Friday, November 7, 1997
Religious scholars come together for peace, coexistence
RELIGION: Role of Abraham in Christianity, Islam and Judaism
discussed to accentuate bonds
By Monica Paknad
Daily Bruin Contributor
Imagine Jews, Christians and Muslims co-existing peacefully
amongst one another, united, sharing a common bond. Approaching the
millennium, could this concept become reality or is it just a
fantasy?
Members of these groups came together earlier this week, as over
30 people gathered on the sixth floor of Bunche Hall to discuss the
idea that Judaism, Christianity and Islam are linked by the
religious figure Abraham.
A panel of experts in each of the three religions discussed the
significance of Abraham’s role in history as it relates to his
religion. And in an open dialogue afterwards, the three colleagues
said that chances for interreligious dialogue will only expand in
the 21st century.
Dylan Breuer, a graduate student studying the history of
Christianity, was pleased to see "three people (of different
faiths) in a room who can disagree honorably and live with each
other peacefully."
"It gave me a great deal of hope that the general populous can
have a dialogue together," Breuer said.
However, another attendee, Richard J. Smith, a UCLA alumnus,
thought "this event is stilted along scholarly lines. What needs to
be done is hands-on, out in the fields-type work."
Special guest Dr. Karl-Josef Kuschel, German professor and
author of "Abraham: Sign of Hope for Jews, Christians and Muslims,"
focused on allowing interreligious dialogue through "the Abraham
connection." He was supported by lecturer Dr. Elliot Dorff, provost
of the University of Judaism, who said "the three religions –
Jewish, Christian and Muslim – are members of the same family,
families that have gone in different directions. We’re not the
same, but (we) have the sense of being related."
"The Abraham connection is an antidote to the belief that the
three religions are so separate and different," Kuschel said.
In fact, Dorff’s characterization of Abraham as a "patriarch of
Jewish people" was consistent with that of Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi,
president of the Islamic Society of North America, who explained
that "Muslims consider Abraham as a fatherly figure."
Nevertheless, as Kuschel put it, "there are traditions that
fight against each other." He believes that "there is no
interreligious understanding without self-criticism."
This sentiment was shared by attendees such as Breuer and Smith,
who both felt that it is necessary to learn how to be more tolerant
and accommodating to other people’s needs. Breuer added that
"there’s a long track record for people persecuting others for
doing things differently. No matter what you eat or how you dress,
people don’t have horns coming out of their heads!"
At the event, Siddiqi posed the question, "In the 21st century,
how will the religions get along?"
The event’s mediator brought up the present-day example of a
local community, Pacific Palisades, where there is strong
neighborhood opposition to the construction of a mosque.
Apparently, the community, which already contains a synagogue and
churches, expresses dismay at the idea of hearing Muslim prayers
amongst those of the other religions.
In response, Smith suggests that the intolerant "try to go pray
there once." Smith, who was raised Catholic and subsequently became
Jewish, prays at a Muslim prayer center every Friday.
The crowd at the lecture laughed when Kuschel commented, "I
thought things were different in your country!"
His surprise at the Pacific Palisades example stems from
religious intolerance currently emerging in his own country. He
explained that there are now 2.5 million Muslims in Germany, the
largest religious minority ever to have existed in that country.
Kuschel says the fat that that Muslims have invaded with a
"demographic bond," as creating anxiety because of the country’s
historical religious intolerance, namely the Holocaust.
So is there hope for future intereligious peace and continued
dialogue? "Religions don’t do anything, people do," Breuer
responded.
In closing the event on Monday night, Kuschel told an anecdote
of a Christian family becoming distraught when their child married
a Muslim. He recalled consoling the family with this advice: "Don’t
worry, they remain in the same family."
Breuer added, "It’s just a matter of time when having a mosque
down the corner will be as common as a synagogue or church."