Interfaith Immersion - Columbia Theological Seminary

[Sam]

Alexander Patico sent me this report of a interfaith week called Interfaith Immersion that went on at the Columbia Theological Seminary. I thought it would be great to post up so that people can see how others are teaching interfaith. It will be a great way to learn once more people post their lessons and experiences. Thanks Alex!

Interfaith Immersion

Hosted by Center for Lifelong Learning,

Columbia Theological Seminary

Decatur, GA

November 15-21, 2009

"...so that you may be children of your Father in heaven." -- Matthew 5:45

Introduction

Ben Campbell Johnson, PhD, professor emeritus in Christian Spirituality at Columbia Theological Seminary, organized the workshop. Ben has lectured, conducted seminars and led retreats to students, churches and governing bodies. He began a personal journey after the September 11 attacks to try to better understand Islam in its fullest context. This led to a series of Christian-Muslim dialogues in the Atlanta area, and the publishing of his book called Beyond 9/11: Christians and Muslims Together. The book reviews "what Christians should know about Islam" and "what Muslims should know about Christianity," as well as giving the lessons Ben has learned about how to conduct face-to-face encounters between the two.

Dr. Johnson envisions the establishment of a permanent, ongoing Interfaith Academy, based in Atlanta, that will seek to reduce the ignorance that faith groups have regarding one another and to transform the relations between them, through periodic workshops, seminars and immersion experiences. This workshop was the first in that series of activities. The Interfaith Academy is envisioned as offering a seminar with two options: a six-week program with weekly evening classes, or an intensive weekend course (more convenient for those who would be traveling to Atlanta), as well as other courses, such as a practicum experience or an overseas study tour.

The objective of these activities is not syncretism, but mutual understanding. The participants may be Christians, members of other faith groups or even non-believers.

Interesting points and principles:

• In Dekalb County (where Decatur is situated), over 40 languages and dialects are now spoken by children in the school system.

• Faith Academy courses will focus, respectively, on Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity and a comparative study of religions.

• Sixty persons in area congregations committed to pray for our group during the seminar.

Sunday: Welcome and Orientation

Columbia Theological Seminary

Participants came from the Atlanta metro area (about half the group), as well as Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wisconsin. They were Presbyterian (about 60%), Church of Christ, Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic and other denominations. Some were clergy, including chaplains or monastics; most were lay-people, including artists, healthcare workers and retired persons. Several in the group were in the process of earning a Certificate in Spiritual Formation through the Seminary, toward which this workshop counted.

Our first session presented an outline of the workshop and allowed us to get acquainted with the other members of the group and some of the leaders for the daily programs that were to follow.

Interesting points and principles:

• Well-known author on theology, Karen Armstrong, sent her wishes for the group via email: "...in the words of Martin Buber, "the one who loves brings God and the world together...Years ago I found these words on the wall of a sacred place: 'You are not the giant of your dreams nor the dwarf of your fears; you are part of the whole with a share in its purpose.'"

Monday: Judaism

Shearith Israel Synagogue

At this synagogue, we arrived early for shacharit (the first prayers of the day), which requires attendance of at least ten adults from the congregation (to form a minyan). There were opportunities to learn the significance of the tifillin (or phylacteries) that are worn on head and arm, the prayer shawls, the ark and other paraphernalia, and to hear a translation of the prayers being said in Hebrew.

Other activities included lunch and small group discussion with a member of the congregation (the person at my table was a Holocaust survivor), lectures by the young, female rabbi, Elana Zelony, and a knowledgeable older, male congregant who also played and sang prayers (in both English and Hebrew), and a visit to the synagogue's giftshop, where Judaica is sold. We heard about the history of the Jewish people, the major jurisdictions within Judaism, and the major Jewish holidays, and heard a story-teller relate some tales that contained traditional lessons or values.

Interesting points and principles:

• About 2.4% of the US population (and .004% of the world) are Jewish, by heritage or conversion.

• Torah interpretation (the talmud, midrash and later commentary)takes place at four levels: literal, symbolic, metaphorical and mystical.

• Quote from a speaker: "The short version of every Jewish holiday is this: 'They tried to kill us, we won; let's eat." (A humorous statement that contains a good deal of truth.)

Tuesday: Islam

Istanbul Center

At this Center, which provides a gathering place for Atlanta-area Turkish-Americans and educates the wider public about Islam and Turkish culture, our group heard from a volunteer speaker (privately, an entrepreneur and computer programmer), about his faith. He touched on its history, nomenclature and beliefs, including The Prophet, The Qur'an and the Sufi mystical tradition. Others who are active at the Center, including a young imam, lent their own insights. (The Center also holds monthly Dialogue Nights to encourage communication with their Atlanta neighbors.)

We learned about the pillars of faith (confession of faith, philanthropy, prayer, fasting and pilgrimage), some pointers about Arabic words and names (e.g. "Yahya" = John and "Yunus" = Jonah), and the way in which Jewish and Christian texts and figures are viewed. Our hosts gave us a lunch of Turkish food prepared by Center volunteers.

