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HANDBOOK FOR INTERRELIGIOUS RELATIONS
Report to the 122nd
Diocesan Convention
of the
Diocese of
Newark
Acknowledging that Christians differ on how the grace of God works in the lives of those who seek Truth in other spiritual communities, we call upon Christians of all denominations, parties and persuasions to a decisively Christ-like Way with others by committing ourselves to these four basic standards for relating to people of other faiths and philosophies; and we affirm our faith in Christ and our commitment to proclaim Christ's gospel in love to a broken world.
We commit ourselves to treat the members of other faith communities as our neighbors, according to Christ's command, "love your neighbor as yourself" (Mt. 9:19).
Therefore, in our relations with members of other faiths, we will
We commit ourselves to honor the Image of God in people of other faiths, recognizing in everyone The One who has made all humankind in the Divine Image (Genesis 1:26).
Therefore, in our relations with members of other faiths,
We commit ourselves to respect members of other faith- communities as fellow-sojourners in God's world, according to the command "not to oppress the Stranger" among us. (Exodus 23:9)
Therefore, in our relations with members of other faiths:
We commit ourselves to acknowledge, as we witness to what we have seen and known in Christ to people of other spiritual communities, that Christians, too, see God's truth "in a glass darkly" (I Cor. 13:12).
Therefore, in our dealings with people of other faiths:
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"Woe unto me if I do not preach the Gospel," said St. Paul (I Corinthians 9:16). Christians are called to proclaim the Good News of God in Christ to all nations. The question is how. Our mission involves not only the content of the Christian message; it also involves the manner in which we witness and live our community life. The Task Force believes that we are living in an age where Christians must accept the pluralistic nature of society as a given, rather than counting on the total triumph of Christianity before we accept others as fellow children of God. The call to human respect for those "not of our group" is at the heart of Jesus' own summary of Torah, Prophets, and Wisdom: "Love God," who is the Creator of all humankind; and "Love your neighbor as yourself."
The sins of our past -- killing, forced conversions, ridicule of other faiths, and simple ignorance -- call for continued changes in our manner of witnessing. Merely to say that we have The Truth others should adopt betrays a deep ignorance of the truths in other faiths that parallel Christianity's own teachings! Both Jewish and Christian Traditions recognizes a "general revelation" to all peoples in addition to "special revelation" to Israel and the Church. To say that people outside the Church "cannot be saved" is to exceed the limits of our own knowledge, especially in light of the promise that, in Christ "all shall be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15:22 ). To encourage creative thinking, Section One suggests four theological approaches which illustrate our 1995 Convention affirmation that "the grace of God is at work among all faith communities."
Christians always have differed, and probably always will, on how much absolute truth Christianity possesses, and how much truth is present in other faiths. Our suggestion of four -- or more -- theological approaches as "worthy of further development" is a recognition that there will always be many schools of Christianity, as well as many religions. Monotheism does not demand one conformist theology. Many creative responses, bound together by fidelity to the call to preach the Gospel and to live by the Great Commandment, can lead us to a better future.
We are called to more creative social responses to "the Other" than our past record demonstrates. We have too often been "triumphalist" -- that is, we have acted on the basis of an assumed superiority, cultural and religious, usually backed up by political power. Christian persecution of other faiths, even of other forms of Christianity, is an ugly part of that past. It has not entirely ceased in our own day. Our situation now calls us to co-operate with others as social equals, working together for the common good. This involves the hard struggle to find enough overlapping values and mutual tolerance so that we can live together in peace. This is often hard work, because differences in social custom and moral values may be sharp, and provoke resentment. It is very easy to see members of another faith, pressing their agenda, as threats, and respond in a way unworthy of Christ. To encourage creative actions, Section Two suggests a variety of tested models of parish life that embody Christian cooperation with others in the spirit of our Diocesan Ethical Principles. Section Three gives Biblical examples of good relationship with people of other faiths for further study.
Our global, pluralistic world presents us with new opportunities for witness and service:
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It is not the purpose of this section to dictate some single, official "Convention Theology" for Diocese or Church. No consensus about ChristianityÕs place among the religions of the world has yet emerged, and we doubt that any one theology will ever rally all Christians to one position, or do justice to "the unsearchable riches of Christ" (Eph. 3:8) . Yet there are a variety of theological approaches to other faiths which, the Task Force feels, can lead us to a grace-filled future. We do not expect everyone to agree with all of them. Rather, we feel they outline a spectrum of opinion along which we can agree to disagree and still work together as one Body toward a better future. Such a spectrum, with limits to the right and the left, is characteristically Anglican.
We have outlined, therefore, four major theological approaches developing in the Christian community that are consistent with the Ethical Principles adopted for the Diocese at the 1995 Convention. We urge the Convention to adopt these four approaches as "worthy models for further development." They are models for further thinking about ways Christians can work with all humankind toward a larger picture of God's work among us all, and the Church's place in that picture.
Each of these approaches:
Therefore, be it resolved that this 122nd Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark recommends these four theological approaches as models worthy of further development in teaching, preaching, study and dialogue by individuals and congregations in this Diocese, to lead the Church toward a future of respectful partnership with other faiths.THEOLOGICAL APPROACHES
"Since Christ died for all, and since all are in fact called to one and the same destiny, which is divine, we must hold that the Holy Spirit offers to all the possibility of being made partakers, in a way known to God, of the Paschal mystery." Every one who is ignorant of the Gospel of Christ and of the Church, but seeks the truth and does the will of God in accordance with his understanding of it can be saved.
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1994)
So reads the most recent Roman Catholic version of the ancient Christian tradition that the Holy Spirit can admit people to Christ's Victory who have never heard, or properly grasped, the Gospel message. This view asserts that God wills to save us all through Christ, and can bring people into the saving grace of Christ outside the visible church. There is more than one way for the Spirit to bring people into the reality of Christ's life, death, and resurrection.
