Great way to experience interfaith contact

For anyone who has the opportunity to study, let me rave on a bit about taking a university course taught by someone of another faith, especially a subject that impinges on inter-faith issues. For example, I’ve been doing a subject as part of my MA (on interfaith relations) that’s taught by an Orthodox Jewish lecturer. It’s on the subject of exegesis in Rabbinic Judaism and in the Early Church. The subject especially explores areas where the 2 are similar, e.g. the use of midrash in the church, how both faiths explain Genesis, the interplay and reaction to Hellenism etc. Verrrrry interesting! Class discussions allow some very inspiring times of discovering just how much we have in common. And the lecturer loves his topic and faith so its far from being a dry academic subject. (The subject is HYM5175 at Monash Uni, Melbourne, with Dr. Michael Fagenblat who I highly recommend).

In second semester i’m doing HYM5260: Medieval dialogues: Reason, mysticism and society, which has 2 lecturers, one of whom is Jewish. Should be great too!  There’s also a related newly-formed Religion and Theology Study group that meets monthly with students from all 3 faiths. This group provides another great opportunity to discuss in a more academic environment some of the meaty issues that unite and divide us.

So check out your local University. its a great environment for serious inter-faith learning and relationship development!

PS: For anyone planning for 2011… HYM5175 Synopsis:
“Judaism and Christianity are both text-centred religions and, as such, the practice of interpretation invariably mediates the authority of the text. Interpretation is the way in which the authority of the text is extended and contested. This course examines the interpretive methods as well as the theological and ideological content of practices such as: Midrash, allegory, legal interpretation, mystical symbolism and multi-levelled approaches to the text. Focus will be given to the historical contexts in which such practices arose and to their socio-political investment, as well as to the differences and similarities of Jewish and Christian approaches.”

Fr. John D’Alton

Audio: Yehuda Stolov on how to run an interfaith encounter

Chicago Public Radio recently ran an interview with Dr Yehuda Stolov, the Executive Director of the Interfaith Encounter Association in Israel and Palestine.

Based in Jerusalem, the IEA has 29 ongoing groups.  Stolov says that they are not an interfaith organisation in the regular sense.  For IEA, interfaith dialog is a tool that they use to build better relationships between people.

Stolov talks about how when the encounters began seven years ago at the height of the intifada, the Jews involved had never met had never met Muslims before, and vice versa – they only information they had about each other was via the media, whose chief message was that the other group only wanted to kill them. By the end of the encounter weekend, many strong friendships had been formed.

Radio Salaam Shalom

The UK’s out-there Radio Salaam Shalom (strapline: “Muslims and Jews Talking Together”) has just revamped its web site.  Their main content is audio podcasts, which provide interesting perspectives on Jewish-Muslim relations.  They’re avant guard, and not particularly shy.

Definitely worth a listen.

Dave

Can we beat the media stirring up interfaith trouble?

Some good news! Amid the bleak reality of the infantile ghoulish media pouncing on every opportunity to stir up inter-faith arguments, it was great to see the rabbis of the US come out and side with the Pope about the RC bishop with the holocaust revisionist ideas.  When Jewish leaders come out and point out that the Pope did the right thing in removing the bishop and give their reasons for backing his general approach, its a great sign. I’m encouraged. If we do this enough, maybe the media will have to stick their icky hands in to other issues. See  http://www.orthodoxytoday.org/articles-2009/White-Left-Wing-Of-The-Catholic-Church-Destroying-The-Faith-Says-Orthodox-Rabbi.php

Fr. John

Islamic Peacemaking since 9/11

The US Institute for Peace (USIP) issued a report last month entitled “Islamic Peacemaking Since 9/11“.  Summary:

• Muslims in general and Muslim leaders particularly have often been severely criticized for not more energetically condemning the violent acts of Muslim extremists.
• Violent extremists are on one edge of the Muslim community. They are counter-balanced by a growing movement of Muslim peacemakers.
• Equally as notable as Islamic militancy but less noted are Muslims’ 1) widespread condemnation of terrorism and other violent acts; 2) promotion of interfaith dialogue; 3) education of Muslim youth and reeducation of extremist Muslims; and 4) promotion of peaceful conflict resolution.

The report concludes:

It is common knowledge that some Muslims espouse extremist interpretations of Islam, and some of these extremists engage in religiously motivated violence. But what is much less widely recognized is the extent of peacebuilding within the worldwide Muslim community. A large majority of Muslims denounce religiously motivated violence and are disgusted by the abuse of their religion. Evidence of this can be seen in Muslim leaders’ widespread condemnation of terrorism and religiously motivated violence around the world after 9/11, as well as after recent events in India. In addition, this report has described the efforts of many Muslim organizations and leaders to promote more frequent and effective dialogue with Christians and Jews to enhance mutual understanding and create practical steps to improve relations. Efforts are also under way in many places to vigorously educate Muslim youth about the core Islamic teachings of tolerance, peace, and pluralism. In addition, governments and institutions in Muslim countries are working to reeducate Muslim extremists about the falsity of the doctrines they advocate and to find alternative nonviolent methods to express their discontent.

