Debts and Forgiveness

According to Margaret Atwood, “Debt — who owes what to whom, or to what, and how that debt gets paid — is a subject much larger than money. It has to do with our basic sense of fairness, a sense that is embedded in all of our exchanges with our fellow human beings.” (Atwood, Margaret, “A Matter of Life and Debt.“ NEW YORK TIMES, October 22, 2008)

Almost all Christians learn the Lord’s Prayer, also called the “Our Father,” when they are growing up. The words, “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors,” ask God for forgiveness. Those words also remind us penitents that we must forgive those who owe us. In essence, we are praying to be dealt with fairly, in turn promising to deal fairly with others.

We recognize debts which arise from borrowing, and those seem straight forward. When we sign a contract to borrow money, we obligate ourselves to repay the loan. There are other kinds of debts too, and these may be more difficult for us to identify or admit as obligations. The Catholic Encyclopedia on line says:

“The superfluous wealth of the rich is due to the poor; it is a debt to the payment of which, according to the expression of many Fathers and theologians, the poor have a right, not of justice but of charity.” (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04663b.htm, retrieved Nov. 28, 2008)

In all of our Abrahamic faiths we’re taught to look after the poor. For example, the third of the five pillars of Islam is called Zakat, the “alms tax,” a mandatory donation to charity. Zakat is one of the essential duties of all Muslims, and “is used to help the poor and sick, spread the faith, ransom captives, aid travelers, free slaves, help debtors and defend Islam. . . Although the details can get complicated, the basic rate is 2.5% of all liquid assets and income-producing property. Zakat isn’t levied on housing or on basic, necessary personal possessions.” (Clark, Malcolm, ISLAM FOR DUMMIES. New York. Wiley Publishing, 2003. P. 150)

“O you who believe! Give in charity of the good things you earn and of what we have brought forth for you out of the earth, and do not aim at giving in charity what is bad.” (Qur’an 2:267)

So what does it mean to deal fairly? Surely it’s easier to ask forgiveness than it is to forgive others’ debts. Throughout most of the history of Christianity, for example, debtors’ prisons in Europe held those who could not pay, and who would not be forgiven by their creditors. Debtors were imprisoned in this country too, at least until 1833. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debtor's_prison, retrieved Nov. 28, 2008) It makes little sense to incarcerate those who can’t pay, for that just isolates them from income possibilities. It makes even less sense to those who would follow the dictates of their religion. And it’s unfair.

Next time you pray (to God or to Allah or to Yahweh) for forgiveness, remember that you must forgive others in turn. It’s only fair, and right. And remember to give to the poor from your wealth.

Men of Peace

It will soon be December. Christians begin the month of awaiting and celebrating the birth of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Christians will talk and sing his message about peace on earth and good will toward all mankind. Jesus taught, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind (from Deuteronomy 6:5) and, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (See Matthew 22:34-30)

Speaking of commandments, among men of peace, few stand above Moses, the descendent of Abraham who lead the Jews out of Egypt after providing all God’s signs to the Pharaoh that he should let them go. As a prophet of God, Moses’ role was one of receiving and conveying God’s messages to his people. He’s most often remembered as the law-giver who received the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai. We’ve all heard and learned those commandments by heart. They include injunctions against murder, and against coveting, among others.

Though some deny it, Muhammad was a man of peace too. Karen Armstrong writes, “...Muhammad: a complex man, who resists facile, ideologically driven categorization, who sometimes did things that were difficult or impossible for us to accept, but who had profound genius and founded a religion and cultural tradition that was not based on the sword but whose name – “Islam” – signified peace and reconciliation.” (See Armstrong, Karen. MUHAMMAD: A PROPHET FOR OUR TIME. New York: HarperCollins, 2006. p. 202)

Muhammad gave us the Qur’an, which teaches acceptance of the Torah and the Gospels. For example, “do not covet what we bestowed upon any other people. Such are temporary ornaments of this life, whereby we put them to the test. What your Lord provides for you is far better, and everlasting." (Qur’an 20:131)

No matter which of these men of peace you follow, perhaps one of the easiest and most effective ways to your own personal peace is stop wanting what we don’t have. Not wanting what is our neighbor’s will surely lead us to NOT stealing it or killing our neighbor to get it.

Maybe one of the easiest or most direct ways to national/international peace is to follow the same path – to stop wanting what other nations have, and thence to stop killing them to get it. Or at least we could start talking about how to share...

A principal reason given for the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has been the September 11th attack by some persons who profess Islam, but who act different from what Muhammad and Moses taught. Some might say that the US response by (mostly) Christians does not reflect what Jesus taught. Or Moses either. But the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue. Some Christians will argue that these are “just” wars. And some Muslims will argue that making war on America and the West is justified to protect the Muslim “nation.” Other Christians and Muslims would argue that these two views are simply “extremist” views. What do you think?

Whether you adhere to the religion of Jesus, or Moses, or Muhammad, or someone else, I’m wishing you all the blessings – and the peace – of Christmas. May we all strive to want less what our neighbors have. And may we all strive to become like more Moses and Jesus and Muhammad, and become people of peace.

