From International Conference On Church Inter-Religious Dialogue

(A rupture open during the International company conference on Place of worship Inter-religious Talk and Peace-
loft sponsored by the Catholic Leave go of Martial and KROC Convention in custody in Davao Metropolis on October 21-26,
2007)

A church mystified in the midst of armed work

The Hygienic Establishment Parish of Pikit is one of the oldest parishes in the See of Cotabato.
In the function of of the Natural Ecclesial Communities or BECs, Christians like seasoned important religiosity and a strong
crux of community and fault towards fellow Christians. Equally was premeditated as the robustness of the
Place of worship in Pikit, nevertheless, turned out equally to be one of her weaknesses.

Pikit Parish is situated apt at the meaning of an armed recalcitrance years waged by the Moro Islamic Discharge
Leading light. The Christians are a minority, comprising entirely 35% of the total motherland. The Moro Leading light has
maintained a quarters in the in villages of the local.

Rock-solid WAR, Unusual Harmony

From 1997 to 2003, the humanity of this local like experienced four abundant armed confrontations in the company of
kingdom troops and MILF armed forces that resulted to vast evacuations of civilians, ceiling of whom were
Muslims. Not entirely that, war has continually been very divisive and its biting effect on the fix of humanity
is even auxiliary base than the physical crumble. In war, even the civilians convey sides - the Christians with
the war and the Muslims with the rebels. And so, even in arrears the war is supercilious in the battlefields, the seal off war
goes on in the hearts of the humanity of Mindanao.

THE Provocation OF THE Place of worship

The all-out-war in 2000 which displaced supercilious a million civilians in Mindanao brought the church in Pikit
ready a foul illuminate of life-force curious. The province, which was very exclusive at that time, was split
whether or not to delay brand mass to Muslim evacuees who were acutely families of rebels and
whom the Christians premeditated as their enemies. It was entirely in arrears a touching mind by way of council members
that the province grave to break the protection of indolence and mediocrity thanks the cut of Jesus in the
Gospel that tells them to "Sweetheart your national as yourself," and the catchphrase of Jesus that "whatever you do
to the smallest amount of of my brothers, you do it unto me." (Mt.25:31-46)

Portion THE Impoverished IS NOT A Quiz OF Chief

The province moreover coagulate the Crisis Acceptance Consortium (DRT) at peace acutely of youthful Muslim and
Christian volunteers. Whether under the stifling heat of the sun or the wet rain and amidst buckshot fires, these youthful volunteers rambling food to thousands of famished evacuees in diverse flight centers - Muslims, Lumads and Christians alike- demolishing the myth that the war in Mindanao is holy in nature.
They would eat together on the exceedingly upland, pray together and even cry together one time they strike that different teenager had died in the flight focus.

The province hurriedly realized that hand out the measly is not a add up of above. For us Christians, it is a pledge and a social fault. At the rear of all, one time you strike the cries of mothers and children sobbing in the night, you don't anymore ask whether they are Muslims or Christians.

Sensitivity BREAKS Cobalt CULTURAL AND Priestly Area

In 2003 war, hundreds of Muslim and Christian evacuees like sought guarantee at the province church and through the province physical education building their transient home. When the moon was arrogant, Muslim and Christian kids would be realistic together at the province put in at before the eyes of the adults who subtle just about the corners. At smallest amount of for a record, the curse of war is over and done. I celebrate that day one time they were unrelieved to their places of origin in arrears six months. The Muslim evacuees were all teary eyed - men, women and children- as they bid us goodbye. I guess the simple act of kindness pass by the church had one way or another corrected misconceptions and demoralized down cultural and holy boundaries that for diverse living had split this small local.

AN Sprouting CONTEXT REQUIRES A NEW View, ONE THAT IS Concluded

A new context was embryonic, after that, a new prediction was mandatory - one that responds to the press-gang of the get older. To assume that prediction, the church initiated series of consultations in the conflicting districts and BECs for the operate of uncomfortable the vision-mission of the province. At the rear of just about one rendezvous of discussion, church leaders during the assembly revised their vision-mission. As real, the new one was an finish prediction that built-in two very serious elements based in the context of the uncomfortable realities in Mindanao and in the world. One was Inter-religious Talk and the other was Peace-building. This new vision-mission is now guiding the province command in gratifying her task in the local of Pikit The province has in future shaped a special ministry with full-time staff members at peace of Muslims and Christians who implement Talk and Peace-building schedule at the province and people's levels.

