A Little Philosophy for the United Nations: Finding Religion's Role in a Global Project

Martin, Mike, Science & Spirit

The United Nations in New York City is a beehive of departments and a phonebook worth of officious titles. But it lacks one office in particular: U.N. philosopher of community.

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That seemed to change for a moment in March when the Canadian thinker Charles Taylor arrived at the Church Center for the United Nations to receive the annual Templeton Prize for Progress Toward Research or Discoveries about Spiritual Realities. In the days since, Taylor's message has been that religion needs to be a key element in the U.N.'s effort to end extreme hunger and poverty by 2015.

In 2000, the United Nations convinced every country and major development organization to back eight goals--the Millennium Development Goals--designed to meet the needs of the world's poor. Taylor, who has been called a philosopher of community, argues that the United Nations must acknowledge and enlist the forces of world religions for these humanitarian and political aims to succeed.

Taylor, 75, received the annual Templeton Prize for his lifelong contribution to spiritual progress through his writings on philosophy and politics. The former Oxford and McGill University professor now teaches law and philosophy at Northwestern University near Chicago.

As impressive as the Millennium Development Goals may be, Taylor …

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Publication information: Article title: A Little Philosophy for the United Nations: Finding Religion's Role in a Global Project. Contributors: Martin, Mike - Author. Magazine title: Science & Spirit. Volume: 18. Issue: 2 Publication date: May-June 2007. Page number: 17+. © 2007 Heldref Publications. COPYRIGHT 2007 Gale Group.

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