Grace, Again

I am interested in the concept of grace. Just what do we think it is? Why might we think it’s available to us? Can we earn it? Here are two of the many references to grace in the Qur’an, the Holy Book of Islam, in chapter 4:

[4.173] Then as for those who believe and do good, He will pay them fully their rewards and give them more out of His grace;... and

[4.175] Then as for those who believe in Allah and hold fast by Him, He will cause them to enter into His mercy and grace and guide them to Himself on a right path.

Muslims are told they must believe, AND they must also “do good.” But modern Christians believe that God’s grace is a gift, a continually present state, and is not something that can be earned by what they do. Must Christians “do good” to earn their rewards? According to one source, in Matthew 20: 1-16, the parable about working in the vineyard, “[Jesus] directs his disciples to what is their true reward--the inheritance of eternal life which is a reward of God's grace that is given equally to all his disciples who labor in his kingdom.” (http://www.christianinconnect.com/matthew.htm) The lesson here seems to be about God’s grace, and God’s reward for working in God’s vineyard (doing good). Recall that those who were hired late in the day to work in the vineyard were paid the same as those who had worked all day long:

Although Christians can’t earn grace, they’re still required to do good works. So, perhaps grace has two faces: Pastor David Reagan writes that grace is both “God's unmerited favor” and also “God's sufficiency or God's fullness in the life of the believer.” (http://www.learnthebible.org/q_a_what_is_grace.htm) In other words, Christians believe that God will forgive them whether they deserve it or not. Moreover, God provides strength for Christians to lead their lives according to His commands. Through His grace and their belief, they can “labor in his kingdom.” Sounds very much like the words from the Qur’an above. “...He will cause them to enter into his mercy and grace, and guide them...”

So, belief in God and doing good seem inextricably linked to grace for both Christians AND Muslims. Maybe it’s not exactly the same, but it’s so close... The Qur’an also says,

[4.122] As for those that have faith and do good works, We shall admit them to gardens watered by running streams, and there they shall abide for ever; and

[4.124] ...the believers who do good works, both men and women, shall enter paradise. They shall not suffer the least injustice.

Wishing you grace and peace, as you labor in the vineyard...

Who Are "They?"

I recently purchased John Esposito and Dalia Mogahed’s book, WHO SPEAKS FOR ISLAM?: WHAT A BILLION MUSLIMS REALLY THINK. (New York. Gallup Press, 2007) Their writings are based on “...the Gallup World Poll’s massive, multiyear research study...tens of thousands of interviews with residents of more than 35 nations that are predominantly Muslim or have significant Muslim populations.” The book’s title awakened me once again to the reality of that awful human tendency – we too often view an entire group of people based on some very small representation (or misrepresentation) of that population. Is this how we love our neighbors?

Too often many of us Westerners speak of people from the Middle East as “them.” “They” do such and such; “they” believe such and such; and “they” feel such and such about “us.” As a boy, I talked about “them.” Back then, “they” were girls, older people, the other race, the other religions, the other political party.... Like most boys, I “knew” all about girls. As a teen, I suspected grownups of nefarious stuff. We white teens knew all about the Black kids who lived on the other side of town, and the Hispanics in New York City. I knew all about the voters in the other political party. In EVERY case, of course, I didn’t really know these people well enough to understand what they really did, or believed, or felt. BUT: I didn’t even bother to ask them.

Growing up in a Lutheran family, I knew about “them” other Christian groups in my small town. The Methodists and Presbyterians were mostly OK folks, and the Baptists, though more energetic in their worship, were not a threat. At that time, the Catholics were, to me, strange folks indeed, with all their ritual prayers, and worship of saints, and fasting on Fridays and during Lent, and their statues everywhere... Many Protestants around me were truly worried when we elected our first Catholic president in 1960 – where would his allegiance be?

“Them?” I knew no one from any of the Eastern Orthodox churches. I didn’t even know the Eastern churches were really Christian churches. I knew nothing about Islam, or about Muslims, or about Jews. How could I know that, “Muslims, like Christians and Jews, believe in the God of Abraham and recognize biblical prophets such as Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.” (p. 28)

Too few of us know much about “them.” So I’m not surprised that Esposito and Mogahed report many troubling conclusions from their many interviews and surveys. Here’s just one:

“Diagnosing terrorism as a symptom and Islam as the problem, though popular in some circles, is flawed and has serious risks with dangerous repercussions. It confirms radical beliefs and fears, alienates the moderate Muslim majority, and reinforces a belief that the war against global terrorism is really a war against Islam.” (p. 166)

I can identify with the majority of “them,” our Muslim sisters and brothers: “The majority of respondents in predominantly Muslim countries condemn the events of Sept. 11, 2001.” (p. 97) I hope that Christians might reflect on this and conclude for themselves that Muslims too seek to love their neighbors. Meantime I also hope that many in the West read this book. Moreover, I hope that someone writes the companion for “them,” reporting what a billion Christians really think.