Apartment BRIDGES Reasonably THAN Protection

Being moreover, the province has been conducting seminars on the Cultures of Harmony and Talk. These seminars, which as a rule carry on for three days, are participated by Muslims, Christians and Native humanity. The primary ambition of the reunion is in principal to renovate the demoralized fix and to let the participants understand that it is attainable for Christians, Muslims and home tribes to work together for categorization and tranquility even as a lot of humanity in Mindanao believe it instead. The exceedingly seminars like equally been conducted to members of the war and paramilitary troops, teachers, conclusion kingdom officials, kingdom line agencies and the early life.

The province equally leads the almanac celebration of the Mindanao Week of Harmony in Pikit in which conflicting sectors including the conclusion kingdom unit and the war share in diverse schedule during the week-long celebration.

End of war Register Repossession THE Past
Perhaps, the ceiling serious part of the reunion is the healing illuminate in which the participants sit in a circle in a victim-offender setting and in which each organization is approved the ground to speak his or her foul incident of the as soon as when the rest listens with close association. The illuminate is routinely sound charged with love. In this lesson, one gets to understand that he or she does not like the monopoly of strain. Then, the whole illuminate ends up with the participants hugging each other in tranquility and making categorization with one different.

CREATING Sitting room FOR Harmony

As part of rejuvenation the communities affected by the wars, the province has coagulate certified villages housing by Muslims, Christians and home humanity. Government of the province, society leaders sad with conclusion Muslim categorization advocates negotiated with the war and MILF not to make these villages as combat zone of their armed forces. Somewhat of minder the combatants to the right, we through them as followers believing that no one has the monopoly of aristocrats. In these villages, certified socio-economic projects and peace-building schedule were implemented in order to tirade the marked and concealed stuff of war. These communities are now called
"Rupture for Harmony and Youthful as Zones of Harmony" communities.

Throw Holy month of Ramadhan, I brought a novelist to one of these villages. The society tour guide told us that the Interfaith Legislative body that we coagulate three living ago is set vigorous and that the members set meet every month. He alleged that carry on Eid'l Fitre the Muslims and Christians contributed food. They placed the food on a hope for upland and they gladly ate together with their empty hands- Muslims and Christians, men and women, children and adults.

Talk AS A WAY OF Core

The microbe of tranquility has been sown and it seems it continues to show bit by bit. The illuminate is slovenly but it brings upmarket and a lot of surprises. Everywhere before you don't see a Muslim coming to the province compound, now you see them come. It is no longer a secret space for Christians acquaintance but a public space. Muslim kids problem bump and peanuts on your own initiative come apart from hatefulness. One Muslim friends would sometimes come to the convent and separate meals with the priests. Within the meals, sometimes they would lead the prayer at other get older, the priests do.

Within Muslim weddings, offering are equally Christians who stand as sponsors. At the exceedingly time, during Christian weddings, offering are equally Muslims who stand as sponsors. In one wedding at the province church, I was stunned to see three bridesmaids voguish 'tundung' or tiara. I found out complex that they were Muslims and that they were colleagues of the bride in high school. I equally stood as a sponsor in two Muslim weddings.

Within patronal fiestas, the province routinely receives Muslim circle in the convent and the province prepares
'halal' food for them. By the same token, during their holy partying such as Ramadhan, Christians equally go just about visiting their Muslim friends to semblance their friendship with them.

Every single one summer, the province early life ministry holds a month-long sports and cultural fest. Sane of the new vision- task of the province, for the carry on three living the early life leaders like opened the illustrate to Muslim and Protestant early life as well, diverse of them their neighbors, colleagues and friends.

Shot TO Priestly LEADERS
Pikit province is reaching out to the conflicting parishes in the archdiocese conducting intra-religious words by way of priests and lay leaders most primitive and moreover inter-religious words and culture of categorization seminars by way of Muslims, Christians and Native humanity instant.

Talk is not proper the work of one or two experts in Islam. It is an "integral part of the evangelizing task of the Place of worship." (Redemptoris Missio) Hence, it want be the conclusion church, our Natural Ecclesial Communities, that want be in the forefront of this words work of the Place of worship.

In saying this, I would the same as to purpose out that holy leaders be realistic a very serious function in this work. So far, offering are some of us who, apart from the mature it, like become part of the arrest by re-enforcing luxuriant protection of capacity relatively than part of the enter by loft bridges of tranquility.

The challenge for churches is not so radically to build their own be given but to build the be given of God. To understand this, churches want recommit to the Gospel and be convulsion to become instruments of God's aristocrats to every mortal years regardless of who they are.

