Slide2A funny thing happens when I’m asked what I teach at the university. I’ll say theology in general and often have to correct the assumption that I’m a Biblical scholar, I am not. But when I talk about the courses I teach and mention grad and undergrad courses on ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue that is when things often get interesting. If the person asking is an evangelical, which is my tribe, then you often get the sidelong glance or their attempt to inject that I must mean some sort of apologetic approach to other religions (by which they usually mean why our religion is the right one.) Leaving aside that I’m fairly critical of contemporary apologetic approaches, I thought it might be helpful to talk about why I believe inter-religious work is so important.

We Live in a Plural Context

The most basic reason why inter-religious work is important is that we live in a plural context. Unless we make herculean efforts to shelter ourselves and our families we North Americans cannot help but see the diversity around us. I really appreciate that my own kids are in the public school system and have very diverse friends. They are prepared for the challenge that pluralism brings to life. We’ve had to navigate food restrictions, meal blessings, and even the ways that religion can be toxic (some of their friends live heartbreaking realities). In fact my kids have interacted with both good and bad representatives of many world religions, so they are not naive about the functional reality of religion. The good examples help encourage their own religious questing and the bad examples show them what they do not want to be like. Pluralism is a blessing as well as a challenge. However, just because pluralism is our reality does not make inter-religious work an imperative, it just means we are limiting ourselves when we choose to pretend it does not matter.

Our World is Full of Problems Bigger than We Can Address Alone

Another approach to establishing the importance of inter-religious work is to look at the scope of problems we face in our world today. Ecological issues, human trafficking, racisms, fundamentalisms, are just a few of the big issues that we face today. No one religion is up for the task of dealing with these issues because the issues themselves spread out to all of us regardless of our religious orientation. Even though our religions can also get caught up in the systemic aspect of injustice, they also contain tools which allow us to confront those injustices. Thomas Berry taught us that we cannot solve the challenges of our day with religions in their current forms, but we also cannot do it without them. The fact that we need to cooperate to address the challenges of our day is a crucial reason to pursue inter-religious cooperation. However, I am convinced there is still another reason that makes inter-religious work personally compelling.

We Grow Best when we Spend Time with the Other

It is through inter-religious conversations that our faith grows the most. It is exactly this sort of attitude that gives my evangelical friends the most pause. One of the unfortunate aspects of our evangelical heritage is a tendency to see other religions in an adversarial light. So when I make the audacious claim that having deep meaningful conversation with folks of different religions it is understandable that I face some resistance. So let me explain. I’ve included a video that I used in a grad course on ecumenical and inter-religious work. It is part of a series of short videos that were meant to pose provocative questions preparing the students for a weekend learning intensive at the university. I’ll refrain from assigning readings, but I will encourage you to give the video a watch.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eV-dRj07xk?rel=0&w=560&h=315]

I am blessed with a diversity of friends, including a few deeply religious friends who happen to not be Christians. I love conversations with these friends, especially because none of us are afraid to talk about religion and even to talk about our own personal faith. There are two things that happen in these conversations.

First, I come to respect and understand the depth of character these friends have, especially those who take their religion seriously and live it out in the world around them. There are always bad examples of every religion, the news is full of them. But having relationships with non-Christian friends of deep faith has opened my eyes to the ways their religions can be a force of good in the world. I come to love and appreciate them even more as they share those things that are precious to them.

The second thing is that I am personally challenged through my relationships with my non-Christian friends. Seeing the faith of the other moves me to examine my own faith. For example, as I listen to stories of the hospitality of Ramadan I am reminded, and share, about the beauty of Jesus’ table fellowship with his followers. Additionally, I am pushed to question how my own Christian faith encourages me to be hospitable. It is when we deeply examine our faith that we learn better why we are committed to our religious faith. Personally these relationships challenge me to ask what that means to call myself a Christian. These relationships inspire me to be as faithful a witness to my friends as they are to me. It is in this deep, examined faith, that I grow most as a Christian.

So here is my question for you: do you have friends who truly challenge you with their difference? I would love to hear the stories.

The video and slide are from my 2016 running of THO5108W: Christianity and World Religions offered at Saint Paul University, Ottawa.