A priest, a rabbi, and an imam walk into a restaurant. I know. It sounds like the start of a bad joke, but it became a reality in Colorado Springs. On March 27, 2007, retired Catholic Bishop Hanifen, Rabbi Howard Hirsch, and Imam Arshad Yousufi met for an interfaith trialogue.

 

Appearing before a crowd of about 200 people (primarily Christian in background), the three religious leaders from the Abrahamic traditions addressed questions related to life, theology, and practice. Historically, we might expect advocates of each religious faith to battle in polemical debate, each one arguing for its distinctive tradition as the correct one. Instead, the three conversation partners engaged in a civilized exchange of ideas. While each one had distinctive opinions as they drew from their faith traditions, they all agreed on primary issues.

 

Rabbi Hirsch invited people of all faiths to “stop fighting about inconsequentialities. Love, justice, and compassion counts.” The other conversation partners agreed. Bishop Hanifen agreed, “We can’t reconcile all traditions, but building friendships breaks down fear…We need to learn to care for the poor, the orphan, and the widow.” Imam Yousufi advised, “If we must compete with each other, let us compete to see who can do the most good in the world.”

 

In the wake of 9/11, we’ve become accustomed to hearing religious leaders of various stripes employ the language of hostility when referring to others. Instead of accepting that the world is facing a clash of cultures, these three leaders agreed that political considerations stirred the multiple conflicts around the world. “Religion is a secondary factor,” Imam Yousufi noted. “Land is a major factor. Colonization has left its mark.”

 

Addressing issues of inequity and power can help defuse tensions. All three interlocutors pointed to the Scriptural mandate to help the needy, to love God, and to love your neighbor as yourself. Rabbi Hirsch pointed to the example of a concordance. “Justice and love appear more in Scripture than anything else.” To practice these core values, Rabbi Hirsch advised implementing a “Matthew 25 paradigm.”

 

All of the participants acknowledged their differences, not the least of which centers on the identity of Jesus. Imam Yousufi discussed his view of Jesus as a prophet of God, and Bishop Hanifen acknowledged the traditional Catholic understanding of Jesus. Rabbi Hirsch offered this insight, “Jesus is the most influential Jew who ever lived.” He added, “If we all lived like Jesus said, the world would be a better place.”

 

Bishop Hanifen expanded on this sentiment, “What is important to Jesus? Who is in charge, or who is in love?”

 

Rather than pointing fingers, we’re better served by working together to find answers to our pressing issues. Bishop Hanifen advised people to address their own spiritual understanding and practice rather than critiquing others, “The journey through life is learning to submit to God’s will.”

 

Other questions related to women’s spiritual practice, reconciliation, and secularism. Palestinian-Israeli relations is a key issue. Imam Yousufi explained his position. Paraphrasing Karl Max, he said, “Extremism is the opium of the masses. The Jews deserve a homeland, and the land is sacred to Muslims too.” In seeking a solution, he retold the story of Solomon and the mothers that were competing over the baby. “What we need is a Solomon.” Rabbi Hirsch agreed. Citing Abraham Heschel, “What we need are not politicians, but statesmen and stateswomen.”

 

Imam Yousufi drew laughs and applause when commenting upon end-time scenarios popular in the American dispensationalist environment. “What will Homeland Security think when a Middle Eastern man appears above the White House?” Rabbi Hirsch asked an intriguing question. He sought common ground for all people involved.  Instead of arguing over whether the Messiah will appear for the first, second, or twenty-seventh time, “What will we do to make the world fit for the Messiah to come into?”

 

This conversation offers hope for a constructive future. Jews, Christians, and Muslims inhabit the planet—along with billions of others. To live in ignorance of each other, to stereotype each other, to not listen to each other is a sure recipe for disaster.  Bishop Hanifen advised, “We have a sense that God wants us to live together and to love each other, and we don’t have a choice about that.”

 

Personally, I’m excited about the possibilities that this trialogue and future conversations offer. We find that people of diverse and particular religious heritages can transcend their differences while retaining their unique distinctives. They can speak with and listen to each other as they work together to shape a safer and saner world in which all of us can live in peace.

 

Acknowledging Abrahamic roots is an important first step in achieving peaceful societal transformation. All of the participants were of the same mind. Peaceful coexistence is possible. Referring to Genesis 25, Imam Yousufi pointed out that “the sons of Abraham came together at Abraham’s funeral.” Yet, while recognizing an Abrahamic history is significant, we must look to our collective future. All three representatives concur that love, compassion and service are at the heart of what it means to be human. If we all start with that assumption and keep love ever before us, I am convinced that together we can move any mountain.

 

 

URL: http://www.presence.tv/cms/soc-hopeful-trialogue.php

---

Top of Page

Email Article

Printer