For modern Roman Catholic interpreters like Karl Rahner and Hans Kung, this means that there are "anonymous Christians" beyond the walls of the Church. Wherever men and women respond to Christ's Spirit, though they do not know it or call it by that name, Christ is present. Anglican theologian Norman Pittenger called it "the Divine Incognito" -- the unnamed God at work.
John Paul II is a leading exponent of this view. He calls on Christians to work together with people of other faiths to build a common world of peace and justice, while at the same time urging Christians to preach the gospel of Christ. He extends the meaning of "The Church" to include those of good will who remain outside it.
It is true, he says, that "outside the Church there is no salvation." But the "mystery of the Church" exists wherever there is grace, holiness, and truth. Thus, if a Hindu saint has manifested genuine holiness, that person is participating, in the holiness God gives to the "one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church." Adopting the Patristic view that there are "seeds" of truth as well as errors, everywhere in human religion and culture, John Paul II's model of action and prayer asserts that wherever people follow real truth they participate in the "mystery of the Church". In Assisi, in the mid 1980s, the present Pope set a precedent for Catholic practice by praying together with Buddhists, Jews, Hindus, Confucianist and Shinto sages, as well as native medicine men and women.
Such modern Catholic thought is consistent with traditions that emphasize God's ability to save, through Christ, beyond the visible church. Pius XII affirmed the ancient belief that everyone on the planet has a guardian angel, and that through the angels, everyone is in direct contact with the saving grace of God in Christ. Only those who deliberately reject that grace, stand in danger of damnation. It is on the basis of such a view that the Roman Church in the late 1940s excommunicated a Boston priest for refusing to recant his teaching that only Roman Catholics would be saved!
In evangelical Protestantism, there have always been those who taught that "we are bound by God's command to preach the gospel for salvation, but (to quote an InterVarsity Christian Fellowship regional director) God is not bound to limit salvation only to those who hear and obey."
All such views see Christ, as revealed in Scripture and Sacrament, as the "fullest" and "decisive" expression of God's grace. Conscious choice to be Christ's disciple is God's desire for everyone. But the millions who have not heard this call cannot be judged "lost". Judgment belongs to God alone.
The Church, in this approach, is the fullest embodiment of revealed truth, and the centerpiece of God's activity among humans. Its means of grace are the "ordinary way of salvation" for all.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. What are the qualities of life that would qualify someone a being an "anonymous Christian?"
2. Would members of other faiths be offended if I told them they were "anonymous Christians?" How would I feel to be told I was an "anonymous Buddhist?"
3. Most people have at least heard of the Gospel. Many have heard conflicting versions of it. Does this mean that they have--or have not--really heard the Gospel? What about people who hear Christian preaching and reject it?
4. Does this view mean I can worship with people of other faiths? Work with them for a better world? Debate the merits of various aspects of all our faiths?
In this approach, Jesus' life is seen as "the ikon of the invisible God" (Col. 1:15). The teacher, lover, healer, prophet, witness, and martyr Jesus is the decisively particular instance of what God is doing always and everywhere. Jesus is the decisive Manifestation of the Eternal Word or Wisdom of God, which is Second Person of the Trinity. This view is an extension of the "Logos Christology" of the early Church.
Jesus Christ is seen, not as some exclusivist prophet who alone is right, but as nothing less than the incarnation of the Word of the Universal God, the Cosmic Wisdom which is the underlying pattern of all truth, beauty, goodness, and justice.
Because Jesus is seen as embodying the Universal Wisdom, Christians have a solid basis for recognizing any truth found in other religions. That universally-active Word or Wisdom is the source of any truth we discover. In nature, Wisdom is the creative intelligence, whether described through creation myth or science. In human nature, It is the "Law written on the heart", the basis of a sense of right and wrong. In community, It is the power of God repairing the damage of sin through all available means.
This Eternal Word is seen as "the Way, the Truth, and the Life" which are incarnate in Jesus as Ikon. This view affirms that "no one comes to the Father" (John 14:6) except through contact with this Way. But the one Way is to be found in many outward forms, not just the visible Church. "It is by this Way," embodied in elements of their own tradition, "that the Hindoo and Musselman come to the Father also," says 18th century Anglican theologian William Law.
In the same way, to acknowledge Jesus as "the Christ" is seen as pointing to the Word's universal activity in redeeming creation. Jesus is, truly, the Savior of the human race by all available means, through the visible Church, and beyond it. The Tradition claims for Jesus an all- inclusive Messiahship far transcending the narrower images of Messiah in some Jewish circles. This Christ is not merely the Jewish national deliverer, but a redeeming power, a "new Humanity," a living Spirit working to renew the whole race: "As in Adam all die, so in Messiah shall all be made alive." Jesus lived to tell us what the Messianic grace of God is up to in the world, and to call some into his Servant Company. That grace is at work broadly and is called by different names as people encounter it, but being part of the visible Company of Jesus the Servant is not given to, or required of, the whole human race.
Whatever serves the Kingdom serves Jesus' purposes. This view sees all religion, including Christianity, as worthwhile only when it blesses Creation and serves the Kingdom. This Messianic Hope can only be "seen' by a special gift of faith: "No one can say 'Jesus is Lord' except by the holy Spirit" (1 Cor. 12:3). Christians follow Jesus" vision of the Kingdom, and it is with this distinctive contribution to share that Christians enter into cooperation and dialogue with other religions and cultures.
In this view, we do not have to alter the Apostolic Preaching or the Creeds in order to affirm the validity of an interreligious world. To feel we have to choose between a universal God and an allegedly narrow Jesus is to concede the entire Tradition to the exclusivists. The issue is to read the affirmation of a Christ who is the Incarnate Word with the same attitude toward God that Jesus had when he said that his Father was a universal Light like the Sun, shining on all, without exception. Jesus is the "only Name by which it is given that we must be saved", but Jesus is true to the real meaning of his name: GOD is Salvation (Jesus = Yahoshua = God is Salvation). Jesus points beyond his earthly manifestation to the universal grace at work.
