Our world has become a global village.
No longer do we need to go to “exotic” lands to encounter the splendor of the faith traditions of humankind. Our cities, villages and neighborhoods are now populated with the peoples of the world. This rich and emerging diversity of experiences, ideas and people creates a fertile opportunity for conversation, understanding, cooperation and peacemaking.
Interfaith experiences through dialogue with other faith traditions provides an opportunity to embrace one another with an open heart, mind and spirit without any need to evangelize or proselytize the faith traditions of another whose faith tradition may be different from our own.
We now have the opportunity to engage and learn from each other’s faith experiences in a first-person encounter. We now have the convenience of living and working in close proximity to one another so that casual conversations easily reveal opportunities to encounter the faith celebrations of our friends and neighbors—simply through everyday engagements.
It is through our casual encounters that we not only get to learn, but we also get invited to participate with our Muslim neighbors in their observance of Ramadan, and with our Jewish neighbors who may invite us to share in a Passover Seder or Hanukkah candle lighting.
This past May, I was invited to participate in Buddha Day, known as Vesak, while vacationing on Kaua’i. Buddha Day is celebrated in May to commemorate the birth, life and death of Gautama Buddha.
In late July to late August you may have an opportunity to participate in a Puja with your Indian friends in their most holy Hindu celebration of Sravana, a time to listen and celebrate learning, knowledge and the wisdom that comes from the gift of listening.
In a post-religious world, we now have opportunities to take part in and construct dialogue between followers of different faith traditions within the proximity and comfort of our neighborhoods and communities. That means greater opportunity for a more relaxed understanding, through learning and cooperation that will benefit all of humanity through the promotion of mutual respect and acceptance.
Our Interfaith CommUNITY of the South County (ICSC) is a group of people who share fellowship with one another and come with open hearts to interfaith experiences. Their only desire is to enhance their appreciation of the faith traditions of the world.
In conjunction with the Interfaith Clergy Association (ICA), the ICSC offers in our Morgan Hill/Gilroy communities a “Faith of Our Neighbors” dialogue. This is a program that begins in the depth of the heart, and at the same time invites us into the depths of ourselves.
Our conscience, symbolized in the language of the heart, is by nature open. Interfaith dialogue begins our work with honest discussions stemming from the truth of ourselves as we prepare to encounter others in the depth of their dialogue.
Hans Küng explained this so well when he said, “There will be no peace among the nations without peace among the religions. There will be no peace among the religions without dialogue among the religions.”
Watch for the next “Faith of Our Neighbors” dialogue, which will be offered this fall.
Rev. Patrick Davis is a retired United Methodist Pastor. He served the Morgan Hill United Methodist Church for 10 years and continues to work in the South Bay Community with service to the Interfaith CommUNITY of the South Bay and the Interfaith Clergy Association. He is the Founder and Executive Director for the Bay Area Alliance for Youth and Family Services, a 501C3 nonprofit providing residential mental health services licensed by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS/CCL) and the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and accredited by CARF. Rev. Davis can be reached by email at [email protected].
