The Rt. Rev. William E. Swing

Strategic Advisory Council Co-Chair; Founder and President Emeritus of URI; Former Episcopal Bishop of California

San Mateo, CA USA

Faith Community: Christian; Episcopalian

Bishop William E. Swing is the Founder and President Emeritus of URI. As the 7th Episcopal Bishop of California (1980‑2006), he led significant engagement in homeless and immigrant ministries, HIV/AIDS response, and inter‑religious outreach in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1993, at the invitation of the United Nations, he convened an inter‑faith service to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the UN Charter—an event that catalyzed the formation of URI.

In his role on the SAC, Bishop Swing offers a visionary anchor for URI’s values of inclusive spirituality, inter‑faith dialogue and peacebuilding. His global network, deep experience in faith‑community leadership and institutional founding provide wise counsel for scaling daily inter‑religious collaboration, ending religion‑related violence and strengthening cultures of justice, healing and ecological stewardship.

URI Stories of Impact

Speech at the UN's "Nuclear Weapons and the Moral Compass"

What do the following tragedies have in common?

"My House shall be a House of Prayer for all People"

The following is a sermon given by the Rt. Rev. William E. Swing on July 28^th, 2013, at St. Andrew’s Dune Church in Southampton, New York.

Isaiah 56: 3 – 8
Mark 11: 15 - 19

Jesus did not make up these words: "My House shall be called a House of Prayer for all people." Those words were written about 500 years before He was born. Jesus didn't make up those words, but he thought about them....a lot. And he added a few words of his own. And he did something dramatic to make those words come alive in the great temple in Jerusalem.

A Tribute to URI's Founding Executive Director, Charles Gibbs, on the Occasion of his Retirement

With self-effacing humor Charles Gibbs laughs about his singing voice. We, his friends, go along and beg him not to sing Happy Birthday or the National Anthem.

Laboring in the Soil of Interfaith, Searching for the Soul of Interfaith

URI Founder and President the Right Rev. William E. Swing presented these thoughts on faith, ecumenism and interfaith on Feb. 25 as the annual Paul Wattson Lecture at the University of San Francisco.

A Witness to Peace

As long as there is a URI, the name Irfan Ali will never be forgotten and will be held in high esteem.

Peace Comes Piecemeal

One of our President's Council members stopped in the doorway following a meeting and announced, "I finally got it. Peace is made by multiple small actions happening at the same time."

Online and On Stage, URI’s Bishop Swing Offers Thoughts on Peace

URI’s founder and President, the Right Rev. William E. Swing, is involved in two new ventures – a graduate class and an online television show.

Bishop Swing Addresses Religiously Motivated Violence in Wisconsin and Missouri

We don’t have a manifesto from Wade Michael Page, so we will never know his exact motives. But terrorism against worshippers is religiously motivated violence nonetheless.

Why Sustainability Matters

The tenth item in URI’s list of principles – “We act from sound ecological practices to protect and preserve the Earth for both present and future generations” – might seem a little peculiar to someone who thinks of URI primarily as an interfaith organization devoted to peace.

Bishop Swing Addresses Outgoing Trustees

The Right Rev. William E. Swing offered a few comments to the outgoing Trustees of the Global Council during Wednesday's worldwide staff call.

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