The place of the Church, in this approach, is as the guardian of a Revelation about a universal God. It shares that Revelation even as it is open to the signs of God at work in other faiths and cultures.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. How can we best "serve the Kingdom"--as a local parish? as an individual?
2. Have you felt that you saw evidence of the action of the Universal Word in another faith? In the lives of non- Christians you know? What did you see?
3. Do you feel that there are elements of "the Way" in other faiths? What are they? How do we know they are part of "the Way?"
1. Which aspect of the Christian story is the center of our parish life? Of my own life?
2. What are the ways we "Name" God in our parish? In my life?
3. Which value most ignites us? How do stories embody values? Why not just state them abstractly?
4. What other stories--from our own lives, from literature, from other faiths--most illuminate our understanding of the Christian Story? Are there limits to how much we can integrate stories from outside Christianity into our Christian Story?
The Theocentric approach to our relation with other faiths is "a Copernican Revolution" in theology according to theologian John Hick. That is, just as Copernicus demonstrated that earth is not the hub around which all the planets revolve, so real communication with other faiths makes it impossible to maintain that Christianity is the "center" of God's dealing with the human race. We must take our place as one among many planets, entering into a journey of mutual learning. God is the Center, The Divine Mystery Itself the Sun around which all the religions revolve.
In each faith, men and women demonstrate lives of integrity, demonstrating what Christians know as the "fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control" (Gal. 5:22) . Each faith is capable of fostering extraordinary saints who manifest holiness of life and, quite often, the same healing and prophetic powers that we find in the saints of the Bible and Christian history. While each faith is unique and distinctive, there are identifiably common elements, many of which are already deemed honorable by Christians.
The facts, argue followers of this approach, point persuasively against stances of superiority. Claims of superior uniqueness can only be maintained by ignorance. Thus, Muslims claiming Christians are idolaters do so not realizing the true meaning of ikons. Jews alarmed by a feeling that Christianity's emphasis on God's forgiving love encourages a lax sense of personal responsibility, are not adequately informed about our sense of repentance. Christians claiming that Jesus' teaching of "God of Love" is in contrast to a Jewish "God of Wrath" have neglected to study Judaism, to say nothing of ignoring the wrathful passages in the New Testament. In our day, the ability to sit down and actually talk to people of all faiths makes such ignorance culpable -- a sin against common humanity.
There are two main Theocentric approaches: Universalism, and Particularism. A. Universalism emphasizes the similarities between religions. It is the attempt to distill the "common essence" of all the religions. In the 18th and 19th century, thinkers sought to construct a universal moral code by noting similarities in all the so-called "Higher Religions." This impulse is in resurgence in many circles, as demonstrated by the Common Ethic set forth by the World Parliament of Religions in 1993.
In the 20th century, many people, like Aldous Huxley, have been interested in describing a "Perennial Philosophy" -- a core of mystical insights -- alleged to be at the heart of each faith, underneath all the differences.
B. Particularism emphasizes the richness of religious difference. This approach insists that to reduce a living faith to a set of abstractions is to take it away from real life. All religions may be flowers, but a rose is not a daffodil. Each religion needs its distinctive culture to be real for those who follow it, and expresses human nature and the Sacred in a unique way. Each faith provides a window into God. We need to look for resonances with people of other faiths, not identical beliefs; and be especially respectful about the real differences.
The Church in a Theocentric approach is a witness to God's revelation through Jesus Christ. Universalists will see this revelation as one variation on universal themes, all of them about the grace of One Mystery. Particularists will, like "Community of the Story" Christians, emphasize the distinctive flair of the Christian way and commend it to others, even as they learn from other perspectives.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. What would you consider as specific elements of a universal moral code? What are some specific "do's" and "don'ts"?
2. What are some of the unique and specific differences between the various world religions.
3. In what ways are these specific differences responsive to that religion's culture and history?
4. Many faiths contain moral elements repugnant to other faiths. For example, Jews, Christians, and Muslims feel that the Hindu caste system is morally wrong. Hindus feel ideas of a "chosen people" are foolish. Is it possible to develop a universal moral code that makes it possible to discuss the relative moral goodness of various customs with each other?
In a world where God's grace "blows where it wills," the task of the Church of God in Christ surely includes the following:
Such a list begins to extend the meaning of our Baptismal Covenant vows in ways that acknowledge God's grace at work among all peoples. These vows can be lived in ways both traditional and radical, conservative and liberal. We commend this list of implications as a starting point for considering the Church's task in an interreligious world. We urge you, with others in your parish, to continue spelling out the shape of Christian mission in an interreligious world. Your additions might include:
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In 1995, Convention officially adopted a "Call to Learn-by- Doing." The following vignettes are gleaned from projects reported to us that are related to that Call. The Task Force recommends these as models for Christian action in any congregation.
Therefore, be it resolved, that this 122nd Convention of the Diocese of Newark recognize these practices of Interreligious Action as consistent with the Four Ethical Principles adopted by the 121st Convention, and recommend them as worthy models for further development in congregational and personal discipleship in this Diocese.
Witness Vs. Conversion: We are called to witness to the Truth as we see it, not to Absolute Truth, which we can never comprehend fully. As witnesses, we are to share clearly, and without embellishment, our experience of God. We are not in charge of the outcome.
Like all good witnesses, we do not confuse our view of the truth with the whole truth. We expect that other perspectives will fill in truths that we have failed to notice. Our task is to witness to the truth as God allows us to experience it. We are not to suborn or proselytize other witnesses. We are called to be faithful, not successful.
How Great Are the Differences? Human religions can be arranged on a line to display their differences. For example, Islam emphasizes the power of God; Christianity focuses on the love of God; Hinduism celebrates the impersonality of the Holy. God, however, is far above and beyond the line, the peak of a triangle whose base is this continuum of religions. It may be that one point on the line has a clearer perception of God than another-- but who dares claim that point? Who dares to fret the millimeters that separate one religion from another and to ignore the vast chasm that separates us all from seeing God clearly?