We also learned about the Gulën movement -- a program that promotes education, diversity, interfaith dialogue and peacemaking in a number of different countries. Started by Fethullah Gulën (named by Foreign Policy magazine as the number one public intellectual in the world), the organization has no government funding and is non-partisan and non-violent. It sees science and faith as being in harmony with one another and helps to empower women in the places where it organizes activities. [See: gulëninstitute.org]

Interesting points and principles:

• Of the ninety-nine "names" of Allah, about half are "names of beauty" and half "names of majesty."

• One of our seminar participants (a Christian artist) is launching a "99 names of God" project" that will have individual artists interpret one of the attributes of the divinity, such as mercy, strength or omniscience.

• The Atlanta area now has over ninety mosques; there are about 1.5 billion Muslims in the world.

Home Hospitality

Following our day's program, we split into smaller groups and were taken to private homes for a traditional Turkish dinner and informal conversation.

[Sam]

Wednesday: Hinduism and Vedantism

Riverdale Hindu Temple

The group were given a tour and description of the Temple by its leader, Mr. Ravi Sarma (in private life, a practicing oncologist). Mr. Sarma explained the multiplicity of deities (such Brahma or Lakshmi), within the overall Hindu belief in the unity of God ("To what is One, sages give many titles."), the role of scriptures such as the Vedas, the Upanishads and the Mahabharata, and the significance of the materials, objects and clothing that are used in worship. He also fielded questions about reincarnation, karma and caste.

Interesting points and principles:

• Quote from a speaker: "The only wrong paths are those that presume to be the only path." (Hindus do not proselytize or preach to others about their faith, but welcome all other traditions.)

• The three forms of worship -- thought, speech and actions -- must match one another, in order for one to be truly holy.

• Karma demands that you offer the best that is in you to God, without expectation of receiving anything in return.

Vedanta Center

Although rooted in the ancient Indian wisdom books -- the Vedas, which contain some 10,000 verses -- this center integrates elements of many faith traditions. It falls, perhaps, halfway between the clearly theological character of Hinduism and the avowedly non-theological approach of Buddhism (see below). The Center welcomes all who wish to attend, many of whom retain their original mainstream religious affiliation, while learning meditation techniques to relax their bodies and minds.

The resident minister, Swami Brahmanvidyananda (an American) and a member of the Center, Ms. Gillian Renault, talked about the goal of vedic learning (peace in the individual, in society and in the world), and other aspects of their practices. The group was treated to an elaborate home-made Indian lunch, prepared by Center volunteers.

Interesting points and principles:

• Quotes from a speaker: "All the great religious traditions have a strong moral foundation." and "All paths lead to God."

• From a Center publication: "Religion should unite men everywhere; instead it sunders and separates them. Religion has proved a razor among men, when it should have healed all their wounds."

Thursday: Buddhism

Soto Zen Center

At this Center, our group heard from its leader, sensei Michael Elliston, a second monk of the Center, Gareth Young and several other persons who attend on a regular basis for meditation and study.
The sensei, or abbot, explained their vestments, the meaning of "discipleship" and the lineal heritage of this particular school, which they trace back to Japan, Korea, China, and ultimately, to India, through over eighty successive teachers and their disciples.

The Center itself was a model of tasteful design, very conducive of contemplative activity (before pursuing Buddhist practice, the abbot had been educated in design at the Illinois Institute of Technology). We were led through a brief sampling of Buddhist meditation, and were given a schematic of the main principles, such as the Four Noble Truths -- 1) there is suffering in the world, 2) desire is at the base of this suffering, 3) there is a cure for desire, and 4) the prescription for the cure includes morality, meditation, wisdom -- which lead to nirvana. Other aspects included "The Six Perfections," "The Noble Eightfold Path," and the "Chain of Co-Arising."

Interesting points and principles:

• Quotes from a speaker: "We live by vow, rather than by faith." and "We don't know what the destination is."

• The "three baskets" (tripitaka) of learning are: philosophical concepts, monastic rules and moral or metaphysical principles.

Thursday (evening): Interfaith Thanksgiving Service

Temple Kol Emeth

This sixth annual community gathering featured speakers including a rabbi and cantor from the synagogue, imams from two mosques (Middle Eastern and African America), Mr. Sarma of the Hindu Temple that our group had visited the previous day, a Roman Catholic monsignor, a military chaplain and pastors of two other Christian churches. A combined choir from four congregations sang, and refreshments were served after the program.

Interesting points and principles:

• The Service included a collection for Operation Homefront, helping support military families.

Friday: Wrap-Up and Evaluation

Columbia Theological Seminary

Guidance from Dr. Johnson on furthering interfaith understanding included the following suggested commitments for the members of our group:

• make the acquaintance of someone of another faith
• have coffee or tea and conversation with someone of another faith
• create a group that meets regularly (a la The Faith Club)
• join with other faithful to act compassionately (community social services, etc.)
• read Ben's book and share it with a friend
• teach or sponsor a class on another faith (involving representatives of that faith, if possible)
• conduct an Understanding Islam Seminar (a video is available for use in such seminars)
• attend the Interfaith Academy
• recommend or sponsor others for the Interfaith Immersion

Weekend

The program continued, with a slightly different set of participants (with some overlap from the first segment), in a weekend program that was comprised largely of attendance at full worship services of each faith tradition at sites around the Atlanta area.

[Delaine]

Wow, seems like it was a very detailed week of interfaith education. I am really enjoying learning about all of these seminars, workshops, and institutions dedicated to teaching people how to live compassionately towards others.