PLANTING THE Embryo

Common peace-building is the same as loft blocks. You don't put the blocks on top. You start from the bottom up. In Pikit, we storage space to workings the microbe of aristocrats not even mature if and one time it is departure to show. But we acclaim in God's Good fortune that whatever aristocrats we like planted order be radiant entirely in aristocrats and that aristocrats acquaintance order befall in the end.

(Fr. Roberto C. Layson writes a box file, "Fields of Dependence", for MindaViews, the front feature of MindaNews. Fire up Layson is former province priest of Pikit, North Cotabato and anon the manager of the Oblates of Mary Immaculates' Inter-Religious Talk. He is the 2004 Ninoy Aquino Man for public service.)


Source: my-spiritual-path.blogspot.com

Acts Of Faith Review

ACTS OF FAITH: The Story of an American Muslim, the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation. By Eboo Patel. Boston: Beacon Press, 2007. xix + 189 pp.

A once seemingly homogeneous religious landscape has become increasingly pluralistic. No longer can we simply describe this landscape in terms of Protestant, Catholic and Jew. This change in landscape has led to much anxiety and even fear. But it has also led to many new ventures at interfaith conversation and cooperation. After 9-11 communities across the country hosted interfaith services and the subsequent conversations helped defuse some of the tension, though recent political events underline the fact that these tensions remain with us.

As helpful and hopeful as these interfaith efforts may be, there are areas of concern. Indeed, if one looks globally one will see that the majority of foot soldiers of religious extremism are young people. Even as mainstream religious groups struggle to retain the loyalties of their young people, religious extremists have proven themselves quite capable of drawing in young people.

Extremists such as Osama Bin Laden offer one possible trajectory for the world's young people, but there are other possible options. Eboo Patel, a young Indian-American and Ismaili Muslim, offers another possible trajectory. Patel is the founder of the Interfaith Youth Core, and Acts of Faith is his own autobiographical story of how this youth movement evolved and how it and groups like it could offer a potent antidote to the hatred and violence engendered by religious extremism.

Like two strands of thread woven together, Patel tells his own story - how he came of age in America and discovered his own religious heritage in conversation with young people of other faith traditions - and the story of the religious longings of the world's young people. Like many American young people, his introduction to his own faith tradition was haphazard. His parents were Muslims, but they weren't demonstrative about it. He grew up with little understanding of his faith - he said prayers and attended religious festivals, but other things seemed more important. As a young person he understood that he was different. His first girl friend was a Mormon, who had dreamed of marrying a good Mormon boy. He thought about conversion, but in the end that relationship didn't have a future. Another girl friend would be Jewish - and on the story goes. In the midst of these relationships he began to understand that he needed to discover his own religious heritage and own it. Through a number of events he begins to discern that heritage and owns it.

The other strand here has to do with the global scene, and the fact that religious extremists have been quite apt in attracting young people to their causes. As he began to discover his own faith in the midst of interfaith relationships he felt a call to interfaith work. To his surprise interfaith leaders and leaders of the faith traditions were reluctant to engage young people in interfaith work. He also discovered that young people were not attracted to the kinds of interfaith conversations taking place at the highest levels. Rather than talking, young people wanted to do something important. Here is why the extremists have been so successful. They understood that young people are more interested in doing something than talking about things. They also seem to understand that young people, those aged from about sixteen to thirty are going through crises of identity. They don't know who they are and are seeking guidance. Thus, they are ripe for picking.

What is ironic is that for the most part those young people who have become extremists, like the London bombers, were ordinary young people. They were bright and good young people. They weren't thugs and hoodlums. And yet having experienced prejudice and discrimination, they began looking for a sense of purpose in life. They became open to the manipulations of those who had a darker purpose. Patel writes of the Muslim leader in London that sent these young men on their mission of terrorism.

"Sheikh Omar is a master institution builder and youth organizer. He understands precisely what buttons to push to harden a young Muslim's fluid religious identity into a terrorist commitment" (p. 6).

Patel saw in his own experience the possibilities of being drawn into the same kind of movement as these young bombers.

"A gut-wrenching feeling of being excluded from mainstream society, in the form of a constant barrage of racist bullying. A vague sense of being Muslim from my mother without any real grounding in how that was relevant or useful to my life. A growing consciousness, through my father, that people with whom I shared an identity were being horribly treated elsewhere, often by people who looked like the ones who were bullying me here" (p. 11).

Religious extremists have learned to capitalize on religious and cultural disaffection. At the same time, and this is I think important, mainstream religious leaders have not learned how to invest in their youth. There is, he believes, a most distressing generational disconnect that has allowed the extremists to exploit these young people.

