Most Significant Change Reflection

Most Significant Change

The most significant change for me has been appreciating the realistic value of engagement in interfaith dialogue and the limits to the scope of interfaith dialogue that can be enjoyed in group settings. While I found that there is always a potential to make a connection to others, I am very conscious of  the need to be sensitive to all of the participants needs in the group dialogues.  However, one might feel that they are blindly trusting in the value that the exercise service, participating in group discussions is the only was to scaffold and build onto ones comfort level in throughout the process. Experience is the strongest indicator of the ethos behind creating interfaith projects to measure out their efficacy and impacts in attempting to find the intrinsic “take-away” values participants are looking for. I acknowledge that  as an observer/participant who wanted to truly understand what perspectives of different faiths have toward  a particular topic, i.e. Abrahamic scriptures, values etc.,  one has to acknowledge the reasonable accommodations many activities have the ability to offer at the Multi-Faith Centre.  Nonetheless just having participants learning to co-exist in the same space with people of different faiths, rather than direct dialogue about the difficult topics, serves as a valuable way to break the ice for all involved.

In reflecting on my experiences at the Multi-Faith Centre, I felt like a religious tourist at times in that I felt I was a spectator in spaces that I believe should have been preserved as a “sacred” space of the religious adherents.  Yet at other times, the environment felt like one was chasing pie in the sky to develop the creativity, diversity or authentic dialogue needed for what I had perceived in projects outcomes or where the real impact for change existed. This also required me to be more realistic with my expectations. Identifying how all of the participants continually need to re-evaluate and negotiate what their personal and social identity looks like in different spaces is only part in parcel of any process. This means that one often has to undertake or participate in the act of hospitality to generate and open up dialogue. More time is needed for all participants to build up the comfort level to delve into more complex dialogues rather then attending one day conferences, but each process needs a entry point and the Multi-Faith Centre does this.

The overall application of time and experience has illustrated to me that I don’t want to be a bystander, but put into practice what I want to see; authentic dialogue that reasonably accommodates what might be accomplished in interfaith forums with a safe space for all. This history and legacy of faith that I sew into my children and generations after I hope will include growing seeds of interfaith dialogue. Father Mongee articulated the value in direct participation in interfaith discussions and challenges people to look at what the duties of Christians are with respect to dialogue and their reasonable service to others. Christ modeled in the ministry how equity in hospitality to others creates peace in a welcoming space and how service to others was valued through the narratives that describe his ministry. Hospitality was key to opening up dialogue in all my service based experiences, however, navigating around the social and religious cultural expectations can juxtapose the possible headway pluralism may have to develop. Interfaith engagements should not be considered a limited time engagement event, but a ongoing task for all religious communities.

Thessalonians 5:12-18, lays out the language to tie the gift of service and hospitality to the actions which will engage the best practices I believe interfaith dialogue calls out in Christians by saying, 

"we appeal to you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who labor among you, and have charge of you in the Lord and admonish you; 13 esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, beloved, to admonish the idlers, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them. 15 See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (Biblegateway.com, Thess. 5:12-18, NSRV: 2014).