(Each Saturday, a faith leader in Franklin County offers a personal perspective in this space. To become part of this series, email religion@recorder.com)
Early this summer, I traveled to India to meet with leaders from different faith traditions. I wanted to learn how people of various belief systems lived and worked together in a religiously diverse democracy. As the birthplace of four of the world’s major religious traditions, and currently the world’s largest democracy, India has a long history of people from many faiths living together in harmony. While there have been times of violence and tension, most people comfortably coexist in the midst of vast and profound spiritual differences.
Over and over again, I heard stories of how people happily live amidst this plurality of religions. As neighbors and co-workers, people are knowledgeable about other faith traditions. They create space and offer respect for those traditions. Yet, when politics gets involved, and stories of religious tension and violence are reframed for power and control and gain, differences become exaggerated in distorted in harmful ways.
The religiously diverse democracy of India has a multi-faith fluidity that we could learn a lot from. While many of our country’s religious communities exist in silos or bubbles, there is so much more to be gained by stepping out of our boxes and into a fuller of view of life.
I talked with Hindus in Mumbai who had come to pray and offer their respects at a Sufi Muslim shrine. I met a Christian family in Amritsar who had come to the main Sikh Temple for services. I spoke with Muslims who lovingly cared for Calcutta’s four Jewish Temples and Muslims who helped host the city’s Hindu festivals so their Hindu neighbors wouldn’t have to work. These are just a few of the day-to-day interactions I found where people of different faiths not only respected their neighbor’s traditions, but openly shared in them.
This past week, I had the honor of being part of The Parliament of World’s Religions. This week-long gathering, which convenes once every three years, brings together thousands of religious leaders from more than 80 countries who represent over 200 spiritual traditions. This year, the Parliament met in Toronto, the most religiously diverse city in the world. The city’s motto, “Strength, Our Diversity,” was a fitting reminder of the work we were there to do — learning how people of differing faiths can work together to build a more inclusive, just, peaceful and sustainable world.
The Saturday during my time at the Parliament marked the one-week anniversary of the anti-Semitic terrorist murders that occurred at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pa. While there were speakers and workshops at the convention center, I hailed a cab to Holy Blossom Synagogue, the oldest Jewish Temple in Toronto. Immediately after the religiously-motivated hate crimes in Pittsburgh, the Muslim community of Toronto sprang into action. They began planning, organizing and mobilizing to create ‘rings of peace’ around each of the city’s Jewish Temples. These circles of security — expressions of solidarity — were to let their Jewish sisters and brothers know they were not alone in their grief. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever witnessed.
I arrived to find 100 Muslims standing in a crescent moon around the front of the Synagogue. As families arrived for Shabbat services, they met and thanked the diverse Muslim community that had gathered. The Imams and Rabbis embraced and wept on each other’s shoulders. Over and over I heard Jewish congregants say to their Muslim neighbors, “Thank you for being here. You have no idea how much this means to us.”
In this day and age, religion often gets a bad rap for violence and conflict. It can even seem a bit passe to our post-modern world-view. Yet religion has tremendous power to bring healing, to do good in our society, and to make the world a more inclusive, just, peaceful and sustainable world.
You don’t need to go to Toronto or India to see this. It can all happen right here in Franklin County. All you have to do is step up, reach out and join in.
The Second Congregational Church is located at 16 Court Square in downtown Greenfield, right next to Town Hall. As an ‘Open and Affirming’ church, we welcome all people into the life of our community. Balancing tradition and innovation, we strive to serve people throughout Franklin County and beyond. All are invited to join us each Sunday at 10 a.m. for our weekly worship service. Feel free to contact us (413-774-4355) or office@greenfieldsecondchurch.com. Find us on Facebook or browse our website: www.greenfieldsecondchurch.com