Monthly Archives: December 2016

Christmas, Hanukkha, and the Qur’an

Christianity, Christmas, Church, Interfaith, Intrafaith, Intrareligious, Islam, Jesus, Judaism, pluralism, Religion, Uncategorized, , , , , ,

479113_gallery_5644449997087_jpg_fa_rszdIf you’re looking for an excellent time to introduce something interfaith-y in your church, that time is NOW!

On Christmas Eve, Christians will celebrate the birth of Jesus. And while Christmas isn’t a holy day in Islam, the birth of Jesus is a very big deal. Surah 3:45 in the Qur’an tells the story of the Annunciation this way: [And mention] when the angels said, “O Mary, indeed Allah gives you good tidings of a word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary – disting180px-virgin_mary_and_jesus_old_persian_miniatureuished in this world and the Hereafter and among those brought near [to Allah].

There are some 71 verses in the Quran that refer to Jesus. And Mary (Maryam‎) is revered as one of he most righteous and greatest women in Islam. She’s actually mentioned more times in the Qur’an than in the New Testament. Here’s an interesting video of the Nativity story. You’ll definitely see some differences from our versions. But what a great topic for discussion! Especially if you invite some Muslim friends to join in.

Also on December 24th is the first night of Hanukkah, the eight-day “festival of lights.” As Christians celebrate the Light that has come into the world, Jews will light the first candle on the llmc9237606menorah. Again, differences between our religions – but similarities too.

If these differences raise questions among the people in your church, hallelujah! Now it’s time to enter the intrafaith conversation.

You can check out my website for more information on how to go about doing that. Or simply buy the book and get a group together to explore what it means to be a faithful Christian and to be in respectful relationship with those of other religious traditions.

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How Can We Talk to ‘Others’ When We Can’t Even Talk Among Ourselves?

Christianity, diversity, Interfaith, Intrafaith, Jesus, Judaism, pluralism, Religion, Uncategorized, , , , , ,

There’s a lot of talk these days about how we need to be able to listen and converse with those who hold differing political opinions from ourselves. I don’t disagree with this. But I do know that it’s easier said than done. We’ve lost the ability to go outside our silos and behave respectfully.

It’s the same in the religious realm. Progressive Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, etc. enjoy one another’s company and often comment that these relationships are much easier than the ones within their respective religions. I know that some evangelical Christians have lamented that, despite their willingness to talk, progressives aren’t interested.At every interfaith gathering I attend, someone inevitably says, “What we really need to have is an intrafaith dialogue.” But we know that this is just as hard to do as the political one.

Which is why I like hearing about people and groups working in this area. Back when I was working on my book about Christian intrafaith dialogue, I identified Jesus as  our “elephant in the living room.” I wrote The INTRAfaith Conversation: How Do Christians Talk Among Ourselves about INTERfaith Matters? as a guide to help work through differing ideas and beliefs about Jesus.

But I also wanted to know about other traditions. When I asked a Jewish friend what issue divided Jews, she immediately replied, “Israel.” So I was delighted this week to learn about a program called iEngage, which brings together differing sides among Jews on the subject of Israel.  Jewish Values and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict is a curriculum that can be used by groups who want to gain “greater understanding for the ideals that shape their own political views and a  greater respect and empathy for those who hold different views.”

That is the quintessental mission of the intrafaith conversation!

Every tradition has its internal issues. How can we expect to be in honest dialogue with “the other” when we aren’t able to do it among ourselves? Now more than ever, we need to relearn our conversational skills, get outside our solos, and create peace among ourselves and throughout the world.

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News Flash: War on Christmas Is Over

Christianity, Christmas, Current Events, diversity, Interfaith, Intrafaith, Intrareligious, pluralism, Religion, Uncategorized, , , , ,

waronchristmas2It’s safe to say “Merry Christmas” again. So says Corey Lewandowski, former campaign manage for the president-elect, declaring victory on the War on Christmas. “It’s OK to say, it’s not a pejorative word anymore.” One of the main contributing factors in this so-called war, according to Lewandowski, et al has been President Obama’s refusal to say it. Despite evidence to the contrary (see a video compilation of President Obama saying “Merry Christmas” over and over again), many people still think that Christmas has been under attack.