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This year, Rosh Hashanah begins at sunset, September 29. Wishing you many blessings.

What Are You Looking Forward To?

The other day a good friend asked me, "What are you looking forward to?" I responded, without much thought, about finishing the little renovation at home, and about the next music festival. Others might have spoken about the coming school year, or retirement, or the birth of a child.

Giving the question more serious thought later, I realized that the whole idea of "looking forward to" some future event often eclipses for us the idea of living in the moment. The song, "No Day But Today" from the musical "RENT" expresses the idea this way:

There is no future. There is no past. I live this moment as my last.
There's only us. There's only this. Forget regret or life is yours to miss.
No other road. No other way. No day but today.

Unlike the characters in RENT, many of us have some considerable lifetime ahead of us. Still, we're mindful of how important living today is, and how it impacts our futures. Since my college years I've carried this quotation with me, ascribed to an unknown, perhaps Hindu, writer:

"Look to this day, for it is life, the very life of life, and in its brief course lie all the verities and realities of your existence: The bliss of growth, the splendor of beauty, the glory of action. Yesterday is already a dream, and tomorrow is only a vision, but today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope. Look well therefore to this day. Such is the salutation of the dawn."

If you believe there is no day but today, you'll no doubt wish to live this day well. As a true believer -- whether Muslim, Jew, or Christian -- you'll consider following the commandments of your faith to be living "well." I mean to include here ALL the commandments. That probably means for some Jews, living according to the laws of the Torah. Muslims will testify, pray five times a day, help the needy, fast and reflect during Ramadan, and make the pilgrimage to Mecca. Christians will focus on living out the commandment to love your neighbor as yourself.

Living "well" this way fits appropriately with belief in the Day of Judgment. "The three Western monotheisms share the belief in an end to history and time at which point occurs the resurrection of all who have lived, the judgment of those now resurrected, and their entry into heaven or hell." (Clark, Malcolm, ISLAM FOR DUMMIES. New York, Wiley Publishing, 2003. P 68)

Judgment Day is probably not something that most of us "look forward to," but it is something that the faithful among us recognize and accept. Paradise or heaven is desired by most of us (as opposed to hell) and so, at some level, we are looking ahead to that. And while many of us believe that the unearned or unmerited Grace of God will save us, many of us also believe that "good works" will help too. "Throughout judgment, however, the underlying principle is that of a complete and perfect justice administered by Allah . . . . similar to some Protestant theologies that state that salvation is by the grace of God, and not by deeds. Islam, however, emphasizes that grace does not conflict with perfect justice."

A local billboard advertisement for a bank might motivate us to look toward our futures as we help the needy (love our neighbors) while having faith in the grace and perfect justice of God: "Make the most of your someday." Between now and someday, may we each live "well" today.

Wishing you Ramadan Mubarak (a blessed Ramadan) September 1 to 30, 2008.

Churches and Nations

On Independence Day this year, the United States of America commemorated its 232nd birthday I was happy to celebrate, although I was singing songs of peace that day, not songs of war and victory. “This is my song, O God of all the nations...”[2] Here are some thoughts about “all the nations.”

Our Scriptures help explain to us why we have nations. For example, to search for God:

Acts 17:26-27. From one ancestor [God] made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him--though indeed he is not far from each one of us.

The Qur’an speaks of nations being tried, and competing in good works:

Qur'an 5:48: "If God had willed he would have made you one nation. But He did not do so, that he may try you in what has come to you. So, compete with one another in good works; Unto God shall you return, altogether, and he will tell you the Truth about what you have been disputing."

How many of us search for God, and find God, in the service (“good works”) we do? I think it’s fair to say that some of us do this regularly, and many others of us have done this or will do it. But could we say with certainty that our nations “compete in good works?” Probably not, or probably not very often. Wars seem to be nations’ most common way of competing, but neither trade wars or shooting wars seem to me to be good works, nor a way of finding God.

Churches and nations intersection and often overlap. In Genesis 12:2, YHWH tells Abram (Abraham), “I will make a great nation of you.” Perhaps Israel provides the easiest example of overlap, because for modern-day Israel, Judaism is the state religion. Israel, it is believed, was created by God for the Jews. In fact, a large portion of the book of Leviticus relates the “technology” of how Judaism was/is supposed to work for the Jews – both the priests and the laity.

Later, in Genesis 17:20, YHWH tells Abram that He will make a “great nation” of Ishmael too. Two great nations, and each developed its own strong religious heritage. And today, nations and religions get tangled up around how we humans try to govern ourselves. Many in countries in the Middle East, who might be descendents of Ishmael, want their governments to govern according to the Qur’an. In their view, God’s law, revealed in the Qur’an, should be the basis for governing. Likewise, some in America want our government to reflect Christian values and teachings. A few want our government to evangelize. I’m not one of those.

