Scholars have also been in the fore front to bring to the understanding of interfaith dialogue. Perelman and Olbrechts- Tyteca (1969) explain dialogue as follows: "it is not supposed to be a debate but rather a discussion in which the interlocutors search honestly and without bias for the best solution to a controversial problem" (196, 37). Related to this description, Gulen (2000) describes interfaith dialogue as seeking to realize religion's basic oneness and unity, and the universality of belief. Religion embraces all beliefs and races in brotherhood, and exalts love, respect, tolerance, forgiveness, mercy, human rights, peace, brotherhood, and freedom via its Prophets" (The Fountain, September 2000).
Another major proponent of dialogue was Seyyed Hossein Nasr, a professor
In addition, Rev. Allman states, "The ability to discuss our religious and cultural differences is more than an extra-curricular activity; it is a skill which is vital for participants in democracy, especially a democratic society such as ours, which is filled with people whose differences are deep and complex" (The Network, 1999). These statements show the importance of interfaith dialogue for the improvement of humanity and the goodwill of societies. Pinto (2003) also gives the role of interfaith dialogue as an inevitable fact of our being with other faiths. Ecumenism on the other hand is the idea of Christian unity that is the need to have a one united Church. The word ecumenical comes from a greek word (Oikoumene) with a meaning of a whole inhabited world. The mission of ecumenical is has two folds i.e. to search for the visible unity of the Church as stipulated in the book of Ephesians 4:3, “Enduring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”, and “the whole inhabited earth” as revealed in Matthew 24:14. Ecumenical dialogues
America is full and rich with diverse people, religions and values; they make America great. Just look at Riverside, California, there are over fifty churches of different denominations of Christianity, three synagogues, two temples, and one mosque; all coinciding peacefully in the city (Yellow Pages). Because Riverside is so diverse, religious pluralism and religious tolerance are two steps in making Riverside more connected. The first step is tolerance, a reflex that acknowledges a person will come across people of a different faith. The second step is pluralism, which is a better understanding of a person’s religion as well as the other religions around them. Many believe pluralism is the better of the two, because of the interaction involved and the creation of harmony, but pluralism’s faults are greater than the benefits. Currently religious pluralism is quality America should strive for, but America is not ready for pluralism yet, so religious tolerance is best for the diverse population of America today.
Journal of Ecumenical Studies, 19(1), 69-84. Heim, D. (1996). The 'Standard'. Phil Jackson, Seeker in Sneakers. Christian Century, 133(20), 654-656.
Many conflicts have arisen over the years about the topic of religions. Some of these disputes have come because of the conflicts between the Muslim, Christian and Jewish peoples. Since these religions are based on the God of Abraham, are monotheistic, and all believe God created the universe, many disagreements and fights have come from the idea that one religion is more superior than the others. So the question has come: Can the Muslim, Christian and Jewish peoples peacefully coexist together in a diverse society? Although the Islam, Judaism, and Christian religions are all Abrahamic based and very similar, they cannot really coexist together in a diverse society because of their ideas of praying, lifestyle beliefs and saviors/holy books.
It is the belief of some that the divergent cultural worldviews and political tensions have more to do with the conflict than with religion, and attempts were made by Muslims as well as Christians to seek a common ground and involve in respectful dialogue.
Larry A. Samovar, Richard E. Porter, Edwin R. McDaniel, “Christianity”, communication between cultures, pg 111-115.
Ecumenism, in the sense of Australian Christianity, is the religious initiative towards unity within the Christian church. It is the promotion of co-operation and improved understanding between distinct religious groups or denominations within Christianity and other religions.
... of talking to and working with each other, of talking and working with the non-Muslim world. We must go into the world in all of its dimensions, all of its every multiplying spaces and experiences and find within them a vehicle that would allow those ideas and values that we cherish to take root. There are no formulas here, no pre-mapped practices to specify how such experimentation at interchange should be conducted. Although steeped in a very particular "American history", much can be learned from the experiences of Black Americans and the generosity of spirit which has often characterized everyday relationships between Muslims and Christians. Whatever steps we as Muslims take, we should have sufficient faith in the power of our faith to know that we will persist through this and all things. We should know that it is within our capacity to bring America to Islam.
