First Post -> Interfaith Service

I created this blogsite about 3 months ago with very good and expectant intentions. I planned to blog frequently and fervently on issues concerning Unity Christianity (www.unity.org, www.unitychurches.org), the denomination of which I'm a part and in which I'm pursuing ordination. However, somehow I managed to put it off over and over again and haven't actually posted anything until now. Interestingly (and perhaps providentially), this postponement of procrastination or sheer laziness turned out to be favorable since I've come to realize that I shouldn't simply limit this blog's purview only to Unity-related issues. I need to realize that the blog-o-sphere is a wide open place and I should take advantage of this forum for expression and communicative exchange. I've a lot to say and in so many different subject matters! Though I'm certainly concerned about Unity, its upsides and downsides, its place and identity in today's modern/post-modern world, and where it can go in the future, I plan to move forward with open arms, an open mind, and write about whatever comes my way or to my mind. Though, likely this will be geared toward issues of theology, interreligious dialogue, social justice and peacework, chaplaincy/pastoral care, and general spirituality, since these are the things that peak my interest and in which I'm very involved.

Speaking of involvement - onto the first topic. About a week ago I facilitated and led an interfaith prayer ceremony at my local church, Unity Church of Pasadena, CA (www.unitychurchofpasadena.org). Our community has hosted such an event before. Last year in September, during the 11 Days of Global Unity celebration sponsored by Unity and the Association of Global New (www.agnt.org), I was asked to create and organize some kind of "interfaith" gathering, since Unity of Pasadena had never done this kind of thing before. Having been involved in various types of interreligious ceremonies, services, peacework, and dialogues I know how tedious and time-consuming putting on such an event can be. Nonetheless, it was important to our community to be involved in interfaith work and I tend to know quite a number of people in my area from various religious traditions, so I decided to give it a whirl.

I invited 5-6 people from the Buddhist, Hindu, and Muslim traditions to come and talk 5-8 minutes about what peace means in their religion. All in all, our first run at an interfaith service wasn't bad. We had a good 30-40 people show up to support and participate, the presenters were courteous and insightful, and it was quite a low-key contemplative evening. We had refreshments and some conversation afterwards, but most people didn't stay too long to chat. For my first time spearheading such an event I was rather pleased and many people said they were as well.

This time around we held the service last Wednesday night (March 25, 2009). I must say that this exceeded the last one by a notable amount. First of all, I was able to get a more diverse group of presenters, who not only talked about their religious path, but shared with everyone a piece of their practice by reciting a special prayer, meditation, or chant. We were blessed to have Muslim, Jewish, Roman Catholic, Unity Christian, Hindu Brahmin, and Vedantist practitioners join us and share their faith and practice with everyone present. This time I suggested the theme of personal transformation, which, combined with the warm and friendly personalities of everyone present, made the service feel much more intimate and comfortable than last time. I'm sure the fact that some of the people who came before returned to participate, and the fact that we had a little more experience putting this all together, had quite a bit to do with the more relaxed atmosphere. Nonetheless, people ranted and raved to me about how wonderful, special, and enlightening the whole thing was and suggested that Unity of Pasadena continue this kind of forum. (A special thank you to everyone at Unity of Pasadena who took the time to help out at the service, bring food for refreshments, and help clean up afterwards - you made it all go so smoothly!)

Creating forums like interfaith prayer services, labor coalitions, outreach organizations, and community dialogues where we can learn from each other and understand one another better in an open and free environment is very much needed today. Interreligious dialouge, engagement, and exchange is so very much needed in today's context of globalization and religious plurality, especially here in the U.S., which is now the most religiously (and likely culturally) diverse nation in the entire world, at least according to Diana Eck of the Pluralism Project at Harvard (www.pluralism.org). It might have used to be India, but now we've taken the cake when it comes to religious plurality. Buddhists and Jews are working side by side, Hindus and Bahai's are meeting each other in supermarkets and malls, and Christians and Muslims are sitting with each other at parent-teacher conferences at their children's schools. The U.S is now a magnificent tapestry of different languages, ideas, religions and cultures.

And the most responsible and sustainable response to this diversity is to actively engage with one another in mutual regard, seeking to better understand each other and cultivate a common culture of togetherness and peacefulness. And that's what interfaith gathering like the one at Unity of Pasadena are all about - being receptive to each other and gratefully learning from one another, gradually breaking down the barriers of intolerance, ignorance, and hatred. Respecting and better understanding another's spiritual path is truly integral to our lives, our personal and communal development.

This is the gist of my thoughts and passion for interreligious relations. I'm devoted to promoting and practicing religious openness and dialogue in every avenue I can perceive, whether it be my doctoral dissertation, service in the local Unity church, or in the public sphere as a Christian minister and chaplain. In today's world, it is not only possible, it is necessary that Christians psychologically, emotionally, intellectually, theologically, and pastorally incorporate inclusivity and receptivity toward non-Christian people and religions in their lives. As Episcopal Bishop John Shelby Spong states, "Christianity must change, or die." A dead Christianity is not one that can uphold and proclaim the God of life. Christianity must stay alive so as to forward the good message of forgiveness, unity, and love experienced in Jesus Christ. And a living, thriving Christianity must take compassionate notice of our non-Christian brothers and sisters, reaching out to them with the steadfast love of Christ and engaging in dialogue and encounter so as to further a greater semblance of peace - the Kingdom of God present among us.

Peace.