God Is Keeping Us Busy With Joy

This is what I have seen to be good: it is fitting to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of the life God gives us; for this is our lot. Likewise all to whom God gives wealth and possessions and whom he enables to enjoy them, and to accept their lot and find enjoyment in their toil—this is the gift of God.  For they will scarcely brood over the days of their lives, because God keeps them occupied with the joy of their hearts.

-- Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 NRSV
 

It was a blessing that I began the day of the Rutledge Ecumenical Social at Sunday School at Rutledge Baptist Church. We studied the passage from Ecclesiastes above: Qoheleth is struggling on the brink of despair. He seems to fall into utter hopelessness only to spring back just enough to hang on to a little glimmer of hope. He sees people toiling and oppressed with little relief in sight. He is saddened about his short, fleeting life and all his accomplishments which he fears amount to only so much dust.

His story is very modern--like someone experiencing clinical depression and struggling to have any faith in God at all. Yet, Qoheleth finds a way to escape all that despair—as the above passage shows, it is possible find joy in the gifts God has given and to simply trust in God in that joy. He shows us how to navigate the dark, scary times of life when we do not know all the answers and when we flounder to find meaning. He offers a guiding light for some of the most difficult parts of the journey.

Baptist congregation member Sharon made this connection between the Ecclesiastes reading and the three church, three congregation ecumenical social that afternoon: “We can have joy together in our mutual love for the Lord,” she said. “We are celebrating that even though we go to different churches, we come together to laugh and for fellowship because we love the Lord, so we are all brothers and sisters.”

That same joy that Qoheleth ultimately finds is the same joy that three Christian congregations in the eastern Tennessee community of Rutledge have found: God is simply keeping them too busy with joy to be preoccupied with anything negative.
 

L-R: Patty, Fr. Steve, Pastor Chan and Chelsea

 

The Rutledge Ecumenical Social is the latest in a long line of activities between three distinct churches in rural eastern Tennessee: Rutledge United Methodist Church, Rutledge Baptist Church, and St. John Paul II Mission Catholic parish.

 

"We have prayed together, served the needy together, but we have yet to party together," said Catholic pastor Fr. Steve Pawelk on his Facebook wall.

 

Methodist Pastor Ryan Davenport described their process: "Fr. Steve, Pastor "Chan" (Chandler Vinson) and I meet once a month for lunch and for prayer. During those prayer meetings, we think of different ecumenical ministries."

 

Indeed, the three congregations have twice hosted three-day ecumenical revivals. They operate a year-round food pantry for the hungry, which features a turkey giveaway in November. This past summer, they hosted a joint Vacation Bible School. "We have just not sat down and broken bread together," continued Davenport.

 

That is exactly what the three congregations did this past weekend. The initial idea this time came from the Baptist congregation. Having graciously hosted the Vacation Bible School, the adults enjoyed themselves so much they looked for a way to continue the partnership. "The pastors texted each other to pitch the idea," recounted Chan. "The answers came back in less than 5-10 minutes--we were all like, 'we need to do this!'"

 

They picked a neutral location in the center of town. Tasks were divided up and flyers went up around town. On the day of the event, hot dogs were put on the grill and potluck dishes rounded out the meal with a mix of general American picnic fare and a robust selection of Mexican, Filipino and Southern dishes. The fiddler of the Old Time music band Possum Crossing belongs to the JPII congregation and brought his band.

 

Highlights of the event included a corn hole tournament and spontaneous dancing to accompany the music. The latter featured Fr. Steve, Pastor Chan, as well as some parishioners. One man raised the question whether dancing was itself a sin, which prompted a good-natured theological discussion--the only theological concern raised that day.

A serious game of corn hole.



Possum Crossing keeping the crowd toe tappin' to Old Time music.

Fr. Steve dances with Peggy. Photo by Chander Vinson.

 

Perhaps most noteworthy was what was not present. There was no noticeable awkwardness or coldness. A bystander such as myself would have had a hard time distinguishing which members belonged to which congregations, since people mixed so well. The few problems were not theological in nature. Rather, they revolved around the predictable logistical details of hosting an event--the normal hustle and bustle of getting the grill set up and working, directing the buffet line and organizing the clean-up. Baptist church secretary Chelsea and congregation member Patty held the nuts and bolts of this event together seamlessly.

"When we first started working together, I expected at least some backlash from the congregation," confessed Pastor Chan. "There was none. Our churches have ended up loving each other. It has been shockingly easy." 

"It is clear that Fr. Steve, Ryan and Chan really enjoy each other’s company," affirmed Patty. That spirit clearly radiates to their congregations, and perhaps it even ripples outward to the larger community.

"Working together [with he other pastors] is always really easy," affirms Pastor Chan.

Non-Competitive Relationships

A key to the success of this three-congregation, three-denomination partnership is the almost total lack of competition between them.

