It seems I have kicked off quite a discussion with my post following a week of looking at inter-faith issues at ERMC Summer School. I am pleased that so many folk have responded as I believe that this is an important subject because we definitelylive in a multi-faith culture. The comments I have received have been mixed, with some folk suggesting that the same God is worshiped by most/ all of the major religions.
I am open to persuasion on that, but not convinced, the main sticking point certainly with Islam would be the portrayal of the immutable God- completely unknowable, this unknowabilityis also present to a lesser extent in Judaism, for it is not right to speak God's name certainly for many Orthodox Jews. Could it be then that the God I have come to know and to dare to call Father is the same God that remains unknowable to the Muslim and the Jew, and is known in many forms in Hinduism? Having said that mutual concern for the poor, and for the ills of society in general do point to a significant overlap in revelation...
...but I keep coming back to the uniqueness of Christ; and this is something that our Muslim speaker at Summer School urged us to speak up for! I wonder why, could it be that he sees what we don't, that in failing to hang on to the central passion of our faith, the cross and the resurrection, that we somehow loose the spark that in the words of one of my favorite hymns "sets our souls ablaze"?
This apparent lack of spark, and of real conviction/ loss of passion is often endemic within Christian Communities who have lost their focus, where once the focus was on the love and grace of God we have come to worship it is too often upon keeping buildings open and flagging congregations together. I wonder if too often we focus our efforts on fund-raising rather than on prayer, and on survival rather than celebration. Too many of the smaller Chapels I work amongst have a them and us mode of thinking regarding themselves and the communities where they are called to be salt and light , with confidence so low I wonder how we can possibly speak up for the uniqueness of Christ.... but than I come back to the question, how can we not...
...perhaps the task of a minister in such situations is to re-introduce the God who loves us, and is able to do so much more than we can possibly ask or imagine. Perhaps the task is to encourage and to exhort, to pray and to fast, and to seek fresh vision... if so then I guess I must pray here am I Lord, send me!
