If not Oprah, who are modern-day religious leaders?

There is a spiritual hunger today that isn’t always filled by traditional religious institutions. Oprah has stepped into a vacuum of leadership for today’s spiritual seekers who might never enter a traditional house of worship. She has found a language of the heart that speaks to all of us, both religious and secular.

Is Oprah the faith leader of our time? No, but she is holding the hands of a new generation formed of people who share a deep thirst for greater connection, compassion, and courageous action in the face of intolerance. People of all generations are searching for a more just and peaceful world that embodies their spiritual and ethical beliefs in an integrated, powerful way.

Oprah speaks to people who do not attend mosque, synagogue, or church as fluently as to those who worship in traditional religious institutions. That’s because Oprah talks about the things that matter most to us.

And in our pews, sometimes in our families, and in our very beings, we are increasingly discovering that we are a nation of many faiths. President Obama is a Christian, and his father was a Muslim. Former Secretary of State Madeline Albright was born to a Jewish family, raised as a Catholic, and later became an Episcopalian.

If not Oprah, who are modern-day religious leaders? Modern-day religious leaders help seekers meet that deeper need for connection to God and to other human beings. These leaders are people who help shape crucial ethical and moral debates, who are bold and resilient in the face of change, and who, like Oprah, can speak to people across religious divides. These leaders also have the educational and spiritual grounding in religious traditions that root their faith and practice in sacred text, ritual, and just action.

These modern-day religious leaders are people like Rev. Otis Moss III, who is pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. Rev. Moss preaches about the interconnectedness of justice and love, inspiring both young and old. He co-wrote “The Gospel Re-Mix; How to Reach the Hip-Hop Generation,” as a guide for pastors, especially in the African-American community, who struggle to reconcile the language and culture of hip-hop with religious tradition. Influenced by jazz and hip-hop music as well as leaders of the civil rights movement, including his father, Rev. Otis Moss Jr., Rev. Moss fuses passion with prophetic ministry.

Sharon Brous is the founding rabbi of IKAR, a Jewish spiritual community in Los Angeles. IKAR sees an integral connection between intellectual and spiritual development and political and social activism. As such, IKAR is grounded in a deep commitment to social justice. Newsweek noted Brous as one of the most influential rabbis in the country. IKAR is working to reclaim the essence of Judaism and redefine what is possible in the Jewish community in the 21st century.

At Auburn, we refuse to choose between faith, action, and education; we see them all integrated into a larger whole. We equip leaders who embody these qualities. Valarie Kaur, director of Groundswell, one of Auburn’s newest initiatives, is an award-winning filmmaker, writer, advocate, and public speaker. She leads the charge to tie together and address interconnected issues, including: immigration reform, racial justice, religious pluralism, LGBT equality, economic empowerment of women and girls, self-determination of indigenous people, economic justice, and climate change. A third-generation Sikh American, Valarie uses strategic storytelling to advance social action campaigns. Groundswell will connect organizations and people focused on issue-based advocacy into a technology- and media-savvy network working for a changed and more just world.

Modern-day religious leaders are able to see the world as it could be but is not yet; the world that God intends, but is still becoming. They are leaders who rely on tradition to steady us through change and innovation to liberate us from the limitations of the past.

Katharine Henderson  | May 26, 2011 1:03 PM