Our own tradition warns us against the danger of confusing our images of god with God. To imagine that my image of God (no matter how many times I've read the Bible) is true in any final sense is the grossest kind of idolatry. And as Isaiah warns, those who worship idols become as lifeless and stony as the follies they adore.
Trust vs. Arrogance: We understand that the breath, the Spirit of God, has been breathed into all persons. We notice that Christ did not tell people they were without God, but that the Realm of God was at hand, in our midst, and within us. Jesus awakened faith by getting people to reflect on their own life. With bakers he talked about yeast, with fishers he spoke about fishing.
So, we enter dialogue open to the possibility that the one we speak with bears the image and likeness of God, that the one we address is a temple of the Spirit, and that the one who shares with us may know more about the ways of God than we do, even though we may have a different theology.
This is because theology is not faith. Faith grows out of experience. Theology is the mind reflecting on our experience and its meaning. It can enrich faith and guide us to new experiences of God, or hinder us. But God is at work in spite of the inadequacy of all our theological maps.
Because we trust God, we can be open to learning from our neighbors' experience and theology, regardless of their religion.
"This sharing has been very positive," says St. David's Rector, The Rev. Elaine M. Kebba. "Our boards have had dinners together, we have a monthly meeting with worship persons present to coordinate use of the building, and our congregations are urging more and more contact. Their rabbi has led several Seder meals on Maundy Thursday, and we have jointly celebrated an Interfaith Thanksgiving. We've been invited to every teaching they offered to the public. This has been an excellent teaching opportunity for us." Joint teaching efforts are planned for next year and joint outreach to the homeless has begun.
Rabbi Helaine Ettiner, co-leader with Rabbi Allen Darnov, amplifies: "We feel very lucky and grateful for this supportive relationship with the church. The sanctuary is very inviting, and St. David's helps us during this (Christmas-Chanukah) time of the year. They have allowed a large size Menorah to be displayed in the window during the eight nights of Chanukah. This took real sensitivity on their part, and it is really appreciated."
The biggest awareness for Elaine Kebba has been "the commonality of concerns for our congregations: questions of membership, worship, and the like. I feel a profound sense of rootedness with their presence here. When I see the sanctuary set up for Jewish worship, I think, 'Jesus would have been right at home in this setting,' which is a very profound feeling for me."
"It's important to talk about where we came from," says The Rev. Mark Waldon, "and also to see how we Episcopalians have grown in different directions from others." So the communities that are visited include a synagogue to represent the Jewish roots of Christianity, where a rabbi answers questions. The Ancient Tradition is represented by a Greek Orthodox or Roman Catholic church, other Reformation churches by a Reform, Presbyterian, or Congregationalist congregation, and more recent renewals movements, by a Pentecostal church.
"When people actually experience another way of worship, it is pretty powerful. Afterwards, I try to ask questions of the class, such as, "What was different? What was the same? What did you notice? The visits enlarge people's perspectives. They say, 'There are real differences, but these folks are human, too. I never saw it that way!'"
People like to visit other churches again, but they do prefer to go in a group. Mark advises them to remain as objective as possible in the face of differences -- or attempts to proselytize them, "So what if they try to convert you? Use it as an opportunity to consider what they are saying --as a possible challenge to a new step of personal faith for yourself. Don't stereotype them. Ask, what kind of faith in God do they show that I haven't tried?"
Christ Church was able to mediate constructively in this conflict. The Rector, Leonard Freeman, felt that simply removing the creche was not a solution for the long term in our religiously pluralistic world. He felt the community should talk about the issue, airing the opposing views in a public dialogue. As a result of the public dialogue he instigated, a location within the town was designated for any religious group to use during their own religious seasons.
Two public dialogues were also held between Fr. Freeman and the Rabbi of the Reform Temple about the creche issue, confronting issues of style, such as Jews being more centered on the home than on public displays, and Christians being more publicly evangelistic. These talks, and subsequent articles in the local papers, helped the community to understand better the divergent religious views. From this grew an interfaith group which has helped develop mutual understanding in Short Hills. This entire event demonstrates the advantage of confronting difficult differences between religions, discussing the reasons behind the differences, growing toward greater respect, and the mediatorial role a local church can play.
We are a "Liberation Community in the Christian and Episcopal Tradition." The symbolic and historic language we use to express where we have come from and where we are going is the Christian Tradition. People of widely different backgrounds may enter into the fullness of our parish life because we see Christian stories, traditions and rituals as metaphors which individuals may interpret personally. The Christian Story gives us a common language to speak of God at work within and around each of us. That Story is open to new development as we experience the liberating power of the presence of God.
Eleven Ways Redeemer Lives As A Liberation Community in the Christian and Episcopal Tradition.
1. All people are invited to receive Communion, regardless of their tradition, or lack thereof.
2. Every Sunday one of the three scripture lessons is taken from a secular source, or from the sacred writings of a tradition other than Christianity.
3. People of any religious tradition may be invited to the Redeemer pulpit to preach.
4. Both an Episcopal Prayer Book Eucharist and an inclusive language Eucharist are used each Sunday.
5. Members of the parish, on a regular basis, tell stories of "God's liberating movement" within and around them. They speak as women, as African-Americans, as people in recovery, as survivors of the Holocaust, as gays and lesbians, as people living with AIDS.
6. To invite people in recovery from alcoholism into the full experience of the Eucharist, both grape juice and wine are offered.
7. Christianity is taught as our family story, but those of other faiths are also honored. Church School education teaches Christian stories and traditions, along with those of other faiths, to make clear that God is not a Christian only.
8. The Adult Forum of the parish invites people from Jewish, Islamic, Voodoo, Goddess, Buddhist and Native American traditions to speak.
9. Episcopalians, other Christians, and people of other faiths are welcome as leaders of Redeemer: on the vestry, as chairs of committees, teaching Church School, leading worship, singing in the choir and supporting the parish with their pledges.