 

"Competitiveness is a huge hindrance to the mission of God," explained Pastor Ryan. "If we are so worried about how many people are on our rolls, if all we care about is just who we gain or who this building gains, and we are not for the greater good of the community of eradicating drugs, bringing people to Christ and loving 'the least, the last and the lost', then we are not doing our job."

Indeed, even churches that belong to the same denomination rarely get together for common activities in that region. Congregations huddle up and keep to themselves. That makes this three-church partnership a unique witness that participants hope will become more common in time: "I wish that this approach to the faith would be contagious and spread like wildfire everywhere," hoped Pastor Ryan.

"Partnership with the Baptists and Catholics makes the Kingdom of God come more to life. It’s a beautiful thing not to say: 'You’re over there, we’re over here, let’s keep it that way,'" said Pastor Ryan. "That’s not what the Bible ever teaches. What we are trying to do is be faithful to the Bible’s concept of unity.

Impact

I have visited these three congregations before and it is always such a wonderful, joyful witness. It is fascinating to ponder what impact this robust partnership can and will have in the larger community.

"I have seen greater friendliness on the streets--at the grocery store and bank,” said Fr. Steve. "There is a greater sense of community. We are constantly building relationships." He said that the congregations originally met as strangers, but through ecumenical events and joint ministry work there are now many lasting friendships that have formed.

"Denominational distinctions are on the outs," predicted Ryan. He used the lunch table where he was seated to illustrate this point. Along with Baptists, Methodists and Catholics were people with a background in the Quaker and Episcopal traditions, for example. Yet, they now worship together, study the Bible together and serve the community together. "There is a slew of different flavors of Christianity at this one table." 



"May I have this dance?"

Patty shared a compatible point: "I was brought up Catholic, but I am non-denominational now." Her church membership is not based on denomination but rather the draw of a particular pastor and the connection and acceptance of a congregation--"That's what drives my train now," she explained.

 

The overall sentiment is that in the larger community there has been too much focus on differences and not enough on similarities. "When I was growing up as the daughter of a Baptist deacon, there were very definite divisions between denominations," recounted Baptist member Peggy. "We forgot to focus on the fact that we all believe in God and worship God.”

 

Peggy told the story of her neighbor of 35 years who is a Catholic: “We decided St. Peter’s not going to ask us which denomination we belong to--he is going to ask us: 'Have you been a good and faithful servant?'"

 

She finds the technical differences between denominations tedious: "It is all very confusing to me, which is why you just have to take it on faith."

 

The spirituality of that statement is profound in light of the Ecclesiastes reading above, and it is a fitting way to understand the quest for Christian unity. Most groups do not get along as well as these congregations. Sometimes the obstacles between Christian denominations are so strong that it can be all too easy to fall into despair—the theological differences, history of hurt, misconceptions and prejudices can all pile on top of each other to create a multi-layered mess of epic proportions. We can be left not knowing what we could possibly do about it, wondering how these obstacles could ever be overcome.

 

Still, we can move forward in faith, at ease because we do not need to know all the answers but instead can trust in God's gift of joy, like Qoheleth.

 

"Some people around town are in such a shock that we do all these things," cited Sharon. They say, ‘You do something with that church?’ They lower their voice when they say that. But we all love the Lord, that’s our foundation… to me, it is a joyful thing to celebrate."

 

Sharon noticed a signal from the grill master and interrupted what she was saying to announce: "Hot dogs are ready!! Enough about all that," she playfully exclaimed and quickly left behind the talk of differences and negativity to go back to the party.

 

Indeed: God is keeping this group too busy with joy to dwell on differences.




L-R: Fr. Steve, Pastor Ryan and Pastor Chan.

 

A polka lesson.

 

 

All Others

The last post above ends with Hindu nun Pravrajika Vrajaprana sharing how her life as a nun has unfolded with her now seeing moments of spiritual connection everywhere.  Worship is not just at church or temple or in the consecrated life of nun, but rather as something that happens in the details of work and daily life and, in particular, any time she comes in contact with the "other"--especially someone she does not know or like or understand.  It is that those moments that a spiritual distance appears which a person can work to cross.  It may not be a "real" distance but rather a perceived one.  Nevertheless, the ego seems to separate us from something that is eternal and connected. 

The opportunities for spiritual journey to cross these distances are ever present around us and multi-dimensional.  In this way, Hindu nun Pravrajika Vrajaprana leads us right into this post.

This is part 3 in a series on interfaith dialogue at the Festival of Faiths in Louisville, KY.

Part 1:  Interfaith is a Verb
Part 2:  The Journey Out is a Journey In
Part 4:  Merton's Vision: Transfiguration, Transformation and Transcendence



L-R: Rev. Robert S. Harvey, Rev. Daniel Corrie Shull, Rev. Willie D. Francois, III,
Rev. Neichelle Guidy Jones, Elizabeth Jones, JD.  Photo by Festival of Faiths, cropped.

