Interfaith Journeys
  • Home
  • Interfaith Journeys
  • Stella Reekie

A Wider Dialogue

12/11/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
I attended an interesting seminar this weekend. It was organised by the Conforti Institute in Coatbridge, Scotland and brought together religious believers and humanists to engage in conversation about values and ethics. The atmosphere was warm and congenial and it was obvious that everyone there was full of good will and eager to make contact with one another.  This doesn't mean the conversation wasn't challenging.

On so many occasions it seemed that those who labelled themselves atheist, secularist or humanist had rejected religion because of bad experiences with the Church.  As always this is a source of shame and sadness for those of us who have stayed.  So often people seem to identify God with the institution and reject the transcendent because of the failings of people who are, like all of us, sinful, incomplete, damaged and struggling to make sense of life.  Whoever and whatever God is, God is not the Church or any religious institution. Religious institutions are meant to provide guidance and offer a practice that helps members live a good life.  This is more important than any dogmatic teaching which excludes or rejects people who are different or think differently. All religions have liberating and oppressive aspects and I often think that those of us who have stayed in religion have experienced its liberating aspects while those who have only experienced the oppressive are right to leave.

One of the key speakers of the weekend was Christ Stedman whose book Faitheist encourages a dialogue between atheists and religious people.  Chris is an interesting person.  He is the humanist chaplain at Harvard University but has two degrees in religion and has done a course on spiritual direction with the Jesuits at Loyola University in Chicago. While he describes himself as an atheist he has a feel for religion and is totally committed to an interfaith dialogue that includes humanists and secularists. This is important if believers and non-believers are to live together and work together for social justice.  There are plenty of issues that we can all work on but as someone remarked at the seminar religious people should be aware that while humanists are working with them on issues of justice they are also working to rid the world of religion.  I don't think there can be much dialogue if this is the case.  Fundamentalists and exclusivists of whatever persuasion don't normally make good subjects for interfaith dialogue.  Believers and non-believers alike need to respect one another's position and their right to hold it, to learn to understand one another's language, to discern the reality behind the words, to find common ground.  The starting point needs to be conversation with an openness to mutual understanding.

This approach would hold no problems for Chris Stedman. I hope it can also be accepted by others.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    I am  a Catholic nun, involved in interfaith relations for many decades.  For me this has been an exciting and sacred journey which I would like to share with others.

    Picture

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013

    RSS Feed

    Categories
    Religious Performances
    ​​

    All

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.