Below is the video of Karen Armstrong making her wish for a more Compassionate world. 

January 2016

The history of Compassionate DFW was as much personal in the beginning as it is now public.  I heard about British author Karen Armstrong’s prize-winning 2008 TED Talk in early 2009 and after viewing the 20 minute talk was deeply moved to follow her wish that leaders of the worlds’ religions – especially Judaism, Christianity, and Muslim – would come together and draft a Charter for Compassion that they would sign. Write-in contributions were made from people all over the world, and the final document was shaped by a Council of Conscience, made up of religious leaders and thinkers from six different faith traditions.  The final Charter was completed in November 2009.   Not only did the three monotheistic religious leaders sign, but leaders from the other major world religions, Buddhism and Hinduism, also affirmed, along with many thoughtful, non-religious leaders.  The core value of compassion was intentionally affirmed as key to peace and healing of our polarized world.

I personally affirmed the Charter in the spring of 2010, convinced spiritually that I could spend the rest of my life, after two full careers – one in private medical practice and one in military medicine – working with the Charter for Compassion, encouraging individuals, groups, and organizations to affirm the Charter for Compassion, and thereby commit to a compassionate way of life, whether private or corporate.  Toward this goal, being an elder at St. Barnabas Presbyterian Church, Richardson, Texas, I presented the Charter to our Session in the fall of 2010 upon discovering that our own national General Assembly had passed a motion that summer to affirm the Charter.  Our Session unanimously approved the Charter and established a Compassionate Action Subcommittee.  As its first “action,” the subcommittee deliberately decided to not do anything for the first year, except to study the question “what is compassion?” using Karen Armstrong’s “Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life” as one of several resources.  Gradual outreach to other organizations, both religious and non-religious, was subsequently made.  And by the summer of 2013, “seeds” for Compassionate DFW had been laid and a grassroots organization was beginning to form.

On a national level, the Charter for Compassion organization in Seattle, Washington, began a Cities Campaign early in its life, encouraging city governments everywhere to affirm the Charter by official resolution with the caveat that a 5, 10, or 15 year strategic plan would be part of the commitment.  Though Seattle was the first city to affirm by resolution, Louisville Kentucky became the acknowledged model for other cities, primarily because of the tireless work and commitment of Mayor Greg Fischer.  His Give-a-Day Week in April of each year became the positive “challenge” to other U.S. cities.  The Cities Campaign movement continues today with increasing momentum.  Over 250 cities are active in the campaign worldwide.

Compassionate DFW organized unofficially in 2013, establishing a website, and launching a cities campaign in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, taking the Charter to 30 cities during 2014.  Fort Worth became the first city in the DFW area to affirm the Charter by resolution in August 2014, and Richardson became the second city to affirm the Charter in April 2015, though indirectly through its interfaith and non-religious service organizations which unanimously affirmed the Charter.  Though the DFW cities campaign continues, Compassionate DFW in 2016 strategically embraces all eleven identified Charter interest groups – Arts, Business, Education, Environment, Healthcare, Peace and Non-Violence, Religion-Spirituality-Interfaith, Restorative Justice, Science and Research, Social Services, and Women and Girls – and is directing its efforts and support to those sectors expressing interest in incorporating compassion and compassionate action as integral to who they are and who they want to become.  

Charles Barker
President, Compassionate DFW 

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