The World Faiths Development

Dialogue:
Who, what, when, where and why

November 22, 2010

Hahna Fridirici, Program
Coordinator.
 Establishing the WFDD
• From Lambeth Meeting in 1998
– UK NGO
– Executive Office of the World Bank
– Independent, non-profit research group in the
USA
• Our own story reflects the tension between
faith and international development at large.
Navigating Tensions around Religion
 Tensions:
Development Perspectives

• In the World Bank, early discussions about working with

religions prompted much tension. The following reflects some
of the questions that arose, instructive for broader discussions
• Religion was seen as divisive: conflicts around religion,
tensions within religions, issues of separation of church and
state, issues of voice and representation
• Seen as simply too complicated to deal with
 Tensions:
Development
Perspectives
• Religion was seen by some as essentially
dangerous: some arguments: religious leaders
and institutions are opposed to modernization,
reproductive health rights; religious hierarchies
seen as patriarchal, excluding women or
opposing women’s rights
• On health, questions arose as to whether work
is evidence based or grounded in “faith”. Is
there a hidden motivation for work, notably
conversion?
 The Tensions
Development Perspectives

• Religion was seen as defunct or declining in

importance, thus low priority; the “secular
myth” still persists in some quarters
• Bottom line: not a priority
 The Tensions
Development Perspectives

•The Religion
and Poverty
Blindspot.
 The Tensions
Development Perspectives

• In many cases religion tends to be seen

through personal and emotional eyes
• Parallels with gender discussions in early
years
• Lessons from that experience: importance of
having solid evidence, taking the time to
convince and work through doubts
Worlds in Tension? Faith
Perspectives
Faith communities have expressed an equal
range of doubts about the development
approaches and world
– Far-ranging critiques of the development processes
– Suspicions
– Neo-liberalism, injustice
– Materialism
– Concern about Effects
– Debt, environment, changes brought by modernization
– Lack of Understanding
– Economic Theology, Ethics
– “Clashes of civilizations”
– Tensions around issues of money
 The Faith and Development
Intersection

• For all the tensions and mistrust the

intersection is real.
• Religion “is”…. Not about norms.
 Faith and Development: a Stock-
taking: past, present, future
• Missionary past, traditional practice, religious
origins in religion: Damascus, early hospitals
• Colonial period leaves a marked legacy
• Post colonial: turbulence
• Conflict situations as a special challenge
• Mosaic has emerged; complex, not well mapped or
understood
• Global health context, poverty challenge has special
importance
 Hypotheses and facts: quantity,
quality, reach
• Data issues – where do religious networks fit
in global and national care systems?
• Better quality? True or false?
• Reaching the poorest? True or false?
• Hypotheses: bias against, “not a fair share”
• Issues of addressing huge diversity
 Community Approaches
“The faith picture is far more chaotic and organic than the
development industry expects and would like it to be.
This is true for all communities and community
structures, but perhaps even more so for the faith world.
Bureaucracies want order and structure. They also want
fast results. Moving faster is likely to be less effective in
the long term, seen from the community perspective. It is
essential to take into account how communities see
realities and their priorities.”
• Mark Webster Nov 2008 interview
http://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/essays/view?author=1813&project=23
 What does the WFDD do?
• Research.
– Faith in terms of both:
• Institutions
• Communities
• Methodology: Cornerstone is the interview
with the practitioner.
• Release reports and organize consultations.
• Sectoral and regional approaches.
 Caveats and Approach: Our
lessons learned
• Diversity
• Terminology
• Ethics and values are intertwined in the debates
• Religion and culture
• “Development” is also a complex world of
institutions and ideas, in flux and with many
different approaches
• Local and community anchor
 Ideas on the paths forward
• Strong country focus is a prerequisite for real
progress
• Evidence – amassing and using
• Discernment and political antennae
• Dialogue on tough issues
• Purposeful thinking on networks
• Interfaith?
• At the table or on the menu?
 More resources
• Two books of case studies, most recent Development
and Faith: Where Mind, Heart and Soul work
Together
• Berkley Center Regional and Issues reviews,
practitioner interviews;
http://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu
• Newsweek/Washington Post On Faith: “Faith in
Action”, weekly column
• World Bank, Development Dialogue on Values and
Ethics (DDVE)