10. A series of Liberation Holidays are part of our liturgical calendar: Martin Luther King Sunday, Recovery Sunday, Celebrating Women's Journeys, Gay and Lesbian Liberation Sunday, and a yearly Holocaust Remembrance Sunday.
11. Our liturgical year includes a "Season of Creation" from the beginning of October to end of November, reflected in vestments, hangings, lectionary and liturgical texts, emphasizing God's universal presence in the world. Originated at Redeemer, this idea has been adopted by [others].
"I hoped", Rev. Nieman says, "people would learn that Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are related in many ways. To often, we Christians have biased, even false, opinions of Jews and Muslims. We got a consistent attendance of 25 to 30 people not matched before or since. People learned basic things that changed their attitudes and their relations."
"Each presentation began with first impressions," said Hattie Stone, one of adult forum leaders, such as "what comes to your mind when you think of Judaism? of Islam?" A question and answer period followed, led by a representative from one of these communities. Each visit was preceded by readings on that faith, and the whole series was preceded by a three-week introduction which focused on the history of these religions, and the attitudes Christians have toward them.
Another forum leader, Maryann Gherlone, felt the series has made a significant impact. "Even though many have taken E.F.M and read the Hebrew Scriptures, many more have grown up with a lot of prejudices. Finding out that our Christian heritage is based on Judaism bridged a gap. It's important that people see the connections and respect them."
Partners also sponsors major interfaith educational and worship events such as the Environmental Sabbath. PEQ's advocacy has supported various New Jersey State initiatives, including legislation relating to the Commission on Environmental Awareness. It also sponsored an interfaith trip of spiritual leaders to Washington, D.C. last September , to contact the New Jersey congressional representatives regarding environmental issues.
PEQ's Board has representatives from such diverse faiths as Baptists, Native Americans, African American Methodist Church, the Episcopal Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Islamic Community, Roman Catholic Church, United Jewish Organization, and others. This Board works for systemic change, and to support the formation of a broad based coalition of congregations of all faiths and is truly an example of the power and effectiveness of religious groups transcending differences to work for a common purpose.
Two members of the mosque and the young man joined several St. Mark's members for the forum. Topics such as race, the role of women, and the place of faith in one's life were explored, discussed, and debated. St. Mark's members were very grateful to the mosque's representatives, especially the former St. Mark's member, for courageously and honestly discussing their faith and opening the lines of communication between the two groups.
The mosque has continued its community outreach by participating in town-wide interfaith worship services for peace, which took place because of the Gulf War. As a result, the mosque has taken its place beside other religious communities in the area.
Interweave Center, at Calvary Church in Summit, New Jersey, was established in 1980 with seed money from the Diocesan Venture In Mission, to offer the general public education about "wellness, spirituality, and the common good." From the beginning, it has been an interreligious center housed in, and supported by, a local congregation as part of its outreach to the community.
According to The Rev. Robert Morris, Founder and Director, "just as Christians can cooperate with other faiths to offer a day-care center to working mothers, or care for the homeless, so Christians can team up with other traditions to share the practical, human wisdom from each tradition for the betterment of everyone." In this way, courses dealing with ecology, parenting, and health, always make reference to the resources available in the world's "wisdom traditions" as the faiths are called.
A second goal of Interweave has been to foster dialogue about the differences among the faiths. An annual event in Jewish-Christian sharing is held choosing a topic such as forgiveness. Hindu and Buddhist teachers are invited to dialogue with Christian clergy about the relationship between non-violence, compassion, and Christian agape.
Given space by Christ Church in Short Hills, and the Convent St. John Baptist in Mendham, as well as Calvary, Interweave supplies a wide variety of adult and youth programs to Christian congregations as well.
During medieval times, Christians who could not visit Jerusalem during their lives had to settle for a pilgrimage to a great cathedral, like Chartres. Walking the Labyrinth served as the mystical final stage of the pilgrim's journey. Today, the Labyrinth attracts a broader spectrum of pilgrims -- from Christians to Buddhists, to just plain folk. "We see it as a remarkable way to enable different people to journey together," says The Rev. Diana Clark, rector of St. John's.
The idea made its way from San Francisco's Grace Cathedral, where Canon Lauren Artress resurrected the ancient practice in the 1980's. Looking to the millennium, Artress saw the Labyrinth as a powerful tool for human reconciliation. " It is a wonderful metaphor for our spiritual journey," comments Clark, "you may pass people, but you don't push them off the path." Though classically Christian in its format, people are free to use the Labyrinth for their own spiritual purposes.
There are 40-50 Labyrinths around the country, but only two on the East Coast. St. John's conceives the Labyrinth as a pivotal form of outreach, having taken it on the road to other churches. "We have the Labyrinth here so that the whole community can satisfy its spiritual hunger," says Rev. Clark, "for when we feed people spiritually, it allows us to feed those who are hungry physically. It has focused us on what our ministry is. It is an expression of our baptismal covenant to respect the dignity of every human being."
Accompanied by lively music and dancing, and carrying larger than life-size statues of saints, Jesus, and the Holy Sacrament, Peruvians in Paterson take to the street in celebration. The ritual recalls the Mozarabic rites in 13 Century Spain, as well as the ancient Pre-Incan festival honoring the Sun god Viracocha, who is often found depicted as a Jaguar's head or a semi-human head with fangs. Because he was "lord of the night" or the "mystery," Viracocha's ancient rite took place, and still does, in June, special in the Southern Hemisphere for its long nights.
The procession also includes references to Pacha-Mama--the beloved Earth goddess. With an Incan prayer to "the holy virgin who feeds humankind," and a statue of the Virgin Mother, honor is given to both cultures as well as to God the Creator -- spirit of Viracocha-- and Body of Christ.