Race, Gender, Class and All Other "Other-ing"

Interfaith relationships cause us to look at one of the most perennial challenges in human society: 

How do we relate to people we consider "other"?

The Festival hosted impassioned discussions by several millennial generation African-Americans who are leaders in Baptist and Pentecostal churches as well as in law.  Through their dialogue with each other and the audience, they highlighted the many layers of sensitivity and understanding required to identify, unpack and unravel a centuries-long legacy of sexism, racism, and classism. 

I encourage people to watch it on the Festival of Faith YouTube Channel.  It is the 4-part series entitled Discovering the Self in Sacred Journey with the Other:
     Part 1  --  Part 2  --  Part 3  --  Part 4

Understanding discrimination can be a multi-layered task.  Take racism, for example.   Many white Americans hold the view that America is largely a post-racist society.  After all, we have an African-American president and many African-Americans have risen to high levels of prominence in the culture.  There may be some minor clean up work to do, but largely we are over it, they say. 

On the other hand, many African-Americans have been saying quite loudly--and consistently for years--that racism is still at the top of the list of problems in America. 

Why are we seeing things so differently?  This by itself begs for more discussion.  It suggests that the American experience is dramatically different depending on the race of a person.  Do white people not see the existence or impact of racism, or are African-Americans still fighting shadows from the past of a problem that is no longer there?  People have opinions, but it is worth wondering whether they have every been in a true dialogue before arriving at those conclusions.

Racism may seem more visible in a rigid caste system of slaves and slave owners.  It trickier to delve deeper and find the mechanisms that are under the surface in our modern society.  The panelists at the Festival of Faiths argue that American society has gone from slavery to Jim Crow to mass incarceration without much of an interruption.  While individuals have always had a chance of breaking out of the system and building prosperity for themselves (which even happened in the days of slavery), the underlying system of a racist society--where one race has more power and privilege than the other--is still in play.  One group is kept down by a system of discrimination, unequal treatment, domestic terrorism, poverty--and maybe more importantly, the unwillingness of the larger culture to take their concerns seriously.  These may be more subtle, but the mechanisms and their impact on people can be just as strong.  It is systemic, so even African-Americans can often participate in their own oppression.

The Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of Ferguson, Baltimore and Charleston has been bringing these issues more into the forefront than they have been for many years.  Still, there is a profound gap in American culture between the perspectives of white and black.  I encourage people to watch the videos directly, as this is a discussion that takes time and attention to unfold.  In a sound bite-driven culture, extended attention is a premium but in this case it is well worth it.  Parts 1 and 2 in particular address racism and mass incarceration most directly.

Racism is one example, but similar mechanisms exist for sexism and classism, as well.  A large body of comparative sociological data can help us identify a problem by pointing out inconsistencies, contradictions and unequal treatment.  We can show how power changes hands--or in this case, does not change hands-- over time.  But how does this relate to the realms of spirituality and religion?

Discrimination:  A Spiritual Matter

"Who Is My Neighbor?" (Luke 10:29)

Some people see reconciliation in racism, sexism and classism as part of their charitable work for social justice.  This is certainly noble, as treating people well is part and parcel of the commandments of virtually all of the religions of the world.

However, even this work can become compartmentalized and even neutralized.  As Rev. Willie D. Francois III, points out, Christian theology, for example, often focuses on Jesus as a means to individual salvation rather and personal morality than as a challenge to the social order.

Many wonderful spiritual leaders jump right in and tell us what they are doing for social change but often neglect to tell us exactly how their faith experience has led them to the point of social action.  Intuitively or otherwise, people have long held that the faith journey manifests into how we treat others.  Sometimes, however, it can be seen as tacked on to the spiritual experience as something "extra"--as if devotional practices like reading Scripture or attending worship services were the primary elements of a faith experience with charitable actions as only secondary.

Overcoming societal divisions is actually much more central to the faith experience than that.

For some, charitable deeds are an expression of gratitude toward God who has blessed them so abundantly and freely that they, in turn, want to share those blessings with others.  The role of gratitude in "paying it forward" cannot be understated, but that is a post for another time.

At some point, every mature person of faith has to wrestle with "otherness" however it may manifest.  It could be a Christian trying to relate to a Muslim; it could be a white person coming to terms with the entanglements of privilege of race; it could be an evangelical Christian in Appalachia meeting a Roman Catholic for the first time and then trying to sift through what he has heard about Catholics with the personal experience of the person he has gotten to know. 



"You never stop doing this work." - Rev. Willie D. Francois, III
Photo by Festival of Faiths, cropped.

Finding and eradicating privilege and "otherness"--both in society as well as in ourselves--takes constant vigilance.  "You never stop doing this work of overcoming what has been drilled into us," says Francois, offering a sobering perspective. While successes are possible, there are always more layers and more boundaries to overcome. 

Every person has been both a victim and a benefactor of discrimination somewhere in their lives.  The African-American men in the videos above, for example, speak strongly and prophetically about the racism they have experienced.  In the next breath, they are also willing to turn inward to explore and consider the ways that as males they themselves have had a position of privilege compared with women. 