I suggest that what is really going on here is the belief of many that it’s Christianity itself that is under attack. The fourth chapter of my book, The INTRAfaith Conversation is entitled “A Question of Identity” because our increasingly diverse world is challenging our assumptions about who we are. This makes us anxious.

Not that this anxiety is unique to Christianity. In her book, That’s Funny, You Don’t Look Buddhist: On Being a Faithful Jew and a Passionate Buddhist, Sylvia Boorstein  reflects on the popularity of Buddhism: “I think the alarm people express about Buddhism has more to do with instinctive fears about tribal survival than philosophical error. I think it’s the natural, self-protective, genetic response of tribes.” images-1

Amidst all this religious diversity, our Christian tribe is anxious. And when we’re anxious and afraid, we’re not readily able to process facts and rational arguments. So one response is to retreat into an exclusivist, triumphalism that claims that we’re right and every one else is wrong. At the other extreme is the unexamined assertion that “we’re all worshipping the same God anyway.”

In the middle is where intrafaith conversations can help. Respectful sharing, listening, and  relationship-building can bridge the divide between those for whom “Merry Christmas” is a sacred cow and those who are able to encompass a multitude of traditions within their “Happy Holidays.”

Maybe when we take the need for this kind of conversation seriously, we’ll finally get to the place where it’s not a matter of saying either “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays,” but “Merry Christmas” and “Happy Holidays.”

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If God Is an Authoritarian Bully . . .

Christianity, Church, Current Events, Jesus, Religion, Uncategorized, , , , ,

unnamedWow! I just read a blog post equating the evangelical Christian version of God with He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named (HWSNBN) and describing them both as authoritarian bullies.

Thankfully I don’t believe in a God who, according to some mysterious criteria, chooses to grant some people their wishes and not others, who saves some and not others, who allows some to live and not others , who favors some people over others, and demands our groveling adoration. Sign me up for #notmygod!

But a lot of people evidently still do believe in this kind of God . And according to the blogger, the president-elect is a mirror image of the evangelical community – which explains why 81% of white evangelical voters chose HWSNBN as their leader.

If this isn’t a good reason to keep on putting forth a progressive alternative, I don’t know what is. Not that I think all evangelicals are alike. And there is certainly a movement within evangelical circles that is less judgmental and more social justice oriented. Read, for example, The Evangelicalism of Old White Men Is Dead by Tony Campolo and Shane Claiborne and Advent 2016: Not Normal, Not Now, Not to Come by Sojourners’ Jim Wallis.

But even there, I’m aware of the lack of women’s voices or awareness of the misogyny rampant in much of conservative Christianity. In the article by Wallis (who I do admire greatly), he states that an “explicit message of the Incarnation is that Jesus the Christ’s arrival will mean ‘peace on earth, good will toward men.'”And he closes with the gloriously prophetic Magnificat, a proclamation marred for me by the plethora of ‘he,’ ‘his,’ and ‘him.’

And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

But try this – from The Inclusive Bible: The First Egalitarian Translation (with one little substitution from The Message:

Mary said,
“My soul proclaims your greatness O God, and my spirit rejoices in you my Savior.
For you have looked with favor upon your lowly servant,
and from this day forward all generations will call me blessed.
For you, the  Almighty, have done great things for me, and holy is your Name.
Your mercy reaches from age to age for those who are in awe before you.
You have shown strength with your arm; you have scattered the proud in their conceit.
You have deposed the mighty from their thrones and raised the lowly to high places.
You have filled the hungry with good things, while you have sent the rich away empty.
You have come to the aid of Israel, your servant, mindful of your mercy virgin-mary-stylized1–
the promise you made to our ancestors – to Sarah and Abraham and to their descendants forever.”

This is no Mary, meek and mild. This is an authoritative prophet, speaking for a God of compassion and justice. This is the God I love and in whose name I will resist the authoritarian bullies of the world.

If our recent election has brought to the fore the differences in what Christians believe about the Holy One, that is all to the good. People need to know that there’s an alternative to the great cosmic bully.