Why Interfaith Dialog

[RoseGardener]

Hello:

I have been actively involved with interfaith dialog for several years now. I belong to a mainstream ELCA Lutheran congregation. Recently, I was invited to speak at another church in my synod about interfaith dialog. In essence, I’ve been asked to answer the question, “Why interfaith dialog”?

The goal here is to have a productive discussion with other main stream Christians about the necessity of interfaith dialog in our world today. In order for this to be productive – I’d like a non-threatening way to answer common questions Christians have about interfaith dialog. And so…. I’m starting this thread in an effort to seek your assistance. What questions do you have about interfaith dialog?

What excites you about interfaith dialog?

What worries you about interfaith dialog?

The best questions – from this thread – will be used in my presentation. By providing me with your own questions – you’ll allow me to address these questions without asking people within the congregation to raise their hands and “put themselves out there” with questions they may be embarrassed to ask in front of their friends and neighbors.

Thank you in advance.

In Peace:

RoseGardener

[Michie]

Nothing really worries me about it.

Are you talking interfaith outside Christian circles or within?

Both?

I think any misconceptions about belief systems & being able to clear those misconceptions up is a good thing.

The gossip is terrible even concerning other denominations.

And 99.9% of it is simply not true.

I tend to hit the library & go to the sources concerning my questions.

Not outside of the source.

People tend to go outside of it for whatever reason & I consider that a huge mistake.

[RoseGardener]

Are you talking interfaith outside Christian circles or within?
I'm talking about dialog with non-Christian religions.

I think any misconceptions about belief systems & being able to clear those misconceptions up is a good thing.We agree... :)

[Michie]

I'm talking about dialog with non-Christian religions.
Who all are you meeting with?

We agree... :)
Yay! By the way, welcome to our forum. :wave:

[RoseGardener]

Who all are you meeting with?
OK... To clarify
I'll be speaking to a mainstream Christian congregation about the importance of dialog with non-Christian religions.
My purpose here is to find gather common questions about interfaith dialog, from other Christians (who've never been involved in dialog with people from non-Christian religions).
It is important to keep in mind that when I speak of interfaith dialog it means discussion with people from non-Christian religions with no intent to evangelize on my part.
The best questions will be used in my presentation. By the way, welcome to our forum. :wave: Thank you for your welcome. :)

[Michie]

OK... To clarify

I'll be speaking to a mainstream Christian congregation about the importance of dialog with non-Christian religions.
My purpose here is to find gather common questions about interfaith dialog, from other Christians (who've never been involved in dialog with people from non-Christian religions).
It is important to keep in mind that when I speak of interfaith dialog it means discussion with people from non-Christian religions with no intent to evangelize on my part.
The best questions will be used in my presentation.Thank you for your welcome. :)

Ok. No questions from me at this time. Like I said, I tend to hit the library in these cases.

There might be a few that happen by that has a few.

We are still a fairly new forum.

[Rowan]

What's important to me is mutual respect. This might seem obvious, but they are few I've seen gifted enough to be firm on what they believe while avoiding taking small jabs at the opposition.

[Antigone]

What's important to me is mutual respect. This might seem obvious, but they are few I've seen gifted enough to be firm on what they believe while avoiding taking small jabs at the opposition.

I agree!

So many people today keep emphasising that their way is the only right way, but in essence, doesn't everybody believe that? I've seen so many try to "convert" me by simply saying "my way is the only right way to believe". A lack of respect will end any conversation.

I have a question concerning this, though: how do you keep the interfaith dialogue open? If, for instance, you adhere to one faith yourself, how do you assure people that your faith will not prejudice you towards other faiths when you're trying to open an interfaith dialogue?

[RoseGardener]

I have a question concerning this, though: how do you keep the interfaith dialogue open? If, for instance, you adhere to one faith yourself, how do you assure people that your faith will not prejudice you towards other faiths when you're trying to open an interfaith dialogue?

Very thoughtful question Antigone:

It's not possible to assure people that our faith will not prejudice us towards other faiths. We are human - we all have our prejudices. The work of interfaith dialog is to admit those prejudices and make an honest attempt at seeing things from another's perspective.

Everyone who comes to the table needs to be willing to grapple with their own prejudices. Only in grappling with our own prejudices is it possible to build a trusting interfaith relationship.

Does that answer your question?

[karen freeinchristman]

I think one thing many people are afraid of is pressure to compromise their faith. This is one reason some are reluctant to enter into interfaith dialogue. Also, some people have a very hard time with self-control, in that they cannot listen to another persons of a different faith without making pronounced judgements.

[RoseGardener]

I think one thing many people are afraid of is pressure to compromise their faith. This is one reason some are reluctant to enter into interfaith dialogue. Karen this is a very astute observation. A book you may want to read is called The Faith Club. The authors of this book are three women who intentionally started an interfaith dialog after 9/11. The women are from the three Abrahamic traditions - one is a Jew, one is Christian and one is a Muslim.

These women had to grapple with their own prejudices and then their own faiths. And all of them grew stronger in their faith. But, this was not an easy undertaking - the road to understanding passed through a period of deep questioning by all of them about their own faiths.

Also, some people have a very hard time with self-control, in that they cannot listen to another persons of a different faith without making pronounced judgements.This is very true - very true. And if you decide to read the book I recommended above - you'll find that these women had to learn how to listen to each other as well.

[karen freeinchristman]

Karen this is a very astute observation. A book you may want to read is called The Faith Club. The authors of this book are three women who intentionally started an interfaith dialog after 9/11. The women are from the three Abrahamic traditions - one is a Jew, one is Christian and one is a Muslim.

These women had to grapple with their own prejudices and then their own faiths. And all of them grew stronger in their faith. But, this was not an easy undertaking - the road to understanding passed through a period of deep questioning by all of them about their own faiths.

This is very true - very true. And if you decide to read the book I recommended above - you'll find that these women had to learn how to listen to each other as well.
Thanks for the book recommendation - sounds like a really good one! :thumbsup:

edited to add: I've found the book on Amazon and added it to my basket for next time I order (which won't be long as I am a student and often order books from Amazon).

[Antigone]

Very thoughtful question Antigone:

It's not possible to assure people that our faith will not prejudice us towards other faiths. We are human - we all have our prejudices. The work of interfaith dialog is to admit those prejudices and make an honest attempt at seeing things from another's perspective.

Everyone who comes to the table needs to be willing to grapple with their own prejudices. Only in grappling with our own prejudices is it possible to build a trusting interfaith relationship.

Does that answer your question?

It does, thanks!
Although I can imagine it's difficult to get people to admit their own prejudices, not only because we're not always aware of them, but also because I think we'd all like to think we're perfectly prejudice-free. So good luck with that... :thumbsup: