We may look different, sound different, follow differing doctrines and dogmas, or none at all, but compassion is at the core of the major faiths and ethic systems of our world. The Golden Rule, or some form of it, is found in every major religion and in almost all if not every country on our planet. Karen Armstrong is counting on this unifying ideology to bring together individuals and communities this Friday for the launch of the Charter for Compassion. Click here to see a short video about her campaign from Tikkun's Web site.

Last year Armstrong was awarded the TED Prize, which is awarded to three individuals annually — each of whom is chosen for being “a leader in his/her chosen field of work, with an unconventional viewpoint and a vision to transform the world.” Karen Armstrong is considered an authority on comparative religion, focusing on the monotheistic religions, and considers herself a freelance monotheist.

As well as receiving $100,000, each winner gets to make one wish for a better world, which is supported by TED. Armstrong’s wish was to create a Charter for Compassion “which would be composed by leading thinkers in many traditions and would restore compassion to the centrality of religious and moral life.” It is Armstrong’s belief that the doctrine of compassion should compel the religious to work together for a better world, but too often these are the very people who create the deepest schisms in society.

On the day of the launch Armstrong will announce that thousands of sermons will be preached the following weekend, with compassion as the central theme. She requests that all rabbis, imams, and priests take the time on the 13, 14, or 15 to remind their congregations of the duty that the religious have to act compassionately, and we at Tikkun are asking you to do the same.

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