Nations beget nationalism. According to Dr. Muqtedar Khan, Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Delaware, “Islam is a strictly monotheistic religion and nationalism in its extreme form begins to subvert the very idea of One God...God is blind to nationality, ethnicity and race.”[3] Dr. Khan is saying that we must beware extreme nationalism, because the nation can take the place of God for some, becoming the object of worship and adoration.

So when we pledge, “...one nation, under God...” we’re reminded of what we adore and worship. We’re also reminded that, while we are one nation under God, we’re not the only nation under God. From my perspective, extreme nationalism gets in the way of our worshipping the one God Abraham proclaimed. Also, it gets in the way of us (and our nations) searching for God, and competing in good works.

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[1] This is one of a series of occasional columns in which the author, raised in the Christian tradition, searches for common ground and common history among the teachings, beliefs and practices of adherents of the Abrahamic faiths -- Islam, Christianity and Judaism.

[2] “This is My Song” (Finlandia) Music by Jean Sibelius (1899) / Words by Lloyd Stone (1934)

[3] from http://www.ijtihad.org/Mosques-Flags.htm

Churches and National Flags

On Memorial Day weekend this year, I attended a United Methodist church service, in a church sporting the American flag to the left (from the congregation’s perspective) of the altar, and just behind the pulpit. Although that was the norm where I grew up, I was startled to see the flag in that church. Imagine my surprise when the choir sang their anthem, “America, The Beautiful.” And what happened next? The offertory was – you guessed it – our National Anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner.” Worshippers stood to sing, and to salute the flag.

Why was I offended by a practice that, as a child, I accepted without thinking? Perhaps I was made uncomfortable by the mixed message: Whom do you serve?

“The display of a national flag can be intended to convey [one of] several distinct messages:

1. The person flying this flag is acting under the authority of the sovereign the flag represents.

2. The place where this flag is flying is under the authority/sovereignty of X.

3. The person flying this flag owes allegiance or obedience to the sovereign the flag represents. Its display is an expression of loyalty or submission.

4. The person flying the flag wants to show respect, hospitality, genealogical connection, linguistic facility, etc., etc., having to do with the country the flag represents.“[1]

The interesting and important distinction here is: “under the authority” of a sovereign vs. “owes allegiance or obedience” to the sovereign, vs. “show respect” to the country.

“In the United States, people tend to gravitate to messages 3 and 4. In other words, an American Baptist congregation that puts the stars and stripes inside the church is not asserting the government's temporal power over the church but expressing the allegiance that the members of the church as U.S. citizens owe to the country.”[2]

Perhaps I am simply over-reacting to the presence of the American flag (or its image) seemingly everywhere I turn. It’s found in lapels, and on car bumpers and truck windows. Still, it feels to me the flag in that church says that church owes allegiance and obedience to the President. But Christians also claim to owe their allegiance first and foremost to God alone. We’re warned (Matthew 6:24 and Luke 16:13) against trying to serve two masters.

When Muslim leaders in Australia called for support to fly the Australian flag outside (not even inside) mosques in that country, as a symbol of loyalty and commitment to their nation, some Muslims labeled the idea as “politicizing a place of worship.”[3]

The Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation in Evanston, Ill., took down its Israeli and U.S. flags about five years ago in response to a congregant’s petition to the synagogue board. “He said they were political symbols, and the sanctuary is sacred space,” Rabbi Brant Rosen recalls.[4]

I wonder. Would Jesus have stood and sung our National Anthem with us that Memorial Day morning? I think he was clear about which master he served, as were Moses and Mohammed.

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[1] See http://flagspot.net/flags/rel.html#sanct. Written by Joe McMillan. Retrieved 5 June 2008

[2] Ibid.

[3] http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21239882-601,00.html

[4] http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/32512/edition_id/604/format/html/displaystory.html

Modest Dress

I recently attended a family funeral in central Wisconsin. Both Amish and “English” (the word used by Amish to refer to non-Amish) members of the community attended. We could easily identify who was who – Amish men in beards, hats, dark suits with suspenders; and Amish women in dark long dresses, with long sleeves and caps covering their hair. We also saw Amish women working at their farms and walking to church services. They were cloaked with their heads covered and their hair pinned up. No other conclusion could be drawn than that these women were dressed “modestly.” The Amish men were also dressing modestly. As a practice they retain the dress code of the time of their founding.

I was reminded of how we can identify ourselves today – Orthodox Jewish men with their black suits, hats, beards; and Muslim women with their hijab or head scarves. Dressing as a kind of identity is old as in this example from Iran: “Fadwa El Guindi, in her book on the history of hijab, locates the origin of the Persian custom in ancient Mesopotamia, where respectable women veiled, and servants and prostitutes were forbidden to do so.” [2]

When I was growing up, Roman Catholic Nuns who taught at nearby Catholic schools, or nursed at the city’s Catholic hospital, wore “modest clothing.” Their habits were long and black; their hair was covered. We could see only their hands and their faces – the rest of them was clothing. What was “religious uniform” to me back then was really Christian women dressing modestly, according to their beliefs.[3]

Like the Nuns, the Amish women and men I met or saw in Wisconsin also trace their heritage to the Roman church, but the Amish come from the Mennonite Anabaptist tradition.