Similar connections have been made all over the Latin world, most importantly at Guadalupe in Mexico, where the devotion to the Aztec mother goddess was blended with the new devotion to the Mother of Christ. Indeed Christian history is studded with the fruits of this cross-cultural fertilization: the celebration of Christmas at the Winter Solstice, to name only one. We need to give prayerful consideration to what elements of other cultures in our own day are appropriate for Christian celebration -- and whether such appropriation is respectful to the culture of origin.
Many modern pilgrims "cross over" into another tradition in search of spiritual depth, discovering practices that awaken them to a neglected aspect of Christian tradition, or finding something beautiful and true in human life. The reawakening of Christian meditation has come from such pilgrims who learned first to go deep into the Spirit by using East Asian methods.
The two dangers of cross-fertilization are misappropriation and syncretism. We misappropriate when we steal a custom and claim it as our own. Many Jews are uncomfortable, for example, with Christians celebrating a Seder, for it seems like cultural plundering. But Christians can study the Seder to recover our lost sense of Eucharist as passover meal. Syncretism is simply collecting customs, without any vital connection to some spiritual center or standard.
But cultures do cross-fertilize, just like plants. Is there a call from the Spirit in this?
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Therefore, be it resolved that this 122nd Convention of the Diocese of Newark recommend these Biblical Resources for study in this Diocese.
A. The Good Samaritan
Luke 15:25-37
Summary of Story: A traveller falls among thieves and is left for dead. He is ignored by a priest and a Levite, but helped by a Samaritan, who takes him to an inn and gives pledge to pay what is needed for his care.
Reflection: Jesus gives an example of "loving your neighbor as yourself."--Samaritans were not only members of another faith, but also a despised ethnic group. He contrasts the faithfulness of the "heretic" Samaritan to God's will with the failings of members in good standing of the "true" religion.
The Samaritan reaches out to make the traveller his "neighbor" beyond the lines of creed and ethnicity. Jesus emphasizes such behavior as central to this teaching.
Does this imply that God's will actually done is more important than the religious affiliation of either the helper or the one helped?Practical Applications:
B. The Beloved Servant
Luke 7:1-10
Summary: Jewish elders approach Jesus to heal the "beloved servant" of a Roman centurion who "loves our people and built our synagogue." The man, recognizing Jesus' authority over spirits, asks him not to come to his house but only to "speak the word" and his servant will be healed. Jesus is amazed: "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith." The servant is healed.
Reflection: The text seems to indicate that this Roman soldier is neither a convert to Judaism nor one of the "God- fearers," or Gentiles who attended synagogue and adopted many practices without converting. He is treating Jews as his neighbors. He "loves our nation" and, like all the people of his day, believes that great healers appear among all peoples.
His respect for Jewish customs may be indicated by saying that Jesus does not need to enter his house. This may mean his home contains the usual altar to the household gods, or other pagan shrines. To enter the home would compromise Jesus' relationship with the stricter folk among his own people who underwent ritual bathing after contact with "foreign gods."
Jesus declares that the man's faith has cut directly through these ethnic and religious differences. Jesus becomes a "good Samaritan," letting God's healing power flow through him to a neighbor. (A further twist to Jesus' reaching across barriers may be added by the meaning of the word "beloved". John Boswell of Yale asserts that the Greek word overwhelmingly refers to one who is the younger, or of inferior status in a committed Greco-Roman male love- partnership.)
On what basis does Jesus relate to people? On what basis do you think the Spirit of God works with people? What does it take to qualify for guidance? Healing? Love? Do Christians receive anything from God not available to others?
Practical Applications:
A . God's Covenant with All Humankind
Genesis 8:18-9:18
Story Summary: After the Flood, God makes a new covenant with Noah and his family, the ancestors of all humankind. Humankind is to be fruitful and multiply, have dominion over the creatures, and refrain from murder. Slaughter of animals for food is, for the first time, allowed; but the blood must be poured on the ground, for the life belongs to God. Noah is told that God also makes a covenant with all creatures, and promises to maintain seedtime and harvest so long as earth endures. A rainbow is set in the heavens as a sign of the covenant, so God will remember it.
Reflection: The Creator's way of making relationship is seen as covenant, a solemn agreement between two parties of mutual obligation and blessing. The Hebrew Bible sets God's specific covenant with Israel through Abraham in the larger context of God's covenant with the whole human race through Noah. God has a living relationship with everyone on the basis of this. Later covenants do not obliterate it.
In rabbinical Judaism, this "Noachite Covenant" is seen as a basic moral law for all humankind. They spell out its implications: do not kill, do not steal, do not commit adultery, do not eat blood, do not practice idolatry, do not defraud. Gentiles who follow this law are accounted "righteous" in the sight of God. The New Testament alludes to this rabbinical teaching in Peter's statement to Cornelius that "God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation one who does well is acceptable" (Acts 10:34-35) and the Letter to Gentile Believers sent by the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15), sets basic moral requirements.
Does the Covenant through Noah help us see other faiths as linked to the Creator? If so, how? Does this Covenant give us some basis for looking at the values of other religions in relationship to Biblical values?
Practical Applications:
B. The Story of the Three Men
Genesis 18:1-8
Story Summary: Abraham welcomes to his tent "three men" not of his people. He makes them comfortable, asks Sarah to prepare them a meal of cakes, and has a calf prepared. These "men", it begins to appear, are the Lord, or the Lord's representatives. The Lord promises the aged couple a son, saying, "Is anything too wonderful for the Lord?"
Reflection: Hospitality for strangers and friends was among the most sacred of duties among desert people like Abraham and Sarah. For these semi-nomads, survival in a harsh environment was precarious at best. All people became equal in the face of such austere conditions. As a component of God's covenant with Abraham, Jews and Christians are called to be open and welcoming to those who are like them -- and those who are not.
Rabbinical tradition says that "Abraham's tent was open on all four sides." The New Testament, citing this story, says, "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for some have, thereby, entertained angels unawares." Behind these ideas is the fundamental Biblical conviction that all are made in the image of God. We do not realize how radical a notion this is, in the face of recurrent tendencies to see those who are different as children of a lesser god.