Back to an earlier example then, if someone were to say that racism were over in America, that is more likely a sign of their denial to delve deeper than an observation of a culture change.

It's All About The Ego (According To The Ego)

Humans want to create groups.  Some people are "in" while others are "out."  As young people grow and form their identify, both psychologists and spiritual masters tell us that this grouping is essential.  However, the spiritual life calls us to eventually transcend this, as these groups are also the breeding ground for discrimination and, in many cases, violence.  The Buddha stressed that these "attachments" are the root of human suffering.  Jesus tirelessly challenged this throughout the Gospels by urging people to seek what is eternal instead of the transiency of this world.  His vision of the Kingdom, who is "in" and who is "out", turned upside down the Jewish and Roman soaked society in which he lived.  Jesus was consistently including those whom society either discarded entirely or relegated to lesser status.

It is for exactly these reasons that discussions of race, gender and class are not at the periphery but rather at the heart of the spiritual journey:  Those who are marginalized need to cry out for justice so they can remove obstructions to living into their full dignity.  On the other side, those who are not marginalized need these voices to tell them where they need to grow in order to open up to the fullness of what is eternal.  Everybody loses when someone is excluded.  To exclude someone, we have to deny a spiritual connection that exists and thus diminish our own spiritual awareness as well as the growth and changes in our lifestyle that would come from that awareness.

When people speak prophetically pointing out injustices, they are doing us all a favor.  It is the roadmap to untangling the obstructions created by the ego.  When people preach about our entanglements with injustice, it can seem like a burden at first, but in the long run they are providing a blessing and an opportunity for growth.

The presence of people who are "out" is a signpost of how much spiritual maturation society still needs to undergo.  This is how Jesus could say that how we regard the "least of these" (Matthew 25) is key to finding ourselves within the Kingdom of God.  This is also how it can be said that the private spiritual journey is completely interwoven with our relationships with other people and the world--through our relationships, we learn to transcend the false boundaries of this world in order to find a glimpse of what is eternal.  Our individual, private spiritual journeys must always lead us into our relationship with others and the world, because it is in wrestling with the boundaries we find in relationships that we can ultimately grow in our relationship to God.



Rev. Robert S. Harvey
Photo by Festival of Faiths, cropped.

These pastors are sensitive to the role churches play in entrenching notions of "other."  Harvey points out in the videos that the way heaven and hell are typically taught communicates that there is both an "in" and an "out" group--not just here on earth but as an eternal reality.  In this way, religion becomes a tool to keep society as it is (with its injustices in place) rather than a means to help imagine the way society could be according to the vision of the Kingdom of God.

Harvey sees his role as pastor as promoting questions rather than providing answers:  "We do not have essential views on what the Christ says or does but rather we leave people with the freedom of space to read and to take Christ as they will take Christ."  In other words, he is trying to promote a climate where his congregation can engage the "otherness" they find when they encounter Scripture, God and other people.  "We should not be so attached to our understanding that we are afraid of deconstructing its meaning and context."  This is an attempt to transcend grouping and the "othering" that accompanies it.

This reconciliation is especially important in religion as all too often religion has been a complicit supporter of oppressive systems.  While religion can manifest a prophetic voice for social change, all too often it becomes embedded within the dominant culture and starts speaking its language and seeing the world through its eyes. Harvey describes this as a "spiritual Stockholm Syndrome."  He continues:  "Our people have become so attached to the oppressive language that was imposed upon them about Jesus that now we identify with oppression as normalized."  Francois sas it this way: "White supremacy can inhabit black bodies."

Ecumenical vs. Interfaith

At the beginning of this string of posts on interfaith dialogue and the Festival of Faiths, I said I would talk about how the issues raised relate to the unity between Christians, as that has been the central theme of this blog.

The most obvious reason for the topics in this post is that Christianity includes people of all races, genders and social classes.  Any divisions between these groups will also affect the unity of the Body of Christ.  Sometimes this results in formal divisions, as church denominations break apart over these issues.  There are "white" and "black" denominations.  There are "rich" and "poor" churches.  Even when it does not result in a formal split, however, these divisions diminish the ability of the Body to work as a whole and function.  As 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 instructs, if the foot and the hand do not want be together, that does not stop the Body from being the Body.  But it does, however, stop it from working properly as all the parts need each other to be whole together.  The mouth may be speaking without first having ears to listen.

The relevance does not stop there, however.  A critical reason race, gender and class are important for ecumenical dialogue between Christians is this:  If we are only willing to dialogue with people who fit a certain criteria, then dialogue will always be stunted.  It is true that ecumenical dialogue between Christians is different than interfaith dialogue between people of non-Christian faith traditions.  However, the willingness to dialogue with literally anybody, to sincerely hear whatever is said by absolutely anyone, is the cornerstone of any true dialogue.  If we are only willing to dialogue between people we consider "legitimate" Christians, then on some level we need people to fit into our predetermined box before we dialogue, then it is questionable whether true dialogue can happen. 