Islam and Christianity both come from a common foundation as religions of peace, both of these religious traditions share the foundational element of peace of their beliefs. In both the sacred texts of Islam and Christianity peace is a virtue and is seen more as a sense of wellbeing than just the absence of conflict and violence. Overall peace is found in unity with God, for Christians and Muslims are taught to live a life a life of peace with others, not only in their own communities but the entire of human society. The Qur’an in Islam and the New Testament in Christianity are respectively the principal sacred texts for these religious traditions. The Qur’an and the New Testament both express the importance of peace and peacemaking as evident in Jesus’ Beatitudes “Blessed are the peacemakers”. The search for inner peace is the core message of the Qur’an and the New Testament and the adherents of both traditions are taught that inner peace will come through faithfully devoting yourself to God.
Livingstone, E.A., ed. 1997. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 3 ed. Ed. the late F. L. Cross and E. A. Livingstone. New York: Oxford University Press, USA.
Avery-Peck, A. J., & Neusner, J. (2009). Judaism and Christianity: New directions for dialogue and understanding. Leiden: Brill.
Throughout the years, religions have come together to bring about a new age of interfaith and interconnectedness. There are countless of examples where people have adopted two or more religions as there own, seeing and respecting the relationships and similarities between the two. In hand with this, people are now beginning to understand other religions and respect their practices. There is sort of a hybrid coming about of religions, where communities will pray with each other in a sort of collaboration of respects. However, this change in religion did not come about easily, it took much strife to bring about an interconnectedness that everyone is now a part of. Now that this interconnected and respect occurs in some areas, this can open up
In my life, I have come across different religions such as Christianity and Judaism. I grew up in a Christian household and I have come across Judaism with family friends and even my own family. I have attended Bar and Bat Mitzvah’s for my family friends and I got to see a bit of Jewish culture and tradition which I greatly appreciated that I could be a part of. Along with experiencing Judaism, my aunt converted from Christianity to Judaism when she married my uncle. I got to see a conversion of religions which was very cool and fascinating. I have been guided in the right direction in regards to my faith by my parents, my youth leader and my grandmother. I have been open to learning about other religions and I accept other religions.
The Roman Catholic Church uses the Apostles Creed in the celebration of mass and when reciting the Rosary. Many non-Catholic denominations also use the Apostles Creed. The only real sticking point to this creed being truly ecumenical seems to be the word “Catholic”. Most denominations use the creed unchanged from the original form but some Protestant churches make the creed palatable using various methods. Luther used “Christian” in lieu of “Catholic”. ( Bente 21) Some make the “c” in Catholic lower case. (Samples 102) Some substitute “universal” (Humphrey 102) while a few others just remove the offending word
viewed as instructions of God to his Muslim followers to kill unbelievers, to capture them, to ambush them (Quran 9.5). Till this day many attack the unequal justice present between men and women in Islam. Scholars claim Islamic law, such as verse 4:34 of Quran, allows and encourages domestic violence against women, when a husband suspects disobedience, disloyalty, rebellion, ill conduct in his wife. Not only Islam was accused of such but also Christianity. The Bible comprises /far /more /verses flattering or /urging /bloodshed than does the Quran, and biblical /violence is /often far /more /extreme, and marked by more /indiscriminate barbarity. If the /founding text /shapes /the whole /religion, then /Judaism and /Christianity deserve the highest criticism as religions of /savagery. In the “Old Testament” /the principle /of /"an eye for an eye" is /often /referred to /using the /Latin /phrase /lex /talionis, the law of /talion. The significance of the /principle Eye for an Eye is that an individual who has /injured /another person /returns the /offending /action to the /originator in /compensation. It also contains versus allowing slavery.
Meanwhile, in the Christian faith, diversity finds its unity in God Himself. In God we find one being in three persons and the ground for unity and diversity. He points out that there are hints of the Trinity in the Old Testament and that monotheism is assumed in the New Testament. He is able to provide good support for these points with biblical verses and deeper explanations of them. That is not to say that this can now be clearly accepted as matter of fact, which is proven so by the controversies over the years within the Church.