What does it mean to honor the Image of God in those most unlike us?What does it mean to be "hospitable" in today's world? How can we show hospitality to members of other faith-communities -- in our homes? in our churches?
Practical Applications:
A. Those Not Against Us Are For Us
Mark 9:38
The Story: 9:38 John said to him, "Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us." 39 But Jesus said, "Do not stop him for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40 Whoever is not against us is for us. 41 For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward."
Reflection: In this story, Jesus makes a declaration about the attitude disciples are to have about people outside their fellowship: "Whoever is not against us is for us."
Jesus recognizes that the unknown healer, using his name to heal afflicted people, is doing a good work. He admonishes the disciples to see that the good being done outside the visible Church can be in tune with what Jesus stands for even if it is not formally connected with him. Likewise, rewards for "cups of cold water" go to people outside the Fellowship! Jesus is generous to non-disciples who are doing good.
This attitude of Jesus is in accord with the standard Jewish teaching that "righteous people" who do not belong to Israel, the Elect community, can also obey God acceptably by adherence to the primary "Noachite" commandments that outline a universal, basic goodness to be followed by all humankind.
Can you think of ways that the Church has not followed Jesus' advice? On what activities of other faiths do you think the Jesus pictured in this story would look kindly? What does it mean to be "not against" Jesus?
Practical Applications:
B. The Syro-Phoenician Woman
Mark 7:24-30
Summary: In Tyre, Jesus is approached by a Gentile woman who begs him to cast a demon from her young daughter. Jesus rebuffs her saying, "Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs. The woman answers that even "dogs" eat the children's crumbs. Jesus acknowledges her faith and heals her daughter.
Reflection: Jesus' response reflects an openness to a profound truth that transcends conventional, tribalistic categories. His initial comment to the woman degrades and oppresses. He uses of the most vulgar ethnic slur common among Jews for Canaanites. "Dog" is in fact, a reference to sexual practices in Canaanite religion which offended Jews.
The woman's courageous response empowers Jesus to make an expanded statement about who counts. The result: both mother and daughter are freed from two forms of oppression -- the demon, and ethnic demonizing. Not only that, the disciples are invited to move out of an oppressive aspect of their own heritage.
Does this imply that God can give us grace to suspend our deepest prejudices and see the truth borne by those whose religion differs from our own?Practical Applications:Was this a change of heart on Jesus' part? Have you ever been confronted with a similar situation?
A. Meeting People of
Other Faith-Communities
Genesis 14, Exodus 2:15-3:2, 18, 2 Kings 5:1-19
The Stories -- Genesis: After returning from a battle, Abraham is met by Melchizedek, the king of Jerusalem and priest of El Elyon, God Most High. Abraham receives the priest-king's blessing. Exodus: Fleeing from Egypt, Moses lives in Midian, marrying Zipporah the daughter of Jethro, the priest of Midian, who is a worshipper of Elohim, God. I Kings: Naaman the Syrian, cured of leprosy by Elisha, begs to be allowed to continue attending the worship of the gods in Syria, even as he takes home ground from Israel to worship God as known in Israel.
Reflection: The Hebrew Bible displays a variety of attitudes toward the religious practices of other peoples. Idolatry, immorality, and injustice are deplored and condemned. But many stories recognize that other peoples are, in their own way, in touch with Elohim, or Divinity. Israel itself uses this common middle eastern word for God, with a qualifier-- like "the Elohim of Jacob" to tell you how Divinity has manifested itself. One God; many manifestations, or Names.
In the encounter with Melchizedek, Abraham makes a covenant with a Jebusite priest who worships El Elyon, a Name eventually taken over by Israel for God. Melchizedek and his people are outside the covenant God is making with Abraham, but still recognized on a spiritual level. Moses is taken in by the Kenite Jethro in Midian, accepting their spiritual heritage. After the new revelation from God and the exodus, Moses and Jethro are able to dialogue about the new ways Elohim is moving. Most surprisingly, staunch Elisha, who has fomented a revolution to wipe out idolatry in Israel, gives Naaman permission to go into the temple of the gods in Damascus, while worshipping the God of Israel at home!
Where should Christians draw the line in accepting the worship, custom, and lifestyles of other faiths?
Practical Applications:
B. The Treasure
in Earthen Vessels
2 Corinthians 4:1-7
Summary: Paul celebrates believers' "knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." That celebration is tempered with the cautionary note: "For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord." He holds that the good news is a "treasure in clay jars", so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and not come from us.
Reflection: Paul exhorts Christians, though secure in our faith and repentance, to be wary of hubris, overweening pride. We may have been given knowledge of the Absolute, but we do not possess Absolute knowledge.
Indeed, the word for knowledge here is gnosis -- immediate, experiential, relational knowledge. In faith, we can come to know the glory of God in the face of Christ -- to relate to grace at work in our lives. This is very different than knowledge about someone or something.
Our knowledge of God is more relational than it is informational. We can relate deeply and truly to the Spirit, and still have imperfect ideas about God. For this treasure is in "clay jars" or "earthen vessels". Our knowledge, Paul says in another place is "in part", rather than perfect. Indeed, knowledge of our human limitations enables us to be more aware of the divine power which sustains us in the face of adversity.
What are the implications of this passage for Christians as we encounter beliefs and practices that differ from our own? Are these, too, "clay jars" containing divine treasure? Is the Church the only "jar" that contains the treasure?
Practical Applications:
--Return to the beginning of Report
Karl Barth, The Humanity of God, (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1960). The founder of "neo-orthodoxy" believed that all human religion was inadequate, that Christ was Savior, and that there were no bounds to the operation of grace. Similar to the "hidden Christ" and "Inclusive Christology" approaches.
Carl E. Braaten, No Other Gospel! Christian Among the World's Religions. (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1992). Christianity should be seen as the vital "completion" of all other spiritual traditions -- but God is present in them, ultimately to lead all to Christ. A "Hidden Christ" approach.
