Is Interfaith Cooperation Possible?

[Eric_Hyom]

Thanks for all your comments, and I do see hope, we just need to break down the barriers in our own heart first.

Publisher

Margaret Fell Fox wrote…“Service unites, doctrine divides.”

Roy 5 Of course interfaith cooperation is possible.

AlabamaCatholic Doctrine speaks to Truth, and it’s the Truth that sets us free

Constantine Possible, yes. Likely, I dunno.

Misery’s Fence puts emphasis on service to those in need as being the method by which we show the Love of Christ, and doesn’t evangelize

Nicea325 Well it is NOT possible,if they have the wrong approach or attitude.

Sufjon Regarding your question, I think the answer is yes, but with a few qualifiers.

Seeker57 But, we place high emphasis on doing good works, not because we have to, but because we want to as they are the right thing to do.

As Publisher said, dogma or liturgy or hierarchy matter little to someone who is hungry, cold or despondent.

The light of God is in every eye, even those who hate me. It is my duty to try to see that light and treat each person accordingly.

By doing this, we could indeed have cooperation among different religious groups - and we should.

Just a few hundred years ago where I live; Christian were killing each other for having the wrong truth. We have gone from killing each other to tolerating each other, and now we can pray with each other.

The same wonderful God created each and everyone of us, even though we may appear different to each other, through religion, colour or nationality. The same God hears all our prayers, despite our differences.

Blessings and peace be with you all

Eric

 

[Eric_Hyom]

I asked this same question about interfaith cooperation on an Islamic forum, there was this wonderful reply, which shows faith in God

Islam calls us to humility to do God’s will. This means to understand and keep in mind that God is all-powerful and all-knowing. Therefore, if God wants to spread Islam there is nothing human beings can do about it and if God wants to spread other than Islam, there is nothing human beings can do about it either. Our duty is to do God’s will and leave the rest in his hands. And God’s will is to have right belief that promotes right intentions that create right actions for the benefit of all of God’s creations. If you cannot trust in God, you don’t have right belief—only pride and arrogance.

Remember----God is Unity.

Blessings and peace be with you all

Eric

 

[The_Wanderer]

I’ll offer a sampling of quotes out of my favorite deistic tome, Thomas Paine’s The Age of Reason:

“I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish church, by the Roman church, by the Greek church, by the Turkish church, by the Protestant church, nor by any church that I know of. My own mind is my own church”.

“The Jews have their Moses; the Christians their Jesus Christ, their apostles and saints; and the Turks their Mahomet, as if they way to God was not open to every man alike”.

“Each of those churches accuses the other of unbelief; and, for my own part, **I disbelieve them **all.”

Paine merely comments upon religion versus faith, the former is, to him, largely a manmade cultural construct. Faith, for him, amounts to this simple statement: “I believe in one God, and no more.” He was called an infidel for his faith in deism, but he’s one of the right on the money that the claims of the various religions are all equally true (and, hence, all equally false).

 

[Bluegoat]

I am in a parish that is located in a needy area. There are a number of religious groups and Christian churches in the area, and all co-operate in a number of different ministries to those who live there.

As far as religious services, there are some efforts for this kind of thing. We have a Palm Sunday neighbourhood procession which includes members from all the Christian groups. We all meet in one place, and process around the neighbourhood singing. Each church group sings a hymn. As we go by each church building, the congregation enters to carry on their worship.

 

[Usbek_de_Perse]

There is a misconception here. Interfaith refers to activities between religions, i.e. Christians and Buddhists, Muslims, Jews, Jains, etc.

In interfaith parlance, Catholic, Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox, etc., are not religions but parts of Christianity, just as Orthodox, Conservative and Reformed are not separate religions, but parts of Judaism.

The purpose of interfaith activities usually is to foster understanding of one another, and to engage in worthy service projects.

Ecumenical (in its modern sense) means work done by Christians of various stripes to foster Christian unity.

