Scripture: Micah 4: 5

This scripture passage is complex and ambiguous. Micah seems to say that followers of YHWH will continue to worship YHWH and they will be tolerant of people of other faiths who worship other gods. But Micah's words seem surprising especially in the context of an exclusivist position taken by the worshipers of YHWH that YHWH alone is the true God and all others are false gods.

I would like to share the three common positions relating to interfaith dialogue. For a fuller version of this, see my book, Concepts of Mission, pages 26-28. An exclusivist position is that Jesus is the unique revelation of God. Therefore, other religions do not have the means of salvation. These other faiths may serve as mere preparations for the gospel, just as Judaism prepared the way for the coming of the Messiah in the person of Jesus Christ.

A second position is that God sent Jesus to die for all people (II Cor. 5:14) and hence God's spirit brings salvation to all people regardless of their religious affiliation. Those who take this position say that the grace of God in Christ operates through the other faiths, whether the followers of other faiths know this or not. This position is commonly known as "inclusivist."

A third position says that people of other faiths are saved in and through their own faiths. Christian mission is to encourage them to become better followers of the best tenants of their faiths by following their own religions. These are called "pluralists."

Before engaging in dialogue with people of other faiths, followers of Christian faith ought to study their own faith well. One needs to be respectful of the other person's faith and seek to find commonalities to explore, without denying one's own religious identity. Dialogue acknowledges the presence of other faiths and its followers and engages all those who are involved in the process to recognize the ultimate Truth.

Practical engagement with other faiths could be on levels of human rights in one's own community. For instance, common concerns of children, environment, the school system, welfare, hunger, poverty and other issues could be addressed together.

Beyond these practical involvements on human rights issues, on a religious level, one needs to engage in dialogue with a spirit of humility and learning. One must never forget that God is already present in places of other cultures and faiths. Therefore, in dialogue, basically two things happen. First, Christians hear "God's words echoe through other traditions."

Second, Christians bear witness to the unique revelation of God in Christ which has been given to the Church" ("Partnership in God's Mission." Theology of Mission Statement General Board of Global Ministries. p. 15).

When encountering irreconcilability on the basics of salvation, the Cross and the Resurrection, I personally feel it is good: (1) to arrive at adequate understandings on matters of separation and matters of synthesis; and (2) respect each other's positional or religious irreconcilability, when and if we encounter them, without sacrificing our common humanity in this endeavor. The Holy Spirit may surprise us in guiding us through human irreconcilabilities.

Engage in dialogue. Seek insights and common ground. Know your own faith tradition. Strive to understand what people of other faiths believe and work on them. In his Decline and Fall of Roman Empire, Edward Gibbon said that in Roman society all religions were to the people equally true, to the philosophers equally false, and to the government equally useful!

Let us prepare ourselves to the meeting of the gospel and the other faiths at our doors. Let it not be said of us that we are least prepared for it.

REFLECTION:

(1) Know your faith. Write your own faith statement. What are the unique parts of your denomination’s expression of faith? What are the unique aspects of other Christians denominations? In what ways do you fulfill your own beliefs about Christianity? In what ways do you fall short?

(2) What do you know about other religions? Make a list of religions you have heard of and list what beliefs you know about each one of them. How would you find out what their beliefs are, if you are unfamiliar with them?

(3) Read Micah 6:8 and discuss this verse as a basis for working on community issues with people of other faiths.

PRAYER:

Triune God, show us the aspects of your creation and your revelations which we still have to learn. Give us the grace to grow in our compassion as well as our commitment to your mission on earth. In Jesus’ name we pray.