“The Amish are a Christian religious group who originated in Switzerland around 1525. They were known as Swiss Anabaptists . . . The Swiss Anabaptists were persecuted because of their refusal to follow the Swiss Church requirements on baptism. In 1690, some Anabaptists broke away from the Swiss Anabaptist Church, which are now the Mennonite. The group that broke away was lead by Jacob Amman. The Amish migrated to North America in the 1700s because William Penn was promoting religious tolerance.”[4]

Although Christian, the Amish look, live, and dress very differently from most of the rest of us Christians. They appear more different from us than do some our Muslim and Jewish sisters and brothers.

Dressing modestly has changed over time, not for the Amish, but certainly for most of the rest of us. Cole Porter[5] wrote, “In olden days a glimpse of stocking was looked on as something shocking but now, God knows, anything goes.” Nuns seen now in the USA often do not wear the black habits common in my youth. Many modern Mennonite women no longer wear the dark, long-sleeved and long-skirted clothing of earlier generations.

Similarly, Muslim women dress according to local norms as they try to meet the Qur’an’s requirements for modest dress. “It goes by many names -- hijab, niqab, abaaya, burqa, chador. It can be anything from a simple scarf draped around the face and neck to a shawl...”[6] For example, for Persians, hijab becomes chador, a full-length semi-circle of fabric open down the front, which is thrown over the head and held closed in front. Traditionally, light colors and prints have been used, but now in Iran, black is a favored color.

It’s not just culture or religious authority either. Some women are just choosing to dress more conservatively.

"It's not only Muslim women who are making attempts to be modest when they go out . . . There's also a contingency of Christian women and Jewish women and others who just don't feel that they need to show their bodies. Other women are striving to be modest as well." [7]

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[1] This is one of a series of occasional columns in which the author, raised in the Christian tradition, searches for common ground and common history among the teachings, beliefs and practices of adherents of the Abrahamic faiths -- Islam, Christianity and Judaism.

[2] El-Guindi, Fadwa, Veil: Modesty, Privacy, and Resistance, Berg, 1999. Cited at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chador

[3] For example, see 1 Corinthians 11:5

[4] http://ezinearticles.com/index.php?The-Amish---A-Step-Back-in-Time&id=1127006

[5] from his song, “Anything Goes” for the show of the same name, first produced on Broadway in 1934

[6] http://www.post-gazette.com/headlines/20011028muslimwomennat3p3.asp

[7] http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/04/0427_060424_muslim_sports_2.html

Be Not Afraid

During the Easter sermon this year, it was pointed out that, when Mary Magdalene and the other Mary (perhaps the mother of James)[2] approached the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus, they found not the body but a heavenly presence, the “Lord’s angel.” That angel admonished them, “Do not be afraid.” The women were “frightened.” When they encountered Jesus, He too said, “Don’t be afraid.” (Matt. 28:5-10)

When the angel Gabriel first spoke to Mary about Jesus’ birth, he said, “You are truly blessed....Do not be afraid.” (Luke 1:30) When the angels announced to Joseph that he should marry Mary, who was pregnant, they said, “Do not be afraid to take Mary...” (Matt 1:20) We can understand how that marriage could have frightened Joseph. When the angels announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds, they said to the shepherds, “Do not be afraid.” (Luke 2:10) In fact, Luke tells how Gabriel also visited Zechariah to announce that Elizabeth, his barren wife, would have a son, John (the Baptist). In Luke 1:13, Gabriel begins, “Do not be afraid.” In verse 19, he says, “I was sent to tell you this good news.”

This all got me to thinking about fear, about being afraid and what it might mean in the Gospel context of receiving good news. Do not be afraid of what? Angels? Good news (which might not seem so good at the time)? Perhaps it just means, “do not be afraid” of the unexplained, the unexpected bright light, the “presence.”

But how about being afraid of God? Many citations in the Qur’an admonish us to fear God, and those admonitions often point to the consequences of disobeying the commandments. Many places in the Old Testament also advise us to fear God. Psalm 33:8, for example, tells us to “Fear the Lord everywhere,” or “Let all the earth fear the Lord.” The warning to be fearful is widespread in the Psalms. Yet, my Contemporary English Version says, “Everyone in this world should worship and honor the Lord!” Does “worship and honor” equate to “fear?”