It is as if people need a pre-dialogue to determine if they should dialogue. 

It is like saying, "I am only willing to hear you if you say what I want or think you will say."  A person would be trying to take what someone says and try to make it fit into their own categories of understanding.  As a result, this kind of conversation is more of us talking to ourselves than truly listening to what the other is saying, doing and ultimately being. 

Psychologists say we all do this to some extent, as that is how the brain functions through grouping.  However, there is a difference between taking the other and trying to make them fit into my boxes and trying to take a step toward the other and reconfigure my boxes in the process. 

We all ultimately want to see ourselves reflected back in the other person.  This can be either profoundly enlightened or disappointing depending on the intent:  The important question is whether we want to see our false self created by the ego or our true self created by God for eternity? 

This openness to the mystery of the other ultimately opens us up to the mystery of God.  This why interfaith dialogue, better than anything else, prepares us for the mystery of the unknown which we find whenever we encounter "otherness."  It prepares us for dialogue with people who we suspect do not share commonalities with us.

In other words, it is hard, and may be impossible, to have ecumenical dialogue between Christians if the parties are not willing to have an interfaith openness in the process.  I am not denouncing the importance of Christian-to-Christian dialogue at all--it is vitally important.  I am only saying that the openness required for interfaith dialogue creates a necessary platform for that kind of dialogue to happen in the best possible way.

It is also important for this reason:  When two Christians meet, very often at least of them is not entirely sure whether they are a Christians or not.  One party may assume they are having an ecumenical encounter between Christians while the other may treat it like an interfaith encounter. 

******************************************
Join me in the next posts as I offer some concluding thoughts on interfaith dialogue at the Festival of Faiths, followed by a post on Catholic monk and "North Star" for the Festival, Thomas Merton!

Zero-Sum Ecumenism

The success or failure of a relationship often has everything to do with the attitudes and assumptions we bring to the table before we even interact.  Relationships between people of different Christian denominations—or between any diverse people—can be doomed to failure if we approach them from a zero-sum mindset. 

What is a zero-sum mindset?

It is when a person subconsciously thinks: If I affirm you and your tradition, then by consequence I reduce me and my tradition by the same amount. 

 

The cartoon below reflects these same sentiments in a different way:

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/nakedpastor/2009/12/cartoon-can-you-canoe/

It seems like a frustrating scenario for both parties to be paddling against each other.  The net result is that neither party goes anywhere—it would seem that the takeaway message is that each would be better off working independently.  Perhaps this is simply a choice and not an inevitable outcome of ecumenism.  While supporters of Christian unity may be quick to shake their heads at a cartoon like this, it may be worth recognizing that it has value.  It reflects a potential pitfall that we can all fall into.  If nothing else, it reflects a real concern in the minds of many, concerns that deserve to be voiced.

The problem with this zero-sum mindset is inherently expressed in the term itself:  Everything always adds up to a complete zero.  Your differences and my differences cancel each other out when put together.  The resulting logic is that the only way for any interaction between two people to be fruitful, one person needs to change their beliefs, practices and ultimately change who they are to be more in line with the other.  It leaves few options for contact:  People either clash, neutralize each other, conform or simply avoid each other altogether.  Those become the only possible outcomes when diverse groups come together.  Your unique qualities call into question the validity of my unique qualities and we end up either fighting to establish who is right or living at a polite distance in an awkward tension. 

We may not realize all of this consciously, but if we truly carry a zero-sum mindset then that is ultimately what we are saying.  It could be argued that this is a depiction of where many communities today stand—filled with churches of many denominations keeping a quiet distance from each other.  We have agreed on what we can agree on, and we simply do not know what to do with the differences left that we cannot find a way to converge into some kind of agreement.  Some choose to ignore those differences.  Some choose to downplay them or even assimilate with others.  However, acknowledging true differences and still being in some sense united is something that often eludes us.

This is a challenge for Christians who take seriously the missionary call to go out and spread the Good News.  Can they do it in such a way that does not turn interesting, wonderful people who are already reflecting God's wonder as Creator into some kind of carbon copies of themselves?  Dare I say it—is this ethnic cleansing in a different form?  It is often heavy handed to make that kind of a comparison, but it is hard not to ask that question as yesterday marked the 70th Anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.  The comparison between some traditional forms of missionary conversion and genocide were raised by Katherine Wilson of the Frank Zeidler Center for Public Discussion when I heard her talk at the Wild Goose Festival last summer.  We are at risk of violating one of the deepest revelations of the Christian tradition—the dignity of the human person. 

Relationships, collaborations, joint efforts, and even dialogue can be seen as a complete loss this way.  It is easy to see why people who would avoid ecumenical progress when it seems like the potential for loss is huge and the gains so small.

