Learning Among Friends

As a lifelong committed Christian, one of the more fascinating aspects of my journey has been the time spent in conversation with persons of other religions, as well as with Christians who approach our common tradition with different perspectives.  Sometimes through books, sometimes face to face, I listen and share across beliefs. And almost always, the interaction has left me both richer as a human being, and more settled in my Christian path.

There was a time many years ago when I studied yoga with a teacher whose understanding of the spiritual underpinnings to yoga tradition was exceptionally wise.  I invited her to lunch one day and asked her to be my spiritual director, someone I could turn to when I needed wisdom and guidance. Turns out, that's not how she saw her role in other people's lives, so the arrangement didn't go forward, but I continue to cherish the experience of studying, and meditating, and chanting with her.

There was a long period of time in which I was closely connected to a Jewish man, one who took the historical and cultural dimensions of Jewish life very seriously. For a while he came to church with me quite regularly.  But much of the language in the New Testament struck him as anti-Semitic, and he seemed always to feel like an "outsider," even at our regular church. His discomfort made me very aware of the sensitive nature of religious language, and the need to be alert to meanings we may not always intend.


For the last decade or so I've been teaching world religions at a small liberal arts college.  It's been a wonderful opportunity to deepen my knowledge of a range of religious traditions and Christian denominations.  Until recently the school's motto was "Learning Among Friends," meaning that we were small enough that students, staff and faculty could get to know each other well. That motto came vibrantly true in the fall of 2013 for me -- my Comparative Religion class included a Jewish student, a Muslim student, a Hindu student, an Ethiopian Orthodox student, an evangelical Christian, an American Baptist, a couple of Catholics, a self-described polytheist, an atheist, a student with one Jewish parent and one Catholic parent, and a few random Protestants.  Out of the enthusiastic and engaged conversations that took place in that class, an Interfaith Group was born on our campus. We have supper together and share our stories.  We come from all over the US, and several countries around the world.  My hope is that we will, in time, become richer human beings and more settled into whatever path is most meaningful for each of us, and that on those paths we will be walking each other "home." Time will tell.