Robert Darr,[3] who was raised a Christian, writes of his experiences in Northern Afghanistan when he was doing relief work during the war between Soviet Union and the Afghan rebels. He has studied Christianity and Islam, and the Sufi way, and he says that “Religious people usually are afraid of their God. They fear punishment from God.”[4]

Perhaps “Do not be afraid” was needed when most people were (are?) fearful of God. Yet Jesus taught us to love God and to love your neighbor. Moreover, the Torah tells us 36 times to love (not fear) the strangers among us as well as our neighbors. The Qur’an requires that we care for ”our kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves” out of love of God. (2:177). According to Darr, the Sufi poet Rumi became, “a teacher of love . . . he treated everyone the same...”[5]

Christians are taught that “God is love.” (1 John 4:8 & 16) Can we/Should we fear the God of Jesus, the God he might have called “Abba?” Or “Yahweh,” a vengeful and jealous God “I am a jealous God...” (Exodus 20:5) Yahweh punished whole races of people. For example, He caused the floods. (Genesis 6:7) How can we simultaneously NOT fear such a God? Or are we really talking about fearing one God and loving another?

The Sufi way points inward, to God who dwells within each of us and is always with us. Closer to us than we can accept sometimes, perhaps especially when we feel far away from God. So, is it that we should we fear the God which is outside us, and removed from us, and greater than we are? Can we love the God within us? I’m thinking we should not be afraid to love as God (by whatever name) has commanded; AND we should not be afraid of receiving God’s good news, even if unexpected or unexplained. But we should be afraid of God and the consequences if we don’t love, and if we don’t receive and act on His good news.

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[1] This is one of a series of occasional columns in which the author, raised in the Christian tradition, searches for common ground and common history among the teachings, beliefs and practices of adherents of the Abrahamic faiths -- Islam, Christianity and Judaism.

[2] The Gospel of Mark includes Salome here; and Luke mentions Joanna and “some other women.”

[3] Darr, Robert, SPY OF THE HEART. Louisville, KY, Fons Vitae, 2006

[4] Darr, page 51

[5] Darr, page 98

Golden Calves

I awoke this morning thinking about the golden calf story. Moses had been leading the Israelites through the desert, back to the holy mountain. The Israelites had agreed to the covenant with YHWH (“...all that YHWH has spoken we will do...”, Exodus 19:8). Shortly thereafter, Moses received the commandments on stone tablets, “written by the hand of God,” and brought them to the people, only to find them worshipping a golden calf they had made.

God was furious! The Israelites had received the commandment to worship God alone, and have no other gods “before Him.” “Have no other gods” was important enough that Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) repeats it several times. For example, Exodus 34:14: “You are not to bow down to any other god! For YHWH – Jealous-One is His name, a jealous God is He....”

The Israelites were not the only ones to have received that commandment. The Qur’an is filled with such admonitions. Here are three:

“Allah! There is no god but He, (and no one deserves to be worshipped except Him);” (4:87) and, “Do not take with Allah any other god for worship...And your Lord has commanded you to worship none but Him.” (17:22,23) Also, “”God will not forgive idolatry. He will forgive whom He will all other sins. He that serves other gods besides God has strayed far indeed.” (4:116)

We who were raised in the Christian tradition know well Jesus’ answer when he was asked which is the most important commandment:

“Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:29, 30. See also Deuteronomy 6:4,5)

These words begin the Shema, the morning and evening prayer of many Jews (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). The one-ness of God, and the commandment to worship only God, when taken together with the prohibition against having other gods, leaves pretty much no doubt for any believer in any of the Abrahamic faiths.

What other gods? There is the golden calf, of course, built perhaps because Moses had been too long away from the Israelites. Perhaps the people were just following their leaders. Read Deuteronomy 13 about what to do with people who say, “Let us follow other Gods and let us worship them.”

We often make claims about what we believe, and believe IN. And then we act in totally differently ways. It’s as though we’re following other gods, seeming to love our (fill in what’s most important to you right now) more than God. Others’ golden calves (bigger houses, newer cars, higher position, “truer” faith) are easy to point out. Our own are harder to see, but they are real. We could do much worse than to recognize our calves as the “other gods” they are, and move them back to their proper places. That can be our major step toward loving our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. With Moses’ help, God, although furious, forgave the Israelites. (Exodus 32: 11-14) It’s just that we don’t have Moses to argue on our behalf!

Progressive Islam

We’ve been saying in recent columns that fundamentalists fear that modernity will erode or even eradicate their faith and morality. Perhaps the opposite of “fundamentalist” is “progressive.” What is meant by “progressive?” One on-line dictionary gives 12 definitions, the first being, “favoring or advocating progress, change, improvement, or reform, as opposed to wishing to maintain things as they are, especially in political matters.”[2]

I’ve been following the development of the progressive kind of Christianity. Progressive Christians believe they are improving or reforming the traditional faith -- they live by a particular understanding of their faith. The Center for Progressive Christianity, for example, publishes 8 principles by which they define themselves. ^[3] One of the eight points says that they “know that the way we behave toward one another and toward other people is the fullest expression of what [they] believe.”