Finally, there are growing indications of Muslim individuals and organizations promoting peaceful conflict resolution.

While the number of Muslim peacebuilding organizations is rising, many are small and struggling financially. International donors could make an important contribution to world peace by aiding these organizations and strengthening their programs. Several American Muslim organizations have recognized the important roles they can play in reinforcing pluralism within Islam worldwide, and they should be encouraged and supported. Muslim leaders who promote nonviolence, pluralism, and tolerance should be recognized and their efforts publicized. Key Muslim organizations around the world are mobilizing to counter extremism within Islam, and they should be applauded.

The report is well worth a read, and provides a viewpoint we don’t get in the mainstream media, because it doesn’t sell papers.

Dave

Abrahamic initiative for mid-east peace

The US-based National Interreligious Leadership Initiative for Peace in the Middle East (NILI) has stepped up its activities in the aftermath of the recent Gaza conflict.  NILI provides much useful information on their web site, including practical advice for local interreligious initiatives, prayers for peace from each of our traditions, and a variety of model documents, op-ed pieces, ideas for modelling behaviour that demonstrates peace between our religious communities, and more.

The site provides much-needed information and actionable items we can work together on the difficult but critical task of creating peace.

A Jew and a Muslim talk about Gaza

In early January at the height of the fighting in Gaza, bFM’s Joe Nunweek rang up Anjum Rahman and myself to pick up the conversation from where we left off from our 2006 Aotearoa Ethnic Network Journal articles on Jewish and Muslim perspectives on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Here are the bFM podcasts:

Dave Moskovitz:

Anjum Rahman:

The bottom line: While Anjum and I have different perspectives on history and the core issues, we continue to be good friends and seek to support those who work for peace.

Thanks to Joe and bFM for running excellent, balanced, and yet probing interviews.

Dave

Joint Jewish, Christian, Muslim appeal for Gaza

Faiths Working Together Appeal

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Chair of the Muslim Charities Foundation, Dr Hany El Banna and the Head of the Movement for Reform Judaism, Rabbi Dr Tony Bayfield, are calling on people of all faiths to give generously to the Faiths Working Together Appeal to help rebuild shattered lives in Gaza.

“I hope that all people of faith – and all of goodwill – will support this initiative by giving generously and by using all available websites and other resources to contribute and to spread the word.” – Dr Rowan Williams

“I warmly support this initiative as a model for cooperation between the Abrahamic faiths and welcome the practical concern for all the victims of the conflict, regardless of faith or nationality.“ –Rabbi Dr Tony Bayfield, Head of the Movement for Reform Judaism.

Donations will be collected by Christian Aid and then used by Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, Christian Aid and Islamic Relief to fund their relief, reconstruction and post emergency work.

To donate, visit:   http://www.faithsworkingtogether.org/donate/

Why we dialogue

Earlier this week, reconciliationtalk discussed how they go about things in the Luton (UK) Council of Faiths, where they made the following commitment:

“We dialogue NOT to mix all religions into one. We dialogue simply to make friends. We are NOT about diluting our faith. We are about affirming and sharing our faith and religious identities. We, from different faith communities in Luton, inspired by our own faith, express confidence in ourselves and in one another to spread the way of peace and dialogue for resolving any conflict situations that may arise from time to time, due to what may happen locally or globally. We commit ourselves to be the eyes, ears and conscience of our communities in Luton. And therefore, offer ourselves as instruments of healing where there is pain, reconciliation where there is confrontation, calm where there is anger, sharing divine love where there is hatred.”

Dave

Muslims and Jews join forces in Guardian podcast

The Guardian’s Islamophonic and Sounds Jewish podcast teams have joined forces in an inspiring podcast.  If you don’t listen to any other podcast audio this year, listen to this, as it’s a model for how we can work together to explore the crunchy issues:

The first half of the podcast focusses on how the conflict in Gaza has affected Jewish-Muslim relations in the UK, and moves on to a feature on to the Mu-Jew Crew – a Muslim-Jewish theatre team, and finally to a Muslim-Jewish comedy duo.

The damage done by the Gaza conflict to Jewish-Muslim relations runs deep, but this podcast shows that we can keep the conversation going, and look for new ways of working together to build a better future.

Dave