Frankly, I don’t think that there are that many Protestants who believe that Catholics are damned, and I really doubt that many Catholics believe that about Protestants. The closer we can become as friends, the closer the day will be when we all can stand together before Christ in unity.

In my opinion, no, it’s NOT possible. And that breaks my heart. Too many Protestants think Catholics are damned, too many Catholics think Protestants are damned. The two main forms of Christianity in the US and UK are too busy arguing with each other to even think about working together as one. When they finally realize that the culture war is lost, they will have one to blame but themselves.

 

[gtrenewed]

It is vital that all people regard all other people as worthy of respect. When one disrespects another society fails.

Yet it is told that wars and rumors of war will continue and non-virtuous men will try to dominate other men. It is the way of the world; so we must not be of this world, but what world are we to be of? To what do we aspire? At some point each of us must choose a role model. So we must have spokesmen to elucidate a way of life. These preachers must believe in their way as the best way, even the only way, or they would be poor representatives of their way. It is not antagonistic to claim to be the only way; it is antagonistic to demand another to be part of that way other than by free choice.

We also must have men of virtue to stand up to those who are not virtuous. If not then they will try to take over the world, let histories dictators and mad men be a warning that if good men do nothing, evil will have its way. If pacifist, then we must be willing to die; and if a fighter, we must fight a righteous fight.

Paul debated with Jews proving that Jesus was the promised Messiah foretold in their Scriptures. On Mars Hill in Athens he reasoned with Gentiles that the time of idol worship was finished and that God sent Jesus to draw all men unto Him. Few believed but the message was important and not watered down by politically correct speech.

If religions gather together to determine who God is and how to follow God; this will not work because each religion must believe they are right or they are not worth following; yet, they must not go to the extreme of violence against those who do not believe their way. Religions can and should gather together to promote the dignity of all men and contribute to the betterment of those suffering.

Christian denominations must gather together to discuss the important doctrines. The how to follow God through Jesus seems an uncrossable divide. Yet, nothing is impossible with God and with men willing to follow the will of God.

Just a post script here: by men I mean men, women, and children.

 

[Eric_Hyom]

Hello gtrenewed; thanks for your reply, maybe we have to do more than discuss doctrine.

Christian denominations must gather together to discuss the important doctrines. The how to follow God through Jesus seems an uncrossable divide. Yet, nothing is impossible with God and with men willing to follow the will of God.

I can remember when I first started as a Street Pastor, friends said I should not do it, others said I should wear body armour, carry a knife, do karate, they said it must take a lot of courage.

But we do not go out in our own strength and courage, we strive to go out in God’s strength, we trust in prayer, and we trust God hears our prayers. I am a Catholic, and there can be people from eight different denominations praying for us, I have to trust that God hears all these prayers, and when two or three are gathered in the name of Jesus, then he is with us.

There have been a number of instances, but one often comes to mind. There was a car full of youths parked in the middle of the road, about a dozen of their mates were fooling around in the road by the car, many had cans of beer. My lady partner talked to the driver, and asked if he could park the car by the kerb, he started the car and moved it safely. She said to the drunken lads, could you come of the road, a couple of aggressive characters towered over us, inches from our faces. She looked up to them ad said, I am not afraid, all of a sudden everything changed, they dropped their aggressive nature, we got invited to their party, and we saw a good side to these lads. They talked about their work, girlfriends, college, they seemed different people.

I can only say that I should have been feeling anxious, and fearful in situations like this, but I have experienced an inner peace that transcends all my understanding. Often in these situations I am with just one lady partner, these ladies are remarkable, some are in their sixties and seventies. If we had not taken that risk of approaching a confrontational situation, we would never have known there was a good side to these lads.

It feels like pushing the boundaries by praying with other Christians, and trusting in God. It would push the boundaries further if we could somehow do this in an interfaith way. Yet the same God hears all our prayers, I am sure God can cope with our differences, because he created us that way, but can we cope with our differences?