Are there “progressive” groups in Islam? Yes. According to Omid Safi[4], “Progressive Islam encompasses a number of themes: striving to realize a just and pluralistic society through a critical engagement with Islam, a relentless pursuit of social justice, an emphasis on gender equality as a foundation of human rights, and a vision of religious and ethnic pluralism.” Moreover, he suggests that, while liberal Islam might be interested in intellectual considerations and visions of beauty and peace, progressive Islam requires action, a “willingness to remain engaged with the issues of social justice as they unfold on the ground level, in the lived realities of Muslim and non-Muslim communities.”[5]

Here’s an example of someone I would call a progressive Muslim. A recent convert to Islam, American Melissa Robinson writes, “The Islam I have embraced is one that protects the rights of women, is tolerant of multiculturalism, promotes peace among mankind, and encourages spiritual enlightenment through religious practice, critical thinking, and the quest for knowledge. The Islam I practice is egalitarian and just and is not a religion of blind followers, but of conscientious believers . . . I have committed to developing a community . . . that will encourage studying, discussion, and diversity of thought [and] promote cooperation between faith groups and charitable organizations.” [6]

Melissa and her friend Kelly have established the "American Islamic Fellowship" in Georgia. “Through studying, critical analysis, and thoughtful interpretation, we attempt to make educated and conscious decisions concerning tradition. We . . . hope to demonstrate the progressive tenets of Islam through tolerance, education, equality, and the democratic process. We aim to focus our efforts on studying the similarities between various groups rather than focusing on the differences. “[7]

In earlier columns, I’ve mentioned several writers on Islam who have taken a “progressive” view of their faith. Here are three, and I hope you’ll find time in the coming days to read some them for yourself, and think about how these authors’ writings might parallel (or differ from) your own views.

El Fadl, Khaled Abou, ed., THE PLACE OF TOLERANCE IN ISLAM, a collection of eleven essays on the topic. Boston: Beacon Press, 2002

Manji, Irshad, THE TROUBLE WITH ISLAM: A Muslim’s Call for Reform in Her Faith. New York, St. Martin’s Press, 2003

Nasr, Seyyed Hossein, THE HEART OF ISLAM: Enduring Values for Humanity. HarperSanFrancisco, 2002.

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[1]This is one of a series of occasional columns in which the author, raised in the Christian tradition, searches for common ground and common history among the teachings, beliefs and practices of adherents of the Abrahamic faiths -- Islam, Christianity and Judaism.

[2] http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/progressive, retrieved 4 Feb. 2008

[3] http://www.tcpc.org/about/8points.cfm, retrieved 3 Feb. 2008

[4] http://www.muslimwakeup.com/main/archives/2005/04/what_is_progres_1.php, retrieved 4 Feb. 2008

[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberation_Theology, retrieved 4 Feb. 2008

[6] http://www.muslimwakeup.com/main/archives/2007/11/american_islami.php#more, retrieved 8 Feb. 2008

[7] ibid.

FUNDAMENTALISM IN JUDAISM

Last time, we said, “The term “fundamentalism” often is used to

"characterize embattled forms of spirituality, which have merged as a response to a perceived crisis" - namely the fear that modernity will erode or even eradicate their faith and morality. . . [or] identify the most conservative wing of a religion. . . ,as a general-purpose "snarl" word to denigrate a religious group, implying that they are intolerant or prone to violence.”[2]

Rabbi Aron Moss[3] redefines fundamentalism for Judaism. He says, “A fundamentalist is someone who believes that theirs is the only true path, and anyone who does not follow their ways is evil. The fundamentalist sees only two options for the rest of humanity - join us or suffer the consequences. . . It is when you cannot accept that there may be another road to truth, that not everyone has to fit in to your own world view - that is when you have strayed into the realm of fundamentalism. . . Judaism can never tolerate fundamentalism. Quite simply, we don't believe that Judaism is for everyone. Jewish thought is comfortable with the belief that there are many paths to G-d; Judaism is the path for Jews, and non-Jews can find Him in different ways.” [4] But, Moss says, “A fundamentalist is not the same as an extremist.”

In his article, “Pursuing the Millennium,” David Hirst[5] asserts a different view, that Jewish fundamentalists in Israel, especially the settlers in the disputed lands taken in the 1967 war, are extremists. Although a minority within the nation, they have considerable influence within the government, and especially with the conservative leaders within the government. Hirst writes of a theoretical Jewish state which, if run by Jewish fundamentalists, would be governed by Jewish religious law. He describes religious police as enforcers of the laws, penalties (including stoning) for violations, etc. His article tries to tell us how frightened we should be of the Jewish extremists, the Zionists, whom he aligns with the fundamentalists.

And we should be concerned. Remember when in 1994 the Jewish gunman killed 29 worshippers in the mosque in Hebron? Remember when in 1995 the Jew assassinated Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin? Both killers seem to have been influenced by fundamentalist beliefs. Still: Believing in religious fundamentals is quite different from acting in an extreme and violent way.

Wikipedia, the on-line encyclopedia, uses the term “fundamentalist” to define groups “characterized by a sense of embattled alienation in the midst of the surrounding culture.” This definition resembles Karen Armstrong’s perspective. Also, fundamentalists hold that their religious texts are “infallible and historically accurate . . . Orthodox Judaism is characterized by a fervent belief in the divine origin of the Torah (i.e., that the five books of Moses were literally given by God to Moses). Most Orthodox rabbis describe the Torah as literally being one long quote from God himself.” [6] Well, maybe not all Orthodox Jews hold this belief. Moreover, most people within Reform Judaism and Conservative Judaism more likely believe that the Rabinical interpretations (Talmud) – perhaps divinely inspired but not divinely given – are critical to their understanding and applying the laws of the Torah.

