Interfaith education and spiritual transformation<\/p>\n
A. Bagus Laksana, Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
At a time when religious freedom, pluralism and tolerance
\nbecome problematic for us, world leaders and religious scholars
\nfrom Europe and Asia in their gathering in Bali recently put yet
\nanother huge challenge before us. In their declaration, they
\npropose interfaith education with a view to building better
\nmutual understanding and tolerance between peoples of different
\nfaith traditions.<\/p>\n
Given our current religio-political situation, the future of
\nsuch an initiative looks terribly bleak. However, this does not
\nmean that such proposal is irrelevant to our context today. On
\nthe contrary, recent developments in our interfaith situation
\nundeniably show the need for a long term and gradual
\ntransformation of people's attitude with regard to the various
\nproblems related to religious pluralism.<\/p>\n
This long-term transformation can only be achieved through
\neducation in which the reality of religious pluralism, more
\nspecifically the various faith traditions, can be engaged in a
\nmanner that displays a sense of respect for the other and
\nwillingness to learn from other faith traditions for the sake of
\nthe deepening and maturation of one's religious commitment,
\nunderstanding and practice.<\/p>\n
Speaking from a global perspective, the interfaith method is
\nreally the future of religious studies or theology in general. If
\nwe take a birds-eye view of what happens currently in many
\ntheological centers in the world, we should not fail to notice
\nthe emerging spirit of \"learning together\" in an explicitly
\ninterreligious atmosphere. In North America, for example, it
\nseems that this atmosphere has become a sign of credibility for
\ntheological centers.<\/p>\n
In many places, any particular theology is studied together
\nand in comparison with other theologies of other faith
\ntraditions. For many years prominent universities such as
\nHarvard, Yale, and Chicago have been homes to a whole bunch of
\nworld-class experts in various religious traditions other than
\nChristianity, to such a degree that it is extremely difficult to
\nsay that those universities are denominationally \"Christian.\"<\/p>\n
In such a setting, theology and religion are discussed and
\nstudied in a lively manner in which pluralism of traditions are
\nnot only welcome but nurtured. Scholars, leaders and
\npractitioners of different faith traditions are invited and are
\nfree to speak from their own perspective.<\/p>\n
Harvard's Center for the Study of World Religion (CSWR), for
\ninstance, has been known for its commitment in fostering this
\ninterfaith atmosphere by regularly inviting scholars and fellows
\nof different religious affiliations and expertise, to come, to do
\nresearch and to present their findings. Such spirit is also
\ncultivated more and more in many other universities that only
\nrecently have begun to set up interfaith settings for theological
\nstudies.<\/p>\n
The interfaith element in this kind of setting not only
\nentails the presence of various scholars of different faith
\ntraditions, but more importantly, the creation of a method of
\ntheological studies that makes possible deep and dynamic
\nencounters among different faith traditions; encounters that in
\nturn help peoples of faith to come to a better grasp of their own
\nreligious traditions.<\/p>\n
What is at stake here in the process of studies is one's own
\nspiritual transformation. In some circles, this new method has
\nbeen called \"comparative theology.\" This term has been in use
\nsince the 19th century.<\/p>\n
But in the old days, and in the Christian circle, this term
\nwas understood roughly as the \"theology of religions\" in which
\nthe place, role and significance of non-Christian religions are
\ndiscussed in a highly abstract and prejudiced manner that leaves
\nno room for real and transforming encounters between peoples of
\ndifferent faith traditions. In reaction to this \"old\" theology of
\nreligions, the new practice of comparative theology precisely
\nseeks to facilitate this kind of encounter.<\/p>\n
How does comparative theology operate? It should be noted that
\nthe method of comparative theology is by no means monolithic. As
\nit is a practice rather than a theory, comparative theology
\nconstructs its various methods as it makes progress through
\npractice.<\/p>\n
In engaging the texts of other religious traditions,
\ncomparativists are learning new religious grammars, learning to
\nthink and experience God from different perspectives.<\/p>\n
This interfaith learning process goes forth from one's own
\nreligious tradition in order to come home again, this time with a
\nrenewed and enriched perspective. Thus, the goal of this practice
\nis not apologetic. It is not an effort to defend the truths of
\none's own tradition by refuting other traditions.<\/p>\n
The engagement with other texts is serious and sincere, that
\nis, in order to learn about and from other faith traditions.
\nThere is no question of conversion here because the ultimate
\nhorizon of this practice is to come to a deeper understanding of
\nGod (fides quaerens intellectum) through one's own religious
\ntradition after engaging with other faith traditions.<\/p>\n
If we learn that other faith traditions can really help us to
\ncome to a better understanding of our own faith, there will be no
\nchoice for us other than cherishing the richness of other
\nreligious traditions and celebrating religious diversity and
\npluralism with a sense of gratitude to God, the ultimate author
\nof this richness and diversity.<\/p>\n
This deeper understanding which results from serious learning
\nis what we need at present. The many recent shameful incidents
\nonly make us aware that our religious tolerance, which we boast
\ntoo often to foreigners, is an empty, cheap and thus, fragile,
\ntolerance.<\/p>\n
It is empty because it is not filled with knowledge of other
\nfaith traditions; cheap because we never make any sacrifice to
\nthe laborious and unsettling effort of getting to know other
\npeoples of different faith traditions through meaningful
\nencounters. In short, the fragility of this tolerance stems from
\nthe fact that our tolerance has no foundation other than slogans
\nand political correctness. So, when it is politically correct not
\nto be tolerant, this fragile tolerance falls apart.<\/p>\n
Comparative theology seems to be the best candidate for an
\ninterfaith education which fosters the study of other faith
\ntraditions and which enables students to experience deep
\ntransformation in their spiritual lives through encounters with
\nother traditions.<\/p>\n
This theology carries with it the interfaith spirit of our
\ntime and could help us in many different ways to give credence to
\nour slogan of tolerance. Interfaith curricula at the level of
\nprimary and secondary education can be a good start in preparing
\nstudents for a dynamic and close reading of texts of other
\ntraditions at post-secondary level.<\/p>\n
Before this kind of curricula can be implemented at secondary
\neducation level, we need some concrete examples from the part of
\nthese scholars and lecturers. The logic is that if interfaith
\nmethods like comparative theology does not work among these
\nerudite men and women, then there is a serious doubt that it will
\nwork among our high school students.<\/p>\n
The writer is a lecturer at Sanata Dharma University,
\nYogyakarta. He is a graduate of Weston Jesuit School of Theology
\nin Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S., and is now pursuing a PhD in
\ncomparative theology at Boston College, U.S. He can be reached at
\nbagus.laksana@gmail.com.<\/p>",
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