So is that it—are we just doomed?  Is the quest for Christian unity simply an exercise where the only inevitable outcome is that one side ultimately will assimilate and eradicate the unique aspects of the others?

Are there other options?

In short—yes!

Over and over again, Scripture promises abundance when we cast aside our worries and reach out to God.  Zero-sum ecumenism is fear in disguise.  Remember, it is based on the assumption that nothing good will come out of  ecumenical interactions.  That assumption could be flat out wrong.

It can be valuable to explore the mystical dimensions of the Christian tradition and practice a dose of contemplative non-attachment.  It can be hard to recognize the good in someone else if our identity, self-worth and pride is rooted too heavily on our specific theological conclusions.  We would be better off rooted in the awe and wonder of the Mystery of God.  There is nothing wrong with being a people of conviction as long as those convictions do not turn into false idols keeping us from delving deeper into the Mystery of God and reaching out to others in charity and solidarity. 

The subject of attachment in religious traditions is a tricky thing and deserves at least a post by itself.  It is enough to say here that a tradition by its very nature has a history and a familiarity that goes along with it.  The trick is to honor the tradition without being attached to it and risk missing the God it points to.

For example, I love the old wooden pews in the church where I grew up.  I love the country feel in the yard outside.  I love the way the sun would steam in through the stained glass windows.  All of these can evoke and raise my consciousness to God.  A long tradition has identified these as good qualities for a church to have.  However, it becomes a problem if I were to say that the only legitimate religious experiences are those in old, country churches with wooden pews and stained glass windows.  In that case, I would be making a false idol out of my personal experiences, linking my identity to these fleeting items of this world rather than to what is eternal.  I would be fighting tooth and nail over them as if my life depended on it—and in a sense, it would if I have attached my very identity to these markers—and making it difficult to recognize the Revelation of God elsewhere.  This is the false self that Jesus told us to deny so that we can find the Kingdom within which is eternal.  It is silly actually—an eternal soul not realizing its nature staking its claim on something as fleeting as so much confetti.

Endless liturgical battles play out along these lines, as well.  Some people find a worship service with guitar music difficult to accept compared to other instruments which have been in use for longer periods.  The nastiness of these debates can be astounding.  Are they just attached to something familiar, or are they really cautioning to introduce change slowly so as not to risk losing a tradition that has been refined over a long time?  Some folks are so dug in to their viewpoint that "cautious change" does not seem to be an option for them at all.  If they have attached their false ego self to something like organ music instead of guitar music, then organ-led services will end up affirming them—their group or their viewpoint is being represented so therefore they feel validated.  The problem is that what is being validated is their false self, the very one Jesus told them to deny because it obscures their view of the eternal.

Pope Francis warns against this:

"And when a Christian becomes a disciple of the ideology, he has lost the faith: he is no longer a disciple of Jesus, he is a disciple of this attitude of thought."  He adds:  "Already the Apostle John, in his first Letter, spoke of this. Christians who lose the faith and prefer the ideologies. His attitude is: be rigid, moralistic, ethical, but without kindness."

In Saffron Cross, Baptist minister Rev. J. Dana Trent shows us new calculus—God's math is not our math when our difference enhance rather than diminish us.  Through her interfaith marriage to a Hindu monk, she discovered that her own Baptist faith had been deepened, that is, after a rough period of struggle and discernment. Her marriage forced her to evaluate, dig deeper and see her own tradition from a different perspective.  The view was not always easy but at the end of this turmoil she found herself renewed in her faith on a higher plateau.

Longtime friend of Glenmary, Rev. Carroll Brownlow Hastings was a pioneer in Baptist-Catholic dialogue (pictured at left with Glenmary President Fr. Bob Berson at right).  As an official liaison to Catholics with the Southern Baptist Convention, "he made lasting friendships, from Catholic bishops to the monks at the Conyers, GA, monastery, and helped countless others understand and appreciate the Catholic faith, even as he helped them understand Baptists, who he admitted, "are the confusion and amazement of all the Christian world." Although he garnered a deep affection for what he learned about Catholic faith and practice, he noted that paradoxically the experience profoundly deepened his own commitment to and admiration of Baptist principles. "

In fact, I have heard testimonies like these so many times it is bordering on cliché.  People will say that when they begin dialogue with people from a different faith tradition, at first there may be moments of excitement or skepticism.  Those moments often pass away into an inner roller coaster ride with their own beliefs swinging back and forth like a pendulum.  However, if they hang in there long enough, they often say something uncannily similar to:  I am a better __[my original faith tradition]__ for having gotten to know __[others from a different faith tradition]__ in a meaningful way.

An Exchange of Gifts

An alternative to zero-sum ecumenism begins with a couple of thoughts that seem contradictory at first:  Yes, I am rooted in my own beliefs and tradition.  So are you.  I can assume that both me and my tradition bear some responsibility for the divisions among Christians—divisions which contradict the will of Christ.  This humility may orient me in the right way to begin dialogue.  Perhaps God is sharing gifts with you that I can be better off to learn about.  You may as well benefit from hearing about what God has worked in me and my tradition. 

