Flowing to the Mountain

"Diversity: It Makes the World Interesting" read the headline in the "Local News" section of today's Syracuse Post Standard.

This accompanied two photos with captions reporting the occurrence of the annual International Holiday Extravaganza at Longbranch Elementary School, Liverpool, NY.

The photos were of Glory Abuqube, from the United Arab Emirates, and Hua Zhang from the Chinese School. Also included in the Extravaganza were guests that spoke of various holiday traditions from Ireland, Korea, Germany and several other countries.

My wife, Susan, works as a substitute teacher in the Liverpool School District, was working yesterday at Longbranch, and happened to have the opportunity to take part in the Extravaganza. She was working one on one with a boy with special needs. She asked him which presentation he liked the best. He said that he enjoyed the woman who talked about Muslim traditions (Gloria Abuqube from the United Arab Emirates), because she had the students dress up in traditional robes and scarves.

Ms. Abuqube, who also lives in Dubai, spoke of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr that follows immediately upon the time of fasting during Ramadan. In addition she pointed out that Islam respects women. Contrary to what various governments and radical Muslim leaders have done and said, the Quran respects the rights of women and allows them to own property. The restrictions about dress, etc., imposed upon women in different Muslim countries, she said, are the policies of human leaders, and not based upon the Quran.

On the facing page of this morning's Section B of the paper was the weekly, reader-submitted column on "What I Believe." This week's contributor, Max Malikow, a psychotherapist and professor at Syracuse University, spoke of how he is never ashamed to follow Christ.

"I believe God exists. I believe God's existence cannot be proven scientifically, historically or philosophically. I believe in God as an exercise of faith.

"Further, I believe the Eternal Creator outside of space and time entered human history 2,000 years ago in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, carpenter and itinerating rabbi, was God living an authentic human life on earth -- this I believe.

"Of course, there are those who could say to me, 'Max, if you were born in India, you would be a Hindu and believe in reincarnation and many gods.'

"Since I am well occupied living the life I have, I choose not to speculate about other lives I might have had. I believe god has place me where I am.

"I believe the crucifixion of Jesus Christ provided reconciliation between God and humankind. (I do not believe those who are not practicing Christians are condemned. I could elaborate on this, but this is a out what I believe rather than what I do not believe.)"

Professor Malikow's religious affiliation was not provided (as it often is in these articles), but he seemed so UCC to me (what with the fairly traditional belief in the Incarnation, mixed with a nod toward universal respect, if not salvation for people of other faiths, all held together by inclusive language!).

Diversity, mutual understanding and respect of differing traditions, experiencing different cultures has always been an interest of mine. I've enjoyed and grown from experiences in Central America, Southern Africa, and Europe. Professionally, I've always been involved with councils of churches wherever I've served.

This year, I've become more directly involved with interfaith dialogue. I've agreed to convene the Round Table of the Leaders of Faith Communities of Inter Faith Works of Central New York (formerly the Inter Religious Council). This means I have the honor of also serving on the Inter Faith Works Board of Directors as well as the Executive Committee. (It reminds me of the old addage, "What goes around, comes around." So often I've asked others to take on one job, knowing that it really means taking on two or three.)

Involvement in Inter Faith Works has been a growing experience for me. This fall I took part in a six week program associated with the organization, "A Community Wide Dialogue against Racism." (See my earlier posting, "Beyond Tolerance" on October 23, 2007, in which I spoke of this dialogue.)

Over the last couple of years the Round Table has helped Inter Faith Works to compose and make statements against the use of torture and against bigotry. In addition we have been spending a good deal of time getting to know each other as people of faith (different faiths!) and to hear more about the faith traditions that we represent.

This past week, the convener of the Education Committee of Inter Faith Works, passed on a document to me to present to the Round Table. The document was a several page letter from dozens of Muslim religious leaders from around the world inviting Christian leaders to enter into dialogue with each other and with them. The hope and purpose of this dialogue was to promote mutual understanding and to avoid and diminish the mutual fear and animosity that increasingly seems to pervade between our two faiths.

In our discussions at the Round Table we have been worried about how we can be more proactive in our support of the Muslim communities in our cities and towns. The climate across the U.S. is rife for violence directed at Muslims should there be any more incidents of terrorism here. We want to promote a more peaceful approach. So, we'll study the document.

Talk of interfaith dialogue, or of ethnic diversity is far from the consciousness of many of the folks across Upstate New York. I remember, when serving our church in Homer, that Cortland County was over 99% Caucasian.

Even so, it's easy for us living in Upstate New York to dismiss the need to talk about real diversity. On the other hand we might be surprised if we were to open our eyes to those who are moving into our communities.

The Syracuse Post Standard had an article a couple of weeks ago detailing the growing need for teachers of English as a Second Language in our suburban schools (not just in Syracuse).

Liverpool has an International Holiday Extravaganza as more than an academic exercise. There are an increasing number of students that represent an increasing number of world cultures and religions and who speak an increasing number of the world's languages as their first language.

Diversity is interesting and challenging. Getting to know and understand persons from other cultures can also inspire us to grow in our sense of justice and our clarity of what we believe.

Isaiah prophesied (Isaiah 2:2-4) that there would be a Day when all the nations of the world would flow to the mountain of God. This mountain will be established as the highest of mountains, and the nations shall recognize the desire to learn of God's ways and walk in God's paths. In response God will judge between the nations and serve as an arbiter for any disputes. Then all the nations shall learn the ways of peace and mutual accord. They will transform their weapons into instruments for building and planting and peace. They will transform their minds so that they will no longer have the need to learn or even think about making war.

Indeed! A wonderful vision. For many (especially Jews and Christians), the interpretation of this passage is that all of these nations that flow to the mountain of God in order to learn of the ways of the God of the House of Jacob (the Jewish, later the Christian God) will become Jews or Christians. That is, when people become Jews or Christians, they'll decide to be at peace with one another. Thus, the need to convert everyone to our own faith stance.

My own view is that belief, or acceptance of any particular creed is not the essential meaning of this prophecy. I don't see that the "nations" have had a change of religious belief as they decided to go to the mountain of God. Rather, they've had a change of heart.

It's like the nations that "flowed" to Bali to talk about new strategies and agreements to combat global warming. Not all have the same notion about what needs to be done or what they are willing to commit to doing. But all went to talk and to respond.

The glorious part of Isaiah's vision is that the response was miraculously wonderful. The nations gave over their sovereignty to God to judge between them and to settle disputes. And, they decided that their greatest security lay in giving up their need for weapons rather than enriching their war machines. (Would that the present generation of "nations" could come to the same change of heart and mind and agree that our security comes from working together out of mutual rather than self interest.)

Today's UCC Calendar of Prayer listing tells of the ministry of Common Global Ministries missionary, Alison Stendahl, in Turkey. She works at a school which student body is made up of Jews and Christians as well as Muslims. Her challenge in this secular country where non Muslim faith sharing is severely limited is to live out her faith while keeping within the restrictions imposed by the government. Her inspiration comes from seeing how students from these different faith traditions can live and work together in harmony.

In closing I will declare my belief in the way of God's love as embodied by Jesus. I think that way is inclusive and that love universally honors all people who recognize (regardless of their creed, ethnicity or nationality) that the way of holiness is the way of mutual understanding and respect. In this spirit I share today's prayer from the Calendar.

O God of Isaiah and John the Baptist, through all such faithful ones you proclaim the unfolding of future joy and renewed life. Strengthen our hearts to believe your advent promise that one day we will walk in the holy way of Christ,where sorrow and sighing will be no more and the journey of God's people will be joy.

Blessings,

Rick Cowles