Diana Eck, Encountering God: A Spirititual Journey from Bozeman to Benares. (Boston: Beacon Press, 1993). A Christian encounters the spiritual depths of other world faiths. A example of a story-oriented, approach to symbol, ceremony, and values.
Paul J. Griffiths, Ed., Christianity Through Non-Christian Eyes. (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1990). Representatives of other faiths give their impressions and responses to Christian doctrine and practice.
John Hick, The Metaphor of God Incarnate: Christology in a Pluralistic Age. (Louisville, Westminster/John Knox, 1994) A theocentric approach to Christian belief.
John Hick, Paul F. Knitter, Ed., The Myth of Christian Uniqueness: Toward a Pluralistic Theology of Religions. (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1987). The landmark modern theocentric book.
Lex Hixon, Coming Home. (Tarcher: Los Angeles, 1989). A fine example of the mystical approach to a "common core" of all faiths. A theocentric, mystical approach.
Hans Kung, Christianity and World Religions: Paths of Dialogue with Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1993) Christian responses to ideas from other faiths.
Paul F. Knitter, No Other Name? A Critical Survey of Christian Attitudes Toward the World Religions. (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1995) As the title suggests, a wide-ranging survey of current Christian thought.
John Paul II, Crossing the Threshold of Hope (Random House, 1994). The present Roman pontiff's reflections on the modern world, including observations about the "seeds of truth" and the presence of the "marks of the Church" in other faiths.
Huston Smith, The World's Religions: A Guide to Our Wisdom Traditions. (San Francisco: Labyrinth/Harper, 1994). A sympathetic reading of the various traditions, with a summary about the importance of religion to the human future.
Historic Religions
Buddhism: Rooted in the 6th Century B.C.E. from the teaching of Prince Siddhartha of North India, now comprising many Schools or denominations. The two major groupings are Hinayana or "Lesser Vehicle" and Mahayana or Greater Vehicle. Influential in Southeast Asia, China, Tibet and Japan.
Christianity: Rooted in the 1st Century C.E. from the teaching of Jesus of Nazareth, now comprising many denominations. Major groups are Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant, with many smaller groupings. Influential in Europe and the Americas, sections of Africa, Korea; indigenous churches throughout the world.
Traditional Chinese Religion, with Taoism and Confucianism: Rooted in the civilization of ancient China is a comprehensive spirituality of life reaching back over 5000 years. Taoism is a specialized version of this ancient Way; Confucianism a set of ethical guidelines especially influential among the ruling classes. Often combined with Buddhism.
Hinduism: "Hinduism" is a western word which embraces the entire complex set of sects and teachings of the sub- continent of India. It especially applies to the religion taught by the Brahmins, and contained in the Vedas and Upanishads. Groups that have separated from the main Hindu group include the Jains who practice a special form of non- violence, and the Sikhs, who combine elements of Hindu and Islamic belief and practice.
Islam: Rooted in the preaching of Muhammad of Arabia, who incorporated sections of the Hebrew Bible and Christian New Testament in The Quran, a book of revelations. Influential in Iran, Arab countries from Iraq to Morocco, other parts of Africa, North India and some countries immediately north.
Judaism: Rooted in the desert religion of ancient Semitic Tribes, the Law of Moses, and the preaching of prophets from the 8th-4th century B.C.E., it is the religion of the Jewish people.
The "Primal Religions": All over the world, many among the "First" or "Elder" Peoples retain elements of their pre- modern, (or pre-Buddhist, or pre-Islamic, etc.) spiritual practices which may stretch back to pre-historic time, often focusing on the spiritual energies of nature. These ancestral pathways are now in resurgence among post-colonial people.
Shintoism: The ancestral ways of the Japanese people, involving the powers of nature, and the ancestors, later combined with Buddhism.
"New Religions" or Modern Philosophical Movements
Humanistic Societies such as The Humanist Society or The Ethical Culture Society, which seek a morally-based life grounded in rational philosophy rather than revealed religion. "Secular Humanism" is a political title given to the tendency in public life to base education and public decisions on information coming from the sciences and humanities alone, without reference to traditional religion. It is not a group or organization.
The Goddess Revival involves a wide variety of groups using various symbols of feminine Divinity, or Goddess as primary images. Some groups seek to revive aspects of ancient goddess worship.
The Human Potential and Psychospiritual Development Movements are a loose configuration of individuals and institutions interested in the manifestation of the powers of human nature, and the spiritual dimension of life. Participants often belong to a major world religious group. Often confused with the New Age movement with which it sometimes overlaps.
The New Age Movement is a loose configuration of individuals and institutions who believe that a "New Age" is inevitably dawning. These groups may use some human potential and psychospiritual development ideas, or practices drawn from traditional religions.
Pluralism isn't easy. It's not a matter of some friendly "inclusiveness" that solves all problems in a blur of good feelings about everybody in sight. Rather, it is a matter of redefining how to behave at the borders. "Good fences make good neighbors," says the proverb. The Bible says God made us of one blood, but gave us various territories to live in (Acts 17:26). The One who made all is the guardian of sacred borders, also.
Many Christians, as well as many in other faiths, have often behaved very badly at these borders. Murder in the name of God is much easier than most of us suppose, given a climate of dismissing the other as somehow fatally out of touch with God. Short of murder, our border violations against other communities weakens the power of our witness to Christ.
We urge you to see this not as a matter of mere tolerance or trendy inclusivity, but as a matter of fidelity to the Spirit of Christ. We will not all agree about this or that aspect of the truth of Christ. We surely will be at odds with members of other faiths about issues in our communities. We are called to be faithful to what we have seen in Christ even as we are open to others. And we must be faithful to the Spirit of Christ, especially as we disagree, seeking together a fuller truth than any of us has yet seen.
Elliott Lee . Carol Stromek . Thomas Martin . Karen Booth . Phillip D. Wilson
with thanks to Gregory Cole and Theresa Wajnert for their substantial contributions
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