This "exchange of gifts" that Pope John Paul II referred to is a new standard for ecumenical relationships.  It goes something like this:

I have something to learn from you and you may have something to learn from me.  We both share a full witness of what we believe God has revealed to us and our respective traditions, including all the messiness, confusion and conflicts we may find.  We stand committed to working to fulfill Christ's prayer for Christian unity, even though we do not know where this may lead or what the outcome may be like.  We do not seek to change each other, only to continue to testify until we understand why each of us has arrived at her or his respective beliefs and practices.  We listen in patience and kindness as 1 Corinthians illustrates.  We rely on the Holy Spirit to work in us as we seek that Scriptural ideal of unity in diversity.

Perhaps that is all that can be said right now.

All kidding in the above meme aside, we actually do know that is going to happen.  In his famous address to Copeland Ministries, Pope Francis said it best with the following:

"A famous Italian author named Manzoni, once wrote in his novel, of a simple man amongst the people, who once said this, "I've never seen God begin a miracle without Him finishing it well." He will complete this miracle of unity."

Interfaith Marriage: 'Saffron Cross' (2013) by J Dana Trent, a Book Review

“Being married to a Hindu priest has made me a better Baptist.”

The above statement flies in the face of conventional wisdom.  Are not interfaith marriages supposed to water down the faith and cause people to lose focus? 

Yet that statement was spoken in full confidence by Rev. J. Dana Trent, an ordained Baptist minister and author of Saffron Cross:  The Unlikely Story of How a Christian Minister Married a Hindu Monk.  She gave an engaging talk at the 2014 Wild Goose Festival in Hot Springs, NC.

I recommend Saffron Cross for anyone struggling with the promise and peril of relationships between people of different faith traditions—whether it is between Christian denominations or even different religions altogether.

Rev. Trent suggests that interfaith relationships do not just present obstacles to endure, but they actually provide opportunities to grow in sensitivity, faith and understanding.



"Fred and Dana at Binkley Baptist Church in Chapel Hill, NC."
Photo by Franklin Golden http://jdanatrent.com/photos/

She begins her journey with a profile on eHarmony.  She was very surefooted and took for granted that her ideal partner would have similar spiritual views.  She concluded her book a very transformed person.  In her words:  “I checked eHarmony boxes in my pajamas, bossing God around about what I would and would not accept in a partner.  Now I’m married to a former Hindu monk, so the joke’s on me” (page 143). 

Her path was not an easy one, however.  There were many ups and downs along the way.  It is never easy when “our core beliefs are threatened,” as she pointed out in the talk—or at least, when they seem threatened.

In the beginning, she tried to change her husband-to-be.  Despite years of seminary education and a mature spirituality that would have respected differences, fears and old prejudices from somewhere inside of her initially took over.  She tried to “save” him, scheming ways to get him baptized—even though that coercive approach was contrary to her own theological views.  Some impulse from deep down showed its face.

There were other times when she leaned in the opposite direction and wanted to throw out Scripture—a difficult place to be for a Baptist minister, no doubt.  She teetered on the brink of abandoning her faith tradition.

The pendulum swung back and forth until she hit a breakthrough.  She referenced in her talk a “Holy Spirit moment” in her life.  She reached a point when she realized it was “not my God or his God . . . it was just God.  God with a capital “G” . . . God is not containable.”  She had come full circle but at a higher plateau and rediscovered the 'Awesome God' she had come to know in her Baptist upbringing—a God that was even more awesome than she had previously imagined but which was still consistent with what her Baptist faith announced.

“I was forcing God (and Fred) into my cozy little Baptist box.” (p. 48).  It was through getting to know her eventual husband that she came to discover and appreciate that Hinduism is a “legitimate way to God . . . steeped in sacred scripture, ritual and authenticity.” (48). 

Based on her journey, she offers the following three places where interfaith relationships of all kinds—marriages or friendships—can foster growth.  In her words, Interfaith relationships . . .

1.       help us face our own fears and prejudices

2.       help us face our own spiritual doubts

3.       are a lens to understand how others view God

She suggests that these are crucial skills not just for interpersonal relationships but for anyone living in the 21st century, as our world is growing closer through the rise of technology.

“Our biggest fear is that when we open ourselves to others’ understanding of God, we will jeopardize our own path.  And yet, the opposite is true.  The Holy Spirit breaks free from our human-made constraints and moves fluidly among us, crossing our unnecessary lines drawn in the sand” (142).

Other couples in interfaith relationships in the audience at the Wild Goose Festival shared their experiences.  One couple pointed out that it is good to be realistic about possibilities—there are some blessings as well as difficulties that come.  In their experience, a mixed marriage is not all good or all bad.  An interfaith marriage can be a tremendous place to nurture broad perspectives about the world while at the same time sacrificing intensity for a particular mode or tradition.  This can be especially true in raising children.