Blessings and peace be with you all

Eric

 

[benidict]

I have been invited to an interfaith forum on Monday, and I hope to test the waters by asking if we can work and pray together.

Christians are starting to work together out on the streets late at night, through an initiative called Street Pastors. This involves going out late on a Friday night, and coming into contact with drugs, aggression, drink, gangs and rowdy behaviour. I feel so blessed that I am able to do this with Christians from 8 denominations, we pray for each other, we pray for the people on the streets.

My hopes and prayers would be for some kind of interfaith cooperation, whereby Muslims, Christians, Hindu and all others could work together.

I have been a Street Pastor for two years now, and it is such a wonderful ministry, here are a couple of short videos on Street Pastors,

Torbay

Longsight

Blessings and peace be with you all

Eric

in some respects yes. maybe not on doctrinal matters. but on issues such as the sanctity of life, protection of the family, relief of the poor, there is much we can work on with other faiths. Peace and prayers for you.

 

[gtrenewed]

Hello gtrenewed; thanks for your reply, maybe we have to do more than discuss doctrine.

I can remember when I first started as a Street Pastor, friends said I should not do it, others said I should wear body armour, carry a knife, do karate, they said it must take a lot of courage.

But we do not go out in our own strength and courage, we strive to go out in God’s strength, we trust in prayer, and we trust God hears our prayers. I am a Catholic, and there can be people from eight different denominations praying for us, I have to trust that God hears all these prayers, and when two or three are gathered in the name of Jesus, then he is with us.

If we had not taken that risk of approaching a confrontational situation, we would never have known there was a good side to these lads.

It feels like pushing the boundaries by praying with other Christians, and trusting in God. It would push the boundaries further if we could somehow do this in an interfaith way. Yet the same God hears all our prayers, I am sure God can cope with our differences, because he created us that way, but can we cope with our differences?

Blessings and peace be with you all

Eric

Eric, taking it to the streets is one area of ministry that I am familiar with and have experienced situations such as you have mentioned. I have belonged to city wide ministers associations that came together to pray and minister to the city. I have belonged to charismatic prayer groups that were inter-denominational and lifted intercessional prayer to the Lord.

When we minister as Christians we must have a message and that message is the love of God for each of us as expressed in Jesus Christ and to repent and follow Jesus. Jesus preached - repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. Jesus knew His Father but other religions misrepresent the Father of Jesus.

Those of us who have ministered as missionaries in foreign countries or on the streets of our own country can testify that doctrine seems less important than turning wasted lives around into productive people of God. When on the frontlines facing the beasts, the question of doctrinal tradition seems irrelevent, we just want that person to experience the love of God. However, Jesus said to make disciples of all nations. Once that person acknowledges their need for God, what then?

It is hard enough among the Christians, let alone other religions. Who disciples that person? With even fundamental doctrines such as salvation, baptism, the eucharist disputed we must present a clear message after the person turns to God. Now throw in different definitions of God, the after-life, Jesus, what path of discipleship does the convert follow? It is not a matter of coping with differences as much as saying what God says in His Word. For it is the Word of God that sets us free.

As I wrote, we should treat all people with respect but make no mistake - there is no other name by which we are saved, only in the name of Jesus. There is also an adversary who disguises himself as an angel of light. While peace and safety sounds good, it can lead us on an illusionary path.

Remember that your ministry is just one part of a whole body. There are many parts. You cannot define the whole by your gifts alone, you cannot define theology by your gifts alone. Not everybody in the body has the same mission other than glorifying God.

We need people like you but the goal is presenting Jesus Christ to those that don’t Him. There are different methods and I won’t tell you how to do it but in the end the people you come across must hear about Jesus. Some will respond, others won’t but then it is up to God to judge them.

Respecting the people of other religions is one thing. If they are in need, we should help them. As you said we are not helping them in our own strength and at some point they should hear about the giver of that strength, in whose name we are strengthened.

Too bad we are in different places for I would love to sit down with you and spend time in fellowship.