By Molly T. Marshall
This past Monday, CNN religion writer Daniel Burke called the prior week “Religion’s week from hell”: “Whether you believe that religious violence is fueled by faith or is a symptom of larger factors — political instability, poverty, cultural chaos — one thing seems clear: Last week was hellish for religion.”
We live in a time of posts — postmodernity, postcolonialism, postChristendom — but certainly not a time of post-religion! Day by day we hear of acts of barbarism done in the name of religion, from Boko Haram to ISIS, from militant Buddhists in Myanmar to the anti-Semitic hate crimes of Europe to the recent shooting in Chapel Hill.
In a time when the world is more connected, “flattened,” according to Friedman, it would seem that greater tolerance, understanding, even respect for the lived religion of others would be unfolding. That is hardly the case! Rather, practitioners regularly sharpen differences, often comparing the best in one’s own religion with the worst in another’s.
Recently President Obama had the temerity to suggest that Christianity’s hands are not clean, observing that the Crusades are the story of perpetrating violence in the name of our “God,” and he was roundly excoriated for it. A short memory can assist in revisionist history. It might serve Christianity well to consider its own atrocities, too often committed against women — but I digress.
More urgent than ever is the need for a coherent and compassionate approach to the reality of living in a religiously plural world. The survival of humanity depends upon it; it is really that serious.
Interfaith dialogue has transpired over the centuries, but those involved have usually been academics or high-level religious leaders, and their insights and experiences have never in large measure shaped the regular devotees of their tradition. Progress toward understanding and peaceful coexistence occurs when relational experiences are in the mix. Saint Francis felt that if he could get to Jerusalem to pray with the Caliphate, that together they might forge trust and quell the warmongering of their respective faith traditions. He was not able to travel all the way from Italy to Palestine, but his intuition was courageous and true.
I want to suggest a disposition and set of practices that can assist in forming a new approach to other ways of faith. The primary disposition is that of humility. Whenever we claim to have purchase on the only truthful narrative about the divine, we have overreached. For one thing, by definition finitude cannot comprehend infinitude; most religions do not ascribe to the deity the limits we know as humans.
Humility confesses that it does not profess the only sacred story, drawn from its discrete set of scriptures. Humility acknowledges that a religion is a dynamic, living reality and has never existed in a pure, unadulterated form. Humility admits that a triumphal, conquering approach to other religions does not accomplish the desired outcome. Humility recognizes that one cannot fully understand a religious pathway as a disinterested observer; only one who practices the faith can understand and experience its unique charism.
So with the disposition of humility as a starting point, let’s consider these practices.
Make a serious study of one’s own tradition. Too often we speak from reductionist perspectives, which over simplify the intellectual heritage of our faith and ignore the centuries of vigorous debate and clarification. Appreciating some of the dialectic and unresolved issues in our own tradition can make us more sensitive to the reality of mystery when dealing with the Holy. For instance, a superficial understanding of the Trinity can give credence to Muslims’ suspicion that Christians are really tri-theists.
Undertake a serious study of another tradition. For a Jew, Christian or Muslim, it might be good to start with another of the Abrahamic tradition. There is shared history, and the interface of texts that venerate some of the same figures is illuminating. As 19th-century scholar of comparative religions Max Müller observed: “the one who knows only one religions knows none.” He believed that we could only understand our particular tradition through a sustained comparison. It is a constructive insight. For the past three years, I have been studying Judaism with Jewish teachers. It is one thing to read books about Judaism written by Christians; it is quite another to allow practitioners of a religion interpret its riches for themselves. Reading Jewish commentary on Tanakh, Torah, Prophets and Writings is very different from how Christians include and interpret those texts within their canon. Understanding is prior to critique.
Find ways to enter into the worship practices of another tradition. A couple of years ago, my congregation hosted a Baptist-Muslim dialogue. Because the conference began in the morning and ended late afternoon, we needed to create space for Muslims for their ritual prayer salat, facing Mecca, with appropriate space for men in front and women lined up behind them. Muslims pray five times a day, and prior to it they practice a ritual washing so that they might cleanse themselves before they present themselves before God. Observing their approach to this pillar of Islam was enlightening, indeed inspiring. Attending Shabbat services has also provided insight into the living faith of Jews, especially if you get invited home for the Sabbath meal.
Treat sacred space with respect. I regularly take students to Thailand and Myanmar, which are predominantly Buddhist countries. We have opportunity to visit ancient shrines, and we observe the flow of pilgrims come there for worship. Many practices are unfamiliar: removing shoes, pouring water over small statues of the Buddha, bringing flower and food offerings, constant amplified chanting, lighting incense sticks, sitting on mats in front of huge statutes in postures of meditation and worship, slow walking to demonstrate mindfulness, etc. I do not understand fully the significance of these practices, but I recognize an earnest devotion and desire to interact with a sense of the holy. I do my best to rein in my boisterous American students with their rather utilitarian approach to things religious.
Make friends with persons of other traditions. Hospitality is a great way to begin conversations of value. Invite international students to celebrations of your faith practice. They most likely will receive these with appreciation, especially as it helps them navigate cultural challenges. They will be even more appreciative if these invitations do not convey a tacit message about prospects of conversion. Expressing curiosity about the faith practices of others demonstrates interest and respect.
Forge common ground on issues of significance. Human rights, the dignity of women and children, promotion of ecological concerns, and peaceful pathways for conflict resolution are issues that promote human flourishing. We all have a stake in this.