Rabbi Moss asks us all – fundamentalist or not, Jew or not - for tolerance and acceptance. He says, “Judaism poses a challenge to the fundamentalist: If you really love G-d so much, shouldn't you also love all His children, who are created in His image?”[7] Now, what was it that Jesus taught?

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[1]This is one of a series of occasional columns in which the author, raised in the Christian tradition, searches for common ground and common history among the teachings, beliefs and practices of adherents of the Abrahamic faiths -- Islam, Christianity and Judaism.

[2] http://ric-childrenofabraham.blogspot.com/

[3] Rabbi Aron Moss teaches Kabbalah, Talmud and practical Judaism in Sydney, Australia.

[4] from http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/248166/jewish/Jewish-Fundamentalism.htm , retrieved 8 Jan 2008

[5] http://www.thenation.com/docprint.mhtml?i=20040216&s=hirst

[6] from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_fundamentalism, retrieved 8 Jan 2008

[7] Op. cit.

Fundamentalism

We often read in our newspapers, or see reports on our televisions, of religious “fundamentalists” doing some or another awful thing. What does “fundamentalist” mean in today’s common usage?

“One of the most controversial religious terms in North America is "fundamentalist." Within academic circles, the term is generally used in a precise manner. For example, Author Karen Armstrong defines fundamentalist movements as "embattled forms of spirituality, which have merged as a response to a perceived crisis" - namely the fear that modernity will erode or even eradicate their faith and morality. That concern is shared by Fundamentalist Christians, Jews, and Muslims, Sikhs, and others. Within Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and other faiths, the media generally use the term to refer to the most conservative wing of the religion. For example, fundamentalist Christianity is often described as the most conservative wing of Evangelicalism. However, sometimes the term is used as a general-purpose "snarl" word which is intended to denigrate a religious group, implying that they are intolerant or prone to violence.”[2]

Fundamentalists believe that “...the words of the holy book of their religion are the exact truth and are not open to different interpretations.” They are quite strict about just what must be believed. For example, according to the 12 pamphlets issued as the “Fundamentals of the Faith” between 1915 and 1920, all Christians must believe in (1) the infallibility of the Bible; (2) the sinfulness of humanity; (3) the virgin birth of Jesus; and (4) salvation through Jesus’ death.[3]

According to the same source, [4] the term “fundamentalism” was invented in 1920 by Curtis Lee Lewis, an American preacher. He was describing the “anti-modern” movement of the American Protestants during the late 1800s. Christian fundamentalism, an American phenomenon, may have begun with the so-called First Great Awakening (1730 to 1780, approximately), which stressed how humans could not achieve salvation without God’s intervention. The Second Great Awakening in the early 1800’s centered on the “born again” option of achieving salvation through the acceptance of Jesus as a personal savior. The “millennium” movement (mid-1800’s) focused on the second coming of Christ, which would be followed by 1,000 years of peace.

As Karen Armstrong asserts, these movements may have been reactions to perceived threats to the church. America was changing – modernity was advancing. As the Industrial Revolution proceeded in this country, Protestantism lost traction. Population centers changed from small rural areas (which had often centered on churches) to larger cities, places with less focus on a church. Moreover, America welcomed more and more immigrants who brought their religions with them, and these were often not the protestant faiths of the founders, but more likely Roman Catholic and Orthodox religions, and Judaism, and Islam.

During the 1950’s, Christian fundamentalism strengthened in reaction to “Godless communism.” About the same time, evangelical Christians, led by Billy Graham, began to oppose some of the social consciousness movements of the 1960’s: the anti-war movement, the women’s movement; gender equity; and liberalizing views of homosexuality. Evangelicals worked with non-protestant conservatives under the rubric of “family values.” As it evolved, this larger group of evangelicals and conservatives spoke out in favor of lower taxes, more defense spending and less support for welfare. By the late 1970’s, Jerry Falwell’s “Moral Majority” was encouraging conservatives of all kinds to join together. They helped elect a conservative government in 1980, but they were soon replaced by the Christian Coalition, whose leader, Pat Robertson, lost a bid for the Presidency.

Christians aren’t the only ones. Next time, we’ll explore a bit about Judaism’s and Islam’s fundamentalists.

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[1]This is one of a series of occasional columns in which the author, raised in the Christian tradition, searches for common ground and common history among the teachings, beliefs and practices of adherents of the Abrahamic faiths -- Islam, Christianity and Judaism.

[2] http://www.religioustolerance.org/reac_ter9.htm, retrieved 4 December 2007

[3] Woolf, Alex, FUNDAMENTALISM. Chicago, IL: Raintree 2004, p. 5

[4],Ibid., p.4