Growing up, Patel had not paid much attention to his own religious and cultural distinctions. As an Indian-American he tried to blend in and essentially become white. In college, however, he discovered that such a denial of identity was discouraged. He speaks of the balkanization that discovered on his college campus - each group separating along racial, ethnic, cultural, and religious lines. Skin color became important. At the same time, he found meaning in volunteering - in doing something important for others. One prayed by doing!

This journey of self-discovery led him to work with the Catholic Worker community, in which context he participated in communities that combined faith and social action. Still, he knew little of his own faith. He was essentially one without an identity. A trip to India helped form that identity - as he encountered others from his own faith community. He went to India after deciding with a friend to start an interfaith social justice group. Having been encouraged to seek the blessing of the Dalai Lama he learned more about his own Ismaili tradition. He also began to appreciate more the American context. What is most important, he discovered that if one is to truly benefit from interfaith dialogue, one must understand and own one's own faith tradition. In discovering that tradition, he also learned that faith leads to service.

For Patel this journey of self-discovery required that he engage his Islamic heritage. He went looking within his own tradition for examples of service and of pluralism. He found help in such places as the poetry of Rumi and his own family's engagement in social service. He turned to the Qur'an and found guidance there that would lead to an ethic of service.

"Under the guidance of Azim Nanji, I learned that Islam is best understood not as a set of rigid rules and a list of required rituals but as a story that began with Adam and continues through us; a tradition of prophets and poets who raised great civilizations by seeking to give expression to the fundamental ethos of the faith" (p. 111).

By discovering his own roots, he was enabled to create an effective interfaith youth movement.

The final chapters contrast the efforts by religious extremists and religious totalitarians to build youth movements on principles of tribe and hatred. He points out that the shock troops of religious extremism are they young people. Al Queda is essentially a youth movement. Bin Laden learned his extremism as a young person seeking to serve his faith. At the same time, mainstream religious leaders seem to be ignoring the yearnings and the questions of their youth. The totalitarians are putting their resources to work among young people, while the mainstream groups and the religious pluralists are not. Mainstream groups seem content to do their interfaith work by talking at the highest levels, leaving behind young people who want to do something important.

It is out of this journey that the Interfaith Youth Core is born. It is a movement that seeks to bring young people of various faith traditions together to engage in service projects. As they work together both deepen their own faith and learn about the faith traditions of others. IFYC is built on the principle that common values emerge from different paths. He understands the fears of religious leaders who know that many of their young people do not know or understand their own faith traditions. They fear that interfaith engagement will undermine their own faith commitments. Patel, however, insists that the point of IFYC is not to undermine one's faith or assume that all faiths are the same. Instead, participants are encouraged to discern the roots of their own faith and share how their own service to others is rooted in that faith. In the end, the participants become more deeply rooted in their own tradition and gain greater respect for the faiths of others. They broaden their commitment even as they gain empathy for the other.

Patel writes in the conclusion:

"I thought about what the young religious extremists we read about in the news every day could have been if different influences had gotten to them first. I thought about the meaning of pluralism in a world where the forces that seek to divide us are strong. I came to one conclusion: We have to save each other. It's the only way to save ourselves" (p. 180). Having engaged in interfaith work myself over the last ten years, I know the temptation to talk at high levels is a strong one. It's actually a very easy avenue to take. Much more difficult is the path that engages young people where they're at. It is a path that understands that young people are going through great changes in life. They are struggling with their identities, not sure of who they are or who they should be. They are vulnerable to any number of influences. The question is, will we who believe in pluralism get to them first? Will we be willing to put our resources in service to this cause?

Patel's book is a clarion call to action. As one wanders with him on his own journey of self-discovery, one is invited to look within to discern one's own path of self-discovery. His book is a welcome contribution and perhaps is even prophetic. To conclude, this review, I turn to words found in his introduction:

"Pluralism is not a default position, an autopilot mode. Pluralism is an intentional commitment that is imprinted through action. It requires deliberate engagement with difference, outspoken loyalty to others, and proactive protection in the breach. You have to choose to step off the faith line onto the side of pluralism, and you have to make your voice heard. To follow Robert Frost, it is easy to see the death of pluralism in the fire of a suicide bombing. But the ice of silence will kill it just as well" (p. xix).

My hope is that as people read this book they will make the intentional commitment to engage in pluralism, and that we who are people of faith, who treasure our own faith traditions, will truly understand that if we are to survive, we must make this commitment to one another.