While interfaith marriages may not be in the future for everyone, the living experience of Rev. Trent and her husband Fred—both ordained in their respective traditions and very serious about their faith lives—offers a road map for others who may follow.  She paints a portrait of tremendous growth that can come whenever any two people of different faith traditions marry, grow in friendship or even have a single conversation. 

In light of Rev. Trent’s account, it is worth pondering whether interactions and relationships between different traditions are not just a curious option for some of us but whether they are absolutely necessary for all of us to grow—to truly live out the Gospel mandate to be not afraid, seek out those who are left out while inherently respecting the innate dignity of every human person in their uniqueness along the way.  These relationships may be a natural extension of the need to practice faith in community rather than in isolation.  Building a world for ourselves surrounded only by like-minded folks may rob us of the tension needed to wrestle with our doubts and emotional unfinished business.

“I dove, baptism-by-fire style, into an integrated Christian-Hindu life.  I visited physical and metaphorical spaces of pain and change… Fred gave me the greatest gift this side of heaven:  a Hinduism that brought me back to Jesus” (p. 143).   Being married to a “devout Hindu has helped me to be a better Christian," she said.  “It has deepened my Christian walk.”

It is clear that Rev. Trent and her husband take their religious life seriously and are very intentional about working out potential issues head on.  The next challenge for the young couple may be raising children in an interfaith household. 

A closing image is something Rev. Trent offered during her talk at the Wild Goose Festival:  When it comes to interfaith relationships, “you have to hold them delicately.” 

Dry Bones

While visiting mountain churches, rural outreach organizations and ministry outposts of all kinds, I can not help but think of the leaders who are driven by a sense of vocation.  The Rev. Steve Peake stands out among them. 

He is Pastor of Corinth Baptist Church in Fleming-Neon, KY.  It is a predominately African-American community in a coal mining town.

In his own words: 

This church building is a historical building for the community of Fleming-Neon. The building was built in the early 1900's by the Elkhorn coal company as the original "colored school" for the children of the black coal miners and their families [operated by Catholic nuns from Jenkins, KY]. At this time there was not a church for the miners and their families, Rev.Henry Hinton began having church meetings in the homes of the miners. The coal company heard of this and they allowed Rev Hinton to use the school house to hold church services on Sundays. In 1947 the coal company deeded the building to Letcher County School Board,they continued to allow the church to continue meeting in the school. In 1956 the School Board deeded the building over to the trustees of the church . . .  In 1994 Corinth closed its doors until December of 2001 when Rev Steve Peake of Fleming-Neon returned to his home church to open it up and he remains as pastor of the church to this date.

He rebuilt the crumbling church building in beautiful woodwork with both his own hands and the help of friends.  A new construction perhaps would have been easier, but there is something special about being in that place where so much history has happened.  Church members can remember important life events happening right there.  Peake pointed to the railing where he came forward to be saved many years ago.  The community has been nurtured there.

From a logical standpoint, he could easily make the case to leave the area.  His wife would appreciate that.  The boom-and-bust cycle of the coal industry, coupled with changing demographics, have left few African-Americans still living in that part of rural Kentucky.  The community he shepherds is continually getting smaller—would not his time be better spent elsewhere, helping more people?  Yet, something in his spiritual intuition and life experience has led him to believe that his “work is not yet done here.”  He just can not leave the few sheep in favor of the many.

Rev. Peake feels called to preach to these "dry bones," a reference to Ezekiel 37:1-14.  God can bring new life to even the most parched, desolate circumstances.  How God may stir those dry bones remains to be seen.  Perhaps Peake will simply be the last person out of town. 

Peake has worked periodically with Glenmary's Fr. John Rausch on ecumenical efforts.  One was a Stations of the Cross service at a mountaintop removal site.  Another was a flower planting effort in the aftermath of a devastating flash flood.  Irresponsible—and sometimes illegal—mining practices have left the land vulnerable to flash flooding and mudslides.  As Fr. Rausch writes:

In 2003 the Rev. Steve Peake, a Baptist minister, and I organized a prayer service soon after a flood in McRoberts. I bought a flat of begonias from a nursery. Then 30 of us, including mothers with small children, walked through the town stopping at residences, churches and public buildings. At each place someone described the destruction caused by the flood. We said a prayer, then planted a begonia. The idea was to replace ugliness with beauty, and despair with Resurrection.

Indeed, the ministry of Rev. Peake is a strong witness to that very faith.  He knows that God can be found anywhere, even where it seems the least likely.  Case in point, after finishing the hand-hewn cross that now stands in the front of Corinth Baptist Church, Peake and his parishioners were amazed to discover the face of Jesus right in the wood:

Perhaps it takes the eyes of faith to see it—and that is exactly the guiding vision for the ministry of Rev. Steve Peake.