A Ramble about Interfaith Dialogues

I just read an article about a meeting in Rome at the Vatican of representatives from many different religions and faith traditions. It was compared to a similar meeting held by John Paul II in 1986. Several differences were noted by the author of the article, like that the group this time did not share a common prayer by retired to private rooms to pray, reflect, or meditate. This also reminds me of a section of the news the other night about a Methodist seminary that has begun accepting students from other faiths, and teaching those other faiths such as Islam and Judaism.



I have often written that we as Christians can learn from the perspective of other faith traditions, and use these to understand our own faith better. I have used examples from Buddhism, and have quoted Lao Tzu.



But there is a line which needs to be drawn somewhere. St. Paul told the Athenians that God put up with people's ignorance in times past, but that He now commands everyone everywhere to repent. The line to be drawn is Jesus Christ and whether or not that person believes that He is the Son of God, that He is the Christ, and that He died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, rose from the dead, and ascended.



It is wrong for we who have the Truth of Jesus Christ to then pretend like it's just as valid or invalid as the next person's in any way. He is either Truth, or He is not, and there's really no middle ground. This knife cuts two ways though. We must not only profess this Truth with our mouths, we must also profess it in our actions by doing what He taught and remaining in Him. This is a far more powerful witness to Him than anything we could say. If we preach this Truth to those who don't believe, then we must act like it is the Truth with our lives, or else it will be no different than any other "truth" the hearer might encounter.



There is a difference between the disparate members of the Church coming together to work out their differences, and the Church coming together with different religions to affirm their mutual validity. There is only One Truth, One Way, and One Life. All those baptized into Christ Jesus are a part of Him, whether they like it or not, and as a result we are all a part of each other whether we like it or not. We have to come to terms with that, and we don't always like that fact. But, those who are outside of the Church are a different matter altogether. They are something different. They are not a part of us, nor will they until they choose to become a part of the Church. They are to be cared for, loved, and had compassion on just as Christ has loved us and had compassion on us even while we were yet enemies. But they are not a part of us. We have this fundamental difference and it won't change.



It seems that these days this line is being crossed more and more. From my understanding of Scripture, nothing angers God more than intercourse with foreign gods.