public square not saying that we will impose our religious views on others. Rather we say: True to our religious tradition, we will discharge the public trust we are given and we will speak and act as citizens working to recognize the dignity and human rights of all persons, at all life stages, no matter what their competencies, potentialities, achievements or distinguishing marks. We work to establish the conditions for the common good. We will work to respect and enhance the culture and space for freedom of religion and conscience for all our fellow citizens,” he said.
Before the floor was opened for questions, Kafia Yusuf responded from the Muslim tradition, making a plea that people of all faiths be aware that the true Islamic tradition opts for a social policy that respects the dignity of each person and pays particular attention to the poorest in society.
The Venerable Sowath was scheduled to speak from the Buddhist faith tradition, but was not able to do so because he had to be at a memorial ceremony for an environmental activist who had been gunned down as he inspected illegal logging at a Chinese company’s site in Kok Kong.
Questions from the audience ranged from issues in Cambodia to some of the public stances the Church has taken on various issues related to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
To read Fr Frank Brennan’s speech in full, click here.
For more information on the Metta Karuna Reflection and Refugee Centre, click here.