Interfaith: Can shared space lead to shared grace?
When we are in close proximity with people who are different from us, it is harder to ignore them. If they are more distant from us or we intentionally avoid those who are different, it becomes more difficult to relate to them.
This is true when it comes to interfaith relations, as well. When we live and worship not far from where other faith traditions are, it is more likely that we will learn something about the other community of faith that is different from ours. This is especially true for communities of faith who have come to share physical space with each other.
Sometimes, however, it can take a crisis before the sharing of physical space becomes the sharing of spiritual space.
Oct. 27 will mark the one-year anniversary of the shooting at the Tree of Life Jewish Synagogue in Pittsburgh where 11 people were killed. In days following the tragedy, a local synagogue in Thousand Oaks hosted a vigil service to remember those who had died, to share prayers and to be together in solidarity against the forces of hatred.
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The synagogue that hosted shares a parking lot space with a local Methodist church, and they talked about how the Methodist congregation sent cards of support immediately after the shooting to demonstrate their support. They also explained how it seemed natural for them to invite the Methodist pastor to be a speaker at the vigil since they already had a relationship with him.
Others from the interfaith community came to the vigil as well. When the rabbi asked people who had come from other faith backgrounds to stand up, there were Christians, Muslims, Unitarian Universalists, B’hai and several other spiritual traditions represented.
The shared physical space became a shared spiritual space around common values of tolerance, love and mutual respect despite the religious differences of those who had gathered.
People of different religions often work hard to create their own spaces. We build temples, churches, mosques and rent storefronts all in an effort to promote our own beliefs and provide facilities for our own people.
It makes sense that people of different traditions would want their own locations in which to practice their faith, but often those physical spaces can divide us. They keep us separated in our corners so that we do not have to interact with those who might be different from us.
What if we did more things in shared spaces? Instead of waiting for the next crisis to come together, what if we actually came together regularly in way that might prevent the next crisis?
It is harder to hate the person with whom we have prayed together. We might have less fear of the person who is different if we have come to know them as a human being also made in the image of God. Perhaps shared space might lead to shared grace.
Erik Goehner is pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Thousand Oaks and a member of the Conejo Valley Interfaith Association meets monthly and welcomes clergy and representatives of all religious faiths. Email him at pastorerik@htlcto.org.